Warrensburgh

Warrensburgh, NY native Ben Gurney told me the story of how he thinks the race car number "Super 38" came into existence. He says there was a Chevrolet dealership in town, Maltbie Chevrolet. [It seems many medium to smaller towns used to have either that or a Chrysler or Ford dealer, up until that became less practical]. Ben recalls being told that there was a clock on the wall in the service area of the dealership that had "Super Service" arcing over the clock face, and that the original team that had a
Super 38 car likely used that as the influence on their unusual car number.

I now know that the actual Super 38 cars have always been in the Pennock family. Elwin started the team in the early 1950's, using drivers such as Ray Therrien, George Baumgardner, and Nelson Moore. At some point, a Ken Warner became involved during the time the Pennock boys, Dick and Jerry were quite young. Dick bought out Warner in 1961, but the Warrensburgh track grandstands had burned and the track was closed. He would run the Super 38 at C.J. Richards' newly reopened Fairmont Speedway, in Fair Haven, VT, in 1962.

Pennock would wreck that original car at least once in learning the ropes. He and the team would build two others before he left racing in Vermont for a bit. He would return at least once to run a Fonda late model at Devil's Bowl but seemed to focus most of his racing from then on in New York. Brother Jerry [Porky to the family] ran a few times at the Fairmont track before blossoming out with a semi late model Ford at Malta. Jerry, too would have quite a career, in cars like Fowler's 27 Jr., Villano's 37, and others.

That "Super" number choice also may have inspired Hudson car builder Vern Baker to field his first early - 30's Hudson coupe as "Super 6" [ that would later come back as the 6 Pack" in the 1960's]. I have been told that the earlier Super 38 ran at the track in Warrensburgh, as well as at Granville, NY and possibly at Stateline Speedway. I suspect if it was a Warrensburgh Speedway regular, it also ran Whites Beach Speedway, in Ballston Lake, sometimes a sister track to Warrensburgh. I think Nelson Moore was arguably the principal of the drivers of the early Super 38, which also ran Mettawee Speedway, Granville, NY.

I have, in the past, mistakenly assumed Dick did not race much after around 1968, but he has sent word that he ran a modified at Lebanon Valley into the 1970's. The Pennock Super 38 holds a special place in my heart as it was the first car I saw when Fairmont was re - opened in May of 1962.

Bob Frazier Photo
Courtesy of Dick Pennock
via Diane Pennock Butler
Dick, on the track at Fairmont with Danny Rumph. This is a Wilbur Baker Me2Jr. Rare photo.

Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler Dick's Gremlin at the track.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler Dick's Gremlin under construction.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler A composite with the Gremlin.
Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler I assume this is another Gremlin version after the first one. Looks more refined.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler Later equipment.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler Likely early 1980's equipment.
Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler One of the later cars on the hauler.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler Looks like a mid '80's, manufactured mod at the Valley. I assume it is Dick.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler 2 of DIck's licenses.

THE ORIGINAL SUPER 38 of ELWIN PENNOCK, DICK'S DAD

Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler Elwin "Brick" Pennock, perhaps at Warrensburgh Speedway [aka Ashland Park]. The Super 38's were always from the Pennock family.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler Said to be Elwin Pennock's first hired driver - Ray Therrien. at Granville. This looks more like George Baumgardner.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler Ray Therrien at Granville. I kind of wonder if this was the guy who was in the race I watched, wherein a car hit the light poles and cancelled out the racing that day. The Super 38 was involved.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler Nelson Moore, one of the drivers Elwin used for his Super 38's - shown here with a young Jerry Pennock. It is very possible Jerry grew to compete against Moore, when the latter was in the end of a long career.
	Courtesy of Tom Stover Elwin "Brick" Pennock [rt] and another man at McGregor Speedway, Wilton.

JERRY PENNOCK, DICK'S BROTHER

Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler Nelson Moore, one of the drivers Elwin used for his Super 38's - shown here with a young Jerry Pennock. It is very possible Jerry grew to compete against Moore, when the latter was in the end of a long career. e always from the Pennock family.	Ladabouche Photo Jerry "Porky" Pennock is said to have sometimes driven this car, belonging to athe Bakers [WIlbur ? Maynard ? not sure]	Ladabouche Collection Jerry spins his #59 semi late late class Ford at Malta around 1966. Ken Platt and Donnie Antolick [43] get by.	From Dan Ody's 8MM Old Speedways DVD's Jerry, with apparently the same car at D. Bowl in 1967.
Ladabouche Photo Jerry had stints with Bill Fowler's 27Jr's. This car was at Fairmont in 1965.	Bob Frazier Photo via D. Bowl Program Jerry was one of the busiest drivers of the late '60's. This is his ride with Al Ryan at D. Bowl	Source Unknown Jerry was one of several top drivers to pilot Tony Villano's Falcon.	Source: Rick Parry Jerry was one of several top drivers to pilot Tony Villano's Falcon. Now Mrs. Rick Parry owns the restored car.
Source: John Gallant Jerry's Colt 45 modified was said to have Hemi power.	Source : David Kilmartin Jerry, with the Fowler sedan.	Frank Simek Photo A Fonda victory with Fowler equipment.	Source: John Gallant A Malta win with the Fowler coach, which may have been Bill's best car ever.
Source: Gater Racing News More success at Fonda.	Russ Bergh Photo Source: Ed Feuz Collection A Fonda win with the Villano Falcon.	Source: John Gallant A mid 1980's Valley ride.	Source: Mike Richards More Fonda success.
John Grady Photo A pose with a less familiar VIllano 37.	Bob Frazier Photo Jerry tries to avoid a spinning Chet Doaner at D. Bowl with Ryan's 28.	Source: Unknown Jerry's Colt 45 modified was said to have Hemi power.

