James Essex collection

Tommy Day, one of the winningest and most popular drivers in history of Twin Cities Speedway in North Vernon, Ind., who starred in the six-cylinder division, died Friday at Norton King's Daughters' Hospital in his hometown of Madison, Ind. The Milton, Ky., native was 87.

Day, whose racing career stretched from 1967 through the early 1980s, was part of the golden era of Super Six racing at Twin Cities in the early 1970s, driving his winged 1964 Chevy II No. 1 Flintstone Special against archrivals Johnny Robbins (in the No. 3 Snoopy Special) and Ken “Hillbilly” Ogle (in the No. 8-ball) as the three drivers won most of the track's events from 1971-73.

A competitor at tracks in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio, he was sixth in the 1974 World 100 in his lone appearance in the marquee event at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio.

Day’s most successful season was in 1971 with six-cylinder division titles at 25th Street Fairgrounds Raceway in Columbus, Ind., and Twin Cities, where he captured the first nine features of the season. In 1972 he captured six-cylinder championships three tracks: Riverview Speedway in Milton, Ky.; Union's Northern Kentucky Speedway; and Glen Este (Ohio) Speedway.

Driving one of the first C.J. Rayburn Race Cars in 1980-81, who runner-up finishes in Late Model points at Twin Cities in back-to-back seasons.

Thomas "Tommy" Allen Day, an automotive body specialist who also taught vocational and college students, is survived by wife Lois Abbott Boulton and three children by previous marriages, four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Visitation is 4-7 p.m. Friday, March 11, at Morgan & Nay Funeral Centre in Madison. The funeral is 1 p.m. Saturday at North Madison Christian Church (preceded by one hour of visitation) with interment to follow at Moffett Cemetery in Milton. Find a complete obituary at morgan-nay.com. — James Essex