THE CRESCENT HILLBILLY Pete Corey

THE CRESCENT HILLBILLY
Pete Corey, One of Racing's Pioneers and Great Innovators

Photo Courtesy of Rick Parry
The typical Corey photo - leaning against the car, cigarette and/ or coffee in hand.
Pete didn't like a lot of things, but we would pose pleasantly almost always.

From what I can gather from readings and conversations, it was hard to think of Pete Corey and Ken Shoemaker, one without the other. They roomed together in a small apartment in the Capital District of New York, they began racing together, and one ran pretty much where the other one did. So, when one night in a fit of exasperation, Shoemaker hollered at Corey' "%#$X!, you Crescent Hillbilly !" Corey loved it and the name stuck.

From the Fonda Book - No Other Source Given
Pete and Kenny bought this first race car for $35 - in 1949.

Shoemaker always said Pete was first to drive the $35 first car because Corey was a natural from Day One, whereas Ken said he had to learn to be a driver [he apparently learned very well]. Corey's talents were noticed by Bob Whitbeck of Canajoharie, NY whose car was already widely known in New York racing circles. As it would turn out, Whitbeck began the long line of #37's with which Corey would be forever linked [albeit through three different owners: Whitbeck, Kitler and Wolf, A.C. Caprara,Tony Villano, Sr., and finally Hank Spetla.]
While Corey was still driving successfully for Whitbeck, Bob sold the operation to the team of Gibby Wolf and western meats dealer Sam Kitler. They wanted Jeep Herbert as driver, so Corey moved over to Bob Mott's yellow #3, a car he would later describe as his all-time favorite ride. It was this car's yellow and silver scheme that Corey would use on his own cars in the 1960's.

From the Schenectady Collection, Otto Graham Site
Pete gathers a Fonda win in the Bob Whitbeck flaming 22.

When Fonda began to give Mott grief about the body on his car, Mott sold it and bowed out. Whitbeck was car building again and had started the black paint scheme with flaming #22, a scheme that would Dave Lape would make more famous in the 1980's. Corey returned to Whitbeck in the middle 1950's. Corey and Whitbeck were magic at Fonda until Whitbeck's race operations suffered a terminal garage fire in 1959.

Courtesy of Joe McCarty
A superb, rare color photo of Stateline action with Steve Danish leading Corey in the second Bob Mott 3.

With Corey out a ride again, he was re-hired to drive the very #37 he had been released from in the early '50's. By now, the team was owned by A.C. Caprara. Corey raced for the next while in both Caprara and Frank Trinkhaus cars, winning with both. Corey was still at the wheel when the car was sold to Tony Villano, who added his own unique paint scheme to the car. That is the first Corey car I can remember.

From the Bill Fifield Collection
My first memory of Fonda is the hot laps during practice, and
Pete Corey flying through Turn One sideways, leaning so far to the left
that his yellow helmet was sticking out the driver's window.

By around 1962, Corey and Shoemaker had been given the chance to run together, as team mates, in a sort of super team. Chris Drellos had bought out the red and white coupes of Henry Caputo, re-outfitted the cars, and set out to win glory. Shoemaker was already ensconced in the #111, clearly the better of the two cars, and - for the first year - the 111A was driven with moderate success by Jeep Herbert. The following year, the backup car was improved, numbered 11, and placed in the hands of Corey.
Not only did the two scald the track at Fonda, but the team would descend upon Stafford Springs, Connecticut [perhaps to repay the invasion by SS regulars like George Janoski and Ernie Gahan]. In the words of Stafford regular fan [and a future star, himself], Dick Berggren, the Fonda cars "killed our locals". Corey was not always happy to play second fiddle to Shoemaker and he left by the 1963-64 season, when Drellos sold Shoe's car to Frank Trinkhaus and Pete's car to Buck Holliday.

Photo Source Unknown
The highly - impressive Drellos team sits in the pits at Fonda, waiting
to go out and dominate another feature. The right hand car is probably
Jeep, not Pete.

