For race fans in New Jersey, before there was Billy Pauch, before there was Al Tasnady, before there was Jackie McLaughlin, there was Wally Campbell. Even my mother, who never attended an auto race in her life, brings up the name Wally Campbell whenever the conversation turns to racing. Wally's life was cut short in a practice accident at Salem Indiana in July 1954. There is no way of telling how far he would have gone. He was 28 years old.

  Wally was born July 16, 1926 in Red Bank, NJ. He grew up in Allentown, NJ before leaving to join the Navy. In 1950 he moved to Trenton, NJ. Frankie Schneider has told me that he believes that he and Wally started driving the same year, 1947. 

  I have recently taken possession of my Uncle Tommy Coates box of racing memorabilia which covers from the late 1940's until his retirement as a driver in 1955. Uncle Tommy gave Wally a run for his money in the stock cars. His memorabilia includes many photos of Wally and his contemporaries. This website is my attempt at sharing all of it with you.