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

That's Jimmy Daywalt's car up against the wall in 1956. Don Smith was only involved in Sumar for the first year or so. After that the cars were often lettered as "Chapman Root's Sumar Special".

 

Another great photo showing Parsons and Agabashian...thanks Rootie. BTW, mechanic Harry Stephens is on the right side of Parsons in the photo (he's actually the bald guy on the left side of the cockpit). On the left side of the car (in the photo) is mechanic Bill Sparks. Sparks was around Indy for literally decades as both a mechanic and later as an official. Some of the ex-Indy mechanics on this site (like Racer 5c and mac miller) may remember Sparks in his later years as one of the bosses on the USAC Tech Committee. He worked at Indy well into his eighties. By that time everybody called him "Sparky" and he was usually seen driving a golf cart around the Garage Area with a constant cigarette hanging out of his mouth while he lined up all of the crews to get their cars through the various tech inspections. He had a really deep and raspy voice and he seemed to kind of growl at you when he spoke. But underneath it all he was a real nice guy. I got to know him a little and he sat down and told me old racing stories on more than one occasion. And every time I ever spoke with him he told me what a great mechanic and great guy that Harry Stephens was. Sparky was really high on the guy. And he also set me straight on the Parsons "cracked block" story. According to Bill the "crack" was nothing more than some porosity in the block that was seeping a little moisture. And they fixed it by using some form of early epoxy cement coupled with a little peening. But they were not trying to run fast in the race just to collect lap money waiting on the engine to blow until the rain came. And according to Bill the exact same "crack" was still in the block the next year when Mike Nazaruk finished second in the same car. The press of the day made a big story out of the crack and the legend is still talked about today even though there really was never much of a problem.

 

One thing I do know, is if it were my car (wrecked or not) and those yea-hoos couldn't figure a better way to get it off the track than dragging it over a concrete wall, I wouldn't be a very happy camper.

 

You are correct. But lifting a car over the wall at Indy was pretty much standard operating procedure at the time; especially if the car stopped next to a wall. The Speedway went to great lengths to keep caution periods as short as possible and since much of the track didn't have catch fencing in those days lifting a car over the wall was often the quickest way to get the race back to green. But you are right. These guys are doing some additional damage to the bottom of the car for sure.

BTW, I've seen film of crews trying to lift Duke Nalon's Novi over the wall after his fiery 1949 crash while cars were racing by. The Novi was about the heaviest car in the race at the time so there were two wreckers with their booms over the wall trying to lift the car at both the front and rear. Even then they couldn't get the job done and they dropped the car more than once. They finally just left the car on the track and it sat there up next to the wall for the rest of the race. And the yellow caution light was on for a total of one minute and 45 seconds for the Nalon crash before the green came back on. Racing was a pretty tough business in those days.

 

Indy, reading your lines is like taking a history lesson in early day racing. I had no idea that the Nalon car was left on the track for the rest of the 1949 Indy 500 and you are correct the drivers back then had balls the size of a soccer ball. With your knowledge of older times do you remember a man from Indianapolis named Stuart Joyce? I read his name in results from late 1940 and early 1950 races on the beach at Daytona in a modified 1939 Ford coupe. They listed his home as Indianapolis. I also read his name as either a car owner or engine builder of a midget that ran at the old 16th Street Midget Speedway in Indianapolis in the early 1950's.

 

"Iron" Duke's 49 crash. Took a Hyster to get the Novi back home.

 

I can't say that I have heard of Joyce but I will try to ask around. I notice that he is also listed as a Midwest stock car racer even racing in USAC at one point. Here's the link:

http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/racelist2.php?uniqid=5668

 

I remember Stu Joyce having stock cars (37-40 Ford Coupes) around 1951/52/53, running at 16th street and Anderson Sun Valley. He either had something to do with Seven UP bottling Co. or they just sponsered his cars

 

I think that may be the first shot I've ever seen of Nalon bailing out of the car; he was lucky to have gone on to die of old age...

 

I was privileged to meet the Duke in his later years. He was a remarkable guy, and a real gentleman.

 

He was damn lucky not to have been knocked out or trapped, he would have been a goner for sure.

 

I just started posting some photos I picked up this weekend, I wasn't sure if these were considered sprint cars or not:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=8899922#post8899922

 

For those of you interested, the vintage Indy car deal at Indy for 2013 is as follows (always subject to change by the Speedway gods!!):

Wed. 5-22 - Community Day - display only
Thurs. 5-23 - 3 20 min. driving sessions (3 classes, rear engine,
roadsters, etc) 2:30 to 4PM
Fri. 5-24 - 3 20 minute driving sessions 8:30AM to 9:45AM
Sat. 5-25 - driving session (roadsters only) 9:30 to10:15AM

Also the Vintage Sprint Car and Midget display will be Sat. 5-25 8AM to 6PM in the Plaza area...

Hope to some HAMBERS there...Stop by and say hello.....Joe

 

Please keep posting and sharing !
They are very much apprecited here and you probably saved them from oblivion.

 

saw this on ebay and wondered if anyone knew the supposed Pennsylvania history of the #19 sprinter?
Paul

ebay link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1951...l_&hash=item4d0c798574&vxp=mtr#ht_1257wt_1172

 

To me, it looks like a Trevis car from the early to mid '60's, not '50's.

 

I have to agree with Easter, It's 60 to 65 vintage. Denny Z.

 

Pretty sure that was on Ebay 2-3 yrs. ago. I remember the odd fuel filler on the tail. It was disscused here some, at that time, but I don't recall if any history was determined. Maybe Stan L. might know something about it though.

 

West Virginia Jimmy knows all about this car...

 

It looks like it could be a cool looking car to restore, not that I have that kind of cash just laying around LOL. I was just wondering if it did indeed have a true PA/NJ history? I don't want to ask the seller as I am not a buyer - just a looker. seems his discription doesn't match the powertrain to well, I was not aware that the 327 was available in 1955? some of the other items look newer as well, maybe the steering box etc?
Paul

 

The real giveaway is that it's a space frame 4 bar.

 

Here's Ralph Quarterson in what may be the same car. My dad raced against him all along the Ohio River and over into PA

 

so where does that date the car in question?

 

Let's not forget the Midwest Vintage Oldtimers Race Car Club at The Fairgrounds, Thursday May 23rd, afternoon display and evening track time as part of the Hoosier Hundred.

Up close and personal


Last year 36 cars on display, 26 ran the exhibition laps.

 

As easter and Denny Z. said, early-mid 60s, not likely 51-55. It would have been a single tube/rail frame with cross spring if it was built in that era, regardless what engine, steering etc. it may have ended up with.

 

GREAT SHOTS of Nalon's wreck! I've never seen the picture of him bailing over the wall from that angle either! Thanks. In the picture of the car on the hook... Look at how many camera's there are in guys hands... Wonder where all those pictures are? Wonder how many have been tossed out in the box of "Grandpa's old crap"

J Shaw

 

327 first introduced as an option in the 1962 Chevy,and as THE Corvette engine inthe same model year!!

 

The add on ebay said 1963 sprint car, may be they changed it.