Hale, who turned 83 on Aug. 23, has slowed down a little, but the Lewisburg resident’s passion for racing remains full throttle. He’s still a fixture at races, Dayton Auto Racing Fan (DARF) meetings — the trophies he donates to the injured drivers fund auction often are the most popular items — and car shows. And this weekend he hopes to be at the World 100 at Eldora Speedway.
That’s where he was in 1971, becoming the World’s fastest man, in a manner of speaking.
Hale set the fast time at the inaugural World 100, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this weekend, outrunning approximately 120 cars to turn the fastest qualifying lap.
The actual time is difficult to chase down. But then again, so was Hale.
His career started in 1949 — not counting those stoplight drag races — at the intimidating Dayton Speedway when spectators were invited to race their own cars in a special street stock race. Hale did, popping the hubcaps off his car and finishing fourth. Hale is also credited as the only driver to race Eldora Speedway every year during Earl Baltes’ ownership from 1954 through 2004.
As for the World, Hale finished 10th in that first one. A rock to his radiator kept him from racing with the leaders.
“I got forced down underneath somebody and they were throwing rocks up. They got caught in the radiator and it got warm,” Hale said. “I had to back off to keep from losing the motor.”
Hale qualified for five World 100 features. His highest finish was fifth in 1972. His last feature came in 1977. Overall at Eldora, he claimed three late model track titles (1970, 1974-75) and six stock car championships (1975-77, 1982, 1986-87).
“I ran that track when it was smaller, just a quarter-mile to start with,” Hale said. “Then it got a little bigger and a little bigger. We got going faster and faster.”
For Hale, going fast wasn’t always about acceleration. Sometimes it was about ingenuity.
“(Drivers) used to tell me, ‘Hey, you ain’t got much air in that left rear tire.’ I’d say, ‘Well, it’s got a slow leak in it,’ ” Hale said with a sly smile. “But when you went into the corner without any air that thing would go down and pull you around the corner. As you’d get going the tire would raise right up and go right with you. Just little things.”
For Hale it was as simple as that. Just like how he came about his nickname while growing up in West Milton.
“My dad ran a hatchery. Hell, I’d run around and have a chick in my pocket a lot of times,” Hale said.
With his legendary career Hale has as many stories as he does trophies. Perhaps the most famous is his fire escape at Dayton Speedway in 1953.
As the field roared toward the starting line the flag didn’t wave as anticipated. The field slowed except for that car behind Hale. It slammed into him and dropped the fuel tank onto the track.
Hale’s car was soon engulfed in flames.
Hale, with the grandstand crowd unable to see him, jumped out the right side of the car.
The rolling inferno slowly made its way around the track and stopped in front of the grandstands.
Hale came walking up a minute later, suffering burns and injuries that required a 10-week hospital stay.
“Man, I jumped out of that sucker. It got hot in there,” he said.
Friends rebuilt the car for Hale while he recovered.
When he got back on his feet, Hale was faster than ever.
He won with the same car his very next race.
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