DU QUOIN, Ill. — Today many fans recognize Emmett Hahn as the co-founder of the widely popular Chili Bowl Nationals run annually in Tulsa, Okla.
However, with the passing of time some forget Hahn was also a terrific racer. One of the leading lights in supermodified racing in his region, Hahn picked up a championship at Oklahoma City, five titles in his hometown of Tulsa, and was the first to top the charts in the National Championship Racing Ass’n. In fact, in the supermodified era Hahn’s 28 NCRA wins tops the charts.
Thus, when the USAC Silver Crown series visited the fairgrounds in Tulsa, Okla., in 1980, it was no surprise that Hahn was summoned. His ride came courtesy of noted USAC owners Ray and Cissy Smith and in a twin 75-lap format Hahn repaid his owner’s confidence with a fine sixth-place run in the second feature.
Because he had delivered, he was subsequently invited to compete in the series finale at the Terre Haute Action Track. The November race produced a lasting memory.
“I was teammates with Steve Kinser,” Hahn said with a chuckle. “After I came in the first time, I went over to whomever was working on the car and asked how much pressure was in the right-rear tire. They told me and I said, ‘OK, let it down a bit.’ I was told, ‘Oh no, we have that big fuel load, so we have to keep it there.’ So here comes Steve Kinser and he asks the same question. He told them to let the tire down, so they did. It was then that they came over to me and said, ‘OK, you can let it down.’”
As his career wound down, Hahn realized he had one more itch to scratch. He wanted to race on a one-mile dirt track. In 1982, the call came from Indianapolis owner Charlie Patterson who had been competing with Cheryl Glass. Still, how he secured the ride remains a bit of a mystery.
“I think it just fell into my lap,” Hahn said. “I think Charlie might have had a crew member who knew me. Lealand McSpadden was going to race but had to be somewhere else. I remember being in the hotel and looking at the lineup the night before the race and thought, ‘What am I doing here?’”
He realized Patterson’s engine may have been a bit down on power for the one-mile Illinois State Fairgrounds track, but he was determined to make the show. He squeezed into the feature through the qualifying race.
“It was fun,” he recalled. “I remember going down the straightaway and that wind came in a moved your head around because you just had that much air coming in the car.”
Opportunities also came at Du Quoin (Ill.) State Fairgrounds and the Indiana State Fairgrounds. At Indianapolis, Hahn relished the chance to share the track with A. J. Foyt, but he also learned a valuable lesson.
“Coming off turn two I look up and there were guys flipping,” Hahn recalled. “Well, I realized right there that those brakes were just to make you feel good because they won’t slow those Silver Crown cars down at that speed.”
There is no reason for Hahn to worry about what could have been, but many have speculated why he didn’t make a move to Indianapolis and take on the national championship trail.
For years, Hahn raced for two-time Indianapolis 500 winning owner Jack Zink and benefitted from an association with talented mechanic Dennie Moore. It all came down to a matter of priorities and pragmatism.
“In 1973 I had a chance to run the speedway,” Hahn said. “But at that time the safety record wasn’t all that good. I thanked them for the opportunity but said I have a wife and three little kids and racing is just a hobby.”
It was a hobby that landed Hahn in several racing Halls of Fame.