The first time I ever saw Danny Rumpf it was at the grand opening of Fairmont Speedway, on a sweltering Memorial Day Sunday, in 1962. A skinny man, to say the least, Danny was decked out in a black and white striped referee - type shirt, white striped pants, and Wellington boots. The cap [I would later realize] was inspired by his mentor, the great Chet Hames. They couldn't get a shirt that didn't hang on him, but he strutted about the track, directing traffic as announcer Bill Barsalow explained: "All eyes are on Danny out there, what he says goes; he's the boss on that track !" 

Bob Frazier Photo
Danny, as he first looked at Fairmont.

         My uncle would later comment on how Rumpf acted just like Chet Hames. I didn't understand that, as the last time I had seen Hames flag at Pico Raceway, I was about five years old. Danny would start races from the track surface like Hames; he strutted, postured, and danced like Hames; and I guess he kept the cars in check as well as Chet, too. Danny would be with promoter C.J. Richards, on and off, for many years to come - at Fairmont, Otter Creek Speedway, and Devil's Bowl. He also snuck in a few gigs at Fonda Speedeway [probably in Hames' absence or after the track dismissed Chet].

Bob Frazier Photo
Danny poses with victorious Wes Moody at Devil's Bowl around 1968. This might be my best
shot of him. I'd like to have a nickel for every photo he had to pose for in his career.

         Both men came from Saratoga Springs. Both men had been around when a group of racing enthusiasts including the Moses family, the Staiger family, the Woodcock family, Jack Barney, Spencer Parkhurst, and others banded together to begin McGregor Speedway,[named after the mountain nearby] just out of Saratoga in Wilton. Rumpf apparently did some crewing for Parkhurst in the early days when Spence drove the black and red #36. Chet would begin flagging after one of the Staigers was struck by a car and decided he didn't want to do thjat anymore. And, Danny apparently watched Chet closely.

From Dan Ody's 8MM Old Speedways DVD's
Rumpf supervising a lineup at Fairmont. Bob Boyd is 535, with the Baker Me2 in the background.

Bob Frazier Photo Danny poses with Art Cody during Fairmont's 1st year. 1962	Bob Frazier Photo via Norm Vadnais Danny with the Checkmate, driven either by owner Phil Russell or by John Quenneville. 1962	Bob Frazier Photo via C.J. RIchards Claremont regular Roger Dutton returns the colors to Danny. 1962	Rutland Herald Photo Danny Rumpf starts a heat at the 1962 fairgrounds show. From left- Art Rivers, Griffin, Phil Russell, Ray Richards, Vic Love. Rivers ended up on his roof in this race. 1962	Bob Frazier Photo via Norm Vadnais Frank Hatch returns the checkers to Rumpf in 1962. 1962	Bob Frazier Photo via Paul Zampieri Danny with Sonny Rabideau and car owner Frank Smith. 1962
Bob Frazier Photo via Norm Vadnais Ted Brown is honored with a heat win. Later that program the car was destroyed. 1962	Bob Frazier Photo via Mike RIihards Big George Pritchard takes a qualifier at the big fair show. Later that program the car was destroyed. 1962	Bob Frazier Photo via Norm Vadnais Danny gives the checkers to Ken Delong and Car 54 at the big fairgrounds show of 1962. 1962	Bob Frazier Photo via C.J. RIchards Danny starts the big race at the VT State Fair that set a new attendance record for sporting events in Vermont. 1962	Bob Frazier Photo via Ed Fabian Danny with Sonny Rabideau, an often - repeated scene in 1962 and 1963. 1963	Bob Frazier Photo via LaFond Family Danny helps Ted Brown to restart a hot motor after a win at Otter Creek Speedway. 1963
Bob Frazier Photo via UNK Source Danny flags off another Rabideau win at Fairmont. 1963	From Dan Ody's 8MM Old Speedways DVD's Rumpf indicating George Proctor as winner at Fairmont. 1964	Bob Frazier Photo via Chris Companion Awarding George Rogers checkers. 1964	Bob Frazier Photo via Mike RIihards Howard Stevens and Leo Vallancourt were a hot new  team at Fairmont. 1964	Bob Frazier Photo via C.J. RIchards Danny throws the flag on a Fairmont race in the track's fourth season. 1965	Bob Frazier Photo via C.J. RIchards Danny with Howard Stevens. 1965
Bob Frazier Photo via LaFond Family Danny stands with the again - victorious "Unbeatable Lennie" Wood - as well as CJ Richards and car owner John Maguire. By 1966, driver and owner were banned by Richards for life. 1965	Bob Frazier Photo via Rutland Herald Danny with Barry Purdy win at Devil's Bowl. 1967	Bob Frazier Photo via LaFond Family CJ Richards, Martin Riiska, Butch Jelley, and Danny at Devil's Bowl. 1968	Bob Frazier Photo via Davis Family "Steady Eddie" Allen and Danny at Devil's Bowl. Ass't flagman Jim Frye [back turned above] was also from Saratoga. 1968	Bob Frazier Photo via Cavalcade of racing Danny with Bob Harrison. 1968	Bob Frazier Photo via C.J. RIchards Danny and Joe Messina, with Tremonts' 115 Falcon. 1969

 
Courtesy of Leslie Staiger Dussault
Danny [2nd from left] is seen with a bunch of men who helped found McGregor Speedway in Wilton.

Courtesy of Keith Tesiero, Sr
Danny gets his big gig at Fonda around 1963 - here, giving checkers to winner Bill Wimble. Below - Same night maybe with Steve Danish.

Courtesy of John Danish

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