NASCAR Studebaker Driver

[studegary]

Today, I attended the annual Induction Ceremony for the Hudson Valley Race Hall of Fame. One of today's inductees biography was read as having raced Studebakers in NASCAR. The emcee had to editorialize that the honoree should have stayed with Chevy or Ford. I was sitting in the middle of the third row with a Studebaker shirt on.

In this case there were three brothers being inducted together. The inductee's surname is DeLease. I do not know which of the three brothers that it was. Do any of you know of this?

I believe that this is the first time that I have attended and not known any of the inductees. At least it is one place where I go that most of the men are my age or older. After the event, I talked at length with a younger guy (74) that is restoring an F-bird (F package 1957 Thunderbird).

[studegary]

I thought that we had some individuals that were into Studebakers in NASCAR and one that was an expert on them (What is his e-mail?). Doesn't anyone have any information on this DeLease that raced Studebakers in NASCAR?

[8E45E]

I thought that we had some individuals that were into Studebakers in NASCAR and one that was an expert on them (What is his e-mail?).

That would be Bob Coolidge, aka'trnstrtrk'

PM him here: http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...light=coolidge

Craig

[studegary]

That would be Bob Coolidge, aka'trnstrtrk'



Craig

I tried to e-mail Bob using his e-mail address from my SDC Roster. The e-mail came back as "not a member".
I haven't noticed him on the Forum for some time.

[Stu Chapman]

I tried to e-mail Bob using his e-mail address from my SDC Roster. The e-mail came back as "not a member".
I haven't noticed him on the Forum for some time.

Bob's mother passed away recently which probably accounts for his Forum absence. We have been in touch with each other recently. Try him again.

Stu Chapman

[trnstrtrk]

Group: I have not found a driver in NASCAR with the last name of DeLease that raced at the Grand National (now Cup) level. NASCAR had several levels of sanctioning throughout the United States and this person could very well have raced at a regional or state area and been successful. Records of those races and outcomes are sketchy.
If possible, please find out from the awards committee where this person raced and when. There were quite a few Studebakers raced when the V8 engine was introduced in 1951 as well as when the 1953 Coupes were introduced. The use of the GM V8 in 1965 allowed for the use of regular Chevrolet engines to be used in the Lark type Studebakers. Several of these were raced throughout the US and Canada. I can be reached at any time at the e mail address of trnstrtrk@bellsouth.net

[studegary]

Group: I have not found a driver in NASCAR with the last name of DeLease that raced at the Grand National (now Cup) level. NASCAR had several levels of sanctioning throughout the United States and this person could very well have raced at a regional or state area and been successful. Records of those races and outcomes are sketchy.
If possible, please find out from the awards committee where this person raced and when. There were quite a few Studebakers raced when the V8 engine was introduced in 1951 as well as when the 1953 Coupes were introduced. The use of the GM V8 in 1965 allowed for the use of regular Chevrolet engines to be used in the Lark type Studebakers. Several of these were raced throughout the US and Canada. I can be reached at any time at the e mail address of trnstrtrk@bellsouth.net

Bob C. - Thanks for your input. It is appreciated. I will make an attempt to find out more, but I am not connected to that organization. I just attend their annual Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. You are probably correct in assuming that it was not on a national level even though I believe that they stated that he went south to get into NASCAR racing.
When I tried the e-mail address for you, that you list above and is in my SDC Roster, it gets returned as "no such member".
Thanks to Craig for an alternate e-mail address which I did not use due to your posting here.
For every past year, they handed out programs with the information on those being honored. This year they did not do that. At least I wrote down the name.

EDIT: I just discovered that it was my error in trying to e-mail you. I added one vowel (an a) to your e-mail address in error.

[trnstrtrk]

I found a reference to a Bob DeLease who was the 1973 Late Model Race Car Champion at the Orange County Fair Speedway in Middletown, NY. This is one of the older race tracks operating the US. The first automobile race was held on this track in August 1919. The track is currently a 5/8ths of a mile dirt track. It operates from the spring to the fall of each year with weekly races. This Bob DeLease may or may not be one that raced in a Studebaker. I hope we learn more about the DeLease family.

[studegary]

I found a reference to a Bob DeLease who was the 1973 Late Model Race Car Champion at the Orange County Fair Speedway in Middletown, NY. This is one of the older race tracks operating the US. The first automobile race was held on this track in August 1919. The track is currently a 5/8ths of a mile dirt track. It operates from the spring to the fall of each year with weekly races. This Bob DeLease may or may not be one that raced in a Studebaker. I hope we learn more about the DeLease family.

Bob is quite likely one of the three DeLease brothers that were inducted into the Hall of Fame. He may or may not be the one that drove a Studebaker in NASCAR.
The main tracks covered by this organization are; Middletown, Arlington, Rhinebeck and Dover. I have been to all of them. I drag raced my '57 President Classic at Arlington. I helped a friend and classmate build a circle track 1956 Golden Hawk for Arlington. A few of us in the Hudson Valley Chapter, SDC built a 1964 Daytona hardtop for drag racing at Dover.