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

I thought the same thing, and i too would love to find one behind someone's barn.....love this thread......Ted McClure

 

Ted, any relation to The McClure Turbo Offy?
The current incarnation, owned by Del Deiner participated in our Tucson Event this weekend.



"Started life in 1968 as McClure Turbo Offy #69-"Carl,this is what the car looked like in 1972 with a cage that was required by U.S.A.C. it was the original McClure turbo offy # 69. Raced the complete circuit all across the U.S. mostly one mile tracks.Driven by Larry Dickson, Mike Gregg, and Mike Bliss.Restored to original look without cage in 2002 by Mechanic Keith Randol and painted blue with the # 59. and 350 chevy that was put in the late 70’s. I bought the car in 2008 and did a complete body off restoration,and been running when I can. I will also send a picture with the chevy and painted blue from the 70’s. Del"

 

Saw Billy run the old Riverside Raceway half mile ( turn nine up behind the pits). He was "THE" shoe at that place, very smooth. A guy I used to work for, Mike Rundle he and Al Bartz were partners in a Shilala car and while they split duty at Ascot they always tried to hire Billy to run Riverside.

 

would you ;like Howard Revell's email?

 

Looking for someone who is going to Indy on the 22 and 23 of May who will be in the pits with the Vintage Indy Cars. I have an item that some of them may be very interested in and if they are I need to get them togeather with myself and Arlen Kurtis. This will give you a chance to meet all the owners of the vintage indy cars and it is a great conversation piece along with a lot of Indy Roadster History. If interested please contact me by PM.

 

"If we hang around here and look at it long enough, it will put itself back together.....right?"

 

Amazing how much these things haven't changed....

 

They probably didn't change the settings on the injector from the methanol settings.... probably needed to be a little skinnier on the deal!

 

I was wondering the same thing. Didn't Art Sparks' Big and Little Sixes run on Ethanol? Due the corrosiveness (is that a real word?) of Methanol with magnesium?

 

well said

 

There was a shop in Rosemead on the border of El monte ... I think Billy owned or was part owner, we could always watch them working on the sprints there... And there was a slot car track next door. I was probably 12 or 13, and still remember it. Billy gave me a shiny red white and blue Justice Brothers jacket (It was really something!) Wish I had kept it. Ascot was the only place I watched him race. Sometimes the cars would climb the high fence they put up... Dirt track was pretty exciting.

 

Rootie..I have never seen so many ''clean'' guys in a garage....suits and ties !!!
This is what the well dressed ''wrench'' wears in the UK...

 

Yikes!
Hide the young women & small children!
(and be careful with those safety wire pliers)

 

They're the "supervisors" waiting on the guys who really know how to put a race car together.

 

Rootie.....you have to have the supervisors.......(great photos)...

 

So THAT's how you get the holes to line up!
"OK: now, who's got the bolt? Whaddaya mean it's on the workbench?"

 

Pictures taken at a track in Keene NH
Long time ago


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Thanks for sharing these.
Were these part of the collection listed on ebay recently? (New England Big Car Assn?)

 

Yes they were... I hope that's not a bad thing- I wanted to buy some of them (negatives) but it wasn't in the budget.


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I was just hoping to get some identifying info on them. New England motorsorts history is a bit thin.
Thanks Again
Carl

 

The Granite State Auto Body big car at the bottom was restored (by the Gertlers I'm pretty sure) and featured in Open Wheel or Circle Track, maybe 1980's.

 

Still sitting in my heated and cooled garage, waiting for oldest son to come to FL, from NY, to pick it up. Here is before & after photos. I have a complete file of letters & orig photos,*provided by the actual drivers who drove it. It ran Keene & Plymouth NH, and Thompson and Avon CT. with drivers Larry "Red" page, Art Rousseau, Earle Horne & Ernie Bradon. Built by Russell Stone. I dont remember if Carl "Charlie" Junkula was the Original owner of Granite State Auto Body shop, or bought it from Russ Stone. Both the #37s were built in Russ' Garage on Church St, in Keene.

But one of the most unusual bits of its history, is that this (first of the TWO different #37 Granite St Spl.s) was used for ice racing during WWII and Junkula won the New England Championship with it for two years in a row (1941 & 42)(Wilson Pond, Keene NH)
See half-page cover photo from National Auto Racing News, March 12, 1942.

All steel Original body, (original floor pan was a Coca-Cola sign-now replaced), and original fuel tank (still in it,) was a round ribbed metal milk can

 

Thank You for info on the 37 Granite State!
Here's some info on the 73 Granite State.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/91981316@N06/8533172910/in/set-72157632911694050/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/91981316@N06/8532058381/in/set-72157632911694050/

Best Regards
Carl Schulz

btw: I recently purchased a digital copy of the 1940 Thompson Speedway Scrapbook from Yale Univ. here's a link to it-
http://www.flickr.com/photos/91981316@N06/sets/72157632992837539/

You can maximize photos and download what you wish.

 

Thanks Carl,
What a great collection of racing history. This will keep me busy for a while and help with future research.

 

This is one found on a mountain side somewhere either up state NY or Ct. Posted the pic on another thread and someone suggested this one as well. Enjoy

 

Best Regards
Carl Schulz

btw: I recently purchased a digital copy of the 1940 Thompson Speedway Scrapbook from Yale Univ. here's a link to it-
http://www.flickr.com/photos/91981316@N06/sets/72157632992837539/

You can maximize photos and download what you wish.[/QUOTE]

Carl thanks for those photos. There are 9 shots of the Drake 99, light weight Model A sprint driven by some famouse drivers Lee Wallard bought it off of Drake after he won Indy. It had a Hal in it then. the car ran many years after and was a complete junk in the end. It`s in the barn.here is its last ride at Flemington. Wimpy Erwin driver.+

 

As I recollect, Wimpy stuffed it in the wall between 3 and 4. Wasn't much left to fix.

 

Had no idea Yale had such neat stuff in their archives, although I have heard that Weslyan had an auto racing project going on....now I have to find the shots of the Drake 99 again, and I'm supposed to be working....That car was pretty sharp to start with.

 

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Thank you all for these great photos and info on New England motorsport history.