Eddie Kracek
DRIVER
Eddie Kracek was raised in Omaha and developed an interest in speed at an early age. He competed in his first race in 1929 at just 18 years old.
In 1930, Kracek’s career began to take off when he won his first two major events, both at Ak-Sar-Ben Field in Omaha, defeating a field of drivers that included Nebraska Auto Racing Hall of Fame inductees Lawrence “Hughie” Hughes and Bert Ficken.
In 1935, Kracek dominated the Midget races at the newly opened Western League Park in South Omaha winning all seven feature events behind the wheel of the Cliff Carlson Harley-Davidson powered Midget. In 1936 and 1937, he was a front-runner at Riverview Park near Sioux City, Iowa winning several features there in 1937. During the winter season, he raced as far away as Mexico City.
In the late 1930s, Kracek raced at several tracks in Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota and also ventured as far away as Englewood, Colorado; Kansas City, Missouri; San Antonio, Texas; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Detroit, Michigan.
In 1940, Kracek scored the biggest win of his career when he captured the 75-lap Great Northern Midget Championship against a field of over 50 drivers at legendary Olympic Stadium in Kansas City. The previous week, Kracek tuned up for the event by leading 42 of 50 laps of the Western States Championship at Olympic before pulling out with car problems.
In 1941, Kracek raced throughout the Midwest at tracks in Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, and Wisconsin. He won back-to-back events in Taylorsville, Illinois and returned to Nebraska to capture two wins in the Otto Ramer Offy at Creigton Stadium in Omaha.
Kracek continued to campaign Midgets through July of 1942 when he was severly injured during a race at Olympic Stadium. Kracek was paralyzed from the waist down and died a short time later. Although his racing history at Olympic was characterized by bad luck, Kracek went to Victory Lane six times at the historic facility.
Racing during the “Golden Age of Midget Racing,” Kracek competed against and beat the best in the business including Tony Bettenhausen, Vito Calia, “Pee Wee” Distarce, Sam Hoffman, Ronney Householder, Carl Forberg, Harry McQuinn, Ben Musick, “Cowboy” O’Rourke, Otto Ramer, Ray Richards, and Johnny Russo.
While his life was cut short by a fatal accident, Kracek proved to be one of the best Midget pilots in the Midwest during his 14 year career.