    Pete would now enter one of the most famous points in his career. A body man by trade, he would begin to produce some unusual and good-looking cars of his own, with some financial backing from a businessman in his hometown of Crescent. The first such car did a lot to begin the eventual revolution to late model modified bodies. Pete's Falcon was one of his most well-known cars. With this car, he starred at Fonda and at many far-flung tracks all over the Northeast, including the bucolic Fairmont Speedway, in Fair Haven, Vermont [where I got to see it].
     Corey and friend, Irv Taylor, both drove Falcons at Fonda during most of the 1965 [and some of 1966] season. When the Falcon was destroyed, Corey's clever body skills transformed a 1937 Chevy coupe, lengthened and all to a body that would fit the longer frame left from the Falcon. Then after a brief stay in the coupe, came the strangest creation he ever came up with - the Studebaker. Corey had fitted a 1956 Studebaker body [very sleek but five hundred pounds heavier than the competition] onto a standard racing frame and was doing quite well. The huge car was able to hold its own in the wetter conditions of early season; but, as the track surfaces dried out more in mid-summer, the ark began to struggle. So, characteristically, Pete cut it up.

The remaining years of the 1960's would see Pete and Ed Pieniazek build some beautiful race cars, including some standard coupes and a heart-stopping Mustang. Eventually, the cantankerous Pete and Fonda Speedway management had endured their fiery marriage as long as either could stand, and Pete took off to run Lebanon Valley. This was the era when the headliners at the Valley were running late model bodies. Corey constructed an eye-catching 1955 Chevy with his usual colors. The Valley regulars, already chafing at other Fonda invaders coming down and grabbing their prize money, were were outright hostile to Corey and - more often than not - he'd go home to Crescent with his car in pieces.

Arnie Ainsworth Photo
The Valley car - in one piece, which was rare. Sign man Dave Davies never
could spell New Britain.

John Grady Photo, Gater Racing News From Fonda History Book
The Valley car - too many times.

Pete and Pieniazek tried one more run at Fonda, but the gorgeous Mustang show piece he had created ended up in pieces, as well. Pieniazek ran the coupe there some, but Corey had had it with racing by then. He was convinced to come back and try Jerry Rose #93 coupe in 1970, and he even won a feature - but the Rose team was headed for asphalt [with Pieniazek] and Pete really did not like racing any more. He retired to his hunting and fishing. Sadly, Pete ended up quite bitter from his racing experience and soon, thereafter, began to suffer serious health issues.

Beaver Dragon, a legend in his right, was at the same hunting camp with Pete in northern Quebec just before Corey ended up passing away. Even then - one racing giant to another - Pete did not want to talk about racing. His life ended as he raced: on his terms and laced with strong feelings. I always admired Pete Corey and all his innovative ideas. I hated to see it end the way it did.

