MILLER: Remembering Rich Vogler

It would have been hard to imagine Rich Vogler peacefully slipping into old age since he lived – and unfortunately, died – by running wide open.

But as he approached his 40th birthday in July of 1990, many of us that had witnessed his remarkable, sometimes reckless and always exciting racing career were convinced his wild west days were behind him. Despite his edgy style, some nasty crashes and a few testy rivalries, Vogie had survived and was going to make it to the big Four-Oh.

He’d scored seven USAC championships, become a veteran of five Indianapolis 500s and was about to embark on NASCAR when he reverted to that frenetic form on July 21, 1990. Comfortably leading the 30-lap

USAC sprint-car feature at Salem Speedway, he was trying to lap the third place car when it all went wrong in Turn 4. Rapid Rich was dead and, in macabre irony, was also awarded the victory.

That was 25 years ago today and we should remember him as one of USAC’s most versatile stars as well as one of its most polarizing.

Raised by a hard-ass racer named Don, young Rich learned how to work on his dad’s midget before being thrust into the cockpit. With his mom, Eleanor, standing in the corner wearing an orange glove to signal how far he needed to drive into the turn before lifting, the native of a Chicago suburb got some tough, fast love.

He was NAMAR midget champ by 1973 and then headed for USAC, where his aggressive style either got him into victory lane, on his head or in a confrontation with another driver. Vogler had no patience and no cruise control – he was a throttle psycho from hot laps to the checkered flag, thereby earning another moniker – “Mad Dog” – as he drove over, under, around and through people.

But he also possessed great car control and became adept at dirt or pavement in midgets, sprints and dirt cars. He made average cars fast and did many impressive things during his 15 years in USAC – like taking Ray & Cissy Smith’s upright Eaton Oiler and hounding Steve Chassey’s roadster for 40 laps at Winchester only to lose by a car length.

He won his first of five USAC midget titles in 1978 and in 1980 became the first to ever take the USAC midget and sprint crowns in the same season. He amassed 170 USAC wins, second only to A.J. Foyt, including the prestigious Hut Hundred eight times and USAC’s 4 Crown on four occasions.

Vogler adapted quickly to Indy cars and qualified one May in the closing minutes by jumping into a strange car, running one hot lap, pulling in, ordering some chassis changes and sticking it in the show.

He accumulated track records and enemies with equal success but there was a likeable quality about him. He could take it or dish it out on the track and seemed to own the ability to erase whatever had happened a few nights before.
Sure, he was cocky and a bit of a villain to some, but Rich possessed the kind of persona racing doesn’t see much of anymore.

Much like Sammy Swindell, he didn’t mind being booed and lived to kick ass on four wheels.

And he went out like he came in – on the gas.

TOP: Rich Vogler in his last Indy 500 start in 1989, in which he finished eighth [IMS photo]. His highest starting position was an impressive 11th in 1987. ABOVE LEFT: Rich, team owner Don Siebert and Steve Chassey getting ready for a shootout at Winchester in 1980. They were arch-rivals. [John Mahoney photo]. BELOW: The author (nearest camera) and Vogler hot-lapping Terre Haute in 1977, a track at which Mad Dog had great success during his career. [Author's collection].