| Photo ID # | a07.29.04_002_SCH_SUN_0055_1 |
| Car #: | #2 |
| Driver (s) : | Frankie Schnieder |
| Location: | |
| Date: | 1955 |
| Photographer: | Bob Tidaback |
| Photo provided by: | Mike Tidaback |
| Comments: | Fast running TQ racer and good friend of the Vault Mike
Tidaback sent us this picture showing Frankie Schnieder behind the wheel of the #2.
According to Mike, he was able to show Frankie this picture at the recent Ledgewood Mall
show and Frankie said it was the first time in many years that he had seen a picture of
this particular car. Wow... 1955... I saw Frankie wheeling the #3N1 around Flemington this past year (2004) at one of the NOTARC events, so that's at least 49 years making left hand turns and I'm sure some of you guys can tell us about pre-1955 stuff.... |
| Visitor's Comments | To add your comments about THIS PHOTO - Click Here | |
| Date: | Visitor's Name: | Comment: |
| 08/01/04 | Marty Little | Frankie was a frequent visitor to Florida to race in the winter but this photo wasn't taken at Sunshine Speedway in St Pete as it didn't open until the 1960 season. Since Schneider usually based himself in the Tampa area my guess is that the track was Saramana, a quarter-mile paved oval located in Sarasota. Marty Little - Ft Lauderdale |
| 08/02/04 | Dominic Korzecki | This track was actually in Bradenton , which is one town north of Sarasota
(30 miles south of East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa on Rt. 41 for all you Winternational
Fans). My father-in-law (who's lived here all of his life) said that where this track used
to be, there are condo's now. He attended the speedway in the late 60's early 70's and
said it was in operation until the mid-70's. Every time I drive past there now, I'll think
of Frankie. An additional fact about this track was that many NASCAR pioneers drove this track in their early careers. Buck Baker and Junior Johnson made appearances on a few occasions from what I was told. Also, this was a popular spot for Buzzie & gang with the "00" since they lived not to far north in Zephyrhills. - Dominic Korzecki , Sarasota, Fl |
| 08/12/04 | RaceHistry | There was no speedway in Bradenton until the current DeSoto Speedway was built adjacent to the drag strip in 1978. The SaraMana Speedway was known for a time as the Sarasota-Bradenton Speedway and was located at Little Pittsburgh and 57th and closed in 1971. It later became a trailer park and could well have become condos after that. We're talking about the same track here. |
| 08/21/04 | Dominic Korzecki | Desoto Speedway located on State Road 64 in Eastern Bradenton was built after SaraMana was torn down. Like I stated earlier, it closed in the early 70's. If it closed in 1971, how can there never have been a speedway in Bradenton until the oval was built next to the dragstrip in 1978? The track was there for roughly 25 years. My father-in-law has lived in Sarasota County since 1957 and has always remembered it being there til the early 70's. He had a friend he helped pit that ran the novice division during his high school years. So I don't understand the previous statement. |
| 08/21/04 | 3-Wide | Hey guys, I'm 1200 miles north, so I can't really help out much on this one. You guys both have provided info for which we at the Vault are very grateful. Maybe there are some other guys out there who could help out on this one. The good news is it's a heck of a lot easier trying to get to the bottom of this stuff that happened some 30, 40 or even 50 years ago while we're all still around! Thanks for the comments and in a good natured way, we'll get it sorted out. Maybe Mike (supplier of the photo) will come up with some more info for us as well. |
| 12/12/04 | Jim Bernard | It was originally called the Saramana Speedbowl. Jim Bernard, Largo |
| 03.16.09 | Pak`n`ship Sanibel | lived not far from there. went often with my dad. |
| 08.07.09 | Ron Rowe | It's Saramana....Those bleachers are facing north, Pits on
the North side of the track. St Pete always had the pits behind the
bleachers. I have been to Saramana many times and it closed in the early
seventies, just before Desoto opened up (I worked on Desoto). That's an
unusual winter race (see fence post shadows and people wearing sweaters), in
later years it was always friday nights in the summer. It was great fun,
especially the payoffs, that was a show in itself! Ron Rowe Bradenton, Florida |
| 04.02.14 | Bob Fink |
AAH, Saramana Speedbowl, used to love that place, moved from Ohio to Bradenton, Fl. in Dec.1958. Near the north Sarasota county line and just inside the south Manatee county, hence Sara-Manna name, mostly local coupes, flathead Mods. & Sportsman with a hobby type class. Maynard Troyer & Aden Erb later dominated with their "52-"53 Ford "show cars" with the Ford inline 6's plus a beautiful Hudson Hornet sedan from Venice, Fl. Only saw Frankie Schnieder a couple times during the winters, he was very popular all over Fl. I Was there the first time Buzzie Reutimann was old enough to drive, showed-up with a car identical to Emil's, his dad, little later Emil has his 6 cyl. exhaust coming out the R/H side of his Chevy i.e.12 port head. Remember rushing over on Fri. evenings after work at Tropic-Anna truck shop because the "Big-Boys" from Tampa were down, Pete Folse in one of the twin Pegs Pies sponsored '33-'34 Plymouth coupes with their HEMI engines, inline GMC sixes with 5 carburetors lots & lots of Mercury & Ford OHV's in '34 Ford coupe & sedans, not many SBC's until later. The local favorite, Harold Hall from Sarasota won lots of local races in his blue # 3 coupes w/strong flathead engines & the big boys knew he was there, but that was all ! Sure wish I had taken pictures. Bob Fink, Tampa |
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