Steve Danish

The racing world lost Steve Danish on August 12, 2003. For anyone who really knows about the roots of Northeast stock car racing, this should become one of the most important dates in racing history. Steve Danish was from the small eastern New York hamlet of Cropseyville, near Grandma Moses' town of Eagle Bridge and somewhat near Troy. Steve did not begin his racing career until 1949, when he was already 30. That was quite late in life, when compared to most race drivers.

Being very near to the states of Massachusetts and Vermont, Danish was able to compete at such places as Bennington, Vermont's State Line Speedway, Rutland, Vermont's Pico Raceway, Granville, New York's Mettowee Speedway, and probably Fair Haven, Vermont's Fairmont Speedway, as well. It is during this time that he would have first exerted influence on the way racing was done in Vermont. That, in turn, would filter down to those who began at Catamount some sixteen years later.

Danish was to become synonymous with the the Fonda Speedway, at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds in Fonda, New York. In the racing history book Fonda !, by Andy Fusco, Lew Boyd, and Jim Rigney, the second chapter is called "1953 and the Formative Years : The Steve Danish Era". Again, some of the first competitors and officials who started Catamount used to attend races at Fonda during its glory years in the very late 1950's and early 1960's. They would have beheld Steve Danish at his peak.

Steve Danish clearly was the first professional stock car driver in the Northeast, at least in as far as the way he went about his sport. Danish, himself, pointed out in the Fonda ! book : " I tried to set a standard in appearance and in everything else I did. Not only was I the first guy with a sponsor and the first guy with a uniform, but I was the first guy to haul my race car on a trailer."

Source Unknown - Probably Danish Family Photo
Steve did not back his way into life, but he did back up to win this one at Fonda.

I never saw Danish when he was not uniformed in clean khaki work shirts and pants, nor when his car wasn't an immaculate cream tan #61, with exactly the same lettering and color scheme. His sponsor was Bumstead Chevrolet, of Troy, and he kept his crew dressed exactly the same as himself. Danish could beat the fields of Fonda V-8's with a Chevy six -and he did so frequently.

Even though he retired in the mid 1960's, Danish still ranks ninth in Fonda feature wins. Ironically, one of the last wins he recorded anywhere, was back in Vermont - at Fairmont Speedway. I was there. Danish was always one of my heroes, from when I first saw him somewhere in 1950 or 1951. In 1984, it was my lifelong thrill to finally meet Steve, courtesy of my friends - his daughter and son - in - law [Stephanie and Phil Miller]. I not only talked with Steve, but I went up with him in his private airplane. It didn't get any better than that. Lastly, I have struck up an email correspondence with Steve's son, John, the gangly kid in many of Steve's photos. John now operates the Danish garage, Pleasant Valley Garage in Cropseyville and he seems to know many people in the racing world.

McDowell Photo Courtesy of Dan Ody and Ken Gypson
Steve, in his characteristic Danish Chevrolet T-shirt, poses. Right - George Welch signs an autograph. Note the Clark 45 in the background.
Welch was admirer of Danish and modeled his style after Steve, including using "Welch Chevrolet".

Even Steve got tired of the rat race at one point in the late 1950's and decided to run for other owners. He would end up driving for Peter Hollebrand, the central NY trucking
magnate with the B&M motered #53 red sportsman. I find no pictures of this gig. He also ran for Bill and Dick Clark of Fort Plain and for famed Frank Trinkhaus and his
Frank's Speed Shop out of Fly Creek, NY. By 1960, he was back with his own equipment.

Catamount was always run with a strong effort to be professional, to put on a good show, and to further the image of stock car racing. Some of this attitude, they got from Mr. Danish. Thanks for the memories, Steve.

