02.22.03_072_GRI_UNK_0060_1.jpg (53038 bytes)

Photo ID # 02.22.03_072_GRI_UNK_0060_1
Car #: #72
Driver (s) : Pee Wee Griffin
Location: Unknown
Date: 1960's
Photographer: Ace Lane   ( www.acelanephotography.com )
Photo provided by: Kevin McElvaine
Comments: Pee Wee - Some guys can really drive, and some guys always find a way to get in trouble...Pee Wee did both real good!  I always rooted for Pee Wee, although you had to look around at who was sitting next to you before you cheered to loud for him!
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02/25/03 Todd L Pee Wee is another legend who left his mark on the sport, I am often told of the time he left EWS in the cockpit of the #72 and drove it home. I remember as a kid sitting watching the news with my Dad and seeing Pee Wee being led by FBI agents out of his house in Texas.
03/01/03 Todd L Pee Wee owned a NASCAR modified in the 70's of course #72 and it was driven by the late great Neil Bonnett and is currently housed in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in Talladega
03/03/03 Russ Bruce Peewee Griffin came up from Florida I believe in 1963.  I can remember seeing him race his then yellow '37 Ford coupe #72 at Vineland on asphalt and Nazareth on dirt in 1964.  The opening of East Windsor gave him a home track, so to speak.  Yes I was there the night he drove the car home with pit crews chasing after him.  I was an Al Tasnady fan when Al became one of Peewee's foes.  Do you remember the day he jumped on Al's hood and said "I'm the greatest".  Peewee's cars got smaller and smaller.  He had a narrow Chevy Coupe that would really fly. Whether his fan or not, no one got around East Windsor better than Peewee.  Most of the problems created on the track were really unnecessary because of the driving talent he possesed.  Thanks, Russ Dodge
03/16/03 "Coach" I have many stories about Bruce "Pee Wee" Griffin. I was his chief mechanic and friend from 1966 to the late 1970's. He did drive the #72 out the EWS pits and on the streets to his apartment in Hightstown. I followed him home with the hauler, loaded the racer, and went to the garage in Cranbury Township. The police were waiting there for the #72 being driven down the road. Surprise!

Pee Wee could have won the East Windsor Speedway championship seven years in a row (1965 to 1972). He only won three. The other four times we got suspended by owner Don Jones.

Other stories can be told about aggressive driving at Nazareth, Flemington, and Orange County.

The #72 had Billy Barnwell, Dick Poole, and me ("Coach" or Bob Patten) as chief mechanics. Each one of us were a story of its own, too.Much to tell. Not tonight, though. Later.

03/30/03 Kevin Mc My dad used to sell parts to him in the 70s. That earned my dad an all expenses paid trip to Miami back around 1981. Courtesy of the Federal Govt who thought Pee Wee may have made a few dollars off the books somewhere. Several locals in the racing biz attended this invitation only get together

Pee Wee was my first local racing hero and my first piece of racing clothing was a red Pee Wee Griffin t-shirt with white only silk screening of his mod on the front. Very cheesy compared to the shirts drivers sell today. I'd give alotta money to have that shirt now.

Last I heard he was living in Australia and playing with race cars down under. Any truth to that pit-side rumor? Kevin Mc

06/07/03 Ed Brittain Pee Wee’s protégé coach would probably remember a young kid Pete Brittain who would help out with the team whenever he could get to Tony’s gulf station on the Cranbury Circle (2 miles north of East Windsor Speedway), from the jersey shore. Pee Wee was a great innovator and a great seat of the pants driver. Pete learned a great deal from Pee Wee and in the early seventies we built a copy cat 55 chevy framed, 36 chevy coupe that handled very much the same way Pee Wee’s cars ran at Hightstown. Pete would also tell you that Gil Hearne a close friend, also taught him reams about setups and driving skills. In fact, Pete's style is both aggressive and other times smooth from both drivers. Pee Wee also used to play chicken with us on the way home from several tracks. I'm Pete's brother Ed and last saw PeeWee at New Symrna at least five years ago when Gary Balough drove for him in a super late model (a black camaro with Goodwrench sponsorship and a number 3 on it). We have not heard what has happened to him since, but he was looking very old. Pete and I both know he made some bad choices however he had a very generous side to him as well.
06/07/03 3-Wide I remember the red #72 that Pete ran before heading out for the asphalt at Wall.  Pete also helped out our scout troup last year by being our special guest at our Pine Wood Derby.  I think I have an old black and white shot of the #72 in competition with some others in the mid 70's at EWS....  I'll see if I can get it posted for you guys.
01/29/04 Coach Kevin Mc and Ed.....................I remember it well!  I am still at the same place in town.   Don't know any current info on Pee Wee.  I do have many stories.  How is Pete doing?  And how are your family members, Kevin?  Coach
02/19/04 Wildnerk1 The power of the internet. I was just hunting around and came across this page. I used to watch and root for Pee Wee at Orange County Speedway in the early Seventies. My buddy was a Buzzie "00" Reuttimann fan so I needed a hero. Enter the only guy that used to give the old Double Ott trouble on Saturday night. Man those were great times. Where are ya Pee Wee? Are you still walking this earth or has the good Lord taken ya home?
04/23/04 Jack Slover Hello Coach:

