Frankie Schneider facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Frankie Schneider |
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| Born | August 11, 1926 Maplewood, New Jersey |
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| Died | November 12, 2018 (aged 92) | ||||||
| Awards | 1952 NASCAR modified champion | ||||||
| NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
| 27 races run over 7 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 20th (1957) | ||||||
| First race | 1949 untitled race at Hamburg Speedway | ||||||
| First win | 1958 untitled race at Old Dominion Speedway | ||||||
| Last win | 1958 untitled race at Old Dominion Speedway | ||||||
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Frank E. Schneider (August 11, 1926 – November 11, 2018) was an amazing American race car driver. He competed in many types of racing, including stock car, modified, midget, and sprint car races. People called him "The Old Master" because he was so good at driving anything with wheels.
Frankie Schneider won one race in the NASCAR Grand National Series (now called the Cup Series) in 1958. He also won the 1952 NASCAR modified championship. It's believed he won over 750 races in his career, making him one of the most successful drivers ever!
Frankie's Racing Career
Frankie Schneider started his racing journey on June 15, 1947. He drove his regular streetcar in a race at Flemington Speedway and finished seventh. This first race earned him $70.
Winning Many Races
Over the next thirty years, Frankie became incredibly successful. He is thought to have won at least 750 races! He often raced in several different types of cars and competed in as many as eight races per week. In 1958 alone, he reportedly won more than 100 races.
Frankie won two very important races called the Langhorne National Open. These wins happened in 1954 and 1962. This event was the top competition for Sportsman and Modified racers in the country.
In 1963, he won four track championships in one year. These championships were at Middletown, Harmony, Reading, and Nazareth speedways. He achieved this with a car he bought for just $1,000.
Later Years and Legacy
Frankie Schneider's last big win was on July 31, 1977, at the Nazareth Speedway. Even though he raced in almost all 50 U.S. states, the Bahamas, and Canada, he spent most of his career racing at tracks like Orange County Fair Speedway, Reading Fairgrounds, Flemington Speedway, Harmony Speedway, and Nazareth Speedway.
In 1992, Frankie was honored by being inducted into the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame. He was part of the very first group of drivers to be included. Later, he was even voted "driver of the century" by Area Auto Racing News, showing how much he was respected in the racing world.
Frankie Schneider's amazing career is featured in a video called "The Old Master: Frankie Schneider." He passed away on November 11, 2018, at the age of 92.
Frankie's Early Life
Frank E. Schneider was born on August 11, 1926, in Maplewood, New Jersey. This town is not far from Newark. His father, Frank Sr., worked at the Western Electric Company.
Frankie was the oldest of five children. His younger siblings were Eleanor, Lorraine, Robert, and Charles. He left home when he was 16 years old. He started his exciting career in car racing when he was 21.
