The Vault
BOB SCHAMPERS AND THE RED BEDELL REPLICA CAR
Posted on: Friday March 26, 2021
Allan “Red” BeDell was a popular racer in the early 1970s in northeastern Wisconsin. The Green Bay racer competed with colorful, eye-catching race cars and kids would flock to his hauler after the races where BeDell was known for handing out racing stickers to the kids. (Bob Bergeron photo)
(From the Green Bay Press Gazette column August 7, 2015)
Bob Schampers is doing what he can to preserve the history of racing in the greater Green Bay area.
A former racer himself, Schampers, of Green Bay, is the owner of 1st Choice Auto in Green Bay. Recently Schampers has had a hand in building replicas of popular race cars from years gone by. One project that has already gotten people’s attention is a ’62 Ford Thunderbird convertible replica of the car Allen Burr “Red” BeDell used to race on the old half-mile circuits at tracks at De Pere, Shawano and Seymour in the early to mid 1970’s. BeDell was one of the best “showmen” of the sport in the 70’s, a huge draw with fans young and old alike.
“I’ve always wanted to build a race car like Red’s since the first time I had seen it many years ago when we were racing locally,” said Schampers, who searched quite awhile to find a Ford Thunderbird convertible. “I found a chassis, and found a car. I called Tom Erler up (one of Red’s old crew members), told him what I was going to do and things just blossomed from there.”
The 1962 Ford Thunderbird convertible was located in Bonduel just a short drive from his house. Schampers said, “The guy who owned it his nephew was making a street rod out of it. It hadn’t been touched in seven years. He had it for sale on Craigs List. As soon as I saw it was available I drove out there that day and picked it up.”
A former driver, Al Snellenberger built most of the car. The chassis is a 2010 Warrior dirt late model chassis provided by Hortonville’s Ryan Huettl, a former racer. “Jeff Brehmer and my brother (Mike Schampers) helped out and we got a motor from Broadway Chevrolet and we got this project started.”
Schampers consulted with BeDell himself and Erler. The pair picked out the original sponsors and paint scheme from the car. Another former driver, Terry Bain of Oneida, hand painted the convertible with the original paint brush kit that was used to hand paint BeDell’s flamboyant rides throughout the 70’s.
Schampers said, “When Red and Tom first found out about this project they were both real excited about it. And when Red first saw the car when it was finished it was a thrill to see that smile on his face. We listened to the stories that man had. They were incredible.”
The car’s most recent showing was at Luxemburg Speedway’s Hall of Fame induction night on August 1. Schampers has already restored another car – a ’46 Chevy Coupe replica that Snellenberger himself had driven out of Schampers building on Velp Avenue back in the 1960’s. “The car’s paint scheme is pretty much identical to when Al ran it only we subbed 1st Choice in for Pickens Service Center which is what was on the car back then,” said Schampers.
Snellenberger raced that coupe at the Brown County Fairgrounds in De Pere on the old paved, third-mile and also at Luxemburg Speedway. “Bill Kelsey and Jeremy Wiitala really stepped up with that one.”
Schampers and his pals are still able to craft some of the parts for their vintage creations. “We do some searching on the internet too for the parts,” said Schampers. “They are out there if you’re willing to pay for them.”
In times when young teens are more worried about texting and playing games on their phones, Schampers is doing his part to preserve the history of the sport. “We need to get the young people back in this sport. That’s why we put a ride along seat in the coupe – we want to give them a ride. Many high schools don’t have an auto shop class anymore. We’re just trying to peak that interest level a bit with the vintage stuff.”
DIXIELAND 250 RECAP – Wisconsin International Raceway (WIR) Thursday night regular Casey Johnson of Edgerton placed second in the Dixieland 250 at WIR on Tuesday. Menominee, Michigan’s Dalton Zehr finished 6th while Appleton drivers Andy Monday and Corey Kemkes placed eighth and ninth, respectively. Seymour’s Ty Majeski suffered a misfortune as he broke while leading and dominating the race with less than 50 laps remaining. NASCAR star Johnny Sauter and WIR champion Lowell Bennett of Neenah were eliminated early in a lap five wreck. The race was won by Nick Murgic of Rosemount, Minnesota. Just 14 cars of the original 30 car starting field were left running when the checkers flew. The next ACRA Midwest Tour event will be August 14 at Norway (MI) Speedway.
T.U.N.D.R.A. NOTEBOOK – Majeski placed second in the T.U.N.D.R.A. super late model event at State Park Speedway in Wausau last Friday. Gladstone, Michigan’s Jordan Ives placed 8th, Clintonville’s Wyatt Blashe took 13th while Reagan May finished 20th. The race was won by Zehr. Majeski leads Zehr in the point standings 453 to 444.
The next event for the T.U.N.D.R.A. series will be Labor Day Monday September 7 at Golden Sands Speedway in Plover, WI.
CEDAR LAKE LOCALS – Seymour’s Mike Mullen captured the NASCAR late model feature win Friday night at Cedar Lake Speedway in Western Wisconsin. On Saturday night Bonduel native AJ Diemel finished 9th in the $50,000-to-win USA Nationals. Former Badger Mod Tour modified champion Mitch McGrath of Neosho made the show finishing 24th. The race was won by Jonathon Davenport of Blairsville, Georgia.
HILL BACK ON – After not hosting racing a week ago due to the Door County Fair weekly racing will resume this Sunday at Thunder Hill Raceway in Sturgeon Bay. The Terry Simon Memorial Fund race will take place with Trailer races as an added attraction. The first green flag flies at 5:30 p.m. at John Miles Park.
SEYMOUR IRA CANCELED – Rain washed out the IRA Outlaw sprint car race at Seymour Speedway last Sunday. The race will not be rescheduled. This Sunday a Kids coin toss will take place on the track at intermission. Racing gets underway at 6 p.m.