Source Unknown This is supposedly Corey with the Whitbeck roadster at Burden Lake. This is not a thumbnail photo.	Courtesy of Ken Gypson Some claim this is Corey's first stock car race. If so, it did not go well. Looks like Burden Lake.	Courtesy of Phil Miller Pete in a vintage - looking sprinter at Fonda. Must have been in the '50's.	Courtesy of the Herbert Family Pete, posing with an obviously early entry of his.	Courtesy of the Herbert Family Pete, posing with a car 7.	Courtesy of the Herbert Family Bob Whitbeck built this car, and the choice of number is interesting. I don't know who owned it: Corey said it didn't handle.
Courtesy of the Herbert family Pete, subbing with the Young / Vine team for Hoppy Redner.	Herbert Family Photo Corey clowns around near the car of a disbelievng Steve Danish [in the hat].	From Dan Ody's 8MM DVD Pete with the first Bob Whitbeck - built car.	Courtesy of the Bittig Collection Pete, with the ill - fated Whitbeck holey car.	Putnam Collection Pete with Art Spoar, an early car owner.	Schenectady Collection Otto Graham Site The Mott 3 which eventually was banned from Fonda because NASCAR's solid roof rule.
Courtesy of the Hackel Family Pete, Steve Danish, and an unidentified [but familiar looking] third man at Stateline.	Courtesy of Otto Graham One of the first photos I ever got for my site. Pete follows Joe Ciganenko and leads Jim Luke at Fonda in the late '50's.	Vogel Family Photo Pete, in the Whitbeck - built Harold Smith car, giving Ted Vogel's kids a ride. Did they want to ride in Dad's car ? Heck no !	Source Unknown Pete at Alcyon Speedway, in Pittman , NJ. Smith car. Photographer Unknown via 3 Wide Same track, same results - but with the Mott car..	Schenectady Collection Otto Graham Site Another win with the Mott 3.	NE Mod SitePhoto Pete wins at Fonda after rolling the car.
Schenectady Collection Otto Graham Site The Whitbeck car.	Courtesy of Jo Towns via Otto Graham Another of Pete with Whitbeck's flame car.	Dan Ody's 8MM Old Speedways DVD's Langhorne Win	Shaney Lrenzent Photo Via Andy Fusco With the Smith car at Stafford.	Shaney Lorenzent Photo Via Andy Fusco Victory Lane, Stafford, with a clearly pleased young Ed Pienizek in the background at left.	Dick Berggren Collection With the 22 at the 1958 Syracuse race, outside of southerner Dink Widenhouse's B29.
Dan Ody Collection A good portrait shot	Dick Berggren Collection Pete, with Whitbeck's flame car on the pole at Syracuse in 1958 with Southern star Dink Widenhouse.	Herbert Family Photos Pete and early racing buddy Jeep Herbert.	Herbert Family Photo Pete is awarded by Jeep.	Courtesy of Starin Family Article about a Fonda championship. Schenectady Collection Otto Graham Site The AC Caprara car Pete was Fonda's champion.	McDowell Photo Courtesy of Phil Miller With the second Mott coupe.
John Grady Photo Towing the Mott 3 down the NY Thruway.	Dan Od'y's 8MM Old Speedways DVDs Corey's future car owner Bob Mott is trophied at Stateline with Pete in the background at right.	Courtesy of Otto Graham Pete follows Joe Ciganenko in an eary Trinkhaus 62 as Jim Luke pressures with the Clark 45.	Courtesy of Ted Vogel Pete fand Bob Mott pose with the new car after NASCAR banned the previous car.	Courtesy of Starin Family Pete's autograph in a Langhorne program.	Source Unknown Pete, in full opposite lock at Alcyon, Pittman, NJ.
Ted Vogel Collection Otto Graham Site Corey in the Mott car before it was banned. Here he sandwiches Shoemaker in Vogel's LVJr with Walt Roberts.	Courtesy of Dan Ody Corey actually ran the Daytona super speedway with this Caprara coupe around 1959. Courtesy of Dan Ody New year, another at the Daytona before the coupes were banned. These 2 shots are off 8MM.	Courtesy of Phil Miller Pete looks on from behind as his famous car owner, Bob Mott wins one at Stateline.	Courtesy of Phil Miller Pete, with Steve Danish and maybe Howie Westervelt at Stateline Speedway.	Courtesy of Lew Boyd The awful Langhorne accident.	Lynch Mob Site Photo A very rare shot.
Courtesy of Starin Family Featured on one of the Langhorne programs.	Schenectady Collection Otto Graham Site An earlier Caprara 37. A rarer Ford version	Fuez Collection Fonda Book Dramatic shot of Pete cutting himself out of the Capara car in 1960.	Ladabouche Collection Pete might not have looked so thrilled with the new 37 if he knew what would happen in it later.	Courtesy of Starin Family After having NASCAR ban Bob Mott's potent 3NY, he built this one. The caption explains the nature of the crew.	Irv Conron Photo Courtesy of Ed Mudd Pete with a friendly wave from the hospital [probably with the leg injury.
