ARRA Responds to Will Cagle Stats Inquiries
Ringoes,NJ – ARRA joins the racing world in their sympathies expressed to Barbra Cagle and family and the multitudes of fans that called Will Cagle their modified hero “back in the day”. Will Cagle represented the early pioneering days of modern day big block modified racing in the Northeast. Will unfortunately passed away from injuries resulting from a fall and associated complications. “I have gotten a handful of messages and emails regarding the question as to why ARRA does not have research on Will Cagle.” notes Fred Voorhees, President of Auto Racing Research Associates. “It can certainly be looked at as a testament to the popularity and respect Will had as a driver and person.” continued Voorhees on the aspect of the curiosity factor about Will’s statistics. “So, I’m not surprised about the inquiries. Truth is...we actually have in our files...somewhere around 90% of Will’s stats. We have long had these stats. And there is a good reason why we haven’t completed the file and posted a page on “The Wiley One”. Fred notes that ARRA Co-Founder, the late Bill Hanna had begun a fervent research project on Will and had gotten quite a ways. When Fred and Bill decided to tackle the project together to drive it home...contact with Will changed the direction of their research. Will and Wife Barb, kept meticulous notes on his stats. Finding this out...ARRA contacted the Cagles to ask if they could obtain a copy of the notes to compile Will’s career. This was many years ago. Will informed the two ARRA Co-Founders that he was shopping around for someone to write a book on his career and would like to have his statistics make their debut in his book. “I spoke to Will personally and he expressed the interest in having the stats first be published in his book. And I can understand that...it would add so much more anticipation for the sale of the publication. So, I respected his wishes and while we could certainly continue research work...it would have to be without help from any Cagle family notes. Again...fully understandable.” So...the Cagle research kind of screeched to a halt out of respect for Will’s wishes. All notes were tucked away until years later when another of the ARRA historians expressed an interest in continuing the study as a fill in, part time project for here and there when he had time. “Tom Schmeh volunteered to undertake the research when he could.” Fred mentioned. “There has never been a rush to complete it since Will was supposedly still trying to find someone to pen his memoirs. I guess Will’s passing will kind of have us taking another look at the possibility of now taking the project back up.” When that will happen is anyone’s guess right now. The active historians all have projects in the works and with a project such as Will Cagle’s career which was not only just large in numbers...it includes winning years down in Florida which makes it a little more difficult to track down wins...though the historians have a number of resources that they use in their work. You can’t just drop one research project in progress and pick up another. Not one the size of a Will Cagle project. “Yeah..right now I am wrapping up a project of a few months researching the weekly results of the Can-Am (NY) Speedway in Lafargeville, NY. I still have a few weeks left to polish it up and formulate a few other files associated with the weekly results.” Voorhees admits. “And then...after maybe a week or so off from track research...I get right back into the same kind of research on the Skyline Speedway in Virgil, NY. Other historians have their own agenda and schedules and projects they are also in the middle of. So...while I definitely think that this will move up Will Cagles career research on the totem pole of importance...I can’t say when it might get done. I certainly look forward to adding it!” Auto Racing Research Associates is a growing group of over forty auto racing historians across the country banded together for the purpose of the research, documentation and displaying of auto racing history such as driver win statistics, track, racing series and organizations histories and also the background of racing personalities, particular cars from the past and various other interesting facts of racing history that should not be forgotten. ARRA continues to build a network of associated auto racing related websites to unite for better chances of furthering the understanding of the past of our sport. ARRA offers looking up services for those looking for one particular piece of information from the past. They are the official statistics information source of the Flemington Speedway Historical Society and have been doing much of the research work for a number of years for the Northeast Dirt Modified Museum and Hall of Fame in Weedsport, NY.
|
