Peter Magel Maggot

Carrw · AUBURN, NY

Peter Magel Maggot

poncho62 · ADMINISTRATOR

Welcome Carr...sorry to hear about your brother...I was reading on the HAMB about it. Just remember, there is this thing called Karma.....People get their just desserts, hopefully anyways

51 Styline · NIAGARA FALLS, ONT

Welcome to the site. I read with interest about your brother Peter. Was this the same " Maggot " that ran at Niagara Dragstrip in the early 60s.

sasquatch · NORTH BAY, ONT

Sorry to hear this . Saw Pete run regulary at Cayuga back in the day. Very untouchable in the class.

Carrw · AUBURN, NY

Peters brother.Haven't been on for awhile .Just checking in.A little down for awhile because of Pete but at the same x felt good as he was hurting and ready for a long x .
You people ( what the hell is that you people, any body offended I'm sorry) have been great. I always knew when I was being nice to Canadian girls 60yrs ago at Wasaga Beach
Something good would come from it. Just took a little while.i must have been impressed I even remember names. I had pictures but my wife got pissed over some stupid thing and tore them up.Never knew they were gone until my teen age son was feeling good about the head he was dating and in an attempt to take him down a peg told him she was a dog.
He immediately wanted to know what kind of women I dated. Went for the pictures and
my wife said don't bother when you were going for long week ends Bowling with your friends they disappeared.The last x I thought about divorcing her she threatened to turn me into Internal Revenue so I let it ride. Worked out OK 53 years in March 2014. Thanks again.

-- Edited by Carrw on Friday 10th of October 2014 02:42:51 AM

Carrw · AUBURN, NY

Reply to 51 Styline who wanted to know if Peter / Magott raced at Niagara in the 60s answer is YES .Great story for you !

owner of track ( no names every body knew ) cut lower classes prize $ . Resulted in a strike on a big day ( ,famous announser)

with group of racers

in middle of track 10 to 15 min with Peter in group. Broke up. Owner barred Peter for LIFE! Supposedly for strike

involvement. Only one barred The real story Peter /Maggot pretty much unbeatable so other racers in his class would call the

night before and if Peter was racing were no shows or if they came and found out he was racing sat in the stands or went home.

In other words he was hurting the class entrant wise and costing the track $ . Strike was first chance to bar him with some excuse to back it up.Never allowed to race there again . Loaned the Maggot to Neil Smedley to run. Neil tried to run Maggot at Niagara couple of weeks later and they barred him with the Maggot. Obviously problem with Peter /Maggot track wise was not Peter but the mostly unbeatable Maggot ( with Peter driving ). Strike story mostly only one ever told. Carr

51 Styline · NIAGARA FALLS, ONT

Thanks for the update on Peter and the " strike" at Niagara. That's a story I not heard before. I remember Peter at Niagara and you are right " Maggot " was pretty much unbeatable. I ran a C/MP Chevvy there and everything in the pits pretty much stopped when the Maggot came to the starting line. Everyone was in awe over that black primered Studie and more than once comments were made that there was not anything legal that was going to beat it. We couldn't, figure out how a Studebaker could run so well and so consistent, I mean , it was a Studebaker, not a Chev, or Ford, Olds or Pontiac,, a STUDEBAKER . I talked to Peter and found him to be pleasant and accommodating. That car looked mean and nasty just sitting there and I think its looks intimidated a lot of the competeters .

Carrw · AUBURN, NY

Did full page here, almost done in reply to 16 h ago from 51 Styline. Disappeared someplace. I'm Sick. I'm 85 yrs. old and don't have any x to waste. Could it be hiding someplace? Anybody have any thoughts ? I had told Styline every thing I knew about the Studebakers (Maggot ) success. If it was here some place I probably washed it out now.

