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

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by Joshua Shaw, Jan 17, 2008.

  1. Denny Zimmerman
    Joined: Jan 8, 2010
    Posts: 504

    Denny Zimmerman
    Member

    I talked to John the other day. He is in Connecticut and he is making progress but it will be a while. Denny Z.
     
  2. TommyA19
    Joined: Dec 3, 2010
    Posts: 240

    TommyA19
    Member

    Strange you had that to say, Denny. I had this in my column on April 19th, a couple of weeks ago:

    "Twelfth:<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:eek:ffice:eek:ffice" /><o:p></o:p>
    <o:p> </o:p>
    A little news on Johnny &#8220;Hot Rod&#8221; Heydenreich &#8211;<o:p></o:p>
    &#8220;Johnny Heydenreich was finally &#8220;back home again in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:eek:ffice:smarttags" /><st1:State w:st="on">Indiana</st1:State>&#8221; in mid-March, nearly four months after he left <st1:City w:st="on">Indianapolis</st1:City> to attend the Performance Racing Industry show in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Orlando</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">Fla.</st1:State></st1:place><o:p></o:p>
     
  3. TommyA19
    Joined: Dec 3, 2010
    Posts: 240

    TommyA19
    Member

    For some unknown reasons, I could not post more from my column. And what came up is all messed up, too.

    &#8220;Johnny Heydenreich was finally &#8220;back home again in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:eek:ffice:smarttags" /><st1:State w:st="on">Indiana</st1:State>&#8221; in mid-March, nearly four months after he left <st1:City w:st="on">Indianapolis</st1:City> to attend the Performance Racing Industry show in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Orlando</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">Fla.</st1:State></st1:place><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:eek:ffice:eek:ffice" /><o:p></o:p>
    By all accounts he&#8217;s lucky he made it back at all.<o:p></o:p>
     
  4. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

    Yeah, it looks more like him than others. About the only other one that would be likely would be a tribute to Wally Campbell but doesn't look much like him either. Seems that putting the face of the guy driving the car, on the car, is a little redundant though. Maybe a little narcissistic too.
     

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  5. Denny Zimmerman
    Joined: Jan 8, 2010
    Posts: 504

    Denny Zimmerman
    Member

    Tommy, I don't know..he said he was in Connecticut and it was a 203 area code. Denny Z.
     
  6. LesT21
    Joined: May 4, 2010
    Posts: 5

    LesT21
    Member
    from SoCal

    [​IMG]

    This is a picture of Paul Knierim in his Modified Midget Coupe at the old Irwindale Speedway track next to the dragstrip. This car in different color scheme was featured in Hot Rod Magazine. It was powered by a Ducati 250 single and featured a hand formed aluminum body at a time when most of the other cars were fiberglass. Have a duplicate chassis and one of the fiberglass bodies that Paul pulled of this car. The car I raced against Paul started out with a Ducati engine, but I put a Honda in for reliability and as you might guess by my user name, my cars have always carried the number 21.

    Miss Paul, he was a great guy and died way too young from cancer.
     
  7. LesT21.....that is one cool car.....:)
     
  8. paddybuilt
    Joined: Mar 2, 2009
    Posts: 137

    paddybuilt
    Member
    from SoCal

    Coup midget is cool! did you guys run on the old speedway motorcycle track? Where else did they run?
     
  9. noresore
    Joined: Jan 13, 2011
    Posts: 24

    noresore
    Member
    from Peoria, AZ

    I am pretty sure that is a picture of Larry Crockett. This race was used to honor Crockett who had died in the previous Sprint car race at Langhorne. crockettlarryjubio.jpg
     
  10. noresore
    Joined: Jan 13, 2011
    Posts: 24

    noresore
    Member
    from Peoria, AZ

    A great story about Jim Clark and dirt cars goes like this: He was invited by AJ Foyt to watch him race at Eldora in 1963. When they got to the track and after hot laps Foyt asked Jimmy if he would like to try a few laps in his sprint car. "No thanks, I left my helmet back at the hotel," Clark said.
    "No problem," AJ said, "we can find you one."
    Clark said, "that's OK, I left my uniform back at the hotel, too."
    Again, Foyt said, "no problem I am sure we can borrow one from somebody."
    Clark again declined the offer. "That's fine AJ but I left my balls at the hotel, too."
     