Herbert Family Photo Steve mixes it up with Jeep Herbert, Bob Mott, and Pete Corey at a banquet.	Herbert Family Photo Steve has Jeep Herbert on the inside at Stateline Speedway in the 1950's.	Otto Pade Photo via Black Jack on oldiesbutgoodies,com Steve could get into scrapes just like everyone else.	Courtesy of Jo Towns via Otto Graham With an unusual trophy at Fonda around 1960.
Paul Connors Photo Steve loaded up at Stateline in 1956.	Paul Connors Photo A rare damaged 61 at Stateline in 1956.	Courtesy of Mark LeFrancois Steve at Fairmont, with the 61Jr, around 1951.	Courtesy of Mark LeFrancois Steve at what I believe to be Mettawee Speedway near Granville, NY.
Bob Mackey Photo Courtesy of John Rock Steve in early 1950's.	From Fonda Book Steve poses in he first Fonda Speedway promo photo, along with Walt Roberts, Herb Root, and Spence Parkhurst.	Courtesy of Hackel Family Steve with another Stateline trophy, flanked by Pete Corey and an unknown driver.	Courtesy of Ted Vogel Family An extremely rare shot of Steve having dumped the car at Fonda.
Courtesy of Danish Family via Otto Graham Danish's 61 is out back in this Fonda start. 25- Nick Carter, 3 1/7 Chuck Flihan, 44 Ronnie Nichols, 42 - Schooch Schoonmaker, L8 - Bob Adams, 62 - Jeep Herbert, Danish, and 4-Lou Lazzaro.	Courtesy of Danish Family via Otto Graham Danish's 61 and the 61Jr. backup car, that was driven by such as Al Danish and Hully Bunn - as well as Steve.	Courtesy of Danish Family via Otto Graham Danish's 61 rear views. Courtesy of Herbert Family	Courtesy of Danish Family via Otto Graham Steve poses for some photographer.
Courtesy of Danish Family via Otto Graham Danish's 61 trails the 111NY of Ken Shoemaker as Chet waves checkers.	Courtesy of Danish Family via Otto Graham Steve, in Victory Lane with Harry Peek [above] and Lou Lazzaro. In the bottom shot, I'm not sure who's awarding whom.	Courtesy of Danish Family via Otto Graham Two Fonda action shots.	Courtesy of Danish Family via Otto Graham In the west end of the Fonda infield pit area. The tarps that blocked people from looking in from Route 30A are seen in the background.
Courtesy of Dan Ody Danish and others pull off at Victoria after a heat race. Noted are Wimble 33; Janoski 40; and Lou Smith 87.	International Motorsport News Clippings	Courtesy of Danish Family via Otto Graham Steve nips Howie Westervelt in Cliff Wright's 83. Note Chet's flagstand is on the opposite side of the track from most other shots.	Herbert Family Photo Rare instance with a numeral other than 61. Probably at a big race like Langhorne.
Herbert Family Photo Frank Trinkhaus and Jeep talk at Stateline Speedway with the Danish station wagon in the background.	Courtesy of Danish Family Steve's 1952 season winning record.	Oto Pade Photo A Fonda Speedway mixup. Gahan sandwiches Romano between Steve and the Gahan 50.

Courtesy of Herbert Family
Pete Corey clowns around near the Danish car. Steve is at far left.

Courtesy of John Grady
Steve, in the infield at Fonda Speedway.

Courtesy of Otto Graham
Onlookers marvel at two things: the typical Danish towing setup and the fact he is running only a six banger.

Courtesy of Bud Brooks Steve leads Charlie Morse and George Rogers at the old Fairmont Motor Park Speedway.	From Dan Ody's 8MM DVD Steve, on the pole at Stateline Speedway.	From Dan Ody's 8MM DVD Steve walking in pits at Stateline.	From Dan Ody's 8MM DVD Sliding into the picture at Stateline.	From Dan Ody's 8MM DVD Steve's station wagon often used as tow vehicle in 1950's.	From Dan Ody's 8MM DVD Steve on the gas out of Four at Stateline.
From Dan Ody's 8MM DVD Steve, in the lead at Stateline Speedway.	Courtesy of Bud Brooks Steve, in a lineup at the old Fairmont Motor Park Speedway.	Courtesy of Bud Brooks Steve, maybe at Granville's Mettawee Speedway.	Courtesy of Bud Brooks Steve leads Charlie Morse at the old Fairmont Motor Park Speedway.

Courtesy of Danish Family via Otto Graham
Steve evades trouble by leading this race at Stateline Speedway, near Bennington, VT. Others in the race are: 3, Pete Corey:
62, Joe Ciganenko; 37, Jeep Herbert; and 112, one of the Gerows.

Ladabouche Collection
My favorite Danish shot - I use it as my desktop wallpaper.

Courtesy of Ken Gypson
A compelling shot of Steve avoiding a rolling competitor at Stateline Speedway in the early 1950's.

DANISH AT LANGHORNE

Johbn Grady Photo Courtesy of Danish Family
A shot too special to reduce to a thumbnail. John is amusing his dad and another crew member before the races.