-- Edited by Carrw on Saturday 11th of October 2014 02:06:10 AM

Carrw · AUBURN, NY

Poncho62 thanks for kind thoughts on Peter! Please see prior post on lost reply to 51 Styline lost earlier this aft. Do you think it's gone for good? If so I can do it again tomorrow when I'm in a better mood. Thanks Carr

-- Edited by Carrw on Saturday 11th of October 2014 02:16:02 AM

Carrw · AUBURN, NY

51 Styline Probably not as extensive as yesterday.Discussing success of Studebaker. Know probably getting away with a lot in Jr stock? I bought Peter a garage and he spent a lot of x there with Maggot as he pretty much lived on his prize $. Did a little repair work but also had another Stude he was getting ready and a Hudson that our brother John raced ( Won a National,

Been trying to find out where/when ). The things I know are that he spent huge amounts of x on every thing including the very

smallest detail( he had it to spend ).Getting on with it,he removed every piece of steel that he could replace with Alum. And did.

Replaced seat with ? . Removed trunk lock and cut holes for air flow,experimented with tires, spent hrs.hand sanding seats ?

Hung thin strips of cloth in eng. compartment and while running at speed watched thru the firewall for air flow. Friend tells of him spending 2 days repeating some adjustment over and over until he was satisfied. That's all I recall.If things were happening under the hood I don't know any thing about that and nobody else does either. Another thing to be remembered he was a broker with out a trailer and had to drive to tracks and then do what ever was necessary to get it back to racing shape.

Drove to Indy and ran 2nd at Nationals R

Raced Ted Harbit and his " Chicken Hawk" who won 8 or 9

Nationals and beat him on the Light. Peter thought Lite was wrong and gave Ted the win. That might have been a National.They

were Hopeing to race again at Elizeabeth Town Nj but Peter wasn't running right and didn't race.

I am unclear on some things I wanted to be clearer on but Peter was sick and never wanted to get into it. Best I can do. Carr

-- Edited by Carrw on Saturday 11th of October 2014 05:00:16 PM

-- Edited by Carrw on Saturday 11th of October 2014 05:02:57 PM

sasquatch · NORTH BAY, ONT

Thanks for the interesting post carrw. A number of the record holding junior stocks were not completely stock, there were some pretty sharp dedicated guys reading the rule book.
Quite a bit of this information has come out over the years, surprising how some alterations were done that were never discovered. And really,, if it wasn't in the rule book, it was presumed to be legal.
The thing is if one didn't change things on the car, the others were, and you didn't have a hope of beating them. The junior stock classes saw more creative inovation than any other class. Those were the days when instead of a fat wallet, some creative experimenting went a long way without breaking the bank.
This is were Bracket Racing changed much of that, much fairer, than trying to run and beat on your engine against guys with lots of dollars to get there.

Carrw · AUBURN, NY

Are you really Big Foot ? I wounder if there is a reward ? There have been large groups of armed men looking for you on American television every day for years.I called today so nobody can beat me out. The had a message ,call back Tues. as Mon. Is a Italian/American holiday,Columbus Day. You Canadians should get a piece of that. Another day off sometimes with pay! Lots of luck Carr. If you live in the forest what do you use to make this intelligent contact with me? Now that I notice your address I realize why they have never caught you,you hide out in Ontario Can. And they have been looking for years in Washington State of,USA?Dummies!

-- Edited by Carrw on Sunday 12th of October 2014 12:02:22 AM

-- Edited by Carrw on Sunday 12th of October 2014 12:09:20 AM

sasquatch · NORTH BAY, ONT

Don't tell anyone ok?

Carrw · AUBURN, NY

After 9 lines ,big effort for my age you could have said " Dont tell any one,OK. If there is a reward involved I Will make it right with you" Carr

Carrw · AUBURN, NY

StylineStyline ( Larry ) I see from your profile you raced Niagara . As no age shown I can't tell when you were there. Did you race Peter or race there when Peter was there. As you raced there at some x did you know about the strike? Carr

Every one that I ever talked too said the s me

thing J------ was a big A ---- whose only concern was the $. What finally closed the track down?

-- Edited by Carrw on Monday 13th of October 2014 04:09:16 PM

-- Edited by Carrw on Monday 13th of October 2014 04:19:27 PM

Carrw · AUBURN, NY

Dear Canadian friends
If you feel I am over doing your forum ( pushy stater ) blast me using polite language.
Carr

51 Styline · NIAGARA FALLS, ONT

Carrw wrote:
StylineStyline ( Larry ) I see from your profile you raced Niagara . As no age shown I can't tell when you were there. Did you race Peter or race there when Peter was there. As you raced there at some x did you know about the strike? Carr
Every one that I ever talked too said the s me
thing J------ was a big A ---- whose only concern was the $. What finally closed the track down?