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Courtesy of Dick Pennock Dick says this is hist first car, bought at, and run at Warrensburgh Speedway. Later, in 1962, he would temporarily use this number on his 2nd Super 38 car.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock Dick says this is hist first Super 38 car, bought from Ken Warner a while before Fairmont opened and it was there at the opening show.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock Dick, at speed, either at Warrensburgh or more likely Fairmont.
Courtesy of Dick Pennock Coming out of Four with the checkers at Fairmont.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock A blurry one of Dick with the checkers at some track, likely Fairmont.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock The first Super 38 of Pennock's in a victory lap - probably at Fairmont.
Courtesy of Dick Pennock The first Super 38 of Pennock's in a victory lap - probably at Fairmont.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock The first Super 38 of Pennock's after the Fairmont wreck. The wheels on this car suggest that maybe the preceding photos are not of Dick's 1962 car.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock Post - 1962 Fairmont wreck. he did it up good.
Courtesy of Dick Pennock Post - 1962 Fairmont wreck. Looks like some parts are being salvaged.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock Post - 1962 Fairmont wreck. Certainly not one of those flatheads.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock Post - 1962 Fairmont wreck. Front and back.
Ladabouche Photo This second version first appeared in brown primer [numbered 708] after Dick had wrecked the first car on a Saturday night at Fairmont in 1962.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler The 2nd Super 38 - newly painted, with the familiar tow truck Dick always had.	From Dan Ody's 8 MM Old Speedways DVD's Dick, at speed in turn 2 at Fairmont, 1962.
Ladabouche Photo This third version first appeared in 1963. Superbly detailed down to the metalwork inside, it may have been the 1962 car re-worked. I have no idea.	Bob Frazier Photo Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Butler This third version, in Vicotry Lane.	Ladabouche Photo This final version [as far as I know] first appeared in 1964. It closely resembled the sportsman cars which appeared the following year at Fairmont. Push truck man and former driver Johnny Spafford, Dick's 1962 target, admires the as yet - unnumbered car.
Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler The 3rd Super 38, after painting and lettering. This could be DIane with two men who are obviously related to each other.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler The nice, 3rd Super 38, having seen better days. After this premature loss of the car, I didn't see Dick at Fairmont much any more.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler More of that 1964 wreck.
Russ Bergh Photo via Dick Pennock Dick at Fonda, around mid 1960's, with a late model. I think he was using #138 here. This makes me wonder about a #138 seen in White's Beach photos in the 1950's.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler That 55 Chevy 138 at home after a rough night at Fonda.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler What appears to be a '54 Chevy body, typical of the late models at Fonda in the late 1960's.
Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler The '54 Chevy body, having seen better days.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler What appears to be a '54 Chevy body, with similar "modifications" as in the following action shot.	Bob Frazier Photo Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler Action at Devil's Bowl around 1969. They have Dick in with the sportsman cars. He would handle better if all fours were on the track.
Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler What appears to be a '54 Chevy body,	Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler The '54 Chevy body, while quite new.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler Dick's Fonda LM at the Gulf station.
Russ Bergh Photo Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler What appears to be a 1949 to 1952 Chevy body, ala the Harry Peek 2nd car.	Russ Bergh Photo Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler What appears to be a 1949 to 1952 Chevy body, definitely a later entry for Dick at Fonda.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler The earlier Chevy body LL, at a Gulf station - probably in Warrensburgh.
Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler Dick, at the Valley, in the 1970's.	Christian "Ti-Gaz" Genest Photo Courtesy of Arnie Ainsworth Dick, at the Valley, in the 1970's.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler Dick's Valley coupe under construction
_{Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler} Dick's Valley coupe under construction.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler Dick's Valley coupe under construction.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler Dick's Valley coupe under construction.
_{Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler} Dick's Valley coupe unlettered.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler Dick's Valley coupe lettered.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler Dick's Valley coupe at speed.
Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler Dick's Gremlin under construction.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler Dick's Gremlin under construction.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler Dick's Gremlin under construction.
Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler Dick's Gremlin under construction.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler Dick's Gremlin under construction.	Courtesy of Dick Pennock via Diane Pennock Butler Dick's Gremlin under construction.