RAY NICHELS - USAC HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2022

No single person won more often in USAC’s Stock Car division than crew chief/mechanic and team owner Ray Nichels, who gathered up 70 series victories as entrant between 1961-72.

The stout Nichels Engineering ride saw its drivers race to USAC Stock Car championships on three occasions, first with Paul Goldsmith going back-to-back in 1961-62.  Once more, the Nichels team found the brass ring with driver Don White capturing the series title in 1967.

Nichels’ prepared racecars were potent; they were dominant; and they attracted many of the highest profile names of the day to race, and win, in his cars.  White won 36 of his series record 53 victories as a driver for Nichels while Goldsmith was the victor 22 times for the northwest Indiana based team.

In 1950, Nichels and driver Paul Russo constructed their own racecar inside the basement of Russo’s Hammond, Ind. home.  The innovatively lightweight car, nicknamed “Basement Bessie,” was promptly disassembled then reconstructed once outside the home, then transported to compete in that year’s Indianapolis 500.

As the wrench on the SUMAR Special for driver Pat O’Connor, the pair put the car on the pole for the Indianapolis 500 in 1957, and less than a month later, set a new track record during the Race of Two Worlds at Monza, Italy in 1957.