-- Edited by Carrw on Monday 13th of October 2014 04:09:16 PM

-- Edited by Carrw on Monday 13th of October 2014 04:19:27 PM

I raced Niagara in the very first few years it opened. The first year I was only a spectater in the stands and that's where I got " the bug". I bought a 55 Chev and worked up a 283 Chevvy and ran C/MP class there. I didn,t race Peter but every time he ran I sure watched him beat up the competition. That Stude could run. The track was a fun place when it first opened up but over the years it got to be more of a big money and big names place. J------ seemed to have his favorites there and the outsiders were frowned upon. When I ran there in C/MP I was up against a sponsored car every week and he had me by a couple 10ths every time . Ran C/MP all year long and 1 year , after the Nationals my competitor didn,t show up . When I went through inspection I was all of a sudden put in C/G and my completion was Jimmy Zakia who just returned from the Nationals after setting the C/G record of mid 11 seconds . I guess they didn,t want a Canuck to win a class trophy. That kind of soured me to Niagara .

I used to sit in the stands and watch the races quite often after that and I can remember 3 or 4 severely suntanned fellows sitting in front of us making casual wages on who would win . I don,t think they knew the make or model of any of the cars because they would choose by the colour of the car. When ever Peter came to the line they would almost get in to a fight wanting to bet on " the funny looking black car with the pointy nose. They didn't know what it was but they all knew it could run. Peter was well known and liked, by me , the other racers, and most of all , the fans.

51 Styline · NIAGARA FALLS, ONT

Carrw wrote:
Dear Canadian friends
If you feel I am over doing your forum ( pushy stater ) blast me using polite language.
Carr

I,,, for one enjoy the insight you bring about Peter and his experiences at Niagara. I did not know of the strike and the impact it had on Peter. I am glad you brought this to light. I do know Peter had an impact on me and all of my racing buddies and to this day when we attend a car show and theres a Studebaker there someone will come up with a story on "The Maggot"

Carrw · AUBURN, NY

I don't want him to be for gotten but it's just a matter of x .When the old time fans who saw him race are dead and gone ( matter of short x now ) that will be the end of it. I'm 85
and a short timer also. When I'm not here I won't be thinking about it.Now there's some acknowledgement as I keep pushing it. But it makes me feel good when I get posts like yours.Part of my mind set has to do with my lack of involvement,for a lot of different reasons,in something I would have loved to be involved in. The closest I ever got was pitting for Billy Rafter when he track( ?) raced in High School. You might know of Billy as
He moved from Clarence NY to Niagara
Falls and continued to race from there.HS racing in mid 40s.Might still be alive ,a little younger than me. Thanks again for a great post about part of your life and Peter/Maggot.Carr.When I look at this the tops cut off.I don't know if it will print. My fault.

I see I have more space so I won't waste it. When the took away the jr stock classes( ? ) he was done all he had ever lived for or done. He was a winner great for the self esteem. All of a sudden it was gone. He went into deep depression and when somebody torched the family home ( I owned in Clarence)I didn't think he could take care of himself so I put him in a nursing home where he had some care.He hated it and it finally killed him.I am positive that if he had continued to race he would be alive today.II

-- Edited by Carrw on Tuesday 14th of October 2014 02:13:39 AM

Carrw · AUBURN, NY

Just got the newest Hemmings on my Email. Featured a 30 caddy Conv.( ? ) I had the same exact car looks wise ( spare tire in / on the fender,rumble ( ?) seat .etc) but a 1931
Or 1929 PACKARD.i don't know how the Nos would compare but I've seen big $ on the Packard. The Hemmings Caddy sold for 1.1 million. I don't own the Packard any more as I came home one day and the car was gone . My mother said " Ask your brother" (Peter).
Forged my signature and sold my car. Don't remember what he got but probably went into
Maggot ,(?) I was furious ,still a little upset when I see sale prices today. What was I going to do put baby Brother in jail? Nice guy at the track but took advantage of family some xs
I don't know if you get Hemmings but if you sign up its FREE! Comes every week.Carr

