Bob and Eileen Daniels
Bob and Eileen Daniels have been involved in all facets of hot rodding since the early ’50s. Bob formed several car clubs over the years. Not to be outdone, Eileen served as President of an all-girl hot rod club, The Piper Puffs. The pair was also active in organized drag racing and alternated as drivers, first for their blown 1955 Ford T-Bird and then for their Altered Category cars. Bob set top time and won the class at the 1959 NHRA Nationals in Detroit.
Bob and Eileen also became active members of NHRA in its early beginnings. After serving time as a Regional Advisor, Bob was chosen by Wally Parks to be the first NHRA Division 3 Director in 1959, a position he held for 20 years. He was instrumental in the design and building of many new drag strips in NHRA’s North Central Division. He was also responsible for supervising the racing events in Division 3 and Staging Control at the National Events. In 1979, Daniels was appointed General Manager of Indianapolis Raceway Park, where he applied his organizational and promotional talents to develop IRP into one of the most successful multi-use facilities in all motorsports. For his efforts, Bob has been name d Promoter of the Year on many occasions by various motorsports groups, and Eileen has been recognized for her achievements several times.
In 1982, they brought NSCAR to Indianapolis for the first time with the Kroger 200, a Busch Series stock car event at the IRP .686 mile paved oval, popular home of the ESPN’s Thursday Night Thunder.
During their tenure at IRP, Eileen was a major force in developing the facility into one of the primary hospitality centers in America motorsports, with many national corporations becoming involved at the major events. In 1997, the hospitality area at IRP was officially designated “The Daniels Hospitality Village” in recognition of the couple’s service and dedication.
Bob continues to be active in many aspects of the sport, serving as a consultant to NHRA reunion and museum projects. Eileen is also still active with the NHRA, where she supervises the VIP Corporate Suites at several of the national events.
Outside of motorsports, one of Bob’s greatest accomplishments has been helping to save the heavy cruiser U.S.S. Salem, now the cornerstone of the United States Shipbuilding Museum in Quincy, Massachusetts. As a former crewman aboard the Salem, Bob was committed to saving the ship from being scrapped. In 1989 he established the U.S.S. Salem Association and has served as its President until this day.
As a commercial, instruments and multi-engine rated pilot, Bob is active in the Angel Flight Southeast, which transports patients in need to various medical facilities.