History Vintage "Cageless" Midget Picture Thread

What list, Jim?

 

I would think Big John 37's list ....

Originally Posted by BIG JOHN 37
Joe, and Ken, Have pondered "the question" as posed for a day, or two now, and here's my best response. What a great era of the ARDC to have witnessed as a kid, the 50's and 60's, when you, or I think about it, the Great Ones, Dutch, Len Duncan, Johnny Coy, Ernie McCoy, Johnny Mann, Joe Csiki, etc. Of course, my stock answer will always be that "Jiggs" was the best!!! But, if you had to press me for a non Family member, it would be ..............Dutch! Big John

 

Does anyone know what became of this car?
The "AliJon Offy"

THANKS in advance!!

 

I love it when people think a guy is too old to race yet he does and even wins championships. Right now Len Duncan is my hero. Because of what he did, it makes me feel like I have plenty of time to race before I'm too old.

Also, does anyone know when in '72 Len Duncan had that wreck in the 83? My dad had a ride in that car in '72 and I can't remember who drove it first. I'm guessing Mr. Darrell had a few drivers in that car that year.

EDIT: After looking closer at those pics i see it had a SESCO engine. When my dad drove the 83 it had an Offy so it must have been earlier. Man that was a HARD crash. Someone sent me a picture of that car restored so I guess they fixed it.

 

1956 USAC YEARBOOK
This has stats and bios of the top drivers, I will scan them if anyone wants to see them

 

From above:
"EDIT: After looking closer at those pics i see it had a SESCO engine. When my dad drove the 83 it had an Offy so it must have been earlier. Man that was a HARD crash. Someone sent me a picture of that car restored so I guess they fixed it."

To the best of my knowledge, the car Doug Post has is NOT the car the Len went flying in.<!-- / message --><!-- edit note -->

 

Lump:: I bet the corvair powered car made some noise!!!

 

Anybody know what became of Bobby Deitrich,of Pittsburgh,who dan ARDC in a Hespel car and suffered a broken neck at Heidelberg when he hopped a wheel in a start and endo'ed the car? He survived,but I don't know where he went later. A friend(Gus Linder) wants to know!!

 

No leaves on the trees in the picture of Duncan's wild flip may give some hint as to what time of the year it was.

In 1973 the former Darrell #83 Kurtis Offy was the Bill Dorer owned Bull Dog Kurtis Offy and was being campained in the SMRC by Dorer's son in law Billy Hilty. .. Prior to that Bobby Albert drove that same car for Dorer.

It's difficult, but looking at the very grainy newspaper clipping pictures of Duncan's flip, I don't think that car was a Kurtis.

To the best of my sometimes foggy memory, the beautifully restored #83 Darrell Villa Kurtis Offy that Doug Post (Sprinter 2) now proudly owns was the last Kurtis that Ed Darrell had and also was later the Bull Dog car. Photo by .. Buildy

BTW .. "Dutch" Schaefer was well into his 60's when he won the last race he drove in 1977 at the Bloomsburg (PA) Fair.

 

Hello, Here is another corvair powered car.
I know it has A cage........

 

The most unusual and loudest had to be the Daimler I saw in Washington and the mercury outboard that Bill Sullivan (I think) drove in Reno.

 

1956 USAC Bios enjoy

 

and the rest

 

When I raced in the mid 60's I remember a few Corvair powered cars. They did not seem to have the power of the Offy's, but not real loud either.
jim

 

In the mid 60's there was a Covair powered car that ran with the ARDC at times. It was far from being a top shelf piece of equipment, but with the resources that guy had to work with .. he had to be given an A for effort. I too don't remember it being loud.

I think the loudest midget I ever heard was one powered by a Mazda rotary engine .. a Wankel .... especially indoors where it sounded EXCEPTIONALLY LOUD!!!!!

 

Ken, I think the guy with the Corvair was Tommy Gilmore.

 

The much more complete new website is...

[SIZE=+0]http://www.vintageopenwheel.com/[/SIZE]

Was there last Tuesday and am trying to do some posting in that regard but having some problems doing it.