gnchamp · Member

Carr Magel
I will post some stories and pics of Peter who I got to know at Cayuga in the 60's. I had a 62 Stude Lark wagon that had been in the Family since new, I was gonna turn Jr Stock on its butt with it and sought Pete's advice along the way.. Sadly the best advice he gave me was to NOT put a lot of time, $$, and effort into this car as it would NEVER be competitive due to the 195 HP rating of its 259 cu in motor.. I did NOT listen and built the car for 'N" Stock..Blueprinted the motor, build headers,found a 4.57 rear,cheater slicks. had Bob Birch do the carb and Braby the distributor...etc etc. ran a best of 15.95 on a 15.50 record(Pete was running 16.2's on a 16.3 record in a lower class and that's why he made $$ and I did not.. It was a great experience and I loved it, but I should have had Peter build me a 5o's Stude like he did for the gas station guys in Cayuga.. I'll find some pics and stories about Pete he was one of my Heroes that I'm glad I got to know.. Neil Smedley is a Facebook friend m/b he can post here also..

gnchamp · Member

The Maggot..

studeshaker · BUCKHORN, ONT

i've always liked the look of the starlite coupes as racecars. my wife likes my stude but won't go anywhere near it when it's running lol. this is very enjoyable reading about peter and the "maggot", thanks for the posts.

51 Styline · NIAGARA FALLS, ONT

It is good to see pics of " The Maggot". I have been scouring the Niagara Dragstrip sites for pics of Maggot in black primer as it ran in the early 60s at Niagara but haven't found any yet. If Peter was barred as Carr explains that would explain it. It seems to me that I did find a pic in black primer a few years ago but I cant remember where it was. I will still keep looking and hopefully will find it and I will post it. Maggot was one of the most memorable cars there at Niagara . I place Peter with the memorable Niagara racers of the day like Jim Zakia Jimmy Oddy, Willy Gray, " The Mongoose" a Chevvy 409, running S/S. Peter was definitely a fan favorite at Niagara and one of my unforgettable racers of the time.

Carrw · AUBURN, NY

Beautiful .what I've been looking for! Never seen pictures.will get back to you with all the clubs and forums . Some with extensive Peter / Maggot coverage including theft of his cars .Had 40 apts ,kept a few,headed to a drain leak( ?). Also in a bad mood , hate Syracuse UN and they just won their game. Love your car and Peter would have too.
Will be back. Carrmagel@gmail.com (open to any body that wants to use it ) Thanks again
Carr

gnchamp · Member

One discussion I had with Pete was about 'Cam Specs"..regrinds were allowed back then as long as they met 'Factory Specs"(I remember he had an Isky decal on the car at one point to "Tic people off" he claimed.. He said the problem with my "newer" (1962) Stude was, that the NHRA had all the engine specs.. whereas they did NOT have the same info on the 50's Studes and Hudsons.. If you heard his idle beside mine there was a difference!!! and I was cheating about 10thou on lift...go figure.. They were interesting times to say the least!!!

-- Edited by gnchamp on Monday 20th of October 2014 10:14:38 AM

gnchamp · Member

Carr

The famous "Shovel Handle Shifter" and the Deep Oil Pan..

-- Edited by gnchamp on Monday 20th of October 2014 10:20:52 AM

51 Styline · NIAGARA FALLS, ONT

Carr.
I was talking to my brother in law over the weekend and for some reason it just popped in to my head he had run at Niagara in the mid 60s. I asked him when he ran and he said 65-66. Then I asked him if he remembered 'The Maggot" . A smile came to his face and he proceded to tell me about the black primered Studie. that used to drive his competition crazy. My brother in law ran in stock class so he was in the stock pits and he would watch the elimination runs as Peter would systematically " eliminate" his competitors. He told me how he heard chatter in the pits alleging how Peter had to be cheating as a Studebaker couldn't run that good. He was grinning and smiling all the while he was telling me about it and we had quite a chat about Niagara. He said he didn't know about the strike there and he only ran there a couple of seasons and then lost touch with the racing scene. Yes he remembered " Maggot" , granted he didn,t think about it that much but when I mentioned it the memories came to life and he was back at Niagara.

sasquatch · NORTH BAY, ONT

I have really enjoyed following this post! Great reading guys!!

