Features VINTAGE SPRINT CAR PIC THREAD, 1965 and older only please.

With Travers, Coon and Hilborn wrenching and with money being no object the Keck team, for a long as it lasted, was pretty much the 1950s equivalent of the 1980s Penske team. Weather it was Rose, Vuky or any number of others they would of had a pretty good advantage.

 

Spider Webb, Indy 1953.

 

From the ? file: Can't say I know much about this guy, Beau Clerke, but apparently he was a east coast URC racer who ran several Champ car races in 1961 in this older Kuzma car. Didn't have a whole lot of luck with it but it's was a good looking car.

 

Jack Beckley putting his touch on McGrath's Hinkle Spl. 1952.

 

Rootie,
I saw Beau many times. He drove midgets in ARDC and sprinters in URC. The car is the former Pete Schmidt #44, with a history of wins by Ayulo, Thomson, Sachs, Hurtubise, Bettenhausen.

 

"Beau" (John) Clerke was from Bloomsbury/NJ, between Flemington and Allentown. I have him racing from 1956 to '61, mostly URC but occasionally AARC or USAC. Was 12th in URC points 1956, unknown car and only individual result I have is 10th at Harrington/DE. Improved to 6th in '57, still unknown car, but including a 2nd at Manassas/VA and a 4th at Springfield/MA.

Started winning in 1958 (Harrington/DE), driving the Buckwalter-Matthews/Pontiac out of Johnstown/PA, was also 5th at Hamburg/NY and 6th at Trenton/NJ. Was not listed in URC points because of a couple of USAC starts (13th at Reading/PA, 11th at Thompson/CT, dns at Reading Fair) which netted 36th in Eastern USAC points. Drove Bill McConnell's Kurtis/Offenhauser to 11th in the rain-shortened Williams Grove "Indy Sweepstakes" the following year, and won twice in URC with the Ellis/Dodge (Hamburg/NY, Essex Junction/VT), plus a 5th at Flemington/NJ for 7th in points.

Was signed to replace champion Lou Johnson in the Anfuso/Ford late '59, dns again at Reading Fair (USAC), then in 1960 and URC 4th at Trenton/NJ, 3rd at Essex Junction/VT and 1st at Shelby/NC for runner-up honours in points. Ran the ex-Schmidt 1953 Kuzma/Offenhauser in USAC 1961, apparently as an owner-driver, but never managed to qualify for a start in 7 tries, 2 on pavement (Trenton, Milwaukee) and 5 on dirt (Langhorne, Springfield, Du Quoin, Syracuse and Sacramento).

 

What function did those siamesed intake ducts serve? They look awfully restrictive.

 

A LOT WORK TO DRIVE ONE - & - A BIG SET OF BALLS

 

I agree, but there were only a few who could tune a Offy as good as Beckley so there must have been some kind of method to his madness.

 

Speaking of the Penske team.....

What many don't realize is that Travers and Coon, through their Traco Engineering Company built the turbo Offies for Penske when Donohue won the 500 in 1972. Penske originally did their engines in house but had issues in the 1971 500. For 1972 Traco took over and built and serviced Penske's engines. Travers and Coon had already been involved with Penske in sports car racing.

 

Rootie,
I looked at Dick Wallen's book and confirmed your picture of Elmer George in the Meskowski with an Offy. The hood was showing major rework. Thanks for the pic!

 

I'm not sure when fuel injection became common in the indy cars, but considering that the photo is from 1952 and injectors were still relatively new, It might have been something to do with air flow or
he didn't want to hack up the body work that was made to accommodate the two carb and air cleaner arrangement that was the standard at that point in time. Also might have been that he didn't want anyone to know that the car had injection as long as the hood was closed.

 

I was kind of thinking that he might have been trying to hide the injection also. But looking through the pictures of the 1952 field I'd say there were at least 6 others with F.I. so it wasn't like he had some one off super speed secret or anything.

 

I'll go with #2, to fit the existing openings in the hood. LOL

I'm bored with the winter and done shoveling for the day so I resort to this and running the Drill Doctor sharpening drill bits.

 

Saw Stan Lobitz today at the Nazareth Diner get together. Had a great time. Ken Brenn was also there and I told him I saw his dirt champ car photo on this site with Rollie Beale driving.

 

McCluskey and Unser, Eldora 1966.

 

Clay Smith and Aggies #2 Indy 51.

 

Johnny Wood in the Bromme car, El Centro 1963.

 

I heard Bobby Allison say that it was Traco that caused their reliability problems with the NASCAR Matadors.

 

I heard it was Matadors fault.

 

I knew the guys at Traco pretty well, and they sure did their best to turn out the best engines they could build with the parts that were supplied to them by the factory's at the time

They had a very good reputation for building good reliable racing engines for all the time they were open

DND

 

I just read that the Safety Glass #95 Indy roadster has been restored as of a year or so ago.
would anyone have a pic of the finished car???
mlight9

 

It was rescued from the roof a while back but I don't know if Chris has finished the restoration yet.

Roo

 

Didn't often see Jim Hurtubise in any other sprint car other than Barnett's. In March of 63 he co-drove a Vette at the 12 hrs. of Sebring on the same weekend as the Reading opener but was able to fly up to Reading in time to take over the Vargo #35 finishing 9th.

 

Jud Larson and Rodger Ward lead the field on the parade lap at the Hoosier 100 1956.

 

Wally Stokes in the Dunlop 2, late 40s.

 

Rootie,
Alan Crowe on the outside of herk drove the best race. Started 12th and finished 4th. Herk replaced Ray Brown in the Vargo car. Herk won the consy to make the race.

 

Jim McWithey gets some attention for his "stones" Indy 56

 

The Chapman Spl. "on the hook" after Van Johnson nailed the guard rail at the Hoosier 100 1956.

 

Russ Snowberger gets some new Champions for his roadster, Indy 56.