Saturday, March 7, 2009

Daytona Bike Week I believe is here.


Hello, This is March 7, 2009 and I believe that Daytona Bike Week is going on.

I was there for the races of 1948 when the races used the beach for the front straight-way.
I drew number 12 position for the Saturday Amateur 50 miles race. My wheels didn't materialize like I had hoped for.
I was there with Billie Armstrong No 55 Indian Racer from Springfield, Mass. I took pictures of him and the two pit crew members that we had for Billie and his young brother Jackie Armstrong. Other pictures that I took were Johnny Speigelhoff, Ted Edwards, Bobby Baer and Floyd Emde. Bill Tuman and his brother walking and Ed Kretz with Floyd Emde wife. Oh yes, Chuck Basney and Fred Ford. There is a few more that I can't think of their names right now.


Bob James 80N.

6 comments:

  1. Was this the pit crew pictures that you took?

    They are listed as unknown#8 in the WPFTA gallery and the pictures of bike #155 is that Billie Armstrong?

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  2. Hello, Yes that is the two pitmen for Billie & Jackie Armstrong from Springfield, MAss.
    I got the number wrong. Billie's number was 155.
    Bobby James 80N.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hello again,
    The Ford car is Billie's and the four of us helped with the driving from Springfield, Mass. down to Daytona a week before the races. We pitched a surplus Army tent in the sand dunes right up from the beach. Went Jackie and his other pitman got there there was six cots inside for us to sleep on and you could hear the Waves breaking on the beach.
    Bob James 80n

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  4. Hello Once more,
    I keep thinking of something else of interest to tell about Daytona of 1948 on the Beach.
    Billie rented a small car garage where the two Indian Sport Scouts were stored after we unload them with the other gear that we had trailer down. We would check them out ever day and warm the engine up. There is one picture of Billie sitting on his in front of this garage. We would then go buy some food and go see some of the other riders and displays around there.
    I remember even standing on the main street and seeing Ted Edwards driving down the street in his green roaster that had been Mickey Rooney's. There wasn't a lot of motors at the curb as now but enough to get excited of seeing.
    I could tell some more but this will do for my first time on here. Maybe someone else will post. Bob James 80n.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Great stuff!

    Yes it is Daytona week and looks like Joe Kopp wins his first short track there after 16 years trying.

    Story here: http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/flat-track/2009/03/05/kopp-wins-first-daytona-short-track

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  6. Here is a link that you can copy and paste into your address bar for information about the Daytona Monument.

    http://www.daytona200monument.com/monument.html

    ReplyDelete

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