These two are sons of plumbers, Junior Howerton and Buddy Cagle
Junior Howerton and Danley were in the 125th Fighter Bomber Squadron during the Korean conflict. We have heard stories of Junior loading midgets in a DC3 and flying the drivers and cars to area race tracks. We're sure that is just a big story that was made up. Junior flew F 84's. The 125th was based in Alexandia, LA. Junior's brother-in-law was also in the 125th.
In the photo below Jr. is in car 81 while Buddy is in car 16. That's Buddy holding the black cat. Also Buddy is the one on the left getting a plumbing lesson from the pro , Junior Howerton on the right .
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On the left below is Ralph Outcolt and the flagman is Floyd Seago. This was taken at the Dewey, OK. track on one of those Wed. night events.
Center is Bill Homaior ready for a kiss.
Shown on the right is Bob Slator in a Vito Calio car out of K.C.
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Below Clarence Merritt lines up ,on the pole, for a race at the old Tulsa Fairgrounds track.
The two young men on the right are the late Jimmy Reece and the late Jack Zink. Zink's cars won "Indy" in 1955 and 1956. Zink was also the Tulsa track promoter during that time. Jack's father did not want him racing so he drove under the name Bob Jones. When Zink brought the late models into Tulsa for a big event Lee Petty stopped his car and threw the red flag. Drivers gathered in the infield and Jack walked up to see what was going on. Petty said it is so dusty in that backstretch you can not see your hand in front of you. Another driver told Petty to shutup. He said, " That's Jack Zink and he was running fourth and moving on. Zink was really going before the race was stopped. He would hit the guard rail with the right rear of his car on turns 2 & 4 and get lined up and shoot down the straight away. Zink was well liked by the drivers. He was one of the gang.
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