  11. noresore
    Joined: Jan 13, 2011
    Posts: 24

    noresore
    Member
    from Peoria, AZ

    I don't think the #4 is Don Branson. I believe it is Jud Larson. Branson was #1 in 1966. Also match pics with cars in the next post and you will see Branson in the #1 Leader Card Offy and other pics of Jud in the #4. Branson always leaned forward in the cockpit when he was racing.
     
  12. noresore
    Joined: Jan 13, 2011
    Posts: 24

    noresore
    Member
    from Peoria, AZ

    Try searching for Rick on Facebook.
     
  13. CTtoPA
    Joined: Jun 17, 2008
    Posts: 252

    CTtoPA
    Member

    Larson in the #4. Branson in the #6.
     
  14. racerbillyc
    Joined: Dec 28, 2009
    Posts: 141

    racerbillyc
    Member

    Johnny has been posting on facebook heeling well needs one more surgery on ankle hopes to be back racing before end of season.
     
  15. easter
    Joined: Nov 25, 2010
    Posts: 554

    easter
    Member

    This photo was just posted on the Must See Racing Xtreme Sprint site under the "Little 500" preview stuff. It says it was taken in front of the old entry in the 50's. I think I see 8 intake stacks, 4 spark plugs on the left, but only 3 exhaust tubes on the left. Am I right? And, if so, what kind of engine is that?

    [​IMG]
     
  16. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

    Yeah, it's a v8, has siamesed center exh. ports. The long skinny valve cover reminds me of a 50's Caddy 331, but I'm not positive. Could be a Olds or something too. Good looking roadster and model too! :)
     
  17. LittleFauss
    Joined: Feb 2, 2008
    Posts: 272

    LittleFauss

    .....'noresore, You're right, #4 is Jud Larson. But, Don Branson was not #1 in 1966. Johnny Rutherford was #1 in 1966, but for only the first two races of the season at Reading and Eldora. Don Branson was #6 (as CTtoPA pointed out) in 1966 in USAC Sprint Cars.

    Also, the next post you referred to with Branson in #1 are from 1965. Don't be confused by MarioFanKri lumping pics from 1964-65-66 all in the same post.

    MarioFanKri was incorrect in his post #17655 claiming Branson in #4 in pic #5. Also incorrect is pic #7, it's McCluskey in #51 and Larson in #4. In pic #10, it's Branson in #6 and Andretti in #9.

    http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=236178&page=883
     
  18. gninc
    Joined: Jun 13, 2008
    Posts: 25

    gninc
    Member

    What do you think I should find to put on this Watson dolly tow trailer.
    Glenn
     

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  19. LittleFauss
    Joined: Feb 2, 2008
    Posts: 272

    LittleFauss

    .....'Don't mean to stick my nose in someone else's business but, Glenn, knowing your taste in vintage race cars, I'm sure any one of us would trust your judgement. And I admit, I'm biased but if it was me, I would go with either a championship dirt car or a sprint car (less cage, of course) with a Ford DOHC or an Offy. A good starting point would be the following:
     

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  20. noresore
    Joined: Jan 13, 2011
    Posts: 24

    noresore
    Member
    from Peoria, AZ

    Thanks Faus! Branson had a way of sitting in the cockpit that no other driver repeated. He always looked like he was leaning forward just a bit. I don't mean any disrespect, but he was kind of fat, too. Larson on the other hand was a burly, large man and sat in the cockpit quite differently, looking more like he was manhandling the car. JR was indeed #1 in 1965 but after Eldora wasn't able to defend his title. Branson did have #4 on the Leader Card Champ Car at one time. I don't recall it on the sprinter. I remember #7 when it was yellow, one of the prettiest sprinters of all time IMHO. I believe that was 1966, the year he died at Ascot.
     