Russ Bergh Photo Photograph from the Coastal 181 Collection. Some of the crew Danish had, at Fonda. Son John is second from left. The sportsman of Jack DuBrul can barely be seen through the windows of Steve's car with the "Speed & Race Engineering" ad.	Russ Bergh Photo Photograph from the Coastal 181 Collection The Danish crew fusses around the 61 during a break in the action. That is son, John, leaning in the window at right.	Photograph from the Coastal 181 Collection. Photographer - McDowell Steve Danish poses for a photo around 1950 , at Stateline Speedway. The track wasn't very safe. It had few or no barriers.
Courtesy of the Danish Family An apparently very early shot of the Danish car leaving Langhorne Speedway. The hauler is earlier than anything I had seen before. The hospital sign says "Bucks County", which is a dead giveaway to the location.	Courtesy of the Danish Family Not too many people know of Steve's trip to the Daytona Beach course in the 1950's. He had Frank Trinkaus, among others, along for the trip.	Courtesy of the Danish Family Starting a feature possibly at Victoria Speedway in Duanesburg, NY. Steve is behind the Trinkaus car and Paul Marshall in the Warren Daniels 7-11, out of Alplaus, NY. Link Petit, Sr. trails Danish. 54 could be Willie Chest, but it pretty far for Chest to travel for a race.

Courtesy of Danish Family One of the more interesting photos of Steve. He had subbed in the Frank Trinkhaus car the night Miss America was visiting the track. Guess who won ? Courtesy of Danish Family via Otto Graham Courtesy of Starin Family Jeep Herbert's pit pass the very night Steve won the Miss American race.	Courtesy of Danish Family John Danish stands on a pole near turn four at Fonda to see the action.	Courtesy of Danish Family A typical Fonda heat starts with Steve sideways into turn one chasing Utica's Jim Luke in the Floyd Wilcox #32. Pete Corey ins further back in the Tony Villano #37.
Courtesy of Danish Family An early shot with some of his admirers at Fairmont Park Motor Speedway in the early 1950's. The tower in the background is noteworthy, but I don't know much about it.	Rutland Herald Photo - One of the last victories [if not THE LAST] was at Fairmont Speedway. Here Steve poses with legendary CVRA promoter C.J. Richards.	Courtesy of Danish Family A very rare shot of Danish racing on pavement at Empire Speedway in Menands, NY.

Photo by McDowell Source: vintagemodified.com An early shot of Rhode Islander Don Rounds at Stateline Speedway. Danish is seen getting lined up for a race in the background.	Courtesy of Danish Family Chief Mechanic John Danish - early 1950's	Courtesy of Danish Family Very early shot of a Danish car ready to leave the Pleasant Valley Garage. Freddy Sheppard won a race for Steve with this car, too - at the Bennetts Field track, in New York. Fred was the only hired driver for Danish Chevrolet. Courtesy of Ken Gypson
Courtesy of Danish Family The 61 sits, ready to go, outside the Pleasant Valley Garage. Today, son John operates the garage.	Photo by McDowell Danish chases Stu Piper in George Barber's first number 46 coupe at Stateline.	Courtesy of Danish Family The 61 is trailered and ready to head out to the race track du jour.
Courtesy of Danish Family Another win at Stateline	Courtesy of Danish Family The 61 sits on the pole at a 1953 feature at Stateline Speedway.	Courtesy of Danish Family The start of a feature at Fonda.