 

My thoughts on both of these private museums are… how come I didn’t know about them previously?<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
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They are both contained in industrial buildings with the Micar Fabrication and Design operation occupying the main floor and the Caruso collection neatly tucked into all available space on a second partial mezzanine and space above the offices accessed by a stairway in the shop with some overflow on the shop level.<o></o>
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Ed Rachanski’s collection has the Bourgnon Offy immediately in your face as you enter the office of his building, a side room to the left full of displays, a doorway to the main car display room with fantastic printing on one wall like a Subway sandwich shop only racing scenes, and a stairway up to the second level space that is over the offices, plus the C119 partial fuselage out in a fenced area beside the building.<o></o>
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Both collections are basically available for viewing during normal business hours and the cars are not roped off so you can get around, under, and virtually in them unlike many other museums.<o></o>
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continued…<o></o>

 

Because both websites are so well done and so comprehensive, there are virtually no additional photos that would add to what is already there. I can only make a few comments in regards to the things that I was personally most attracted to or that I feel may be of general interest that might not have been mentioned in the websites or bears reiterating.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
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First of all, visit the two sites and make sure you open all the sections and read all the text and captions.<o></o>
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continued...

 

For Caruso click the link here... http://www.carusomidgetracing.com/index.html COLOR][/FONT]

In the Caruso site, the Racing photos tab has a sub section of Oil paintings. Be sure to click on both. Clicking on the individual photos and paintings will enlarge the photo and bring up the caption.
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The cars are in the Racing Memorabilia section and again click to enlarge and get captions. There is also a next and previous tab in each series of photos.<o></o>
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The Drivers tab is a listing of drivers but has a sub section of Drivers Photo Gallery. Again, be sure to click on both and clicking on the individual photos and paintings will enlarge the photo and bring up the caption. <o></o>
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Next is the Comments tab with responses from visitors with a sub tab of Family, Friends and Visitors photos where again, clicking will bring up the captions. Amazingly and much to my pleasant surprise, two pictures of my two cohorts and myself are already posted there, one with the Caruso brothers.<o></o>
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Lastly is the Forum tab where you can make submissions or create a dialogue with Brian.

continued...<o></o>

 

A few notes and photos&#8230;The white #1 Early midget is the first set of 12 inch Dayton wire wheels I have personally seen other than in photos.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:/><o></o>
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In conversation with Mike Jr. and Biff I asked about Duplex steering as I have on my Hillegass. They told me their #3 car had it retrofitted by the previous owner and he removed it because the car handled poorly. It was hanging on the wall when Caruso&#8217;s bought the car but wasn&#8217;t included in the sale. The car still handled badly but Caruso&#8217;s cured that.<o></o>
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The Silnes bare body is a jewel. They are currently finishing restoring it and ultimately the rest of the car.<o></o>
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Lastly I am posting a picture of Biff, Brian and Mike Jr. as Brian took the pictures and was missing in the photos posted on the visitors section.<o></o>
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I may have to try to post the pictures separately, as HAMB is resisting my best efforts to upload.<o></o>

 

Here is a message from Brian Caruso...

Art, Thank you and that looks great. You really know the website.

The Silnes car is pretty much complete and will need a few years to complete but will get done.

If you wouldn&#8217;t mind, please address Tommy Avenengo, Stan Lobitz , Ken Schou and anyone else (Paddybuilt) that referred us. We appreciate it and hope they get out to see us too. Showing everyone and seeing how it brings back all those great memories makes all the work putting it together worthwhile. Brian

The work of putting this collection together and displaying it in a museum quality setting is a huge undertaking. Appreciative visitors are the main reward. Call ahead if possible so Mike Jr. and Biff might also be able to enjoy your visit.

 

I think I cracked the code

 

On the infield, Ted Tappet/Phil Walters can be seen center of photo wearing the dark suit attending the closing ceremonies last night of racing at Islip Speedway N.Y. 9-8-84 also recognizable in the photo when enlarged, Marty Himes, Modified drivers, Bobby Holmberg, George Wagner, Jim Hendrickson Jr and track handicapper Jack Ficarra.

Over looking the pit area, Midgets on display on the midway at Islip Speedway.


Rich Oakley Photos

 

The day before my first birthday. Guess I never really had a chance to meet a lot of the old midget drivers!

 

Ed Rachanski’s Museum is for sale, I believe. That's what he says in an e-mail.

 

With some photos from Islip being posted, I wonder if anyone has the photo of Dan Gurney, either at Islip or Freeport when he was holding up a "Ted Tappett" sign?

 

Ken, I believe the car in question was an Edmunds.

 

THANKS MUCH!!!


BTW .. I just saw a picture of your Grand Dad, with Ron Bennett & Joe Csiki, in the Crocky Wright Csiki Memorial book .. while at Johnny Mann's home, with some other folks, the other night.

 

WOW!!!! .... THANKS Kris and THANKS Rick Oakley too PLEASE.

I recognize a LOT more people in those photos, sadly many of them now gone.

It sure doesn't seem like 27 years ago that the famous Islip (NY) Speedway closed.