Former Stock Car Drivers Pass Away
Terry Nichels, Jack Carey and Ralph Wren raced at local ovals
Terry Nichels, 68, of Highland, Ind., passed away on January 21st. Nichels, son of hall of fame mechanic and car owner Ray Nichels, began racing at Illiana Motor Speedway in Schererville, Ind., in 1967 and finished an impressive second in the late model points that year driving one of his Dad’s old cars – a 1965 Plymouth formerly driven by Paul Goldsmith.
Nichels moved on to United States Auto Club (USAC) competition in 1969 and finished 12th in the points in his rookie season with a fourth place finish at Milwaukee his best effort. He raced again in USAC in 1970 and finished 14th in the points.
From there, he was a USAC car owner with Iowa’s Verlin Eaker as his driver. In 1971, Nichels finished eighth in the car owner standings, fielding a ’69 Dodge Charger No. 99 for Eaker. 1972 saw Nichels finish 11th in the USAC car owner standings with Eaker posting two second place finishes during the year in a 1970 Dodge No. 99. After that, Nichels had cars in USAC competition in spot events through about 1976.
Nichels returned to Illiana a few times in 1990 and 1991 as a driver to finish up his racing career.
Terry Nichels guides his ’65 Plymouth
No. 7 during the 1967 Tony Bettenhausen Memorial 100 at Illiana Motor Speedway.
In his rookie season, Nichels finished eighth in the 100 lapper after ending up
second in the points for the regular season of racing behind champion, Buck
Hinkle.
(Vince Mayer Photo)
Jack Carey, 65, passed away on January 17th. Racing out of Orland Park, Ill., during his career, Carey was a late model racer at Illiana and at the Grundy County Speedway in Morris, Ill.
Following his Dad’s racing footsteps, Carey started racing in the six-cylinder division at Grundy in 1973, wheeling a 1968 Mustang. Carey moved up into the late model ranks by 1975 and raced at Grundy and began to compete at Illiana. He finished 19th in the Grundy late model standings in 1975. Always racing Ford products, he turned in three “top 10” points finishes in a row at Illiana, finishing fifth in 1979, ninth in 1980 and seventh in 1981, driving a 1981 Mustang. Ford Thunderbirds were his race cars in 1983 and 1984 as he wound down his speed career.
Jack Carey poses next to his No. 81
Ford late model for photographer Bob Elman at Illiana Motor Speedway. Carey
always raced Ford products during his career.
(Bob Elman Photo)
Ralph Wrzesinski, better known to race fans as Ralph Wren, passed away on January 6th at the age of 78. Wren raced late model cars at Blue Island’s Raceway Park during the 1966, ’67 and ’68 racing seasons. Wren campaigned the former Legs Whitcomb-driven, Junior Marino-owned ’64 Oldsmobile F85. Wren even made a few appearances at Chicago’s Soldier Field and at Illiana Motor Speedway.
Ralph Wren and his Oldsmobile F85 No.
8 are spinout victims during 1966 late model stock car action at Blue Island’s
Raceway Park.
(Bud Norman Photo)
Part of the pit crowd at Raceway Park for years, Wren, a Chicago native, turned his attention to building and wrenching on cars at the track, hooking up with Dan Colyer for eight racing seasons, 1969 through 1976. Always among the front runners, Colyer, racing under the alias of James Bond, No. 007, and Wren captured one of Raceway Park’s popular Monza Classics in 1974. Colyer, behind the wheel of a Wren-prepared Chevy, raced in the three separate 30-lap feature races which made up the Monza event on Saturday night, August 17th, with Colyer finishing third, second and winning the final 30 lapper to secure the overall Monza trophy.
Nichels, Carey and Wren, all three played a part in Chicago area racing history. Rest in Peace, Gentlemen.
--Stan Kalwasinski