Just found this in my brother’s basement. Anyone familiar with it? Grandmother gave it to my brother 40 years ago. My grandfather raced in So Cal, but unfortunately not much info left behind, he passed early, around 1961. Top Eliminator? Not sure what the event was? Dad said he raced midgets. Clock still works
Shel Hoyt. He worked at Harman & Collins in the 50’s. He was in sales there, brought in by Cliff to push the H&C magneto ignitions to the speed shops. Before that he worked at Lockheed during the war. He was a hotrodder and raced midgets. His car was sponsored by Harman & Collins cams. But I’m not sure ‘Top Eliminator’ is a midget thing? Maybe... I wasn’t there lol.
According to an article by Pat Ganahl, the San Gabriel Drag Strip operated from '56 to '63. It was moved to a different location during those years. https://www.hotrod.com/articles/hrdp-0310-lost-dragstrips-of-so-cal/ If your Grandfather raced Midgets, perhaps it was a gift from a Drag Racer.
Just happened to see this. Wow, I've never seen a drag trophy like that before. And drag racing is the only auto sport I know that has Top Eliminator. Interesting it doesn't have a year on it, but it looks early. Here are photos of a trophy I got from Butch Carlton, who ran flathead dragsters out of Anaheim, CA. I was in his shop several years ago, and he had a 55-gal. barrel filled with drag trophies. He said, "Want one of those? Pick one out." So, being a writer, I took this one. There was nothing in the barrel made or marble (or even faux marble); most were plastic. Pat Ganahl