Racing 1/4 Midgets as kid was so much fun. Body bonnets was the norm. Unlike today where the driver is strapped to a frame and that's it.....
Great post. I always enjoy seeing local hot rod and racing history. Racing at Soldier Field and the indoor drag races in the International Amphitheater are the stuff of local legend.
Thats Ray Nichels standing next to his father in the Soldier Field infield with the driver that I believe is Ray Richards. Nichels started wrenching on and managing his father's race team as a very young teen and the experience served him well. He went on to build and run an Indy car known as Basement Bessie (built in the basement of their house!) and later started Nichels Engineering with Chevrolet, Dodge and Pontiac as clients.
One of my other passions is Chicago history and in the interest of accuracy I sent Ryan a PM, he asked me to post this here- Municipal Grant Park Stadium opened in 1924 and was renamed Soldier Field on Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11, 1925 to honor those that died in WW I. As seen in the photo it is now dedicated to all who served.
Got my first sight of Soldier's Field when in the 80's I went up the then Sears tower. What a view! What a cool place and back in the day, with races to boot! Who wouldn't want to go!
That's one sizable, interesting track with the Pillered Roman or Greecian looking structures alongside it...What a grand history... I remember visiting a similar historic track at the CNE my way and seeing the Hell Drivers...it was a big deal back in the Day without question...I love the old typography and graphics in all the advertisements too...great content coming through...a grand grand venue...
Great post, really great early art work. Interesting that they drew racers all the way from California.
The board track was short lived, it was built in 1939 and after five events it was removed. Keep in mind Soldier Field was used for a variety of events, sports, civic events such as 4th of July celebrations, even religious services were held there so it was no surprise it had to go.
Andy Granatelli started the Hurricane Hot Rod racing association and some (all?) of his races were held at the Field. This shot of the infield pits is the only one I could dig up. Photo credit to the Stan Kalwasinski Collection.
At 9yr.old ,the sound when walking into the bowels of the concrete stadium ,plus going into the pits and the shoe polish smell started my addiction, later when racing go-karts in the 60s I ran with Tiger Tom (Jim Rathmann's Xterminator Kart) .. I had my little camera one time =
I rotated your photo Gus, thanks for posting. You mentioned Tiger Tom, are you referring to a Chicago racer named Tiger Tom Pistone that went on to run NASCAR?
Yes , we ran a 100 lapper large oval at Daytona Dog track parking lot across from DIS Speedway . No one had large enduro tanks back then , so pit stops , 4 guys picked up Tiger and kart ran thru pits dumping alky .. this pic isn' t the Rathmann kart..
Growing up near Chicago, my dad would take us to stock car races occasionally at the local tracks. I do remember we went to Soldier Field one time to see races, but I no longer remember details. It was likely late 50's and stock cars.
Soldier Field Hot Rod Racing - Late-1940s CHICAGO, IL — Late-1940s: Action during a Track Roadster or “Hot Rod” race at Soldier Field. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)
Pat Flaherty/Jim Rathmann - Soldier Field Roadsters CHICAGO, IL — Late-1940s: Pat Flaherty leads Jim Rathmann during a Track Roadster race at Soldier Field. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)
Pat Flaherty - Soldier Field Hot Rod Late-1940s CHICAGO, IL — Late-1940s: Pat Flaherty power slides a Track Roadster or “Hot Rod” through a corner at Soldier Field. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)
Johnnie Parsons - Chicago Midget Race 1950 CHICAGO, IL — 1950: Johnnie Parsons dives inside a fellow competitor during a Midget car race at Soldier Field. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)
I remember when during an interview they asked a young Jeff Gordon how driving a cup car compared to driving a midget, and he said it was like driving a school bus! NASCAR was not very happy with that comment, even though it was very true. The things we say when we are young and still have a lot to learn about life. Jimbo
Any pictures of Fred Lorenzen from the mid to late fifties? Fred was an Elmhurst boy and Soldier Field regular then, and moved up to a factory Ford ride in NASCAR by about 1960. Fred and his number 28 H&M Galaxies were my heros growing up in the 63-67 timeframe.
I saw Fred driving his '57 Chevy several times at O'Hare Stadium, a quarter mile, high banked, paved oval. He was always very fast.
First photo is Fred Lorenzen trying to get around Tiger Tom Pistone at Soldier Field. The second is Fred with his ‘57 Olds. Keep Fred in your thoughts and prayers, he’s been battling dementia for a number of years now. At 86 he is in a suburban Chicago assisted living facility and in 2015 he committed to donating his brain for concussion research.
Written on back of photo “ 1936 Thorne Donleys Offy Jimmy Snyder, first Offy in Chicago to big and heavy
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