THE WILY ONE
Southern Transplant and Consummate Pro Will Cagle

Courtesy of C.J. Richards
A typical mid - career Cagle photo courtesy of his buddy, race promoter C.J. Richards of Devil's Bowl Speedway.

        When we folks who spent most of our racing time around Catamount Stadium think of Florida drivers we tend to settle on Robbie Crouch. A fellow Tampa native to Crouch's father, Clarence, was modifed driver Will Cagle. Cagle spent some time racing around his native state, but soon sought easier and better - paying action in the Northeast. Cagle really honed the skills that would allow him to make a living racing modifeds in that highly - competitive area that encompaseed New Jersey, southern Pennsylvania, and southern New York. Cagle was not alone as a southern invader. That same circuit saw the likes of Bobby Malzahn, Pee Wee Griffin, Herbie Tillman, and Buzzie Reutimann also driving in that same region.
         John Snyder, when discussing Flemington Speedway, Nazareth Speedway, and Harmony Speedway [all tracks in that sphere of racing] at the 2014 Lost Speedways Conference at the Saratoga Auto Museum, he seemed to take some delight in pointing out how Cagle eventually ended up doing much of his racing in Central New York and even in Vermont. Cagle was a very competitive and successful driver in that NY/NJ/PA circuit, also doing well in the All Star Stock Car Racing League [1968-73]. However, he was not particularly popular among the rank and file of drivers.
         According to Snyder, there was one particular series of events that led to Cagle exiling himself from his stomping grounds. Firstly ,the enormously popular Al Tasnady had had a wreck at Flemington, and the track found every excuse in the world to delay the restart until Taz coiuld get whichever car he was driving at the time back out on the track. Cagle had a mishap later. One lap after he ducked into the pits, the green was out. Incensed, Cagle re-entered the track and proceeded to leave his car somewhere in the middle of the track. It caused a huge wreck. Already outraged, he was fined and suspended from the tracks in that immediate jurisdiction.
         So, he left for further North, where he spent the remainder of his career dominating tracks like Devil's Bowl and taking big pay days at places like Lebanon Valley. He got a come uppance when Devil's Bowl's home star Vince Quenneville, Sr. and car owner Norm Scarborough constructed a perfect clone of Cagle's Bob Rossell - built sedan and beat him with it. However, even into the '80's Cagle was still apt to clean up at the Bowl. I don't know who gave him the nickname Wily Will, but it was appropriate.

Courtesy of Mike Richards
Cagle and his familiarity with both racing surfaces made him the ideal All Star League driver. He was the 1969 champion.

EARLIER CARS
       

Courtesy of Dave Westerman Cagle, while still in Tampa, driving some wild rig.	Courtesy of Dave Westerman Cagle, while still in Tampa, driving some wild rig.	Courtesy of John Snyder Cagle drove the Deasey backup sedan at one of the big races like Langhorne or Trenton.	Courtesy of John Snyder An early photo in NY/NJ/PA somewhere.	Courtesy of John Snyder A blurry photo of one of his earlier cars.	John Grady Photo A great shot of Cagle, waiting somewhere for a race to finish lining up.
John Grady Photo via Otto Graham A red pavement coupe.	From Dan Ody's 8MM Old Speedways DVD Likely the same car.	From Dan Ody's 8MM Old Speedways DVD Likely the same car, by Andy Romano's Galiant Valiant.	From Mike Pa A car from the same era at Lebanon Valley.	From Devil's Bowl Program More than one way to make a living in the sport	LIFE Magazine Photo From The Bullfather Cagle made LIFE magazine.
From the HAMB Website One of the Rossell - built sedans in action on dirt.	Courtesy of Otto Graham Cagle had matching gold sedans - one for each surface. This is at the Catamount All Star League race.	Source Unknown Look closely - you'll see both gold sedans.	Courtesy of Ron Wetzler  A better shot of the 2 sedans. Cagle hauled them around to different All Star races.	Ladabouche Illustration  I used to use these drawings as incentives to my fifth graders.	Courtesy of Ed Fabian Cagle at work at Devil's Bowl with a makeshift crew. He dominated for weeks with this car.
From Devil's Bowl Program The car he used at the Bowl.	Ladabouche Collection At another asphalt All Star League race.	Courtesy of Joe Cryan Cagle had matching gold sedans - yup, I mentioned that.	Courtesy of John Harper Winning an open show at Lebanon Valley. Shown with Dik Van Ort and Ted Ryan.	From the HAMB Website One of his sedans - at Middletown.	Courtesy of Otto Graham Winning an All Star League race with the missus in attendance.
Source Unkown A restored coupe. Duh, check out the trucks.	Hertica Photo Sometimes the hectic schedule meant skimping on the looks.	From Mike Pa Cagle with one of the sedans - but an unfamiliar color scheme. Maybe it had just had a body job.	Courtesy of Argonrcn Images Cagle at a dirt race [obviously].	Ladabouche Collection A big star in the All Star League.	Joe Cryan Photo Joe captured two Cagle coupes in the pits - one with the fashionable flat black roof made popular by the Pettys and Rene Charland.
Source Unknown A presentation in the pits by a lovely.	Source Unknown A color portrait.	Lebanon Valley Classics A pose at the Valley.	From the Jalopy Journal Oops	Source Unknown A pose with his helmet.	Dick Lingle Photo A strange - looking sedan with an unfamiliar number.
From the Jalopy Journal Rough - looking but fast.	Source Unknown Typical Cagle Coupe.	Source Unknown Cagle parks the Coupe in front of packed stands.	From the Jalopy Journal At speed on pavement.	Courtesy of Ron Wilson Cagle with an earlier coupe.	From the Jalopy Journal Racing with the abovementioned Tasnady.
		From the Shoemaker Book Will had this experimental very secret coupe. He put Ken Shoemaker in it at Fonda. The more Fonda-familiar Ken won the race, beating Will.	From the Shoemaker Book Will in Vic Lane with the experimental very secret coupe in the background.

 
Source: empaonline

LATER CARS 

From Mike Pa A solid red Gremlin.	Lynch Photo At speed with a Gremlin.	Mike Traverse Photo A nice looking Gremlin.	From the SCR Mag A real shot in the arm for Cagle Speed Supply.	Courtesy of Florida  Stock Cars.com Another new style body.	Chrome Horn Site Photo Another shot of the solid red Gremlin.
		From Turn 5 Video On the track at Ransomville.	Lebanon Valley Classics A Vega at the Valley

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