Courtesy of Dave Dykes A rehabilitating Corey is feted at Stafford by Bill Slater, Lionel Arel and others.	Courtesy of Rob Trombley While recovering from the amputation, Pete awards Pete Peterson a trophy at Empire.	Courtesy of Gene Strenkoski Article about Pete getting back into Fonda racing in 1961 after the 1960 leg accident	Frank Simek Photo At speed with the Tony Villana 37, purchesed from A.C. Caprara by Villano	Cavalcade of Auto Racing Photo by Frank Simek With the yellow and black shirt for Villano's 37	Ladabouche Collection Pete, in the Caprara car, leading the legendary Red Foote.
Frank Simek Photo Corey wins another with the Caprara car.	John GradyPhoto Pete wins one for either Caprara or Villano	Grady Photo From Book A win with either Capara or Villano.	Frank Simek Photo Similar pose; different hardware won.	John Grady Photo Corey wins in 1963.	SSCR Photo With autograph.
Frank Simek Photo Working a race with someone driving Allie Swears' 51 NY.	Courtesy of Rick Parry Pete, with a Villano jacket with Shoe, in Drellos jacket. Rick thinks the guy at left is a young Jack Johnson.	Courtesy of Nick Javarone A photo with fans.	Dan Ody's 8MM DVD Drellos 11 at Syracuse. Very blurry 8MM frame.	HAMB Photo Pete, in the 11 and Ken Shoemaker, in the 111 - the Drellos Team.	Source Unknown Blurry shot of the Drellos 11 in Fonda pits with Jollie Ollie in background.
Conde & Parry Site Photo Chris Drellos somehow managed to coordinate two temperamental egos on one team.	Ladabouche Photo The Drellos car arriving at Fonda.	John Grady Photo Going across in first under the flag of Chet Hames.	Courtesy of Dave Dykes A win for Drellos with flag from Chet Hames.	Conde & Parry Site Photo Pete, winning with Frank Trinkhaus' 62.	Courtesy of Rick Parry This car looks a lot like the 1963 ride of Shoemaker, reworked.
Shaney Lorenzent Photo Via Andy Fusco Pete and the Drellos team were ridiculously successful at Stafford.	Maynard Johnson Photo Drellos was trying some oddball experiment with plastic on the the 11 car at Syracuse.	Roger Kofroth Photo Unknown track.	HAMB Photo Somewhere - not Fonda.	John Grady Photo The less familiar configuration for the Falcon body.	HAMB Photo Pete in a lineup at Trenton or Langhorne.
Ted Vogel, Jr. Photo Pete uunloads the Falcon at Fairmont around 1964. Big treat for the locals.	Mike Russo Photos Pete exits the Falcon at Fonda after a spectacular wreck.	Ladabouche Collection Pete, in hot water with Wimble and Lazarro bearing down.	Ladabouche Photo Pete rolls into Fonda with either the same Falcon without fenders or a second car.	Courtesy of Ed Fabian Pete with the famous Falcon.	Courtesy of Ed Fabian Pete wins at Fonda with the Falcon.
Frank Simek Photo The fenderless Falcon, at speed against Shoemaker in his first Wright ride.	Val BlicarczPhoto Loading the 3 in the twilight after a late - season show at Fairmont.	Courtesy of Cho Lee The fenderless Falcon - was it a different car ?	Ladabouche Photo At Fairmont Speedway.	Maynard Johnson Photo Langhorne lineup near Will Cagle in the Deasey sedan #70.	Maynard Johnson Photo A little support for Pete.
			Maynard Johnson Photo A strong Fonda presence with Corey on pole and Shoemaker behind.	Maynard Johnson Photo A strong Fonda presence with Corey on pole and Shoemaker behind.	Shaney Lorenzent Photo Via Andy Fusco Pete follows up the Falcon at Stafford, with a coupe win.
Maynard Johnson Photo That same coupe in the pits at Langhorne.	Frank Simek Photo [obviously] Pete ends up on top of Ernie Gahan at Fonda around 1964.	Shaney Lorenzent Photo Via Andy Fusco Pete having a little better luck at Stafford, on the dirt.	Courtesy of Dave Dykes The complicated body work needed to fit the smaller '36 coupe on the same frame is evident here.	Source Unknown The coupe he fashioned to sit on the frame that had carried the Studebaker.	Source Unknown The post - Studebaker coupe.
Shaney Lorenzent Photo From Andy Fusco A shot of the Falcon at Stafford.	John Grady Photo via Dave Dykes The Studebaker, at Fonda. api.nin.com The Studebaker at an UNK location.	Courtesy of Ed Mudd Pete with the Studebaker, at Stafford Springs.	Shaney Lorenzent Photo Via Andy Fusco Pete with the Studebaker, at Stafford Springs. Sorry about the weird angle on the Shaney shots - we were photographing to the side of a projector screen.	Shaney Lorenzent Photo Via Andy Fusco Pete dumps the Studebaker at Stafford, on the dirt.	Shaney Lorenzent Photo Via Andy Fusco Pete dumps the Studebaker at Stafford, on the dirt - closer shot.
Courtesy of Richard Chartrand Jean-Guy Chartrand feels this is Pete in the Falcon #11. I'm Not so sure.	Courtesy of Greg Rickes Pete, out at Victoria fussing with the Falcon.	Courtesy of Greg Rickes The Falcon, at Langhorne, engulfed by fans. Courtesy of WeGoRacing Club On the Langhorne starting grid next to Jim Malone and ahead of Shoemaker.	Frank Simek Photo Pete in the pits at Fonda.	Dan Ody's 8MM Old Speedways DVD's Pit work somewhere.	From Dirt Track Digest Pete's crew at work at Langhorne. That's Don Gerroa at left.
