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| Danley at age 20 |
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Photos by Danley
Danley is now retired and enjoying his
photography on the computer using a
scanner for the old 4"x5 "films .
Danley and Gene Barton took up race
track photography in 1945 as 9th
graders at Cleveland Jr. High.
It was the Dewey, OK. track on
Wednesday and Tulsa on Saturday.
Danley went solo in 1956 with
Photos by Danley and expanded to
include the Muskogee track.
Eventually Danley became the Editor
of Tulsa Speedway News as well as
Thunderbird Racing News in
Muskogee, OK.
He left racing to go with STP Corp.
in 1969 where he became the
Director of Sales in the World
Headquarters in Boca Raton, FL.
Warning..........All pictures used in this website are the property of Danley Clow. DO NOT print,copy,download or reproduce without written consent of Danley Clow or his son Gary W. Clow.
All Other websites must have written promission to use Danley's work.
“© 2008 Danley Clow”.
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| 1945 to 1965 |
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John Thomas Sawyer
March 5, 1926 - December 21, 2008
Services for 82 year old "Johnnie" Sawyer was held December 23, 2008 at Floral Haven Funeral Home Chapel in Broken Arrow, OK.
Johnnie drove midgets in the mid forties and was known for driving the Geo Thomas Offy that Geo bought from Arnold Krause in California. That #93 was the midget that Mickey Rooney drove in Big Wheel.
Attending the service was former midget pilots Buddy Cagle and Bob Brummett. Randy Thomas attended and he is the son of the late Geo Thomas. Danley Clow started his photography career about the time Johnny started racing midgets. Randy and Danley had a long visit after the service.
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September 17,2008
Danley Clow attended the Tulsa Legions lunch and had the privilege of sitting next to Angelo Howerton. Angie drove midgets and stocks in and around Tulsa for years. The two old timers talked racing from 1945 when the midgets were the big attraction in town. The two were discussing the 1950 250 mile race in Okahoma City when two younger men said " they are talking about 1950". When one of the men was asked "what year were you born ?" he replied "1949". The 92 year old Angelo could tell you what he drove and details about the race. In 1945 Angelo flipped his midget at the Dewey, Oklahoma track and as a 15 year old kid Danley helped the ambulance driver transport Angelo to the Bartlesville hospital. The driver was alone and needed someone in the back looking after Angelo. Danley told Angelo about the left fender being ripped as cars had blocked some of the exit from the fairgrounds and then they came upon a train across the track and the train moved out of the way for the ambulance. After arriving at the hospital there was a call telling them there had been another crash at the track. When they arrived at the track they learned that was not true. They just wanted the ambulance back at the track and state law required an ambulance before they could race.
Danley said " at 78 it is great to find someone around that remembers the old days and Angelo is as sharp as they come"
Later Danley was in the service with Angelo's brother Junior Howerton, another old time midget driver. Junior passed away sometime ago. Also in that Air Force Squadron was Angelo's brother-in-law Lt. Haggan. Angelo and Thelma have a son Jackie Howerton who started his racing career in Tulsa and went on the bigger and better things.
Sitting to the left of Danley was Bill Seago, son of Floyd Seago who was the flagman in the 40's and 50's. Floyd and Danley were the best of friends.
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Pictures at the September 17,2008 Tulsa Legions lunch are (left to right) Derril Brazeal, Jim Lambert, Bill Seago and 92 year old Angelo Howerton.
Angelo may be in a wheel chair and having trouble seeing ,but he is as sharp as can be.
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A memorial service was held on September 26th in Tulsa for Charles H. Bean. Charle was born on June 26,1920 and passed away September 22, 2008 in Sperry, OK. His former driver, Joe Siefried, was in attendance as well as many other Tulsa race personalities.
Besides being a car owner he furnished the white jeep used at the Tulsa races. The 88 year old Charlie was well liked and his great smile will be missed.
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| Bud Hemphill owner-driver |
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| Bud Camden in Zink Offy |
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| Jimmy Hicks driver and Ray Cates owner |
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Our goal with this website is to share the joys of racing with those who share our interest in racing and especially the early day midgets and stocks.
In 1945 the track was on the Tulsa Fairgrounds and the stands were the old wooden stands which burnt down in 1957.
Danley's cousin was Bud Hemphill who drove a Ford powered midget and earned the title of "Ford King of Oklahoma"
Bud was killed on the Taft stadium track in Oklahoma City on May 15, 1950. The interest in Bud's racing and a 4X5 Speed Graphic which Gene Barton's father bought him was all it took to form the Barton-Clow Photography team.
Gene was 16 and Danley was 15. On Wed. after classes at Cleveland Jr. High in Tulsa the mad dash for Dewey, Oklahoma was on to cover the midget races. Then there was Tulsa on Saturday night with a Oklahoma City race every now and then.
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