Terre Haute, Indiana (August 26, 2024)………Ben Bowen, a prominent Terre Haute, Indiana Oldsmobile car dealer and longtime USAC Sprint Car team owner, passed away on August 22, 2024. He was 93 years old.
Originally born in Indianapolis, Ind. in 1930, in adulthood, Bowen became a successful car dealer in the Terre Haute area, owning an operating a dealership from 1967 and 2002 and was located just a stone’s throw away from the Terre Haute Action Track. As fate worked out, his hometown track was where he accrued his most memorable racing moments.
By 1976, Bowen delved into USAC National Sprint Car racing with Californian Ken Nichols as his first driver. In the coming years, Bowen fielded entries for the likes of Steve Chassey in 1977; Roger Rager and Jerry Weeks in 1978; Rager again in 1979; followed by a rotation of drivers, including Mark Alderson, Bobby Olivero, Jeff Heywood and Chet Johnson during the 1980 campaign.
Bowen is credited with two career USAC National Sprint Car feature wins as a team owner. His first trip to victory lane with USAC in September of 1980 was quite memorable and even more unexpected.
Bowen and fellow car owner/Oldsmobile car dealer Don Siebert were best friends. So, when Rich Vogler's regular ride for Siebert encountered engine problems during the second heat race, Vogler was tabbed to replace Chet Johnson in the seat of the Bowen car. Johnson, who went on to win the 1982 Tony Hulman Classic, was an employee of Bowen Oldsmobile.
In his new Bowen mount, Vogler finished fifth in the fourth heat, then ran second to Rice in the semi-feature to gain entry into the main event. Starting 14th in the 40-lap feature, Vogler charged to the front of the field on lap 29 and led the remaining 12 circuits en route to victory. Vogler’s triumph proved to be critical. It moved Vogler past Chassey in the series standings with five events remaining as he went on to score his first career USAC National Sprint Car driving title.
Two years later, Bowen’s machine struck paydirt again. With Salem Speedway shut down at the time, the Joe James-Pat O’Connor moved to the Terre Haute Action Track where Larry Rice proceeded to lead all 30 laps to earn the victory. Oddly enough, just like Vogler, it was also Rice’s first USAC start in Bowen’s ride.
Bowen finished a best of sixth in the 1981 USAC National Sprint Car entrant points, utilizing an array of drivers such as Ron Shuman, Bob Kinser, Jerry Weeks, Eric Trousdale and Jerry Nemire, and at one point during the first half of the season, experienced a run of three-straight finishes inside the top-five with three different drivers: Ken Schrader, Bill Tyler and Steve Chassey.
Overall, 28 different drivers wheeled Ben Bowen-owned cars in USAC National Sprint Car competition with the last appearance of Bowen’s team coming in 1987 with driver Kevin Thomas. Bowen’s sprint cars were available to both veteran drivers needing a ride as well as young up-and-comers looking for an opportunity in USAC, including a young John Andretti who gained his first opportunity in a USAC Sprint Car in 1983.
