Jo Towns Collection, via Otto Graham
Lynn Delong poses for the photographer at Fonda in the 1950's. With his car, the "Picker Six"
KEN DELONG / LYNN DELONG
THIS PAGE IS MOSTLY ABOUT SON LYNN, AT PRESENT
Jo Towns Collection, via Otto Graham
Lynn Delong poses for the photographer at Fonda in the 1950's.
With his car, the "Picker Six"
When I first went to the Fairmont Speedway [as it was run by C.J. Richards], one of the regulars there was a Whitehall, New Yorker named Ken Delong. I was not aware of the fact that he had been very active in racing for a long time before he appeared on the Fairmont track in 1962, having not only run at about every track possible but also having promoted some races at Whites Beach Speedway, too. Most of the Whites Beach drivers also ran Ashland Park, in Warrensburg, and vice versa. When I obtained Dan Ody's DVD of old 8mm stock car racing, Ken appears on several selections. I have tried to show them all on this page.
As it turns out, most of the Delong materials I have come across are actually showing Lynn, who I think is a son of Ken Delong. Lynn appears at tracks ranging from Fonda, to Whites Beach, to as far away as Stateline, near Bennington, VT. According to the Fonda book, Lynn's blue and white #18 was nicknamed "The Picker Six". Other than it looks to have a six cylinder engine, I have no idea why the nickname. Also -according to the Fonda book, the Picker Six was destroyed at Fonda, in the track's earlier days. My friends, the Starin family from Johnstown, NY, were apparently friendly with Lynn and had the wrecked car for a while.
 From the Starin Family A Ken Delong car being worked on at the old Perth Speedway. |
 From the Starin Family The Ken Delong car being lined up on the old Perth Speedway. |
 Fuez Family Collection Ken, with a newer car K9 in a lineup, taking Chet Hames' green flag at Fonda. |
 Courtesy of LaFond Family Ken, late in his career, in the fan - favorite Car 54 - Where Are You? ride, at the Rutland Fair in 1962. |
 Courtesy of Wes Moody At the CVRA show at the 1962 Rutland Fair, getting heat checkers from Chet Hames protege Danny Rumpf. |
 Courtesy of LaFond Family In that same fair show, Ken is looked after by one of the Loomis brothers, whose #P.61 Delong ran into in one of the race's two huge pileups. |
 Courtesy of James Osterhoudt Lynn, with checkers somewhere. |
 From Dan Ody's 8MM Old Speedways DVD Lynn, in action at Whites Beach Speedway. |
 From Dan Ody's 8MM Old Speedways DVD In warmup laps at Fonda Speedway - behind 54, Willie Chest. |
 From Dan Ody's 8MM Old Speedways DVD In action at Whites Beach Speedway Lynn, in action at Stateline Speedway |
 From the Fonda Book, Courtesy of the Osterhoudt Collection Lynn's wreck at Fonda, while happening. |
 From the Fonda Book, Courtesy of the Osterhoudt Collection Lynn's wreck at Fonda, the aftermath. |
 Courtesy of James Osterhoudt John Osterhoudt poses with the wrecked Delong car, likely at Starins' place in Johnstown. |
 Courtesy of The Starin Family The wrecked 18, at the Starins' place after the Fonda Wreck - 1. A coupe sits in background, waiting to become somebody's stock car. |
 Courtesy of The Starin Family The wrecked 18, at the Starins' place after the Fonda Wreck - 2. |
 Courtesy of The Starin Family The wrecked 18, at the Starins' place after the Fonda Wreck - 3. |
 Courtesy of The Starin Family The wrecked 18, at the Starins' place after the Fonda Wreck - 4. |
 Courtesy of The Starin Family The wrecked 18, at the Starins' place after the Fonda Wreck - 5. |
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