Glen Myers Fatal Crash @ Hamburg Fairgrounds 1939
- 8 months ago
Glen Myers was born in 1905 most likely in Fountain County, Indiana, where his parents, James H. and Flora (Davis) Myers, were living in 1910. His known siblings were Charley, Homer, Mabel, Ruby Iona, Lex and Ernest. Sometime between 1912 and 1920 the family moved to Jackson, Michigan, where father James got a job at the local gas works.
Glen started racing in the early twenties, beginning with hobo (claimer) races at Napoleon, Michigan. During his career he raced in Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, Ohio, Illinois, Alabama and even Florida and New York. His home tracks, however, were at Jackson and Detroit in Michigan where he was almost unbeatable, holding several track records in both sprint cars and midgets.
Glen Myers became very popular with the fans in the mid-1930s when the V.F.W. track in Detroit - later known as Motor City Speedway - started to host important big car meets. Myers won four events in 1933 and six in 1934, including the season's finale, a 100 lapper. He was named track champion. In 1935 Myers won five big car meets and the 50-lap Michigan Midget Championship. He was also named the National Dirt Track Champion. In September 1935 he finished fourth in the first-ever long distance midget race, a 200-lap event held at V.F.W. Speedway. Unfortunately the season ended very badly, when Myers was seriously injured at State Fairgrounds Coliseum in Detroit during a midget race. His car flipped after having been hit by Jimmy Snyder. Myers received a fractured skull and was hospitalized for two and a half months.
Glen Myers made a slow but complete recovery. When he was in good health again he decided to quit with midget racing and focused on the AAA sprint car championship. In 1939 he was offered a car for the 1940 Indianapolis 500. This was a great chance for him, but he had to collect some more points (i.e., gain some experience) in the big car series in order to be allowed in the big race. So he went to a lesser-important AAA race in Hamburg, New York, at the Hamburg Fairgrounds - also known as Erie County Fairgrounds - with the only objective to obtain a few points.
During a 10-mile race on the 1/2-mile dirt oval, another car spun in front of him and he could not avoid the contact. In the accident, his seat belt broke and he was launched into the air. Glen Myers died of a broken neck upon landing on the track. Three other drivers were involved, but only Oscar Carlson received minor injuries.
R.I.P
Glen started racing in the early twenties, beginning with hobo (claimer) races at Napoleon, Michigan. During his career he raced in Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, Ohio, Illinois, Alabama and even Florida and New York. His home tracks, however, were at Jackson and Detroit in Michigan where he was almost unbeatable, holding several track records in both sprint cars and midgets.
Glen Myers became very popular with the fans in the mid-1930s when the V.F.W. track in Detroit - later known as Motor City Speedway - started to host important big car meets. Myers won four events in 1933 and six in 1934, including the season's finale, a 100 lapper. He was named track champion. In 1935 Myers won five big car meets and the 50-lap Michigan Midget Championship. He was also named the National Dirt Track Champion. In September 1935 he finished fourth in the first-ever long distance midget race, a 200-lap event held at V.F.W. Speedway. Unfortunately the season ended very badly, when Myers was seriously injured at State Fairgrounds Coliseum in Detroit during a midget race. His car flipped after having been hit by Jimmy Snyder. Myers received a fractured skull and was hospitalized for two and a half months.
Glen Myers made a slow but complete recovery. When he was in good health again he decided to quit with midget racing and focused on the AAA sprint car championship. In 1939 he was offered a car for the 1940 Indianapolis 500. This was a great chance for him, but he had to collect some more points (i.e., gain some experience) in the big car series in order to be allowed in the big race. So he went to a lesser-important AAA race in Hamburg, New York, at the Hamburg Fairgrounds - also known as Erie County Fairgrounds - with the only objective to obtain a few points.
During a 10-mile race on the 1/2-mile dirt oval, another car spun in front of him and he could not avoid the contact. In the accident, his seat belt broke and he was launched into the air. Glen Myers died of a broken neck upon landing on the track. Three other drivers were involved, but only Oscar Carlson received minor injuries.
R.I.P