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

Back in the old days the flagman was "THE BOSS" at the track. Controlled the starts and all. My first indoors at Fort Wayne[1966] I spun a few times in hot laps. Johnny Shipman climbed down out off where he was flagging and told me one more spin and I was done for the day. Bobby Grim came over and told me to slow down and I would go faster[and maybe not spin]. I did what Bobby said and had about 6th quick time and made the show. Indy Big John was a good flagman, had a good attitude and was fair to everyone, but was still "THE BOSS".
Jim

 

Black Vette, That car is looking great! I love the engine, has such a vintage vibe for not being an offy.

 

Back to the Weld crash, on April 20th, 1969. to quote USAC news April 25th edition,"Near-disaster struck when the field took the green flag, as the Pace car remained low on the track in the first turn. The front runners momentarily slowing at the sight of the Pace car on the racing surface, were charged by rest of the field. Greg Weld, with no place to go, run over Larry Dickson's right rear wheel just past the start-finish line and began a horrifying series of roll-overs ending some 200 yards down the track.Amazingly, and with the help of the super sturdy roll cage, the ex-Sprint Champion escaped with minor burns on his hand and arm. During the aerobatics,Weld's car hit Cy Fairchild, and both were eliminated." Surprisingly, both Weld and Fairchild won USAC sprint features in the cars that were involved in the Salem accident. Weld at Reading PA and Fairchild at New Bremen,Ohio

 

Weld and Fairchild's feature wins I spoke of were the following weekend.

 

Very cool continuation of the story. This thread is amazing. Someone will mention an incident, then someone else adds more scoop, then someone else shows pictures, then someone else has a press account, and then someone else was there. Hell, sometimes even the person involved pipes in with his version. I hope this continues forever.

 

Johnny Shipman was a great guy. He was still flagging when I was racing. His son was cool, too. To tell you the truth- I never met a flagman that was a creep. They were all good guys, and a lot of them former racers, so they knew all the tricks guys would try and play. You could always learn a lot from those guys, too (not all the former racers were starters- some of them were competition directors, pit stewards, head of a division, etc). Jiggs Peters, Len Duncan, Nick Fornoro Sr., Johnny Coy Sr., Leigh Earnshaw, Rollie Bealle, Roger McCluskey and a bunch of other guys really helped me a lot over the years.

 

In the early '60s, my dad used to race at a little track in Midvale, Ohio. It sure looked like asphalt, but I think he said it was oiled dirt. Anyway, Rollie Bealle would come down there in a black #5 (I think) and whoop some butt. (I also think it was the Gill Bros. car) Back then it was: Joe Martensic (SP), Gordon Dukes, Dean Mast, Baldy Baker, and all those other Great Lakes cars (Lorain County, Sandusky, Oswego, etc.) No offense Bob, but nearly everyone in the Midvale area had a last name that ended in a vowel, too. Dad always said: "Get the shit loaded. I'm going to the pay window. Let's get the hell out of here."

 

Got some work done today, pretty much finished the chassis. Next is paint and body work. The last little detail on the chassis was the shifter for the rear end. I needed to use a shifter rear because I am using a clutch and starter setup instead of the in/out box. The shifter rear usually uses a cable but, I did not want the cable to be out in the open visually, so I converted a cable lever to use a rod and attached it to the torque tube by a home made mount. Works well. It is a little hard to reach with the shoulder belts tight but that is what the clutch lever is for anyway. I can machine a longer handle if I need to. Also finished up the dash.

 

Johnny is in his nineties now but has still managed to climb up in the starter's stand at Salem the last two years and wave the flags for the exhibition runs of the vintage cars on Oldtimer's weekend.

 

My Uncle disregarded racing, all racing for that matter. But when he went by the museum in 1981, he was impressed the 1911 winner was there. He was really impressed when he found it was made of steel.............by hitting it with his cane several times

2 years ago I met Donald Davidson , and the conversation turned to this car. Donald said "Do you know the 1911 winner is all original? Even down to most of the paint?"