Courtesy of Dave Dykes Pete, with longtime sponsor, Jimmy Boscoe, of Commercial Tire Corp.	Courtesy of Ron Wilson Pete winning the Lebanon Valley 200 with Ted Ryan.	Source Not Known Pete in the 3x coupe that was a complement to his Mustang.	Courtesy of Ed Mudd Pete at Reading Speedway. Dan Ody's 8MM DVD At Valley in 1968. 8MM very blurry.	Source Unknown Twin Corey coupes await the race.	HAMB Site The nearly identical team cars at speed at one of the big tracks like Trenton or Langhorne.
Courtesy of CJ Richards Pete visits Devils Bowl in the late 1960's. He ended up selling this coupe to Bowl regular Chet Doaner.	Source Unknown Perhaps his best - known [and longest - lasting] 3. Dirt Track Digest Langhorne	Photographer Unknown Dave Dykes Site The tandem hauler arrangement with the two coupes around 1969ish.	Courtesy of Ed Mudd Pete with his ever - present cigarette and coffee at Lebanon Valley.	Vogel Photo Collection Pete wins at Devils Bowl in the late 1960's.	Mike Schaub Collection An pose at Langhorne.
Courtesy of Ed Mudd Pete chasing Frankie Schneider at Langhorne.	Courtesy of Dave Dykes Pete at Langhorne.	HAMB Photo Pete's twin coupes.	From Joe Cryan via HAMB The coupe he used to have Irv Taylor drive.	Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock Pieniazek arrives at Airborne around 1969 with the Corey hauler and the backup car.	John Grady Photo With the 1968 version.
Courtesy of Rick Parry Ed, with one of the Corey coupes - next to Pete's Mustang at Fonda.	Russ Bergh Photo Ladabouche Collecton Ed Pieniazek was one of the few drivers held in enough esteem by Corey to be trusted with one of his cars.	Ladabouche Collection Ed Pieniazek, in the late sixites coupe Corey kept even along with the Mustang.	Glenn Eckert Photo Ken Shoemaker, in the Corey 1NY.	RRUSA Photo Pete only ran in the All Star League for a year, but he treasured his helmet long after.	Shaney Lorenzent Photo Via Andy Fusco Winning continues at Stafford - even on the pavement. Sorry about the screwy angle - we were photographing from the side of a projector screen.
Courtesy of Ed Mudd Ed Pieniazek, with fans, and the black - topped coupe on the hauler. I tried to improve this photo - it was really dark.	Courtesy of Ed Mudd Same night. Ed is still busy loading the coupe.	Courtesy of Ed Mudd Same night. This might be a brother of Pete's, I'm guessing. PEd P. was in a red driver's suit.	Courtesy of Lou Lazarro Pete, with a delighted fan.	Courtesy of Ken Johnson Actually, judging from the lettering, this is a Studebaker shot. Some of Dave Davies' best work for Pete.	Courtesy of Otto Graham Pete, smiling out of one of his last coupes.
Ladabouche Collecton The Mustang, when brand new and unused, at Fonda.	Grady Photo The beautiful Mustang he had for a few years.	Grady Photo via Ackerman The beautiful Mustang he had for a few years. Likely a Grady Photo Pete looks at the Mustang like it just burped.	Source Unknown Pete with a win at Airborne.	Bob Mackey Photo via John Rock The Mustang ended up red, thanks to a Schmidt Beer sponsorship Courtesy Arnie Ainsworth	Grady Photo Shaking down the Mustang at Malta.
Source Unknown A quiet moment on the phone, maybe at home.	Courtesy of Bob Kilburn A very rare shot of Corey with the late model body at Devil's Bowl Speedway. As usual, Dave Davies could not spell "New Britain".	Arnie Ainsworth Photo The Valley late model seen in rare undented condition.	Gater Racing News Photo The Valley late model had more than its share of problems.	Dave Dykes Site The Valley late model before any muggings.	Source Unknown In the Jerry Rose car at Langhorne, 1970.
John Grady Photo The Jerry Rose 93, in its dirt era.	HAMB Site At Lancaster with Jerry Rose's car.	John Grady Photo Pete and his hardware.	Schenectady Collection Otto Graham Site A middle career portrait.	Ed Mudd Photo This photo about says it all for the golden age of Fonda Speedway.	Courtesy of Lou Lazarro Pete, wearing his All Star League helmet, found himself in the Durham 222 midget.
Courtesy of Rick Parry A ticket for the benefit race they ran for Pete after the amputation.	Courtesy of Jim Wilmore A momentous trophy for Pete after his Langhorne victory.	Courtesy of Jim Wilmore The Langhorne victory.	Courtesy of Lou Lazarro A page in the All Star League program commemorates Pete's brief ASL tenure on the Albany - Saratoga team.	Courtesy of Ron Wetzler Pete Corey Night at the Valley.	Courtesy of Mike Visconti A page in the Uncle Art Stuarts book.

