SALEM, Ind. (Aug. 8, 2019) — Give or take a special appearance or two, it’s been a quarter century since Pancho Carter last buckled into a race car to compete in the sport that dominated his world for so long. By his own admissions, he doesn’t always keep up with everything that’s happening across the modern-day motorsports landscape, which includes Salem Speedway of course.
I wondered if Carter even knew of Kody Swanson, the “kid” who could tie Carter’s record this year in the annual Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorial at Salem, set for Saturday night, Aug. 10. Carter set the record from 1974 through ’77, winning the prestigious event in four-consecutive years. While he may not have known that his record was up for grabs, he certainly knew who Swanson was. I also found out that the record he set at Salem more than 40 years ago still means something to the 69-year-old, second-generation open-wheel superstar from yesteryear.
“I don’t keep up with that track (Salem) as well as I could; it’s been a long time…but I know who Kody is.”
Swanson, a 4-time USAC Silver Crown Series champion, has won the last three Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorials. The Kingsburg, Calif. driver is aiming for his fourth straight win this Saturday in the 60th running of the event, in what will be Swanson’s 100th career start in the Silver Crown Series. Carter had some opinions on the possibility of Swanson tying his mark at Salem.
“To put four wins in a row together…it wasn’t easy. Personally, I hope he doesn’t get it done, but he’s a nice enough kid…maybe it’s time to pass on the torch.”
Winning even one race back in Carter’s era wasn’t easy; let alone four straight at one of the most challenging short tracks on earth. Consider who his opponents were back in the day…Indy 500 veterans such as Gary Bettenhausen, Larry Dickson, Lee Kunzman, Sam Sessions, Johnny Parsons, Jr., Tom Bigelow and more. On the USAC Champ Car side, where he was also a winner, he was up against the likes of AJ Foyt, Mario Andretti, Al and Bobby Unser, and the list goes on and on. He not only won four straight James/O’Connor events, he pretty-much drove away from the competition in each.
“I don’t remember battling anyone (at Salem); but I remember the tough competition…it was quite something back in those days.”
Indeed it was, which makes Carter’s accomplishments seem all the more spectacular. There was also the time on Memorial weekend at Salem (1977) during which Carter won three USAC features in one afternoon — two Midget mains and a 50-lap Sprint feature on a day when temperatures were near 100. Only Bigelow stopped Carter from winning all four. Carter also won the Salem season finale in Oct. of ’77. His final victory at Salem came in ’79, despite suffering serious injuries in Nov. of ’77, testing an Indy Car at Phoenix.
Carter was good at the Brickyard too, finishing a career-best third in the Indy 500 in 1982. In 17 Indy 500 starts (’74-’91), Carter earned six top-10 finishes and a pole position in the “greatest spectacle in racing” in ‘85.
But like so many racers from that era, his opportunities in Indy Car were born from the high-banks at Salem, where he was exceptionally adept, as he was at Winchester and Dayton. His memories at Salem reach back as early as he can remember.
“I had been going to Salem since I was very young. I remember my dad running there. I remember one day I was messing around in the shop and I stuck a screwdriver up the tailpipe of my dad’s car. I forgot to tell him, and it fell out on the frontstretch. I remember some guy trying to pick it up, but it was too hot; that was my first memory of Salem. Saw my dad run there a lot…Pat O’Connor, Troy Ruttman…saw all those guys race at Salem.
“Once I finally made it to Salem on my own, I already knew how challenging it was going to be. For whatever reason, I just really adapted to the place…always loved the way the car felt in the banking, right up at the top at Salem.”
Back in Carter’s day, he earned three USAC national titles — the Midget championship in ’72 and Sprint Car titles in ’74 and ’76. His lone Indy Car victory came in the Michigan 500 in ’81. Carter understands how fortunate he was to compete in that particular era.
“Parnelli Jones was one of my heroes…finally got the chance to race against him at Texas. But I looked up to a lot of drivers back then…obviously Foyt, Mario, Rollie (Beale). I was fortunate to race against the best…the greatest open-wheel drivers ever.”
The “greatest open-wheel drivers ever” may just include one Kody Swanson these days, who with 27 Silver Crown victories, is the all-time series winner. And while Swanson may tie Carter’s record this year, he’ll need another year to actually surpass it.
“If he (Swanson) wins Saturday, I guess he’ll have to come back next year. There’s no chance of me coming back (to race), so it’s up to him.”
Carter, the son of Indy Car veteran Duane Carter, makes his home these days in Brownsburg, Ind., just outside of Indianapolis. Before his racing career ever got going, Carter graduated from California State University in Long Beach with a degree in Business.
The list of Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorial winners reads like a who’s-who of racing giants. Winners include AJ Foyt, Parnelli Jones, Roger McCluskey, Mario Andretti, Bobby Unser, Rollie Beale, Gary Bettenhausen, Carter, Rich Vogler, Kenny Irwin, Jr., Tony Stewart, Dave Darland, Eric Gordon, Ed Carpenter, Bryan Clauson and Swanson to name several.
Sharing the high banks with the USAC Silver Crown Series on Saturday will be the Lucas Oil Great American Stocks.
The annual visit by the Midwest Oldtimers Vintage Race Car Club is also a part of the festivities Saturday. An early on-track warm-up for the vintage cars is set to take place at 3 p.m. A select group of vintage cars will return to the track prior to the start of the James/O’Connor Memorial 75.
Jeff O’Connor, son of the late Pat O’Connor, will once again pace the field during parade laps in a replica of the Sumar Special that his dad drove in the 1950s.
Salem Speedway Fueled by the Hoosier Lottery will be giving away Hoosier Lottery gift packs to several lucky fans, age 18 and older, during the August 10th event.
The front gates for the Discover Scott County Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorial presented by the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers open at 3 p.m., followed by the first practice session at 3:30. Qualifying is set for 5:45; the first race is scheduled for 7.
Advance general admission tickets are $23 for adults and teens. Ages 7-12 are just $5. Children 6 and under are free.
CONTACT:
Don Radebaugh
donradebaugh@gmail.com
SalemSpeedway.com
Thanks for this very interesting interview….I’m one of a very few that had the chance to interview Duane Carter Sr. back in the 60’s at a radio station in the middle of Michigan….and then living long enough to race with Pancho’s kids in quarter midgets for several years in Region 4 competition. He’s truly a champion in my heart and it was an honor to know him and watch him at his best in sprint cars.