History Vintage "Cageless" Midget Picture Thread

Gearguy, I have an autographed picture, of the car, from Jigger. I'll have to find it and scan. Might take awhile.

 

I knew I had a photo of Rodger Ward in the Leader Card Offy on the IRP road course. Just managed to find it. This was taken from the inside of Turn 1 in 1961, I believe.

 

One of the cageless cars had a late model VW Jetta motor in it!

Re: the Oskaloosa/Knoxville weekend.

Yes the car is a fresh restoration '37 Hillegass and had a V8-60 that gave immediate problem and was temporatily replaced by the Jetta.

It is owned and driven by 81? year old Harley Lafary who along with his son Mike have been piloting vintage sprints with MVVRCA for years.

 

I take it this car had the standard in out box removed and a clutch and flywheel installed. What was done about a transmission and was the quickchange rear and torque tube retained?

Sounds like some interesting mods to make the car suitable for road racing.

Can anyone shed some more light on any of this ?

 

I don't know the specifics, but I recall reading that they used a combination of a 2 speed transmission and a 2 speed rear end which I assume was a Q/C.

 

I only got to talk to Watson for a few minutes before that race at IRP, but from what he said, I think Rootie is correct.

He also said setting the car itself up for a road course wasn't really hard because they had enough flexibility built into it. His point, I believe, was that after having to work with anything from a fifth-mile to a mile, getting it back to neutral was no big deal.

I also remember that when other teams were putting out a message on their blackboards just about every lap, Watson and his guys must not have had much to say. They propped the blackboard up on something and wrote "Out to Tea" on it.

 

found these while uploading a unmarked cd.....Rich

 

Great pics Rich I really like the multi million dollar tow rig in the top left shot

 

we should of had a set up like that when we ran the midgets and sprint car especially for the trip to eldora for the four crown in 98.....Rich

 

Rabs32,
Great photos of Matakas car. Is that from Essex Junction, VT ?

 

Don't really know, these were my fathers shots but I believe by looking at the grandstand it looks like selinsgrove.....Rich

 

Never at Essex Junction but doesn't look like selinsgrove

 

Hey Uncle Billy,Well they're shots of your father,and you said in post #952 It was essex junction, So COME ON MAKE UP OUR MINDS!!!..LOL, I know I was to young to go to the race,and dad's in florida and without seeing these shots I posted probably won't have a clue as to what track it is, since most of the early races he shot at, him and my uncle were following your dad with the sprints,midgets and T/Q's,so maybe one of the knowledgable people here might have a clue to solve this mystery that I started....Rich

 

Found a few more shots to help identifing what track it was.....Rich

 

1958 ARDC top three results.

Spike

 

I think Wynn`s is right.

I wonder if Wynn`s remembers a driver crashing out of the park there in a midget. My Dad and Uncle Jerry went to help and the driver was knocked out in the car. He hit a Yellow Jacket nest and they were all over the driver but didn`t sting him. Dad and Jerry got many stings though trying to help the driver. I can`t remember who they said it was anymore.

 

Johnny Mann was the driver,
the car was owned by Lou Bucceri. The name of the track in Conn. escapes me.
Stan.......

 

Hi Stan,

Johnny Mann did come to mind,but I wasn`t sure.

I thought they told me it was Essex Junction VT. Probably happened in the early 60s.

I could be mistaken,of course on the location.

 

My Uncle Len told me that story a thousand times. I think the track was Thompson?

 

Could very well be. Both my dad and Jerry are gone now,and I can`t ask them. I wish I would have recorded or wrote down the old stories,there were so many of them.

They came home all stung up,but I was too young to go along on that trip.

 

It was Thompson and I own the car Jojnny was driving. I have Oldheimerzand have to thinkabout some of the details. The car started as the Rose offy then Anderson,Dick Brown and Blackie LaMaccia the a Hardwood Door Helen and Don Bailey. Duane Carter drove it in the Sports car race at Lime Rock. Then sold to Lou Bucceri and several other owners before I got it. Best history around.
Stan.....................

 

That's the car I own now.

 

Was that one the same one Mario ran as ? Mark ???

What does it look like now?

 

It might be those pictures are from 1966

 

It was Thompson CT.

 

Photo from the Miller Meet this weekend.

Who's first to recognize the 91 year old track champion sitting on the right rear?

 

Landy Scott, former Badger Midget champ & club president

 

Miller Meet again,

This guy should be easy for a few of you.

 

Gordon Benny from Sydney, Aust.

 

Hello, new to all this posting stuff, I dont know if this the right thread to ask about the car that i have. I purchased this from my wifes great uncle, he said it was a TQ but it looks too small, but it looks too big for a 1/4 midget. it was built in1959 all aluminum body great workmanship, powered by a 200 triumph cub motor runs on alchol, full suspension. said it was raced once and overheated it was then parked in the barn and sat for 34 years untill I purchased it from him