Lou Fageol Retires [1953]

Lou Fageol Retires [1953] Gold Cup Winner Fageol Dies [1961] Lou Fageol by David Greene Video of the Flip of Slo-Mo-Shun V, 1955

Immediately following the President's Cup race Lou Fageol informed this reporter [Mel Crook] that he was closing a long career of active competition by retiring from race driving.

We first met Lou when he brought his So Long to the 1939 Gold Cup Race. Early in 1940 this 3-pointer with half a Curtiss Conqueror engine set a Gold Cup mile record of 97.451. He took part in the 1946, 1948 and 1949 Gold Cup Races with craft powered by a single 404 cu. in engine of his manufacture. This motor was the basis of the 7 litre class which he fathered.

Stepping into the high powered stuff for the first time when he drove Such Crust in the 1949 President's Cup, Fageol earned membership in the 100 m.p.h. Club in the same craft that year at New Martinsville.

But his greatest successes have been with the Slo-Mos: 1950 Harmsworth—1st in IV; 1951 Gold Cup—1st in V; 1953 Gold Cup—with Joe Taggart, 1st in IV; 1953 President's Cup—1st in V.

(Reprinted from Yachting, November 1953)

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