Remembering the "cane incident", I said "Oh yeah? Never has been repainted huh? That's something."

 

On a quest, I need a single puck Airheart caliper to fit under a 12" wheel. Help!!!

 

I think I have one, I will look in the morning

 

John

Bobby was driving a midget that day that was from Pittsburgh... 'Jim White Builders' (former Lowther #88). I think it was their first race, and I believe he gave the car back to Ed after that experience...

I remember that Dutch Schaffer was instrumental in removing Bobby from the car, as the ambulance crew would have probably just drug him out the car. Way before the era of paramedics and trained personnel.

I could be wrong, but I think Bobby passed away from a heart attack a while back. He hung around Heidelberg in 1973, and was doing some PR work at one of the local dirt tracks.

BTW... your mention of the Hespell team brings back memories. They often ran four midgets in ARDC competition.

LM

 

Bzneil,awesome.........can't wait to see her in paint.....please keep us posted.

 

Wonder what's up with the headlights?

 

Re-living the good 'ol days when the cars were driven to the track.

 

Astute observers (no offense, Rootie) will realize that this car ain't the real deal. Headlights aside, the dead giveaway is (wait for it...)

A passenger seat.

As a footnote, Parnelli is scheduled to run the Genuine Article on race day.
Much as I admire Rufus, I think AJ would be a more fitting pilot of the Wasp on the 50th anniversary of his first win and the 100th anniversary of Ray Harroun's. Put Parnelli in Ol' Calhoun.

 

I realize it's not the real deal, but headlights, even on a quazi replica, just don't look right.

 

I figured you'd know that, and you're right, they do look out of place. Probably required to make it street legal?

 

Yep, looking closer it does appear to have a license plate below the grill shell. Never mind.

 

Is that a mirror sticking up above the drivers? Or - is that a WING!?! If so, it doesn't belong on this thread!

 

Happy Easter everybody - from an Easter. That's got to be a first for some of you.

 

The track was promoted by Bob and Gene Talotti!!!

 

Easter's "joke" laid an egg!!!

 

Uh oh........Memory failing........what's next!!!!!!!!

 

I rest my case.

 

The yellow Harroun replica is owned by the Kruse Museum in Auburn, In.
......and speaking of the Winchester Old Timers........


The Winchester Old Timers is on track for August 20-21, 2011.
We have some new things for this year. One of the new activities is a
Saturday evening casual get together at the Randolph Grill. It will be a
laid back style bench racing session. No speeches or ceremonies. Just come
with an appetite and plenty of racing stories. The time of the get together
is still to be determined as we're not sure when the vintage cars will be
off the track, As soon as the vintage cars are secure either at the track or
back in their trailers, the food and fun will begin. Please come join us on
Saturday evening, August 20, 2011 at the Randolph Grill. The Randolph Grill
is located next to the motels on the East side of Winchester, Indiana. The
Randolph Inn is the official hotel of the Winchester Old Timers.

Rooms reservation can be made here:
http://www.randolphinnandsuites.com/ Please share with them you are with
the Winchester Old Timers.



Please check out the WOT website at: www.winchesterot.com



Updates will be posted as we get them. A parade in downtown
Winchester with the vintage cars is also planned.

Two days of track time this year and NO....pace car. The
event will be in conjunction with the Xtreme winged sprint car series. Check
it out at; http://www.mustseeracing.com/

Please don't give me any grief about winged sprint cars....come see the vintage cars on the famous high banks of Winchester, then come tell some lies with us Saturday night.....errr.... take liberty with the truth, how's that?

HG

 

Mirrors were used at indy be for being used on street machines

 

Dad showed up at a track with a supermodified that had a mirror in it The other drivers protested and wanted it removed. I think he just covered it with tape. He said it vibrated so bad you couldn't see with it anyway.

 

Those Xtreme sprints must be scary fast at Winchester