Walt became interested in stock car racing at an early age. His father Chuck Keller and Uncle Dave Healsey both raced stock cars in Western Pennsylvania and neighboring Ohio. Walt began racing in 1958 and continued through 1985. He raced at the Blanket Hill Speedway, Kittanning, Pa, Indiana Fairgrounds Speedway, Indiana, Pa, Butler Fairgrounds, Butler, Pa, and Heidelburg Speedway, Carnegie, Pa. Walt's racing category was modified and late model stock.

  From the late 1950's through the early 1960's he raced a red and white 1953 Studebaker #61. During that time he and Gene Pennington won 12 races with the car.

  Walt has retired to Daytona Beach, Florida where he actively participates as Vice-President of The Living Legends of Auto Racing.

  Walt recently built a replica of the 1966 Ray Fox Dodge Charger #3 driven by Buddy Baker.

The 1953 Studebaker driven by Walt Keller and Gene Pennington from 1958 through 1963.

Walt's Racing Results

  Gayle was a native of Marion, Virginia. He ran his first NASCAR race in July 1950 in Charlotte, North Carolina. During that year he drove Oldsmobiles and Plymouths. He drove in the first Super Speedway race, held on Labor Day, September 4th, 1950, the Southern 500 in Darlington, South Carolina. Gayle's best finishes were at North Wilkesboro, N. C. where he placed 5th on September 24, 1950 and 6th at Hillsboro, N. C., on October 29, 1950.

  In 1951 Gayle drove the #4 V8 powered Studebaker Commander Starlight Coupe sponsored by Blevins Motor Company of Marion, Virginia. He entered races at Columbus, GA and Weaverville, N. C. finishing 13th and 23rd respectively. On September 3, 1951 he started 11th in the 2nd running in the Southern 500 at Darlington, S. C., and finished 21st out of 82 entries. Gayle ran two additional NASCAR races in 1953 driving a Studebaker. These were on the two paved Super Speedway tracks of Raleigh, N. C., and Darlington, S. C. He finishes 23rd/49 and 55th/59 respectively.

  Prior to his beginning NASCAR racing, Gayle had problems maintaining a drivers license. During 1948 and 1949 he was convicted twice of reckless driving. He was fined $100.00 and lost his license.

  Gayle entered the automobile business in Charlotte, N . C. following his racing days. On September 10, 1968 a Piper Commanche Piloted by Gayle crashed near the Virginia West Virginia line in southwest Virginia. He and his passenger, A. B. Haston died in the crash. He was 45 years of age.

  The photographs which follow show Gayle in the #4 1951 Studebaker Commander Starlight Coupe running the Southern 500 at Darlington, S. C. on September 3, 1951. The newspaper ads are from the sponsor of the car, Blevins Motor Company, Marion, Virginia.

  Tom Kirkland track Photographer for the Darlington Speedway provided these pictures.

Gayle Warren's Racing Results

Gayle's #4 1951 Studebaker Commander Starlight Coupe
At the Southern 500, Darlington, S. C. on September 3, 1951

Newspaper Ads of Gayle's Sponsor
Blevins Motor Company

  Merritt Brown was an attorney from Daytona Beach, Florida who raced as a hobby. He ran in two NASCAR races on tracks. He participated regularly in Flying Mile events held in Daytona Beach during Speed Weeks in the 1950's. He drove his own racecars.

  On September 2, 1952 Merritt raced a 1951 Studebaker in the Southern 500 at Darlington, South Carolina. He finished 58th out of 59 entries. In 1953 he raced a new style 1953 Studebaker coupe #23 in the Southern 500 held on September 7, at Darlington, South Carolina. He started 46th. On lap 20 the transmission tore up forcing him to a 58th place finish out of 59 starters. Future NASCAR star Ned Jarrett finished one place behind Merritt in 59th position.

  The photograph shows Merritt in his #23 1953 Studebaker early in the Southern 500 racing with Joe Eubanks and Tim Flock in Hudson's. The photograph courtesy of Tom Kirkland track photographer for the Darlington Speedway.

Merritt Brown's Racing Results

   Frank Gise from New Point, Indiana raced in two NASCAR events. He raced a 1951 Studebaker V8 Commander Starlight Coupe in the Southern 500 at Darlington, South Carolina on September 3, 1951. He started 9th but finished 65th out of 82 starters after the right front wheel broke on lap 215. On September 8, 1951 Frank raced the Central city Speedway in Macon, Georgia. He again started 9th but this time finished 7th out of 22 starters. In both of these races he drove the #38 1951 Studebaker V8 Commander Starlight Coupe. The car was owned and sponsored by B. R. Waller of the Redmond Motors Studebaker Agency in Knoxville, Tennessee.

  The photographs of Frank Gise's Studebaker are from the Southern 500 Darlington, South Carolina September 3, 1951. Photographs courtesy of Tom Kirkland track photographer for Darlington Speedway.

Frank Gise's Racing Results

Richard R. "Dick" Linder was a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dick was a successful racer in both stock cars and open wheel racecars. He entered 28 NASCAR events from 1949 through 1956, winning 3 of those and finishing eight additional times in the top 10. Dick's wins came at Dayton, Ohio, on August 20, 1950, Hamburg, New York, on August 27, 1950, and Vernon, New York, on October 1, 1950, all behind the wheel of an Oldsmobile. His last NASCAR race was the 1956 Beach race at Daytona. Dick also competed in AAA, MARC, USAC, and The Pittsburgh Racing Association sanctioned stock, modified and open wheel races. Dick was the winner of over 110 races at tracks in the state of Pennsylvania. During a USAC Sprint Car race at Trenton, New Jersey in 1959, Dick's racecar flipped over the fence after making contact with the racecar of Don Branson. Dick suffered fatal injuries. He was 37 years of age. In 1984 Dick was inducted posthumously into the Pittsburgh Circle Track Club Hall of Fame.

On February 11, 1951, Dick piloted the # 77 1951 Studebaker Commander in the 160-mile race on Daytona Beach. Dick finished 18th out of 54 entries. The Studebaker was an entirely stock four-door sedan featuring white wall tires. It was owned by John Marcum of Toledo, Ohio, a racing associate of NASCAR President Bill France, Sr. Mr. Marcum later founded the Midwest Association for Race Cars (MARC) which today is known as ARCA. The photo shows Dick entering the north turn of the 4.1-mile beach and road course during the February 1951 event.

During the 1953 racing season, Dick piloted a Hudson in AAA sanctioned stock car races. The photos show Dick beside his #23 Hudson and during a race at the Milwaukee Mile that year.

In honor of Dick's racing career, I dress up my Studebaker to resemble the one he raced on the Beach in 1951. The photos are from the 2006 Beach Parade held on Daytona Beach the Tuesday of Speed Weeks each year by The Living Legends of Auto Racing, Inc.

Dick Linder Racing Results

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