Shaw Drove In Early Car Races Here

Topics:  Wilbur Shaw

The Milwaukee Sentinel
31 October 1954

"He was always a drivers' driver but at the same time got everything he could out of a car."

This was Milwaukee racing promoter Tom Marchese's summary of the racing days of Wilbur Shaw, killed Saturday in an airplane crash at Decatur, Ind.

Few persons knew Shaw better than Marchese, who was promoting races at State Fair Park in the 30's when Shaw had a heavy foot on the throttle.

Shaw started driving here in 1924 for Mike Boyle of Chicago and later drove the car owned by Leon Duray, Culver City, Calif. After numerous sprint race triumphs, Shaw finally hit the top locally with a 100-mile classic triumph in 1933. In 1936, his last year of driving in Wisconsin, he placed fifth in a sprint race here.

From Wisconsin and half-mile tracks throughout the nation he turned to Indianapolis where he was a three-time winner.

Shaw's last appearance at State Fair Park was during this year's State Fair Week when he rode in the pace car for the 200 mile classic. In the middle 30s he came to Milwaukee for several guest speaker engagements.

"Gone is a great driver," said Marchese in expressing his regrets over Shaw's death. "His will be a memory to last forever."