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

No.. I had to "relocate"

Too many wild women chasin' after me.

 

Ive never seen a front end just like that car Opp is driving. Anybody familiar with it? That type chassis makes me think of a cross spring over a dropped tube axle.

 

Really hard to say for sure, but it kinda looks like this CAE set up, but with radius rods instead of hairpins (?)

 

'Rootie, 'You're right there when we needed you with the CAE ad. Most spring front cars utilized the "dropped" axle (which usually needed two bends plus boring of kingpin bosses) in order to keep the front end at a respectable height. However, the "straight" axle was so much simpler to make (simply set it up in the mill and bore the kingpin bosses) but, the spring had to be mounted behind and lower than the top of the axle; which is exactly what your CAE ad shows. 'A lot of supers ran the same setup when dropped axles were getting harder to find. Anyway, our friend Spike requested some pics of sprint cars on a mile track. I sincerely hope he enjoys these from the 1970 CRA sanctioned, 100 mile U.S. Open Competition Sprint Cars vs. Super Modifieds at Sacramento, October 1970. The first pic is Gary Ponzini qualifying in his own Hank Henry on Saturday. Wow! The others are named but the last pic is Billy Anderson driving car #98, the ex-Fike Plumbing Car that his brother, Johnny took to Australia and sold in early 1972. Billy's leading Jerry "Termite" McClung and Gerry McLees down the front chute....'These guys were really movin' that day!

 

The last race at the old track, but not a good day for racing. Three drivers killed after about 30 laps with Jerry Blundy declared the winner when it was called. I think it would be fair to say some of those guys may have been driving a little over their heads on the mile.

 

.......'Words not needed to describe this one except that all credit goes to the great, legendary photographer, John Mahoney, who I purchased the photo from........

 

LittleFauss & Rootie;
Thanks so much for the fantastic pics of the Sprints on several of the miles. Im so glad for this great thread, because withoiut it i would never have known of any of you; you two, plus Roy, and a number of others.
Any old pics are greatly appreciated! Miles are my favorites.
Thanks again

 

With only two champcar races held at San Jose, you don't see a whole lot of pics of those races. This is a shot of the start of the 1952 race. Looks like a good crowd in rather modern looking grandstands, for the time.
McGrath on the pole, Joe James (in his last race--died when he crashed on lap 47) Bobby Ball, Jimmy Bryan, Mike Nazurak, Andy Linden. With the exception of Linden, who was severly injured and disabled in 1957, all would die while racing over the next 8 years.

 

'Very interesting albeit sad facts, Rootie. It goes without saying that California is probably thee most liberal, backwards thinking state in the country. Rootie, you mentioned San Jose appeared to have a very modern looking grandstand. They were; very modern! A virtual twin to all the other great fairgrounds. In fact, they later added the traditional cover that most grandstands have. But in the early 80's a storm damaged part of the grandstands. With all the money being flushed down the toilet in that state and going for "social" programs and politicians' pet projects (or into their own pockets), instead of just fixing the roof they removed the roof all together! 'What a sad, naked and strange looking sight that was! The racetrack itself is (was) at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds. So it was already zoned for noise, etc. and being state property should have been off limits for total destruction. There was and still is a LOT of $$$money$$$ and population around the San Jose area. Today, that beautiful, exciting 1-mile dirt track with a very raceable 1/4 mile and 1/2 mile dirt tracks inside of itself is completely gone!

 

I have to brag... I scored an early ronco mag this morning, still in its original box from Blue Bell, for $100. Even came with the early red cap. Putting on my 327 when it comes back from the shop for the trevis.

 

IT'S PROGRESS! and it's good for everyone, dammit!
Seriously, its happening everywhere. When I moved to Colo. in the early 70s, there was 6 oval tracks, a world class road course, 3-4 dragstrips, all with full grandstands, and all within a hour or so from my front door. Thanks to the developers and the politicians who live in their back pockets, were down to 2 oval tracks, amature only road course's and now it looks like maybe 1 dragstrip.

 

Rootie;
Since you live in Colorado, do you ever hear about the old drivers who raced in your area? Im mostly thinking of Gordon Herring who cleaned house back in the day with the Big Car Racing Assoc. I think Johnny Tolan was also from that area.

 

Gordon Herring had a quite a bit of success with both the BCRA and IMCA in the midwest back in the 50s-60s. I believe he was killed at a IMCA race up in Minn. around the mid 60s. His son, Bob, also raced well into the 70s and did well around the region and on Pikes Peak. I believe he is alive and living in the Denver area.
Tolan was a native Coloradan and started out with the RMMA midgets back in the 40s along with Loyd Axle, Giba, Cambell, et-al. Made it to the big time, but a back injury suffered in a midget race in Australia put a end to his career and he has since passed away some years back.

