THE FEATURE
This Page Will Revolve
Monthly With Featured Drivers
From The Book
<JAN 1999
JIM MALONE
"The Flying Farmer"
34
In the current Riverhead Raceway Program,
Jim Malone is listed in the # 2 spot for all time Modified wins at that
track. That accounting is for the years1960 -73. What that statistic does
not tell you is that Jim started racing there when it was still dirt 1953.
By the late 50's he moved up from Jalopys to Sportsman and was a major headliner
at that facility. Around that same time the lifetime resident of Southhampton
Long Island started traveling and #34 would compete at Islip,
Westhampton, Trenton, and Langhorne. There was a season in the early 60's
when Jim won 11 features in a row and realising that his Star was begining
to bore his crowd ,astute promoter Ed Hawkins, increased the length of the
modified feature to 30 (made no difference) then 35 laps,to give the competition
a chance.
I first met Jim by chance in 1962 at Bridgehampton Race Circuit when he
was hired by Avanti to give demo rides on the road course. I was 15 at the
time and did not know who it was behind the wheel,when my father pushed
me into the back seat for what I thought was going to be a joy ride. There
were 5 of us in the car and the Studebaker rep, who was quite a talker, sat in the passenger seat.
I had a clearview of the speedomoter and watched it pass the 100 mph mark
on the straight, but the white knuckle time came, as we took the hairpin
turns. The driver never said a word he just DROVE!. I did not find out who
it was until I interviewed him for the book in 1994. It was just one of
the fascinating little pieces of history that have brought us together and
I'm happy to say we are still in contact with each other. Jim Malone his fascinating life story is in the book....part
of the real history of Stock Car Racing in America
Running between Bobby Allison and Ken Mehl at Trenton in 1964
(Ray Masser photo)
With Teamate Frank "Mississippi" Curtis at Westhampton "Sip" ran a 6 cylinder Sportsman
First Flip at Riverhead '50's
THE FARM TEAM
McGee, Malone, Zeh
and the T&D Roofing Special
mid 1950's