Posted with permission from the Hamilton Spectator
Tim Miller
Hamilton Spectator
Friday, November 27, 2009
Although he is best known for his career in hockey, Hamilton-born Andy Brown was a car racer of note.
In fact, the Hamilton Beach resident was an athlete in several sports, including football and boxing.
Born in 1944, Brown is the son of former National Hockey League player Adam Brown, and followed in his father's footsteps, playing 62 games for Detroit and Pittsburgh of the NHL and then 86 contests for the Indianapolis Racers of the World Hockey Association.
Brown was the last goalie in the majors not to wear a mask. Not only did he suffer numerous cuts, bruises and a few lost teeth, he was knocked cold several times, suffered a cracked jaw and had his nose broken a few times.
During the late 1960s and early '70s, Brown was racing cars at local tracks such as Cayuga Speedway. His mentor in this sport was Beach neighbour and one of Canada's best short-track racers Jimmy Howard. Brown not only raced stock cars, he made a serious attempt at open-wheeled, Indy-style car racing. He also raced Sprint Cars and Super Modifieds throughout Canada and the eastern U.S.
" The big thing in car racing is just getting into competition," Brown said in a 1968 Spectator interview. "That's the only way you become known."
He tried in vain to get into the Indianapolis 500, getting into a Champ car race known as the Little 500 in Anderson Indiana, and was up to third before a torsion bar let go in the former Dean Van Lines Special, which was previously driven by Mario Andretti, and the last front-engined car to win the USAC title.
"It was the biggest disappointment of my life," Brown said at the time.
He then left the open-wheel arena, and purchased a Chevelle stock car constructed by well-known NASCAR builder and racer Banjo Mathews.
While the costs of racing the Chevelle were less than on the US -AC Champ car circuit, Brown was aware of the money needed to compete in the stock car.
"The trend here is more to late model cars and a cigarette company is putting up more prize money this year," he noted. "You have $15,000 invested and can race only 25 times a year. It cost me $5,000 just for towing one year."
Brown did make his mark racing locally, as noted in this report from Cayuga Speedway in 1972: "Both Brown and Makara (Jerry) driving Chevelles led a field of 25 cars at an average speed of 102 miles per hour. Brown and Makara, running inches apart at speeds of more than 130 mph on the back straight of this 5/8ths-mile paved oval, held the fans in suspense until the checkered flag. Brown was passed when Makara edged into the inside forcing the NHL Detroit net -minder to the outside high on the turn."
Brown admitted his time in one sport paid for his time in the other. "All the money I made playing hockey was spent on racing."
He eventually stopped racing to concentrate on his hockey career.
Brown played goalie for the Racers for three seasons, finishing in 1976 -77. He retired from hockey after spinal injuries at 33.
Brown loved goaltending, and it is ironic that a back injury, not a facial one, took him out of the game. "Yeah, I took a couple of smacks on the pumpkin," Brown said. "But it was no big deal. It just turned out that I never wore one. You had lots (of hits in the face) where you couldn't eat for a while. I had lots of soup, sandwiches andmilkshakes."
There is no question Brown would have been able to handle a glass of milk after winning the Indy 500, the traditional drink for the victor at the Brickyard. After retiring from hockey, he remained in Indiana, raising thoroughbred horses.
Photos- The Hamilton Spectator
Tim Miller
Hamilton Spectator
Friday, November 27, 2009
Although he is best known for his career in hockey, Hamilton-born Andy Brown was a car racer of note.
In fact, the Hamilton Beach resident was an athlete in several sports, including football and boxing.
Born in 1944, Brown is the son of former National Hockey League player Adam Brown, and followed in his father's footsteps, playing 62 games for Detroit and Pittsburgh of the NHL and then 86 contests for the Indianapolis Racers of the World Hockey Association.
Brown was the last goalie in the majors not to wear a mask. Not only did he suffer numerous cuts, bruises and a few lost teeth, he was knocked cold several times, suffered a cracked jaw and had his nose broken a few times.
During the late 1960s and early '70s, Brown was racing cars at local tracks such as Cayuga Speedway. His mentor in this sport was Beach neighbour and one of Canada's best short-track racers Jimmy Howard. Brown not only raced stock cars, he made a serious attempt at open-wheeled, Indy-style car racing. He also raced Sprint Cars and Super Modifieds throughout Canada and the eastern U.S.
" The big thing in car racing is just getting into competition," Brown said in a 1968 Spectator interview. "That's the only way you become known."
He tried in vain to get into the Indianapolis 500, getting into a Champ car race known as the Little 500 in Anderson Indiana, and was up to third before a torsion bar let go in the former Dean Van Lines Special, which was previously driven by Mario Andretti, and the last front-engined car to win the USAC title.
"It was the biggest disappointment of my life," Brown said at the time.
He then left the open-wheel arena, and purchased a Chevelle stock car constructed by well-known NASCAR builder and racer Banjo Mathews.
While the costs of racing the Chevelle were less than on the US -AC Champ car circuit, Brown was aware of the money needed to compete in the stock car.
"The trend here is more to late model cars and a cigarette company is putting up more prize money this year," he noted. "You have $15,000 invested and can race only 25 times a year. It cost me $5,000 just for towing one year."
Brown did make his mark racing locally, as noted in this report from Cayuga Speedway in 1972: "Both Brown and Makara (Jerry) driving Chevelles led a field of 25 cars at an average speed of 102 miles per hour. Brown and Makara, running inches apart at speeds of more than 130 mph on the back straight of this 5/8ths-mile paved oval, held the fans in suspense until the checkered flag. Brown was passed when Makara edged into the inside forcing the NHL Detroit net -minder to the outside high on the turn."
Brown admitted his time in one sport paid for his time in the other. "All the money I made playing hockey was spent on racing."
He eventually stopped racing to concentrate on his hockey career.
Brown played goalie for the Racers for three seasons, finishing in 1976 -77. He retired from hockey after spinal injuries at 33.
Brown loved goaltending, and it is ironic that a back injury, not a facial one, took him out of the game. "Yeah, I took a couple of smacks on the pumpkin," Brown said. "But it was no big deal. It just turned out that I never wore one. You had lots (of hits in the face) where you couldn't eat for a while. I had lots of soup, sandwiches andmilkshakes."
There is no question Brown would have been able to handle a glass of milk after winning the Indy 500, the traditional drink for the victor at the Brickyard. After retiring from hockey, he remained in Indiana, raising thoroughbred horses.
Photos- The Hamilton Spectator