Hudson, Michigan Born 1939

Dick Crup bought his first race car in 1957 when he was 18 even though he was not a fan at the time. He crashed before he finished 1 lap in his first race at Butler Motor Speedway. He didn't give up and continued to race. He learned a valuable lesson in his first feature when he let up while leading the last lap coming out of turn 4 and was passed before the checker. Dick raced the sportsman modifieds that ran at tracks like Butler, Manchester and Angola, Indiana. When Manchester opened in 1962, he won the very first feature at that track.

 

Throughout the 1960's, he was one of the top drivers in the sportsman class winning championships at both Butler and Manchester. Late in 1969, John Ramus, owner of Ramus automotive in Hudson, Michigan asked him if he would be interested in racing a late model for him to which Dick said yes. At the end of the 1969 season, Butler held an invitational for the late models. In his first race for Ramus, he won beating the likes of Hall of Famer Dick Dunshee and Indiana hot shot Denny Nyari on the dirt at Butler. In the spring of 1970 He showed his skills on asphalt when he beat Bob and Terry Senneker along with Dick Dunshee at the opening of Jackson. That race at Jackson also put McCreery Tires on the map as he was one of the first to run that tire brand. 1970 saw Dick being named the "Most Promising Newcomer" at Spartan and Jackson Speedways.

 

In 1973, he won the ARCA track Championship at Spartan. Dick also won the "Buckeye Classic" at Wayne County Speedway in Ohio. The year of 1974 was a year to remember for Dick Crup. At Spartan Speedway, he set the qualifying record and the record for the feature as well as winning the track Championship again. He won the MSPA Carlings circuit of Champions series by virtually wrapping the series up with 2 races left. At Flat Rock, he finished 3rd in points behind Ray Barnard and Joy Fair. Dick qualified for the "World 100" at Eldora, Ohio (22 cars started with 120 cars in the pits). 1975 saw another 3rd place finish in points at Flat Rock this time Behind Joy Fair and John Anderson. For 1976, Dick semi retired, splitting driving time with Ed Cooper. At Spartan, he won the last 2 races of the year.

 

Dick retired at the end of the 1976. For his career he won just under 50 features, 4 track championships, the Carling Circuit of Champions championship. Dick won features at Angola ,Indiana, Wayne County Speedway in Ohio, along with Flat Rock, Manchester, Butler, Jackson, Spartan, and Merritt in Michigan. Dick Crup was an underrated driver. He won in open wheel modifieds and late models on both dirt and asphalt racing against many Hall of Fame drivers.