Front Of Dick Fleck Post Card
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This Is The Back Of This Post Card
(The article below was written by: Earl Watson)
Whatever happened to Dick Fleck?
Okay, it's not exactly a household name but Hatfield Speedway stock car fans will remember Dick Fleck. Dick won 13 of 16 features at Hatfield in 1957 and he was also track champion in 1957 although his 50-year involvement in auto racing has earned him other recognition, particularly for his role in pioneering Poccno International Raceway.
During Dick's racing career that spanned 15 years --minus three years he served in the Navy during the Korean war. Fleck drove everything from jalopies to USAC championship cars, winning a total 57 checkered flags.
Dick Fleck's career as a race driver ended in 1961 when he smashed his car in an end-over-end accident at Hatfield. That's when, George Marshman, Track owner, persuaded Fleck to join him in the front office, promoting the sport of racking on a full-time basis. In fact at the time, Hatfield was running drag racing year-round.
Racing came to end at Hatfield when Marshman sold the track in 1966 but new avenues had already opened up for Fleck at Pocono International Raceway.
He and Dave Montgomery, A building contractor started toying with the idea of building a super speedway in the Poconos as far back as 1958.
Ground breaking for the track was held in 1965. " The first phase was construction for the 3/4 mile oval. That was completed in two years.
Meanwhile, construction continued on the 2.5mile track and it was a scramble to ready the facility for the USAC's 500-mile opener on July 3, 1971.
Dick worked 18 to 20 hours a day, seven days a week without any time off for months on end, He said "It all seemed like a bad dream until opening day.
Dick resides in Collegeville Pa now with winter quarter is Daytona, which as Dick points out is "where the action is". He is active in a local club "The Living Legends Of Auto Racing".