History Indy With The Kelloggs

The Kellogg's love of Indy cars started in the early 1950's. I can remember laying in bed listening to the Indy race as it started around 9am in California. It was so exciting not only to hear the announcer's voice for four plus hours, but also the s... <BR><BR>To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.

 

Thank you for sharing. Those are some great pictures and that it some great history.

 

Yes, thank you for sharing! I always look forward to your posts. Neat story and great photos!

 

This post oozes history. Thank you so much!

 

More please !! I to remember listening to the Indy race on the radio. Back in the 50s many of the cars had distinctive exhaust notes not like the same same of today. I remember in maybe 49 or so a Indy car was on display at the courthouse square in Nebraska City NE one night . They were taking a fee/donation to look at it. I remember it was pretty chilly so they must have been on their way to the race.
John

 

Thanks for sharing your pictures! You could charge us $20 a pop to drive that thing around your back yard in first gear and you'd make a fortune.

 

Ron,

Awesome!

Great story and thanks for sharing the pictures!

E

 

X2 on what everyone else has said! That is really cool, and I would love to hear more about the fuel injection development work!

 

Thank you!

 

We are soooooo lucky to have you as part of our HAMB family. Saying thank you seems so inadequate.

 

Ron,
Wally Meskowski built 2 roadsters in 1960 one was yours (the Schmidt/Turtle car) the other was for Bill Forbes. In 62 Norm Hall crashed the Forbes car attempting to qualify for the 500 and I've never been able to find any further history of that car. Do you, by chance, know what became of it? FWIW- the 3rd pic is from Meskowski's shop from about 61/62, in the background it appears to be a roadster frame which may be yours.

 

I really can't even wrap my head around the whole thing. It's such a great story and such a cool car. The shot of it on the single axle trailer are just numbing really. I doubt I will see anything cooler then that all month. It's really a pleasure to read your entries and we are extremely fortunate to be able to see these images for the first time.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

 

Ron, that was great! I too listened to the radio broadcasts growing up. I remember listening in '68, when Bobby Unser won, working on an MPC Jeepster model. Man, was that a good day!

 

#### He's On It !!! Tom Carnege's voice was lengendary !!! Nice article !!! >>>>.

 

Not only is the whole story cool but I am equally impressed that you have continued to own that car since the seventies.

 

WOW! and thanks for sharing this story!

 

100%! Thanks Ron. Slim

 

awesome story, nice car

 

Indescribably cool. Thanks for your article.

 

Great story of an awesome race car..... I am saddened with what has become of the Indy 500.

 

I want one.

 

Thanks for the pictures and story including your car. Sure brings back memories for me - my first visit to Indy was 1958 as well. The sounds and unique aromas were something for a 17 year old. Loved to hear the Offy's and Novi as they passed us in turn 1. Really good stuff.

 

Thanks for the pictures and the story my first time at Indy was 1964 to or three weeks befor the race. All day seeing racers and crew getting ready for the big race. The sounds of the cars going around that track nothing like it.

 

What a memory Rootie Kazoootie, yes in 1960, this car was #44 the Peter Schmidt Spl, Bob Veith brougt it home in 8th place, #16 also a WallyMeskowski build car, these were the only Indy cars Wally build it finished 21st, Wally was well known for is sprint cars, was in a crash in his motor home leaving a race, and was paralyzed to a wheel chair, and died a few years later, a great man, sorry Rootie the number 3 photo shows us parked outside the warehouse about to leave with the car, maybe its the frame, with panels along side, that hte shop at Gordon Schroders in Burbank Ca. were its being cleaned up, the car was prepared for the 62 race, broke a crank, and it was used as what a fast lap looked like once a new engine was installed, with Jim Hurtubise driving, I have that film along with the Mobil Oil film archives,I purchased in the 70's once they gave up having films done due to T.V. doing the races. Sorry I can not tell what happened to the 2nd Roadster? As most of these cars were cut frames to go sprint car racing after Indy. And now Triggerman, thank you for your note, but I did sell this racer to England years ago,a story was done on it by Willie Green, in one of the English Mags, telling how fantastic the engine was and that the build of these American cars was so outstanding the European could learn from from the quality, he was wining many races with the car, and because it needed to be put at the back of the pack, he still did well, but the car is now back in the U.S. now painted #44 and red, as it was in 1960. So that as much info as I have, of course in 1962 it was entered as the Turttle Drilling Spl, I refused to change the color as its so rare to get a racer, with all the orignal decals and paint from Indy. What a great group of NUTS. Ron Kellogg

 

Ron Kellogg ... as usual, great thread! ... but I'm kinda confused ...

All the books and websites I've read state that the 1960 Indy 500 8th place finisher was the #44 Meskowski / Peter Schmidt ("Schmidt Spl") entry driven by Bob Veith:



It's my understanding that the #44 "Schmidt Spl" car has been restored (not cloned):









... so what year did your #23 "Turtle Drilling Spl" run @ Indy?

EDIT: Whoops! ... Ron posted the answer to my question while I was typing up this post ... so the restored #44 "Schmidt Spl" is actually Ron's old #23 "Turtle Drilling Spl"!

 

Thanks, Ron. I've figure that the Forbes car probably ended up as a super or sprint as so many old roadsters did, just never have been able to confirm it. The third pic I was refering to was the one I posted showing Wally (I think) working on the Comp. Eng. # 8 sprint car. Just behind him is a roadster frame which would be either the Schmidt or Forbes car. The half round rear frame section gives it away as that was unique to Meskowskis roadsters.

 

Thanks for sharing your story and photos, Ron! What a beautiful car; the photos of it in "as found" condition are the stuff dreams are made of and the restoration is simply stunning.

I love the proportions of the low-slung front-engine Indy cars from the '50s-'60s; classic rolling sculpture of speed and power.

 

Ryan ... Yep ... I saw Ron's reply after I posted my question (and refreshed the thread) ... I guess I need to learn to type faster ... and/or not include so damn many pictures in my posts!