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

This is my friend Doug Schiller at Mike Caruso Jr's mini museum above his machine shop in Las Vegas. The 1/4 midget is one of the Offyettes that Doug's father built in the 50's. The Offyette was a very popular brand of 1/4 midget on the east coast, similar to the Kurtis and Viking Craft cars on the west coast. Doug is one of the foremost authorities on vintage 1/4 midgets. He has about 12 cars in his collection, and does restoration work for customers in his Texas shop.

 

I sure would like to find a Viking Craft

 

Congrats to everyone on 300 pages of great pics, news, facts, and history of racing back in the day!!!
I feel that i now know many greats, and fans, from the days i love in racing!

 

OT, maybe, but the reference to the Curtis Lemay era reminded me of something I saw back in the 50s.

I was stationed at Misawa Air Base in northern Japan. We had a B47 land there once, and I wished I had my camera with me. In the SAC shield on the nose, instead of lightning bolts in an armored fist, they had an armored fist with the middle finger extended. Instead of "STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND" in the banner below the shield, they had "E DOTUS RECTUS."

I had my doubts that General Lemay ever saw that plane.

 

I'll wholeheartedly second that. Thanks Josh for having the insight to start this thread. Thanks to everyone who posts here for sharing the stories, technical advice, and pictures.
PK

 

Corngrower 32, Congrats to you & all the responders in the last 16 months. This is one hell of an encylopedia & the pix ain't bad either.
mlight9.

 

I was out to see Tom Malloy in Janurary of this year. Here are a couple of photos I took while there. If one gets to So. Cal and can make a run down to Corona to see the Malloy collection, I feel it is sure worth it. Tom is a cordial host and loves to talk about his Bonneville car he is planning on driving this August.
HG

 

Hi guys
Had a great time at Loudon. Over 150 cars[including stock cars]. Johnny Rutherford was the grand marshall and was his usual gracious self. The first photo is Johny sitting in the Wynn's #1 reminiscing about that infamous day at Eldora. Next photo is prior to being pushed off. second car in the background is the McNamara/Sweikert/Hoyt/Hoover/Sherk offy. The third car is the 1965 Stapp house car that Johnny drove.

 

Great Stuff! Did you by any chance get a pic of the 6 wheeler?

 

Wynn's #1, once again your resto work is fabulous. Will you be coming to Latimore in August 2009??
Question, do you have any knowledge of a car supposedly acquired from Walt Stearly (x Beal, Traylor) in or about 1961. There is a pic of Marvin in the Jim Nise photo coll, Vint. Racing site.

The car appears to be cream, has a sunburst on tail w/number (#76) and B J or B & J on driving suit.

On the site, RETRO ROCKET, on page or vol. 23, there is a tribute to Marvin & a pic showing #76 & a lite color. The needed details are not clear. Thanks, mlight9.

 

Hi Racinfool,
The six wheeler arrived on the last day and they never took the car out of the trailer. Sorry, no photos.

 

Hi Mlight9,
Thanks for the kind words, yes I will be at the convention. I remember the car well, but I do not know where it went. Over the years in conversation with Lynn Paxton, we presume the car is missing. Having restored the Traylor #9 and repainting the Traylor #55, I always wondered if it would surface.

 

I am wondering; does anybody have any pics of Van Johnson in his Sprint and Champ Car rides? I met him several times way back at Hatfield, then visited him in the hospital after the bad crash at Hatfield when George Fonder died. Any pics of George would also be appreciated.
Thanks

 

I was asked to post some more photos of the Tom Malloy collection. Ok, here ya go.
HG

 

My Uncles raced At lawrenceburg, Columbus, Bloomington, Paragon, Mitchell Indiana tracks in the early 60's. It was a white car then a lite blue car#60. Some of the drivers were Mike Johnson, Jim Bob Lubbert, Ross Smith, Hugh Randell, Brue Could to name a few. Any body have any pictures.

 

ALRIGHT!! Page 300.



I'm back. Ten days of non-stop, Filming, working, partying, and good times!

Went to the "Wheels through time" museum.

HOLY SHIT!!!

It is unreal! It's in Magie Valley N.C. I highly recomend it!

It's all about motorcycles and anything powered by a motorcycle engine..
Including Midgets of all sizes.

It'll be a while before I catch up with ya'll.

JD

 

Since its said that something like 110 different drivers wheeled the Smith Speed Shop sprints and Dirt Cars, there should be a big bunch of action, or at least pit, pics of these guys with those cars.
Do you by chance have any?
Thanks once again! <!-- / message -->

 

This 1948 Kurtis Kraft ran at Bonneville in 1989. The car set a U.S. Midget speed record of 156.902

 

That was after Gordon won the AACA Jr. and Senior awards at Hershey with the car.

 

Hi Spike,
Did your Hillegas car have any connection to Bill Bauer? I remember his Hilly, rail frame car he had around 1961 and the car that Hank Laukaitis lost his eye in.

 

Wynns1-
No, my car had no connection to Bills car. In fact, i didnt know that Bill had a Hillegass. I first knew him when we got into the business, running with URC and by then i think he had a four-bar car. I remember Bryant Ingalls driving for Bill; also the crazy guy from the West Coast, Wayne Woodward, or whatever his name actually was. lol.

 

Gordon White's Tassi Vatis!

 

If anyone is interested, some of us will be meeting in the infield in turn 3 this friday night at the Indiana State Fairgrounds for the Hoosier Hundred Champ Car race. Will be some former drivers hanging out with us, Roger McCluskey Jr. is bringing a grill so if ya wanna throw some food on it bring it. I think Josh and his bunch are coming up from Cincy, would be nice to get a bunch of Hot Rods there.

 

Have a ball, Roy and the rest of you guys. Say hello to Roger Jr. for me and have a cold one for me.

 

I am looking for some history on an Ardun powered sprint car from the Kansas City area, owned by Tom Barry, who also owned Ace Pattern and Foundry. The sprint car ran in the KC area from 1950-1955. Any help would be greatly appreciated...

 

Wynns1
Hi Joe;
Im sorry my answer was kinda short; I didnt get my first car, the Peters Offy, until 1965. I bought it from Bob LaCour in Edison, N.J. That car had been driven last by either Wimpy Irvin or Bill Wentz Sr. I made the purchase deal at Trenton the day Don Gillette was killed.
Do you know; did Hillegas build any Champ Cars?

 

If you want to see some good USAC pavement midget racing, Thursday night at Mt Lawn Speedway West of New Castle, Indiana. About one hour from downtown Indy to the Northeast.
HG

 

Colorado racing/racer
Start of the 1952 Denver 100 at Centenial Park with Vuky on the pole, Neal Carter in the#10, McGrath in the#4, Faulkner in the #94
About 15 years later, Jim Malloy, back east, in the Sterling Pumbing car, unkown track/date.

 

Superduke is reporting on TrackForum that Larry Rice has passed away. Sad news.

 

Didn't know him personally, but met him many years ago when the USAC midgets came through. Seemed like a really decent guy. R.I.P.