FONDA SPEEDWAY PAYS TRIBUTE TO HARRY PEEK THIS SATURDAY, AUGUST 20 AT FONDA
Story By: RON SZCZERBA / FONDA SPEEDWAY MEDIA
Photos By: RACERSGUIDE.COM PHOTO FILES
Fonda, NY –August 19, 2016- Harry Peek was known as the perfect gentleman, but quite a racer who was known for his “Patented Peek Charge” as described in a story below written in the book FONDA! when it was published and printed in 2002. Peek’s racecars were beautifully kept as I recall as a kid growing up at the “Track of Champions” and were always among one of, if not the best looking racecars at the track.
His win total in the late model division, which is where he started his racing career, was 23, which included a track championship in 1969. In the modified division at Fonda over his career he compiled a total of 21 feature wins in eight winning seasons, his first win coming on August 15, 1970 and his last on April 27, 1985 to go along with four track championships in 1972, 1973, 1974, and 1976.
As always, the Fonda Speedway museum will be open at 3:00 p.m. so come early, tour the museum, and check out all of the memorabilia about the history of the “Track of Champions” and the tribute driver of the night Harry Peek.
As the management of the Fonda Speedway pays tribute to Peek this Saturday, August 20 at the “Track of Champions”, which he was one of the drivers who gave that name to the legendary Montgomery County Fairgrounds track, below is a story that was written in the book FONDA! with quotes about Harry from his wife Sue Peek.
As always thanks to all those who contributed to the book FONDA! for their information used in this press release.
Around the turn of the decade in 1970, a new wave of drivers flooded the pits at Fonda. Stars such as Larry Livingston, Jim Riggi, Don VanGuilder, Eddie SanSoucie, Todd King, Bill Nelson, and Al Castrucci counted among their number, but none would shine as brightly as Rotterdam, NY driver Harry Peek.
Having grown up in an apartment next to the garage that housed the “Brush Radio” #27 driven by greats Link Petit and George Welch, Peek was bitten by the racing bug at an early age. After a year in the support division at Lebanon valley, he descended upon Fonda with a late model in 1968 and promptly romped to 23 feature wins in a little over three years and a track championship in 1969.
In mid-1970, he embarked on an impressive modified career that would include 21 victories on the Montgomery Fairgrounds oval. Stunningly the first one came in just his second week of modified racing, and it was the Fonda 200 on August 15, 1970.
Peek was totally versed in the history of Fonda. His cars, always meticulously conceived and crafted, were respectfully numbered #27. He even called George Welch’s widow, Bertha, asking permission to use the number. He was one of the first to draw his designs up on blueprints prior to construction, and there are those who would say he approached his driving the same way.
Sue Peek, coincidently George Welch’s niece, describes Harry this way:
“Harry just loved Fonda. His biggest thing was talking about the days when there was three abreast racing and lots of fun before it got so commercially aggressive, and before people got to buying knowledge rather than learning knowledge. He was a full time racer. For a time he built chassis with Peppy Pepicelli. He did all his own work.”
“He liked to race as high on the track as he could. It came to be called the “Patented Peek Charge”. He liked starting in the back because he said it gave him a feel for the track. But he was so careful when he was coming through. He drove two cars ahead of him, concentrating on the cars rather than on the track.”
“He’d always wait for folks to spread out before his charge. He was very fast, but very, very cautious. His driving articulated his personality. We teased him that he should have been a minister. He was so patient about everything, but at the same time he was on a mission. And no matter how bad things got, Harry just smiled.”
“He won quite a few races during the ‘70’s and was track champion in ’72, ’73, ’74, and ’75. He was also a founder and early president of the New York State Stock Car Association (NYSSCA). In fact our first date was the banquet in 1971.”
“In 1977 he had a bad, bad flip in the first turn and got battery acid in his eyes. Everyone knew it was a turning point. He was not as fast afterwards, but few people knew why. The day of the accident, we found out. I was pregnant again, this time with Katie. He freaked out because he realized that he would have to focus on providing more safely for our family of three kids.”
“He joined UPS where he was to work happily for the next 20 years. And right about the same time, harry was diagnosed with a cardiac arrhythmia, similar to CD Coville’s situation. He was on medication. It slowed him down. All these things were a real wake up call.”
Peek did remain active into the ‘80’s, driving for himself and others. He would pull off occasional winning runs at Malta and Devils Bowl with his final win at Fonda coming on April 27, 1985. However, his heart problem would not let him be, and the gentle Fonda legend died on February 5, 1998 of cardiac arrest.
