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

great picture Rootie, McCluskey and Herk on the outside!

That's a Shilala Chassis Jiggs is in. (Joe Barzda's car)

Anybody heard from Spike. His silence on here raises concerns on his health. Hope all is well.

 

Yes .. It was a multi day show .. midgets & sprints on Saturday (maybe stocks too? - don't rmember) and the Indy cars on Sunday. Trenton (NJ) was still a mile .. no dog leg yet. More than likely a Sam Noonis (the promoter) production. MAYBE the New Jersey State Fair was going on too? (Don't remember - gettin' old!!)

"Dutch" Schaefer had set fast time of the day in the in the Raceweld (Mataka brothers) 3n1 sprint car. Actually fast enough to have equaled either third or fifth (don't remember which) in the Indy car time trials. I remember whipping my head around as he was qualifying .. as first wondering who was making that car FLY around the track .. until I recognized "Dutch's" unusual posture behind the wheel (He had only one good eye).

"Dutch's" wife Blanche was PO'ed that he climbed into a sprinter that day. They SCARED her!! .... Scared the life out of me too when he & Jerry (Karl) tangled in the first turn the tail & tank of the Mataka car ripped open (you could see the Wiffle type balls used as baffleing inside it) and the flames erupted. I was in the fourh turn & climbed in the bed of a pick up truck that was being used as one of the emergency vehicles and screamed at them to get moving (They did).

Anyhoo .. YES Jiggs Peters was on heck of a driver in anything & on either dirt or pavement. Before my time he had won the ARDC (American Racing Drivers Club) Championship in a car owned by one of the Guldens mustard family (I believe). I've been told that although the car never carried the Guldens name on it .. it was painted the same brownish yellow color of the spicy Guldens product.


Although in many ways they became antiquated and didn't keep up with the times it really miss our local big tracks ... Trenton (NJ) & Langhorne (PA). As good as they are Pocono and the now defunct Nazareth (paved) PA tracks never replaced their MAGIC .. maybe in only some ways Louden (NH) come some what close.

BTW .. IS ANYONE HERE GOING TO THE ANNUAL LOBITZ SHINDIG IN HAZELTON, PA NEXT MONTH?

 

OK .. Now you have me wondering. Fred "JIggs" Peters .. Where did the nickname "Jiggs" come from????

I didn't know that he was one of 13 children &/or that your Dad or any of his other brothers were involved in racing. I find that very interesting. Tell us more please. .... BTW - My mother was the youngest of 18 children that lived (21 in all .. 3 died very young). My Grand Mother must have one heck of a woman .. my Grand Father one heck of a man too .. to raise 18!!!!!!! YIKES!!!!!

Ken Schuh?? Bet'cha he's one heck of a good guy!!! LOL (Just kidding)

I'm sure Ken Brenn still hold Jiggs in the highest regard. Some of the FINEST .. BEST people I've met in my life time (68 years old), I've met through oval track racing.

 

From what I've read, Barzda didn't have much luck with the Shilala and got rid of it and went back to his old stretched Kurtis.

Spike just posted this morning (7837) so I assume he's doing well,... I hope so.

 

That magazine photo may be the Rigsby crash. I remember that magazine and the article. It made me think of Gordon Reid, who went into the grandstand coming off the fourth turn at Dayton. He and two spectators, plus a track security guard, perished.

I've got a copy of a photo of the entire front page of that magazine. I'll go digging for it.

 

Here's the magazine cover. It was the January 1959 edition of Mechanics Illustrated. The Senator involved was Richard Neuberger of Oregon.

The Rigsby accident occured at Dayton on August 31, 1952...

 

Actually that does appear to be Rigsby. Not very good pics but there's some info here:
http://www.autoracing1.com/markc/2002/0902_1952LaborDay.asp

 

Here's a photo of Rigsby from the Daytonspeedwaylives.com site, also from the collection of HarleyGene, which I believe is the same as on the link above.

 

Rootie, any info as where Barzda got the car & where did it go afterwards???
mlight9.

 

Ken, maybe we should all wear name tags. I'm sure there will be a lot of HAMB'ers there. Looking forward to the 8th!!!
mlight9.

 

Sounds like he might have got it new from Shilala, but no idea where it went. Here's a excerpt from a artical on Barzda's 33 car.

 

Ive just come home from a 'hot rod' holiday in California,and found a few sprint cars on my trip....

 

See you there Dennis..

 

I'm thinking Jiggs hurt his back at the ARDC race at Municipal Stadium at the south end of Broad Street in Philly. He tried to force an issue going into the third turn and ended up going into the empty stands backwards about 5 rows up. He was in Brenn's 24. Very sudden stop, looked like it hurt!

 

"BTW .. IS ANYONE HERE GOING TO THE ANNUAL LOBITZ SHINDIG IN HAZELTON, PA NEXT MONTH?"

Yes Ken,I will be there if there are no emergencies and I don`t have to work that day.
I had an incredible conversation there last year with LI racing expert Marty Himes.
It was just such a fun time,all day into the evening. Stan is one heck of a host,can`t say enough how welcome he made me feel to be there.
I had a great dinner sitting at a table with my friend Sprinter 2 as well!

 

Hey Dennis ..

Name Tags .. not a bad idea !!!!

 

OK, I know the last two are at the Peterson, but what and where is the 38 in the first pic? I can't quite make out the lettering on the hood.
Tell us more, if you can. Hope you enjoyed the trip.

 

I second that! (was wondering the same thing)

 

I pretty sure that is Brizio's car that is in his shop on the loft.

 

Thanks for your concern, all you guys! Things are slowly getting better.
A little speech problems, and swallowing, but the doctors say it will clear up
with therapy.
Again thanks, im so glad to have great friends like you all.
Spike

 

While I believe the story as Jerry Weeks relates it, the one Bob Olds tells is far more entertaining! Anyone who knows Bob knows what a character he is! Urban legend or not, still a great story (and car). Wonder what Edmund's input would be? Roy?

Sean

 

is there anyone on here that may know the whereabouts of this stapp sprint car, last known to go to the louisville,ky area

 

On page 391 picture#7802. About that time a guy in Jeffersonville, In. had a #51 sprint car, he has passed away but I will try to find some info on it. Not sure it is the car he owned or not.
Jim Graybeal

 

Nothin here MIDGET-RACER18. Sorry,

JD



Got a friends wife that is in Germany and got a tour of the original Mercedes Garage. Here are a couple pictures she sent him.

 

My dad as the pace car at the recent Jim Kierce Memorial event at Ventura a few weeks ago. Jim and my dad were high school buddies.

And yes, those are slicks and Ventura IS a dirt track!

 

Good to hear things are progressing. A couple of URC shots from Flemington 1964. (Gotta love a nickname like 'Wimpy' and check out the wire L/F )

 

jjones752 .....the 38 car was on top of a store room in Brizios in San Fransisco.Dave Cattalini ,their sales manager,showed me around ,but they were really busy getting ready to go to the Gold State Nationals,so I could not get any info,but this was a great looking car,(good old Welsh name there jj).

 

remember ronnie lux in the purdy duece at oswego........a very brave driver......believe we lost him at a usac race.

 

thank you,it would be nice to know where it is if its in 1 piece

 

Makes since.. I've met Brizio a few times, and this year at Louisville Street Rod nats. He bought a couple Vintage Open Wheel items off me and I was pleasantly suprised to hear him talk fluent "Vintage Sprinters".