Kenny Shoemaker

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Kenny Shoemaker
BornKenneth N. D. Shoemaker
September 7, 1929
Schaghticoke, New York
DiedMarch 22, 2001(2001-03-22) (aged 71)
Debut season1949
Wins150+
Finished last season1978
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]

Racing career[edit]

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]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Boggie, Tom (April 2, 1993). "Shoemaker enters Dirt Hall of Fame". The Daily Gazette. p. D6. Retrieved December 19, 2023 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ a b "Ken Shoemaker Career Results". The Third Turn. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  3. ^ Boyd, Lew; Shoemaker, Kenny (2000). They Called Me the Shoe. Coastal 181. ISBN 097098541X.
  4. ^ a b "Three drivers and promoter elected to NYSSCA Hall of Fame". The Amsterdam Recorder. June 9, 2016. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  5. ^ "Shoemaker wins feature at Victoria". The Record (Troy). August 23, 1965. p. 15. Retrieved December 19, 2023 – via NewspaperArchive.
  6. ^ "Kenny Shoemaker grabs feature Albany Saratoga". The Post-Star. July 16, 1966. p. 8. Retrieved December 19, 2023 – via NewspaperArchive.