 

Gordon Herring in the #84 at a BCRA race in Kansas-1960s and winding his way up Pikes Peak-1960s.

 

I was there this day taking movies. I got a few not to pretty.
aXe

Quote:
Originally Posted by LittleFauss
'Rootie, 'You're right there when we needed you with the CAE ad. Most spring front cars utilized the "dropped" axle (which usually needed two bends plus boring of kingpin bosses) in order to keep the front end at a respectable height. However, the "straight" axle was so much simpler to make (simply set it up in the mill and bore the kingpin bosses) but, the spring had to be mounted behind and lower than the top of the axle; which is exactly what your CAE ad shows. 'A lot of supers ran the same setup when dropped axles were getting harder to find. Anyway, our friend Spike requested some pics of sprint cars on a mile track. I sincerely hope he enjoys these from the 1970 CRA sanctioned, 100 mile U.S. Open Competition Sprint Cars vs. Super Modifieds at Sacramento, October 1970. The first pic is Gary Ponzini qualifying in his own Hank Henry on Saturday. Wow! The others are named but the last pic is Billy Anderson driving car #98, the ex-Fike Plumbing Car that his brother, Johnny took to Australia and sold in early 1972. Billy's leading Jerry "Termite" McClung and Gerry McLees down the front chute....'These guys were really movin' that day!

The last race at the old track, but not a good day for racing. Three drivers killed after about 30 laps with Jerry Blundy declared the winner when it was called. I think it would be fair to say some of those guys may have been driving a little over their heads on the mile.

 

I believe this pic is of the 1953 Detroit 100.
#83-Nazuruk
#36-Linden
#5-McGrath
#3-Hanks
#4-Niday
#88-Ayulo
Of those, Hanks and Niday are the only ones to survive the 50s realitively unscathed.

 

I received this in an email from a friend. Very interesting web page.

Blacki-Suede

I have a new web page devoted to the car that started out as the O'Day Offy that you can find at: http://winfield. 50megs.com/ BigCars1930s_ files/ODay/ ODayOffyWebPage. htm

If anyone has anything to add about that car, I would like to hear about it.

Bob Lawrence
Wichita, Kansas

 

Saturday April 18th vintage Indy Cars will be running on the oval at Indianapolis Raceway Park from 9 am until 11 am. I know A.J Watson will have some cars there, i am pretty sure the 4 cam ford Watson roadster will be there and a lot of other cool race cars. Anyone who wants to go to IRP and then caravan over to Josh's open house let me know.

 

Blacki-Suede, you sure hit the jackpot with the " O-DAY " site. That is fabulous and to know the car is being restored is even better. Can you keep posting news as car comes to completion?? I hope so. mlight9.

 

Hi Guys,
Check out ebay item 320354935592.Any comments?

 

I did a little web search and found the Bob Lawrence home page that contains the O-Day site. The site has a host of history. images, etc. All on early open wheel racing.

http://winfield.50megs.com/index.htm Check it out.

Blacki-Suede

 

I'm on the way out to buy a Lotto ticket right now.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...rch&fgtp=&sadis2=100&fpos2=80911&lsot2=&fvi=1

 

We're bringing these two cars.

 

Wish I could be there on the 18th, Roy, and to head for Josh's place as well. I loved that old track. Get some photos, please.

 

When you guys have time, check out the new Winchester Old Timers 2009 website. We just got it up and running last week. We still are fine tuning it and welcome comments. We will be adding a links page soon.
Please mark your calenders for Oct 3-4 for the 2009 Old Timers event at Winchester Speedway. A USAC double header with USAC Midgets on the high banks of Winchester on Saturday night. USAC Sprint cars on Sunday afternoon with the Vintage race cars on the track Sunday afternoon.

www.winchesterot.webs.com

HG

 

Len Sutton #66- R. McCluskey #6, fixin to go racing, Phoenix 1961.

Tommy Hinnershitz #57- Mike Nazuruk #73, racing at a 200 miler, Darlington S.C. 1954.

 

Rootie;
More great pics; thanks! Great color quality for that date..
Tommy lived only thirty miles from me. Very nice, humble man! While most everybody around here took their Offies to Ken Hickey for overhauls, etc, Hinnerschitz put his on an old workbench, and took care of biz.

 

exelent!!

 

A great pic of 2 east coast legendary cars and drivers
Joe Barzda in the California Speed Shop Chevy with Tommy H. in the Pfrommer Offy working on him at Reading.

 

Rootie, that's not Tommy. He retired driving the Number 1, Pfrommer added the 5 to the number (making #15) for 1961 and 1962. Could be Leroy Newmeyer or Don Davis would be my guess.

Great pic nonetheless.