Carrw · AUBURN, NY

gnchamp.
Dumb,Me. Never know if I should do replys here or on original post which might have
been some x ago. Every once in awhile I go thru the Peter / Maggot Posts and I read your post that mentions Peter building a 50 Studebaker for the gas station guys in Cayuga.
There may not be much to that story but until it's told it sounds interesting. How and Why?
Carr

gnchamp · Member

Carr
No Idea about the Stude he built,I just remember it They only ran it 2-3 yrs.. Not as competitive as Maggot.. Are there other posts about Peter on this site??
Norm

51 Styline · NIAGARA FALLS, ONT

gnchamp wrote:
Carr
No Idea about the Stude he built,I just remember it They only ran it 2-3 yrs.. Not as competitive as Maggot.. Are there other posts about Peter on this site??
Norm

Don't know if its the one , but on the Niagara Dragstrip site there is a pic of a white Studebaker with Cayuga Ontario on the rear quarter panel.

Carrw · AUBURN, NY

Carrw have to apologize for lack of contact for last 6months. Down about Peter and not being able to do any thing about theft of his car ( my problem as I don't think he was in any condition to care any more ) and as an Arbitrator I had 2 cases ( one with Dupont, the biggest case I ever had ) so I was out of it for awhile. One of the reasons I feel bad for lack of contact is that when I was down I got a lot of support for Peter and information about him from a Canadian club for an American driver.I should not have been surprised about that as our countries have forever been bound in friend ship and your feelings for Peter were those for a good mechanic and driver who did it the hard way lots talent but
No $. Hard that way and people appreciated that especially members of the Ontario Rodders. I know Peter thanks you as do I. Carrw.

GMDad · CALEDONIA, ONT

Am I mistaken but I seem to remember that when the "Maggot" was t the lights it was never driven square on with he starting line but at a bit of an angle so that one wheel would be trailing the other when leaving the lights and I presume lessening the chance of a red light....

Carr you mentioned pitting for Bill Rafter. Was that when he was racing stock cars with the famous blue and silver #22 ? He raced against my dad in the early 60s and I have many memories and stories with Bill Rafter and Gill Bruss who either owned the car or worked on it..

Carrw · AUBURN, NY

I pitted for Bill Rafter in the early 40s when we were both in high school at Parker high in Clarence NY. We were tight,played on the same foot ball team. He was an end and I was a half back. I pitted for him the 1st race he eve r ran. Maybe a dirt track at Caledonia NY. In with some decent experienced racers and he was out in front until he found out why every body else was slowing down a little bit at the corners.Rolled it 3-4xs. I was the 1st one there and afraid he was dead! Grabbed the 1st thing I could get my hands on which unfortunately for me happened to be an exhaust pipe ( ? ). Hands didn't work well for awhile.He went on to a great racing career at Civic Stadium in Buffalo. What I always liked about Billy was ,like all my best friends,that he was at least a little nuts. Last x I saw him was a few years back at a school reunion. (We were so small we do school and not class reunions .Glad you reminded me of Billy. At 86 think about those days makes you forget that you are 86

GMDad · CALEDONIA, ONT

Alex Gunn drove for my dad at Speedway Park in Hamilton and at Merrittville in St Catherines. Alex and Bill were fierce competitors on the track and friends off. If one didn't win the other one usually did. Remember a 50 lap race where a large stone had come thru the screen on Billy's car cutting him above the eye that required stitches. That was on about lap 15. You can guess who won that race and went for stitches after the race.

Iwannagofast · ONTARIO

Carr and Don, you guys are bringing back a lot of great memories for me too. My uncle Joe (Miller, lived on Ontario Ave N.F. H.Y.) also did some sheet metal work for Bill Rafter...Ted Renchaw(spelled right?)....Chuck Boose ( spelled right?) back in the day. I remember Chuck taking me for a ride around the block in his modified, I was a 7yr old in heaven. Huncle Joe's brother Ted had a garage in N.F. N.Y., spent a lot of Saturdays there as a kid.....great memories, thanks guys.

