Howard was one of the racers I cheered for as a teen . I remember his innovation with the Chrysler powered , offset motor , super modified in 1963 at Toronto CNE racetrack . He partnered with a young Gary Witter #19 from Kithener who lost his life in a racing accident at Oswego NY around 1971 .
I remember Howard as a rather savvy driver , picking his spots , somewhat like Mark Martin , and very quick on the track . I think he got more into building and engineering in later years . RIP , Jimmy .
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-- Edited by teejay99 on Saturday 25th of July 2015 07:26:31 PM
If you can get past the tiny print , this newspaper article from 2010 will give you a smile about an old time racer who used his brain and his skill to be a champion .
Hey guys, I write for The Hamilton Spectator newspaper and I'm doing a piece on Jimmy Howard. I would love to speak to someone who knew him or who has been influenced by him in one way or another.
Please email me: jginsberg@thespec.com
Thanks!
__________________
Janie Ginsberg
Reporter, The Hamilton Spectator
Work: 905-526-3294
@JanieGinsberg
I vaguely remember Ted Hogan from one race at CNE . See , I lived in Windsor and my Dad was up in Oakville . I would visit him once each summer and we would go to one ( and only one ) race . It might be at Pinecrest or the CNE .
If I remember , Hogan actually got into a brief fist fight with another driver ....during the race but at a caution ....unheard of today . The other names in the article , Howie Scannell , Jack Cook , Lelliott , etc were drivers I remember also .
Quick story , there was a guy named Jack McCutcheon , number 72 or 73 I think , who I sort of followed .....thought he was pretty smooth out there like Howard . McCutcheon was from Brussells ON . Many years go by and in the 70's I was working in sales for Canada Dry in Kitchener . They gave me a new route and one of the calls was McCutcheon Grocery in Brussells !! " A boyhood dream come true , right ? " I jump in my 67 Mustang and boot it out to Brussells , go in and see a very old man behind the counter ..... he was Jack McCutcheon , but not THE Jack McCutcheon . Apparently the driver Jack McC , owned the Chev dealer in town but was away on vacation .......so , no dice . I mention to the Jack behind the grocery counter that I admired Jack the driver because he was so smooth around the track , staying out of trouble , picking his spots , moving through the pack etc , etc . Old Jack says " Hell , around here he was reckless , getting in trouble for speeding , drove like a mad man . "
I guess sometimes it's best not to know !!
-- Edited by teejay99 on Saturday 25th of July 2015 02:05:38 PM
-- Edited by teejay99 on Saturday 25th of July 2015 07:20:50 PM
Jimmy Howard was sponsored by Quigley Construction for a while.
Had a big "Q" on the side of his car.
We would go to his shop and he would be working on something and was always a very easy going man.
We watched him make a cross ram intake from sheet metal to run 2 4's on an engine.
My dad and Jimmy were very good friends. Jimmy worked with my dad to sort out the cross torsion bar setup my dad was using on his coupes at Merritville and Speedway Park. Must have known what they were doing as dad's cars were very competitive on the dirt with Geo Winger, Alex Gunn, Bob Fisher, Jack Hollis and Mike Zajac running them.
I stopped by Jimmy's shop on the way home from work a couple of years ago. He was 92 at that time. Was a weed whacker sitting in the vise with the carb apart and Jimmy sitting on his stool with the TV on, a short cigar in his mouth and a small glass of refreshment. Talked for quite awhile. A memory that will stay with me forever.
Say hi to dad for me Jimmy.....
