“Red” DuVall

(The following story appeared in the 1953 edition of the 87th Street Speedway program.)

The announcer’s voice drones, “Now taking the track to attempt to qualify for a starting position in tonight’s competition events is car number 87, the 1947 Packard Clipper”…The crowd at 87th Street Speedway sits up and takes notice, and almost as one, their attention is focused on the battered tan and blue sedan moving into the front stretch.  This is the car that is, literally, the fastest machine in action at the speedway.  It has had fast qualifying time of the evening more times than any other car.  The uninitiated in the stands exchange skeptical glances, wondering perhaps what inspired this driver to choose and “off-brand” car in preference to the more tired and proven machines.  They soon see for themselves however as the number 87 car moves around the turns with almost unbelievable smoothness…such smoothness as to actually lessen the illusion of speed.  Then the announcer’s voice is heard again, saying, “It’s another track record for the popular Hammond chauffeur, Red DuVall!”

            This takes place quite regularly here at the speedway, and apparently the people do not tire of seeing “The Redhead,” as his fans call him, do it again and again. Those fans are many, too, as is proven by the fact that the Hammond Packard pusher was last season voted “Most Popular Driver” here at the speedway, to win the 1952 Nash Ambassador awarded by Bud Hauser.

            Born Duane Michael DuVall in Marshfield , Wisconsin in 1923, he moved to Hammond with his parents at the age of 12, and attended grade school at Columbia and High School at Hammond High, where he played football and basketball.

            Red’s mechanical inclinations began early, and his father decided that if he was going to be a mechanic he should do it right.  The elder DuVall owned a garage at 74th and Halsted in Chicago that had been operated by another mechanic and run into debt.  Showing the garage to Red, his father said, “There she is…$1500 in the hole and she’s all yours.”

            Red soon proved he was serious.  Within a year, he had the garage out of the red and he had himself a Cadillac paid for.

            It was also in this period that he decided to embark on the sea of matrimony.  He married Ruth McInnis in 1942, and shortly thereafter, Uncle Sam called.

            Red spent three years in the Army anti-aircraft, being discharged as a corporal after seeing service at Okinawa and in Korea .  Returning in 1945, he re-entered the garage business, which he sold out in 1950 to enter auto racing.  He had been sponsoring and maintaining cars driven by Hal Ruyle and Bobby Meyers, and became curious as to whether he could “do it” himself.  Time has since proved that he definitely could.

            Red now lives with his wife and six-year old son Duane Michael Jr., better known as “Skippy,” in a pleasant brick bungalow on Ontario Ave. , in Hammond .  He now regards racing as his hobby, although he is one of a select few that are able to make a living at it.  He works as parts manager for Packard, Hammond, who found his intimate knowledge of all things Packard, invaluable. 

            Why Packard?  All the Redhead will say is “It’s a good automobile, and hasn’t disappointed me yet, so I’ll stick with it.”

            Red regards Bill Van Allen as his toughest competition here, and also as the best driver.  His greatest thrill in racing was his selection last year as “Most Popular Driver.”

            He has competed in the “showroom-model” stock cars in some of the top events throughout the country, including the Daytona Beach National Championship event, but still thinks the Chicago “hardtops” have them all beat.

            Red is extremely superstitious about his racing, sticking with the same numbers and colors, and insisting that no special nicknames be applied to him.

            Just in case you’re interested, he has blues eyes, and stand 5 feet 11 inches from the unruly mop of auburn hair that got him his nickname to the foot the he applies so liberally to the accelerator of the familiar number 87 Packard.

More about Red DuVall

Born:  10/7/1923

Died:  1/12/1994

…from 1951 through 1954 made eight starts in NASCAR Grand National competition   On November 25,  1951, DuVall and his Hammond Motors ’51 Packard No. 87 finished third in a 150-lap race at the .75-mile dirt Lakeview Speedway in Mobile, Ala.  1952 saw DuVall turn in two “top 10” performances, finishing sixth in a 200-lap event at the half-mile dirt Monroe Speedway in Monroe , Mich. , followed by a 10th place finish in a 200-lap battle at the half-mile dirt Playland Park Speedway in South Bend, Ind. on July 20, 1952.

…scored his first stock car feature victory at Raceway Park in Blue Island on July 2, 1950, wheeling his ’49 Mercury to the victory over Hal Ruyle, Rich Irvine and Bud Koehler in the 24-car/25-lap main event witnessed by a reported 11,852 fans.  DuVall would win one more feature race by the end of the year and finish 14th in the final point standings. 

…drove his ’46 Packard No. 94 at Raceway Park in 1951 and finished ninth in the standings.

…in 1951 was the eighth ranking driver in the final points standings of the Championship Stock Car Club, which included racing at Raceway Park

…finished third in the final points and captured seven feature races at Chicago ’s 87th Street Speedway in 1952, including 400-lap victory before some 7,000 fans on September 28.  DuVall and his Packard finished 20 laps ahead of second place finisher, Dick Kooyenga.  DuVall made two pit stops, one for a drink of water, on his way to the win.

…drove a ’53 Packard to a 14th place finish in the annual 160-mile beach and road course race at Daytona Beach , Florida in 1953.

…competed in 1953 at both 87th Street Speedway and at the new Santa Fe Park Speedway near Willow Springs, driving his familiar Packard

…track champion at 87th Street Speedway in 1954, winning 100-lap Spring Championship in his ’47 Packard on June 5 and the 100-lap Season Championship race on September 4th.

…among the competitors on the SAFE Circuit of Champions “All Stars” all-convertible circuit in 1955, driving a 1955 Lincoln Capri No. 87.

…competed in the first NASCAR-sanctioned Convertible Division race at Daytona Beach, Florida on February 25, 1956, starting seventh and finishing sixth in Don Oldenberg’s ’55 Buick No. 186.

…captured MARC-sanctioned 200-lap/100-mile late model headliner at Ohio ’s Toledo Raceway Park on October 13, 1957, wheeling his “supercharged” 1957 Ford to the win over Nelson Stacy.

…competed at O’Hare Stadium in Schiller Park in 1958 and finished 29th in the final point standings

…finished fifth in United States Auto Club (USAC)-sanctioned 150-lap stock car race at the “Milwaukee Mile” on July 13, 1958 behind the wheel of his 1957 Ford.

…competed in the inaugural USAC stock car race at Meadowdale International Raceways in Carpentersville , Ill. on October 19, 1958, finishing eighth in the 70-lap event on the 3.3-mile road course.

…raced at O’Hare Stadium in 1959 and finished 10th in the final standings

…won 100-lap Short Track Auto Racers (STAR)-sanctioned late model feature at Raceway Park on May 27, 1959 ahead of Bob Chapman and Harry Simonsen with over 8,000 fans on hand.

…finished fifth at “Milwaukee Mile” in 150-lap USAC stock car race on July 19, 1959

…won special Sunday afternoon 50-lap late model feature at Chicago ’s Solider Field on July 10, 1960, defeating Neil Houston and Ken Finley.

…finished 40th at “Milwaukee Mile” on August 21, 1960 in one of his last stock car appearances.

…from 1988 through 1992 crew chiefed his son Scott’s offshore powerboat racing team with the team claiming several championships, including being named 1992 World Champion (American Power Boat Association, Cape Coral, Florida).

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