GMDad · CALEDONIA, ONT

Close on the spelling Ted Renshaw (still has a vintage Chev coach with the #5 on it that he drives at Merrittville reunion) and Chuck Boos...really great innovator including the 4wd modified he ran at Cayuga Speedway.....knew you would remember a few of the names Randy. Just as a side note I spent a couple hours with Mike Zajac and his wife last week. Same house. My first dirt late model ran one of his old modified motors and the number with crossed flags on my car came from the design on his modified...

Iwannagofast · ONTARIO

GMDad wrote:
Close on the spelling Ted Renshaw (still has a vintage Chev coach with the #5 on it that he drives at Merrittville reunion) and Chuck Boos...really great innovator including the 4wd modified he ran at Cayuga Speedway.....knew you would remember a few of the names Randy. Just as a side note I spent a couple hours with Mike Zajac and his wife last week. Same house. My first dirt late model ran one of his old modified motors and the number with crossed flags on my car came from the design on his modified...

Thats some cool History Don, thank you. Next time you speak with Mike please ask him if he remembers my Uncle Emil Michalika. Emil passed away a couple years back un-expectadly. We miss him, he was a big, happy kid.

Carr, really sorry about hy-jacking your piece here.

Carrw · AUBURN, NY

Wanna go fast No problem Think it's great. Just told my wife little something started by GMDad with my reply got some old timers out of the wood work. Warm air in the spring and a good topic will do that. Before now no action since last Nov. '5mo I don't have any thing to contr. here as your discussing people I'v never heard of but glad I helped get something started. As I had the in with Peter I'msorry circumstances kept me out of it.
Thanks for giving me a piece . Carr

GMDad · CALEDONIA, ONT

Carr do you still own any early cars either street or track ? I like to read about these old stories of guys and cars from the 60-70s

Iwannagofast · ONTARIO

GMDad wrote:
Carr do you still own any early cars either street or track ? I like to read about these old stories of guys and cars from the 60-70s

X @ Carr, fill us in on some of your memories. There are alot of folks that would be interested.

51 Styline · NIAGARA FALLS, ONT

I have been going through old posts and came across this one about Carr Magels brother Peter who drove " The Maggot". I noticed no posts since 2015. Does anyone have any info on Carr . what brought this up was a post on the Friends of Niagara Dragstrip site where there was a pic of an Olds toronado doing a burnout and The Maggot was in the background. It got me wondering about Carr and how he was .

cr55 · DELAWARE

It definitely was some great reading! Hope he's OK!

51 Styline · NIAGARA FALLS, ONT

I posted a query on the Niagara Dragstrip site and received a reply from Neil Smedley. He said he was talking to Carr about 3 weeks ago. Glad to hear he is OK.

Pete Moss · GTA

THIS IS TOO COOL ... BE SURE TO READ :)

So I'm leafing through some of the old magazines I bought this year at the Richmond Green auto flea market (just north of Toronto) and I stumble across a letter to the editor where a name rings a bell. Here is what the letter said (from January 1967 Hot Rod Magazine).

Titled "Honesty Pays".

Dear Sir:
During elimination rounds of the N/S at the '66 Nationals, the class had been narrowed down to three cars, including Pete Magel in a '52 Stude from New York and my '51 Stude. Pete and I raced and my car won by a small margin, but Pete's win light came on. I was disappointed, naturally, but said nothing as I figured the officials had to go by win lights. Pete voluntarily, and without influence from anyone, went to the official, Marty Barrett, and told him what had happened.

I was fortunate enough to run the trophy run and win, but had it not been for Pete Magel's honesty I would have been eliminated from competition. I believe the drag racing people, both spectator and participants, can be proud that we have individuals like Pete Magel in our sport.

Ted Harbit, Frankton Indiana.

Response from the editor of Hot Rod:
Thanks for bringing this to our attention, Ted, and a tip of the cap to Pete Magel. You're both champs.

I'd be more than happy to send the magazine to Carr if he (or someone else) can supply me with his mailing address.

I realize Carr made a short mention of this incident in an earlier post (so he is aware it happened) but not sure if he is aware that it had been included in Hot Rod Magazine.

-- Edited by Pete Moss on Sunday 11th of June 2017 09:55:23 PM

Offset · HALIBURTON, ONT

Now that is an interesting find. Thanks for sharing the story.

51 Styline · NIAGARA FALLS, ONT

PETE. Check your P M