McDowell Photo Courtesy of Ken Gtypson or Phil Miller Steve poses with an earlier 61Jr at Fonda.	Frank Simek Photo Courtesy of Frank Simek Danish with the "windshield wiper" innovation at Fonda Speedway.	Russ Bergh Photo Courtesy of Int'l Motorsport News One of Steve's last big wins at Fonda. I was there.	Source Unknown Steve's Car is seen on the grid on the Beach Course, behind this guy getting his helmet on.	Frank Simek Photo Courtesy of Frank Simek Danish with a pose for Frank Simek.
Shany Lorenzet Photo Courtesy of Andy Fusco Danish poses at Stafford Springs Speedway for Shany.	Russ Bergh Photo Courtesy of Dan Ody This Fonda shot shows an early Danish hauler back in the pits with their station wagon parked up near the judges' stand.	Frank Simek Photo Courtesy of Frank Simek Obviously Fonda action, against an UNK Falcon. Could be Corey prior to the yellow paint job,	Rusds Bergh Photo Ladabouche Collection This was my first photo of Steve. I had to wait until our first trip to Fonda to get it.	Frank Simek Photo Courtesy of Frank Simek Danish in Victory Lane with a delighted Carnegie family as presenters.
Courtesy of John Danish The beloved Danish airplane.	Walter Mateer Photo via Joe Grossetti Danish with the dolly he used in the latter years throughout NY.	Frank Simek Photo Danish on a go-kart at the track in Meco, NY.	Courtesy of John Danish John Danish says this car, photographed at Victoria, was Steve's last. He says the other door was cut down so Steve could get in easier, something he wouldn't have stood for a few years before.	Frank Simek Photo Steve Danish, with Paul Marshall and Frankie Schneider.
Courtesy of John Danish John Danish says this watch was awarded to Steve as the 1953 NY Sportsman champion.	Courtesy of John Danish John Danish says this watch was awarded to Steve as the 1953 NY Sportsman champion.	Courtesy of Lou Lazarro Jr Danish at Daytona in the early '50's.	Courtesy of the LaFond Familyr Nice autographed photo.	Courtesy of Greg Rickes Danish at Victoria in the that last car around 1965.
Courtesy of Danish Collection via the Fonda Book Danish with 1953 NY State Sportsman trophy.	Walter Mateer Photo Courtesy of Donna Kreeber Mateer and Joe Grossetti Danish holds court with admiring fans at Coxsackie in the early '50's.	Courtesy of John Snyder Danish at Middletown in the '50's.	Courtesy of Ed Feuz Collection via the Fonda Book Danish tried a Buick engine in thecar in the mid '50's. This wreck happened then. Wrecks were rare with Steve.	Courtesy of Gater Racing News Generations of Fonda greatness: Lazarro, Danish, and Lape.
Courtesy of John Danish A Danish car on the beach at Daytonain the '50's.	Courtesy of Speedway Illustrated Collection via the Fonda Book Danish Christmas card announces Buick engine change in the mid '50's.	Courtesy of Ed Feuz Collection via the Fonda Book Steve in Victory Lane after the big 100 lap win around 1963.	Courtesy of Biitig Collection via the Fonda Book Steve and John looks less than happy here in the final season. It was not up to Steve's standards, so he retired.	Russ Bergh Photo Danish poses in early 1960's.
Courtesy of Ken Gypson A very early action shot.	Courtesy of Otto Graham Steve, in Vic Lane with Miss America, this time with more dignitaries.	Lynch Photo Talking to bystanders at Langhorne in 1954.	Bob McDowell Photo Courtesy of Ken Gypson A familiar posed shot.	From Ken Shomeaker Biography Another early Fonda win.
		Courtesy of Pinterest Another version of the Miss America Vic Lane.	International Motorsports News Russ Bergh Photo Another version of the 100 lapper Vic Lane with Carnegie and son.

From Dan Ody's 8MM DVD Al Danish and other crew members pushing out a car numbered 611 at Langhorne Speedway.	From Dan Ody's 8MM DVD Al Danish and other crew members at the ready trackside at Langhorne Speedway.	From Dan Ody's 8MM DVD A rare late '30's coupe for Danish, seen at Langhorne Speedway.	Courtesy of Otto Graham Collection This onlooker in the pits at Langhorne had probably never seen that two setup or a compeitive 6 banger in that racing class.	Courtesy of Mark Hobbs Getting the car set on the grid at Langhorne in 1954.
Courtesy of Mark Hobbs At speed at Langhorne in 1954.	Courtesy of Mark Hobbs Hey ! That thing's gotta six ! Langhorne in 1954.	Courtesy of Mark Hobbs Getting the car set on the grid at Langhorne in 1954.	Courtesy of Mark Hobbs Langhorne in 1954. Too much mud on the radiator or too much for the six cylinder motor.	Courtesy of Mark Hobbs Danish pit area at Langhorne in 1954.
From Dan Ody's 8MM DVD Langhorne	From Dan Ody's 8MM DVD Rare number change. Likely Langhorne.	Courtesy of Mark Hobbs Pit stop under yellow at Langhorne in 1954.	Source Unknown The car set on the grid at Langhorne in 1951.

Courtesy of Danish Family The family kept good records of their participation in racing. This is one of Steve's very early outings - to Airport Speedway in Poughkeepsie, NY.	Courtesy of Danish Family Note that even the pit pass from Poughkeepsie is carefully dated. That is how Steve did things.	Courtesy of Danish Family Steve, family, and friends after the races - either at Rutland, VT's Pico Raceway, or at Fairmont Park Motor Speedway in Fair Haven, VT. I can't identify the car in the background. It isn't Steve's, as it is clearly a Ford.