Kenny Shoemaker | |
---|---|
Born | Kenneth N. D. Shoemaker September 7, 1929 Schaghticoke, New York |
Died | March 22, 2001 71) | (aged
Motorsport career | |
Debut season | 1949 |
Wins | 150+ |
Finished last season | 1978 |
Championship titles | |
1958 NASCAR NY Sportsman Champion [1] |
Kenneth "Kenny" Shoemaker (September 7, 1929 - March 22, 2001) was an American dirt modified racing driver. Known as "The Shoe", he was a hired gun who piloted 78 different cars to over 150 wins, usually at venues within driving distance of his home because of his full time job. [2] [3]
Kenny Shoemaker chipped in with boyhood pal Pete Corey in 1949 to buy a 1934 coupe and make it into a stock car. They numbered the black racer number 35 to represent the purchase price and began racing at Burden Lake Speedway NY. [4] During his career he competed successfully at the renowned tracks of the northeast, including Albany-Saratoga Speedway NY, Fonda Speedway NY, Langhorne Speedway NY, Monroe County Fairgrounds NY, the Syracuse Mile NY, Utica-Rome Speedway NY, and Victoria Speedway, NY. [1] [2] [5] [6]
Kenny Shoemaker was inducted into the Northeast Dirt Modified and the New York State Stock Car Association Halls of Fame. [1] [4]
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