Old Speedway Photos

[Rod Grimwood]

Tony G and Steve E, Gene Welch in blue machine, he was quick with good gear. It screamed.

[fullnoise68]

Tony G and Steve E, Gene Welch in blue machine, he was quick with good gear. It screamed.

Thanks Rod, I`ve got some other photos of this car. This car was miles outside the rules at the time - even in the US - as Gene Welch built it specifically to bring to NZ and Aussie. It was basically an offset sprint car - note the knock on hubs all round - with a`73 Camaro body panels attached. The car was so short that the back edge of the door formed the front of the rear wheel arch! It had the engine set right back and was bloody fast. When he took the car to Aussie after NZ, some of the top locals at one of the tracks refused to race against it, so he did a deal with the promoter were he`d start off the back, a lap down in the 25 lap feature. By about 2/3 race distance he was on his way through the field, lapping them for the second time!

[fullnoise68]

One of the photos I`ve got is Gene Welch and the late Kevin Bates from Hamilton, with the Gene Welch Trophy, which he had done as an incentive for the kiwi driver who got the most points against him during his visit to NZ. He was a true professional. As a young teenager I got him to sign the front of my programme which had a photo of his family on the cover, `not a problem' he said. I still have that programme today.

[Kiwiboss]

One of the photos I`ve got is Gene Welch and the late Kevin Bates from Hamilton, with the Gene Welch Trophy, which he had done as an incentive for the kiwi driver who got the most points against him during his visit to NZ. He was a true professional. As a young teenager I got him to sign the front of my programme which had a photo of his family on the cover, `not a problem' he said. I still have that programme today.

Is Gene Welch still us these days? if so he'd be getting on now!! Dale M

[fullnoise68]

Is Gene Welch still us these days? if so he'd be getting on now!! Dale M

Dale I was talking to Warren Black earlier today, and when Gene Welch raced the Chev Vega here in 1975 he was 58 years old. Warren went to his house in Sacramento in the late `80s for a bbq, but over time lost contact with him. The maths don`t look good.......

[Kiwiboss]

Dale I was talking to Warren Black earlier today, and when Gene Welch raced the Chev Vega here in 1975 he was 58 years old. Warren went to his house in Sacramento in the late `80s for a bbq, but over time lost contact with him. The maths don`t look good.......

Yeah figured as much, forget as we age ourselves those guys fall of the edge!! we're next buggar.

Dale M

[Kiwiboss]

Dale I was talking to Warren Black earlier today, and when Gene Welch raced the Chev Vega here in 1975 he was 58 years old. Warren went to his house in Sacramento in the late `80s for a bbq, but over time lost contact with him. The maths don`t look good.......

I quick Google Steve and Gene Welch would be 97 today but couldn't find whether he's still with us or not!! I found he has a son Mark that features at Stockton 99 speedway and a grandson Shane!!

Dale M