JERRY KING

Jerry King was a young Rutland, Vermont man in 1951, when the Franzoni/Romano/Newman partnership opened the brand new Pico Raceway, on Newman's farm south of Rutland. A man attached to fast cars, Jerry put together a late - 1930's Ford coupe and numbered it "5 Aces", for whatever personal reason he had. This began a career that spanned three decades as a driver and car owner in the Rutland County and Eastern New York area. Today, Jerry still operates his gun shop daily at his home on Elm Street in Rutland.

Courtesy of Jerry King Then came the urge to go South and race at Staeline Speedway with many of the same guys who were running Pico. His Stateline car sits by the house on Muzzey St.	Courtesy of Jerry King The Stateline car, from another angle, at the Muzzey Street house.	Courtesy of Jerry King Jerry had a lot of success at Stateline once he solved carburetion problems. I see he learned hole drilling to lighten the car from Bob Whitbeck.	Courtesy of Paul Connors The Stateline car, at Stateline. This was shot by future late model star and Grand National driver, Paul Connors - originally from Danby, VT.	Courtesy of Jerry King A sneak peek under the hood of the Stateline car - probably with the 2nd carb.
Bill Ladabouche Photo The first custom - made Bennington carburetor gave him enough gas in the turns.	Bill Ladabouche Photo The second Bennington carburetor designed for Stateline.	Courtesy of Jerry King An old Stateline Speedway newspaper ad for one one of their bigger shows.	Courtesy of Jerry King Jerry was achieving fame at Stateline.	Courtesy of Jerry King Another Stateline article with King as the headliner.

Courtesy of Jerry King Posing with the original 5 Aces, the car he used at Pico.	Courtesy of Jerry King Lining up for a heat race at Pico in 1952.	Courtesy of Jerry King Onlookers in the infield look over Jerry's mud - spattered car.	Courtesy of Jerry King Posing with the original 5 Aces, the car he used at Pico	Courtesy of Jerry King Posing with the muddy 5 Aces, the car he used at Pico. Note the cement wall, meaning 1952.	Courtesy of Jerry King A man in the stands reacts as Jerry speeds by at speed on the front stretch at Pico around 1952.
Courtesy of Jerry King At speed in turn 3 at Pico.	Courtesy of Jerry King Working with the windshield in the infield at Pico.	Courtesy of Jerry King After race beer.	Courtesy of Jerry King Jerry greets well-wishers after a feature. Some are a bit overdressed for Pico ?	Courtesy of Jerry King Big Pico pit confab. From left: UNK, Art Morgan, Don LeFrancois, Jerry, and UNK.	Courtesy of Jerry King The crowd watches as Jerry's car approaches.
	Courtesy of Jerry King The crowd watches as Jerry's car leads the way out of turn four.	Courtesy of Jerry King A field of cars rumbles away for the parade lap with Jerry in the rear.

Bill Ladabouche Photo As Fairmont Speedway was making headlines in Rutland County in the 1960's, Jerry got this Ford coupe together for competition in 1964.	Courtesy of Jerry King The Fairmont car, in full color, at the home garage.	Courtesy of Jerry King Jerry poses with the Fairmont car. It looks like it may have had one mixup already.	Courtesy of Jerry King Jerry eventually teamed up with Pittsford's "Rapid Ralph" Palmer for a season. Palmer would go on to drive for Dexter Dorr at Devil's Bowl.	Dick Britain Photo Jerry or Ralph. in a race lineup in 1964 at Fairmont.
Dick Britain Photo Jerry or Ralph. in a race in 1964 at Fairmont won a heat.	Courtesy of Jerry King In 1964, King brought out the '37 Ford and often had Palmer drive. The Ralph Soulia connection is mentioned.	Courtesy of Jerry King Towards the end of the Fairmont Speedway era, king teamed up with Ralph Soulia, a Rutland postal worker who drove in the division. Here Soulia [left] receives a gift from Clayton Tanner, of the fan club. This car is where the #99 and Jerry crossed paths. Ironically, Soulia pulled out a championship at Fairmont with a car built by Dexter Dorr.	Courtesy of Jerry King With his King - prepared car wrecked, Soulia was rescued by Proctor's Bob Ames, who had bought Decter Dorr's potent Chevy hobby car, but didn'take to race driving much. Soulia would take the track title with the Ames car, wrenched by King.	Ladabouche Photo The former Dorr hobby car, as owned by Ames before they turned it into #99.

Courtesy of Jerry King As Fairmont Speedway was history, Devil's Bowl opened. Jerry was one of the few featured men in the article.	Courtesy of Jerry King Jerry's 99 on the track at Devil's Bowl, there for the first time. This might be the time Mert Hulbert used the car.	Ivie O'Donnell's Devil's Bowl article mentions King.	Courtesy of Jerry King Jerry's 99 on the track at Devil's Bowl, there for the first time. Looks like Mert Hulbert talking to the flagger.	Courtesy of Jerry King Jerry wins a heat with the 99 at Devil's Bowl in 1968.
Courtesy of Jerry King Jerry wins his 1st heat with the 99 at Devil's Bowl in Oct., '67.	Courtesy of Jerry King The King 99, trailered, after the races in 1967.	Courtesy of Jerry King Getting a push from an early Bruno wrecker.	Courtesy of Jerry King Amsterdam, NY's Ray Sitterly, a Fonda regular, wins a heat with King's car.	Courtesy of Jerry King Jerry, on the track in his first week at Devil's Bowl in Fall., '67.
Courtesy of Jerry King Jerry on the track in 1968 with what must be a birthday cake.	Courtesy of Jerry King Jerry with the car in 1970. He is beside the Champlin 72, often driven at Lakeville by Freddie DeSarro.	Courtesy of Jerry King The late models head out for a feature as Jerry returns the flag from a consi win.	Courtesy of Jerry King Jerry and Sonny Rabieau go around a daredevil that is finishing a race.	Courtesy of Jerry King A good 1970 posed shot.