Ray
Ray Janelle began racing motorcycles in his mid teens in the 1930s while hanging around Jesse's Roamers Motorcycle Club in Pawtucket, RI. He raced on ovals and TT. In later years he also raced on the Daytona beach track in what later became the Daytona 200.
He worked as a test rider for the Indian Motorcycle Company in Masachusetts. He had to put 100 miles a day on the motorcycles, even in winter! That was where he learned to stuff his coat with newpapers to try and cut down the biting cold.
During WW2 he was in the Army in New Guinea where he maintained all the motorized equipment. He started the first motorcycle club there along with other servicemen nearby.
After the war he concentrated more on midget car racing which really was booming at that time. He eventually bought his own car that had a motorcycle engine. That type of racing was so popular at the time that it was possible to race at a different track in the north east US each night of the week.
Later in the 1950s and 1960s, he switched to stock cars.
After he retired he kept his love of racing alive by restoring old midget cars and Indian motorcycles.
Below is his original Drake Midget restored.
And Joe Ferrini's Indian dirt track racer
