Author: flemke

Denny Zimmerman

1958/’59 – Riverside. This car was built and owned by Norm Kies, and sponsored by Rockville Auto, which was owned by Mal Barlow who for many years owned Stafford Springs Motor Speedway. After Denny drove the car for a period of time, Norm sold it to Ed, who changed the number to 21 and campaigned it in 1962 and ’63. Norm used Mopar engines, while Ed preferred Chevys. Thanks to Bruce Cohen for the information.

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Of all the cars in which Ed drove and won over the years, he was most renowned for probably the $ and the 2x. The $ was owned by Donald Ponticelli and John Stygar. In the summer of 1961, it was in the $ that Ed started his weekly routine which took him from home in Connecticut to races in New Jersey, then in Virginia, then across to races in Maryland and back to New Jersey, racing 5-6 times every week. This got him, and his traveling and racing companions Denny Zimmerman and Rene Charland, the nickname “The Eastern Bandits”. Co-owner John Stygar normally went with Ed on the Bandits’ weekly circuit and handled the primary mechanical duties for the $ and the second car (such as Ed’s own 21x or 21) that they often would bring with them. Photo from June, 1965.

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1964. Photo from “The Home of Heroes” by Bones Bourcier, courtesy of the Alan Weaver Collection. The photograph was probably taken by John Grady at Utica-Rome.