Two-time Atomic champ dies at 82
Two-time Atomic Speedway champion George Branscom, the third-place finisher in the inaugural World 100 at his home-state Eldora Speedway, died May 2 at his Chillicothe, Ohio, home after an extended illness. He was 82.
Branscom, whose racing career began in 1969, won 1973-74 championships at Atomic, capturing nine of 13 features one of his title-winning seasons. Success at other Ohio tracks came at Whisler’s Salt Creek Valley Speedway, Stewart’s Skyline Speedway, Wheelersburg’s Southern Ohio Speedway and Zanesville Speedway.
In Eldora’s 1971 World 100 won by fellow Ohio racer Bruce Gould, Branscom was holding the second position late in the race before NASCAR standout Joe Ruttman dropped him to third.
Branscom, who found much of his success behind the wheel of the Bob Lemaster-owned No. 23 Auto Parts entry, was inducted into the Atomic Speedway Hall of Fame in 2011 along with Lemaster. One of Branscom’s titles at Atomic came in one of the area’s first tube-chassis stock cars.
George Lee Branscom was a retired mechanic from Basic Construction Materials. Survivors include his wife Mary along with four children and three stepchildren. Visitation is 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday, May 8, at Haller Funeral Home in Chillicothe. The funeral is 1 p.m. Monday at the funeral home followed by burial in Boblett Cemetery. A complete obituary will be available at hallerfuneralhome.com.