Courtesy of Jay Mooney
An extremely rare shot of Corey in Bob Whitbeck's roadster - probably at Perth.

Corey Family Photo via The Fonda Book
It is said that buddies Pete Corey and Kenny Shoemaker shellede out a joint total of $35 for this race car.
Hence, the number. The photos below show what happened to it. I think Pete was driving at the time.

Courtesy of the Corey Family
A very young Pete Corey
loses a wheel and starts
to take a ride with the
new investment.

Courtesy of the Corey Family
The car exits the
Carroll's Grove Raceway racing surface, taking another car with it.

Courtesy of the Corey Family
The results A.

Courtesy of the Corey Family
The results B.

Courtesy of the Corey Family
The results C.

Courtesy of the Herbert Family
A very young Lou Lazarro joins a photo of Fonda luminaries including Pete, Howie Westervelt, and Jeep Herbert.

Courtesy of Otto Graham - Probably Courtesy from the Herbert Family
Pete, funning it up at an early banquet with Steve Danish, Jeep Herbert, and Bob Mott.

Courtesy of Lew Boyd from the Mona Fuez Collection
This photo speaks volumes - one of those I could do an entire column on. Pete strikes a swashbuckling pose with Bob Mott's nasty little Ford
at Stateline Speedway. In the background, the #777 is that Whitbeck car that he and Bob gave up on, now in the hands of Jerry Jerome. An early
Dave McCready S33 is seen, maybe with Racin' Grayson Smith as the driver.

Courtesy of Rick Parry
This photo also speaks volumes - The Studebaker is headed out on its maiden voyage. The Post - Falcon coupe is still intact, in the background.
The Stoody would be great until the track got hard and dry in mid Summer; then Pete had to cut it up and go back to a coupe. I had always thought the coupe seen in the
background was built AFTER the Studebaker, but apparently it was after the Falcon.