It is very late, and I also have some good stories about Mr. Griffin.  One was in Lancaster, NY, Albany Saratoga Speedway and Owego, which is down Binghamton NY, further up in NY.

1).  Lancaster:  Ray Henrick driving the # 11 out of Virginia qualified fastest at Lancaster.  Pee Wee did not qualify very well.   Dick Poole and myself worked on the car and Pee Wee out timed him.  The race did get rained out but we did well.

2). Albany Saratoga:  In an all star race, we started 12th with dirt tires and ran about 15 to 20 laps, pulled out and we finished 9th.  There was such a bad crash that took everybody out.  After the crash, he ran about 10 more laps, pulled out and finished 9th.  Amazing!  I had to loan him $100 to go to Albany Saratoga and he won about $400.  I got paid back immediately.

3).  Owego:  By the way, these 3 tracks were asphalt, being run with a dirt car.  He out qualified Ray Henrick at Owego.  I do not remember where he finished but he finished well.

Coach, I don't remember you on this trip.  I only remember Dick Poole, Leroy Breese did not go.  I wish I knew where Pee Wee Griffin was now.   The stories he would be able to tell about RACING IN THE OLD DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!

I also went to Langhorn, Pa. with Pee Wee.  He did not qualify for the race, however I did get to meet Geoff Bodine.  And in 1997, believe it or not, I ran into Geoff Bodine and his wife on the PA Turnpike on their way to Watkins Glen.   He remembered Coach and myself at Langhorne.  He even said, "Isn't your name Jack, or GooseEye".  Unfortunately, I did have to admit yes.  We had a nice lunch together and it was a very nice hour together.  At that time, he did not hear anything about Pee Wee either.  Not that I expected that he would have.

Hey Coach, or Mr. Patton just wanted to tell you that I now live in Greensboro, NC, am retired and doing great.  Good hearing from you guys.  I do know Kevin's father and of course I know you very well and was great hearing from you.   Talk to you all soon.  Later, Jack Slover

01/21/05 Jeff In the middle to late '60s, at Middletown, NY, he was always one of the fastest drivers. But the thing that I remember most about PeeWee was this intangible that anything could happen with him at any time. He seemed like a practical joker, the proverbial kid who would put his finger in a fan just to find out what would happen. I was a teenager then, and he never made me feel like I was some sort of a hanger-on. I was sad to learn of his run-in with the law in '82. I wish him only the best.
01/31/05 DM Regarding the comment in the web site about "Pee-Wee" doing time, or having to take a plea bargain, or some other assuming thing is really nothing more than just that. Look, there are a lot of people out there that think they know something because of here say, or some type of silly supporting document that someone thinks they have, such as a news paper clipping or some other thing. Really no one really knows what  happened or if anything really happened at all.

The real fact of the matter here is, we and I mean all of us, including all of the thousands of new bee racers out there that think they really know the sport today, really need to be focusing on, talking about and remembering what and how "Griff" and all of the other "real racers of old" really did to shape and forge the sport into what it is today and why we truly love this sport.

A fan of the man that built the "Magic Chariot" - Thanks

02/21/07 Racer E It's too bad no one knows how Pee Wee is doing. The man was truly a living legend at the track and every one knew it. Almost 40 years later I still think of him - especially since I still have my felt hill billy hat with the air brushed 72 on it - remember those? I now race 360 sprint cars out west. When things aren't going well during a feature I think of a quote from Pee Wee that I read in AARN as a kid - the quote is "sometimes you have to grow some hair out there...." Spoken like a real racer. Thanks for the memories and the continued inspiration Pee Wee.
12.01.11 Daniel Burdge Pee Wee is 74 years old living in Miami
07.24.12  Jack Burroughs

I thought that I saw him at Middletown running an early model hemi engine, very fast on straights but the weight made corners difficult, until the endo on the back stretch.

     
     
     

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