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

Spike,
I was at the Indy mile when AJ flipped and it did look bad. But as I remember he ended up in one of the horse barns and I think it ended his driving. His brother Don [ who owned the KEY sprint car that Bobby Unser drove is still around].
Jim Graybeal

 

Restored race car alert, the Murphee Brothers of Texas have gotten their sprinter done.

 

Spike,
I'm certain that Trenton did not run the champ cars before it was paved. The AAA sprint cars ran there. I have seen many of Walt Imlay's pictures from there, but I have none to show.

AJ Shepherd's accident at the Indy Fairgrounds was a career ending accident for him. I believe pictures are in this thread as well.

 

Rootie,
In your pic's of Langhorne, the 1963 picture is Ralphie the Racer in the yellow 74, with Rutherford chasing. McCluskey was in the 14 true but it was black and gold (Konstant Hot). This is the Windmill Truck Stop #74.

Keep em coming and thanks.

 

Hay Brian,

Id put my ass on the line for that kind of money and have fun doing it any day.

 

The IMCA sprints come to town.

Minn. state fair circa the 1950s----overflow crowd, fat purse, growling Offys, skinny nobbies kicking up dust.................Life was good.

 

Here's a pic from the 1962 IMCA Year Book, Photo from 1961 season. I can post more if it's OK with everyone?
Ron

 

Hell yes!! what do we look like, a bunch of sissies? We can take it!

 

That is an IMCA tornado!

 

Absolutely!

 

Photos of the 1960 IMCA season, from the 1961 yearbook.

 

i live in ohio and wanted to know when the next event would be to see a lot of these old cars?

 

Xlent!-Thank you

 

Love those pictures of the IMCA Cars especially of the DIZZ WILSON CARS as i'm from southern INDIANA an knew Dizz.

 

jmcintosh, Dizz was one of a kind. One of these days I've got to use my "Driven to the Past" column on Frontstretch.com (Fridays) to tell the story of him firing a driver while driving past him on the highway.

 

11th Annual Columbus Speedway 25th Street Raceway Old Timers Reunion

11:00 to 5:00 pm MARCH 21st 2009 Heated community building,

Come join us for Bench Racing, Memorabilia, Food, Vintage and Modern Race Car Dispays, please bring your scrapbooks, Photos, and Posters.

Flea Market, Buy-Sell: Pictures, Posters, Programs, etc

Vendor tables $10.00 For Additional info call Jerry Castor (812) 592-5010

SURPRISE HOMETOWN HERO

Bartholomew County 4-H Fairgrounds

Columbus Indiana
located on Highway 11, 2 miles south of Highway 46

 

A couple pictures from the Bench Racers weekend in Indy , sorry for the poor quality but these are from my cell phone, the Big Car is the car Ernie Triplett was killed in at Corona CA. It is supposed to have the first 220 Offy ever built in it The Midget is a 48 Kurtis with no real known history

 

I bought my first sprinter from Dizz in march of 85 and took it home to Syracuse.Sprint car racing was just getting started around CNY. Dizz started the car for me with his old ford pick up and went down the road and spun around in a cemetary. We talked for a few hours that afternoon. I'll never forget my visit with Dizz!
The car was a Kinser Stanton, When Dizz owned it Bobby Kinser drove it as well as Mike Johnson. Check out the trailer,I was in buisness!!!!!!!!!! I was racing it three weeks later.-Tom Bliss

 

Great car, glad it survived who is the current caretaker?

 

Here is the schedule for AARA (Antique Auto Racing Assoc):

All Ohio dates:
May 16-17 Washington Courthouse

July 3-4 Van Wert

Sept 12-13 Celina

Sept 18-19 Lima

Not only can you see these cars, but you can see them in action.

 

Indy Big John If you remember I asked you if you knew my cousin Jim Summers from Salem. I got in contact with the Washington County Musem in Salem. They sent me several copies from both Salem papers telling about the building of the track an how it was his dream to build the track.The American Legion was going to help him build it as he was a War hero flying 30 bombing missions over Germany. At the last minute they backed out an he had to find other help so he turned to a sawmill operater named Everett Foxy Roberts.Together they got the track built an it opened in June of 1947.

 

Here's a link to three pages of great color shots of upright dirt Champ cars.

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Joel

 

I remember you asking. I was going to Salem in the 50s, but I never met Jim. I knew the story about the building of the track, and I didn't move to Salem until 1966 to be a newspaper editor so I never did get to meet him. Sorry I didn't reply earlier. CRS is starting to give me some problems.

I did know 'Foxy' Roberts' son, Arky, who ran the GMC dealership and garage in Salem while I was there. Naturally, he was a big race fan. He was also a Cub Cadet dealer and we went to that riding mower race they used to have at the Speedway a couple of times.

 

Here is another shot of the Ernie Triplett cat. It is now owned by Bob McConnel from Ohio.

HG

 

T do a quick follow up on the Bench Racers Weekend, We were up unitl 2:00 AM benchracing Friday night and 1:00 AM Saturday night watching old Indy 500 films. For those of you who are Old open wheel fans and histirians, this is the place to be. Tim De Rose and Bob Dorn as well as our own Mac Miller were on hand to provide memories from the past. All told the guys who come to this are some of the best open historians around. Steve Chassey was the main speaker and did a super job of providing some of the "insider" views of what really went on in the open wheel scene in the background. Last year it was Greg Weld who was an excellent speaker in his own right. I have attended this function since it came to Indy. Jack and Nan Martin do an excellent job making everyone who comes feel comfortable.
One never knows who might show up to do some serious bench racing. I met up with an older gentleman named Bill Castle who is restoring a 1920 Durant who overwhelmed me with info about the late 'teens to 20's era Indy car racing.
Bench Racers is held in late March every year, I recommend it for the open whell historian.

HG

 

Salem Speedway 195?
1.- D. Carter #98
2.- J. Daywalt
3.- T. Ruttman
4.- C. Stevenson
5.- A. Linden

 

Milwaukee 1938

 

I am pretty sure the Salem picture was before 1952 because Troy drove the 98 car in 52. My guess it was taken in 51.
Jim Graybeal

 

Rootie-
Thanks for so many more great pics!

Did you notice in most of the Langhorne pics; you could see the drivers who kinda liked the place, and it was just as easy to pick out the drivers who only showed up to keep their points up. That is not a knock on anybody, its just that the Horne was intimidating.