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

.....'Hey Jim! 'Just a quick question: Who's car was 'Tat' in; was he in the Nowicke Offy or Stroud's "Honker?" Thanks for re-living that night. Those were definitely 'the days.'

 

Spike- I didn't come up with much of pre-cage sprints at Springfield, but as a consolation how about this: Branson #1 Sachs #8 and Al Herman in their Offys at Langhorne 1960... Don't get much better than that!

 

That night he was in Howard Linne's white #96 [with a chevy 2 I think]. Do not remember why he was not in Nowicke's car [as that was his normal ride in 66] I do not belive he drove Stroud's Honker any that year. In 65 Stroud's Honker was the first midget I ever drove. I live just 30 miles from Louisville where Nowicke lives, his Son [who still works on race cars] bought the TQ I built in 71.
Jim Graybeal

 

Nice people you're talking about Jim. Bob was nice enough to bring some of his cars to IRP when we had those vintage displays (I wanted to do it at every open wheel race), and Mike was one of our winningest car owners for a time with Kenneth Nichols at the wheel.

 

Rootie-
Thats a great pic from the Horne! Do you have any others? I hate to be a pain in the butt; its just that its about all there is left nowadays.
Not a case of self pity; just not easy to be confined to the house most of the time.
Thanks again!

 

Spike- here's a couple you might like:

Earl Halaquist #1 and Bob Dunhome at a URC race at Trenton 1965

Halaquist at the Pocono 3/4- 1969 (possibly the same race you posted back on page 242 ?)

 

Rootie
Yeah, they are great. Earl was a friend of mine. Great driver and he helped me learn the setups when i was new to it.
Do you know who Bob Dunehome was? He was a USAC driver name of Wally Dallenbach racing against USAC with URC that day. He also did that alias once at Flemington. USAC handed out stiff fines for running against their shows, so guys would assume a different name for the day.

 

Rootie: Nice photos as usual. Guess everybody knows that Bob Dunham was Wally Dallenbach, avoiding USAC penalties while running "outlaw" events. He won several as Dunham. At one show I asked how he was doing. He said, "Bob Dunham's doing great; Wally's not doing too well!"

Keep the photos coming!

 

Didn't know it was Wally D. but I had never heard that name before and it looks to be top shelf equipment for a unknown, so I kinda thought it might be a USAC dodge.

 

Tommy H. and Johnnie Parsons at Harrington Del. (?) Can't say I'm at all familier with the place....fairgrounds ?, 1/2 mi.-1 mi. (?)

 

Harrington was (is?) a fairgrounds track in Delaware. AAA ran there in Forties, early Fifities at annual fair, then URC after 1956. Dusty, slick half-mile. Track was rumored to be composed of ground shell.

 

Anybody wanna hit Lawrenceburg this weekend, weather permitting?

 

I might be interested, I was also thinking about hitting up Eldora for USAC on Sat.

 

I forgot Eldora is opening that night aswell..... HHHHMMMMMMMMM I'll have to check my calender of Sat.....

 

Spike, OldBill- I've noticed that, back in the day, about all URC (and IMCA/CRA for that matter) cars had the front hoop over the nose but hardly any USAC cars did. I assume this was a rule requirement with the URC ?

 

'Rootie, That would be news to me to hear that the front hoop was actually a 'rule???' Most of them were bolted on and provided protection for the radiator when the car got upside down. It also was a convenient upper shock mount and some builders liked the fact that it was also a chassis stiffener for the front portion of the car......BTW, who's in that #1 car and where? 'Like it.

 

Thats Earl Halaquist in the #1 but I'm not sure where, Reading maybe?
As far as the hoop, I wonder why the USAC guys didn't use them? I have pics of the same cars, such as the black duce, running IMCA and USAC with and without the hoop. I kinda figured they were to help keep a car from running too far up under another in a crash, but really don't know for sure.

 

The #2 in IMCA trim and USAC trim.

 

Rootie-
I raced there several years back in the 60s; its the Delaware State Fairgrounds 1/2 mile. Had a dirt surface in the 50s, and then a sand surface in the 60s. Really sucked with the sand surface!

 

Rootie-
I was told back then when i ran with them that it was a suggestion, but not a rule.

 

I never heard of Hector's Black Duce ever running USAC. PK or anyone else remember it running USAC?
Jim Graybeal

 

'Not sure if someone mentioned this earlier but, who knows what the guys' reserve price is and knowing that the going rate for an Offy engine alone has been running anywhere from $10-$15K, a guy might get a good deal?http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...0297004180&sspagename=STRK:MEWAX:IT&viewitem=

 

What was it's purpose? Must of been a VERY STRONG suggestion to get racers to hang extra weight on their car.

 

Black Deuce never ran USAC or AAA; I believe that Honore's earlier "City of Roses" car ran AAA, but very rarely, in 1940's, I think with Cliff Griffith driving. Not many of the 1950's IMCA Offies ever ran with AAA or USAC; most had more inches than AAA-USAC 220 limit.

 

My thoughts were Halaquist at Flemington because of the wooden fence, Reading was concrete.

 

For those of lesser means, this could be a fun project:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Culb...ryZ98061QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

This car was originally built by Hank Arnold, and is now owned by Don Brown from Tucson, Az. Don Brown also owns "The Twister", also a Hank Arnold car.

 

'DriveEm, 'I'm sure I can speak for a lot of us: Thank you for your pictures of........'perfection! It seems whenever someone does a restoration, there's always something that's a dead give-away to modern day cars; i.e. 'Centerline Wheels, a modern day seat w/upholstery and a headrest, or the driver wearing a full-face helmet. This car has none of that! The upholstery is perfect, the Halibrand wheels are polished, the old style rear tail pipes that the guys in CRA and ARA used to run, the gold leaf numbers and the roll bar is a classic Grant King style work-of-art. 'It's even got one of the greats lettered on the side: Frank McDaniel. If organizers were smart, they should promote vintage racing and exhibitions more than what they do. These cars would sell!

 

That's what we're hoping for. We have some old midgets and an old sprinter or two coming in as well. NON-PROFIT VENTURE

 

uuummmmm....... right side steering... unusual for a car equipped with dirt tires. ??