Clarence Cagle, who helped save the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from oblivion after World War II and served as track superintendent for 30 years, died July 5 in Daytona Beach, FL. He was 88. Cagle, a native of Terre Haute, Ind., returned from 33 months of Army duty, much of it in the European campaign, in 1945 and went back to work for the Hulman family. When Tony Hulman purchased the dilapidated Speedway a few months later, he called in Cagle from his road job as expediter of raw materials for the family-owned Clabber Girl Baking Powder firm to help put the track in shape in time for resumption of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, barely seven months away. In a quiet and methodical way, Cagle spent the next 50 years working either as superintendent or consultant for the track he considered “my baby.” He saw it rise from the ashes of World War II disuse – the track was closed from 1942-45 – into the magnificent Mecca of automobile racing that it is today. He worked for Hulman until 1977 and, many years later, provided advice for the track’s current president and Hulman’s grandson, Tony George. The Speedway Hall of Fame Museum was the only project during Cagle’s time that took two years to complete. It was opened in time for Hulman to see thousands of fans streaming through its doors before his death in October 1977. Cagle was born July 29, 1914, the first of Tom and Molly Cagle’s seven children. His father taught him the value of hard labor. As a youngster, Cagle helped the Hulman’s harvest their crops and Tony Hulman Sr. took a liking to him. As soon as Cagle graduated from high school, he was hired by the senior Hulman to work in the family’s various businesses. In August 1977, Cagle retired and settled down in Ormond Beach, Fla., just north of Daytona Beach. Of course, retirement to Cagle meant a lot of times only 10-hour workdays. He had known NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. since 1946 and became France’s troubleshooter while continuing his steady relationship with the Hulman-George family. Whenever an old track needed paving or new one went up, Cagle was on call. Ironically, Cagle’s last assignment before health problems slowed him was in the construction of Kansas Speedway, which opened in 2001. Cagle’s death came on the same weekend that the Indy Racing League, which he enjoyed, raced for the third time on the 1.5-mile oval. Cagle was inducted into the Indianapolis 500 Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2000. His memberships included the 500 Oldtimers Club. Survivors include: Wife, Gladys; stepdaughters Linda Weber of Speedway, Ind., and Cheryl Cantrell of Manchester, Mo., five grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and a sister, Juanita Willan of Milton, Fla. A memorial service will take place at 3 p.m. (EDT) Friday in the Ormond Funeral Home, 733 W. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach, Fla. 32174. A memorial service will take place in Indianapolis later this summer on a date to be announced.(see more at the IMS site )(7-7-2003)