  21. Circletrack 40
    Joined: Mar 4, 2008
    Posts: 103

    Circletrack 40
    Member

    R:E--The photo of the roadster in front of Sunvalley Speedway in Anderson Indiana.

    The car was owned by Howard Hall, driven by Wayne Alsbaugh. I beiieve the car is now in the hands of Howard's son. It was Cadillac powered. The car has quite a history around this part of the country.
     
  22. RABs32
    Joined: Nov 14, 2009
    Posts: 807

    RABs32
    Member
    from new jersey

    How about this,Tire rack looks similar. If not I could use it for my '32 for long trips since my back is shot and can't handle the long road trips........Rich
     

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  23. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

    Good looking race car. Was it a ex-Indy roadster or purpose built for short tracks?
     
  24. Neat photo of the old original 1948 grandstand at Sun Valley Speedway. 'Sun Valley Speedway' signs were all neon and the 'Sun Valley' part of the sign flashed off and on while the 'Speedway' sign remained constant.
     
  25. gninc
    Joined: Jun 13, 2008
    Posts: 25

    gninc
    Member

    The four cam ford dirt car was on the watson trailer when i bought it. Neither were restored of course, but in great shape. You are welcome to stick your nose in all my posts are for everyone's enjoyment.
    Glenn
     
  26. Circletrack 40
    Joined: Mar 4, 2008
    Posts: 103

    Circletrack 40
    Member

    Rootie---The roadster at sunvalley---was built by Howard Hall from Anderson Indiana for the short tracks, (not an x-indy car.)
     
  27. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

    Thanx, he built a nice one, and it appears he won the 1958 L-500 with it.
     

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  28. LesT21
    Joined: May 4, 2010
    Posts: 5

    LesT21
    Member
    from SoCal

    Originally, micro's ran on 1/10 or 1/8 mile tracks usually inside an existing track. The first track I ran at was inside the old El Toro Raceway in El Toro (Lake Forest, now), California. Both tracks used the same front straight.

    Back East and in the MidWest, there were special built tracks supported by the local clubs. Later out here, as tracks dried up, we ran on a couple of motorcycle speedway tracks.

    The photo of Paul in his car was at the Irwindale track that is now under the brewery. I took that photo after going out in a heat race with a broken steering arm. We also ran at Orange County International Raceway on their speedway track. There, we actually dug the infield down and pushed the dirt into the turns to make a nice banked track.

    There is a great article on Paul and his car in the July 1975 issue of Hot Rod Magazine.

    The cars started out in the early 1950's using Briggs & Stratton engines and small motorcycle engines. Up until the 1980's, the engine size was limited to 250cc for OHV engines. They were originally called Micro Midgets, then changed to Modified Midgets and later to Micro/Mini Sprints with engines up to 600cc. The old cars weren't slow, but the 600 cars are faster than a USAC midget on most tracks.

    Quite a few drivers started in these cars, Lonnie Caruthers and John Rahe are two that come to mind.

    If people are interested, I found some pictures of the car sans paint with some of the panels off, showing some more details.

    Les Thompson
     
  29. There a lot of Mini-sprints in the Dallas/Ft Worth area. Sometimes they pit with us winged sprint cars.
    Little buggers are scary fast, and put on a great show!
     
  30. Micros were very popular in the Reading PA area in the 50's. At the Leesport Farmers Market dirt Speedway outside Reading they ran Wednesday night and Sundays for many years. Red Reigel got his racing start with the Berks Micros at Leesport. My uncle "Knobbby Sell" built his car in his basement using a chalk picture he drew on the wall. He powered the car with an Indian engine in the rear. The rear body work was shaped like a midget tail but was a heavy mesh material that allowed the engine to breathe. At one of their large meets the mayor of El centro California was on hand to compete in his own micro.
     

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