At his
birth his parents named him Charles Rodeghier, but race fans
knew him as Chuck Rodee.
The personable driver won the Fort Wayne Indoor
Championship four times and excelled on the 1/10 mile cement
floor. He also won 35 career features in USAC midget
competition.
His
early domination of Fort Wayne came in 1955, and he repeated
as the series Champion in 1957 and 1958. He qualified for two
Indianapolis 500 Mile Races, placing 32nd in 1962 after
crashing to miss his old friend Jack Turner, and 28th in 1965.
Rodee placed third in the 1955 National Midget point
battle and was second the next year. He was third again in
1965 and was sure 1966 would be his big year. He started out
the season by winning his fourth Fort Wayne Indoor Crown. His
career came to a halt on May 14th when he spun on his second
warm-up lap during a qualifying attempt for the Indianapolis
500 Mile Race. The car backed into the wall exiting the 1st
turn, and one of midget racing’s great personalities was gone.
