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

Bobby Unser wheeling the cammer, Ascot 67.

 

Mario on his way up Pikes Peak 69.

 

Duke Nalon circa 1938.

 

Lloyd Ruby 18, Jim McElreath, Langhorne 64.

 

Joe James in the Estes Ardun 1950.

 

Sid Street Spl. 1952.

 

Sachs in a Sacks...... Eddie in the Charley Sacks HAL.

 

Sooooo.....I was engaged in a discussion on the Facebook vintage sprint car page a few months ago....the topic was a color photo of a Paul Leffler built sprint car being driven by John Lucas. Caged cars were not supposed to be on the page, but this car had a bent roll cage, and people were discussing it. I posted the photo sequences from Sprint Car Pictorial showing that very car flipping, then another year pictorial, and it's flipping again, this time it clearly had a Steve Stapp style roll cage, so it had been repaired. Long story short, I was banned for posting crash photo's, after I merely asked the admin "why no crash photo's even though they cleared up the question about the car in question?" He told me I should enjoy crash photo's on other pages, and banned me. The guy is a ass. I took some screen shots from the page, I don't have photographer credit, or I.D. on the screen shots, but I'm just going to post them here. I won't bother with the roll cage issue, just some neat shots that may or may not have been posted here at sometime.

 

Some more....

 

OOOpps that one of Don Davis was from Dick Wallen's book, for a different discussion.

 

Neat pit shots. Feel free to caption, and I.D. the cars and drivers.

 

Nice post Mitch



What a great classic shot, open face helmets, white T shirts, Sam Browne belts, no advertising and you could see the car being driven.

 

Len Duncan in the #15. I never knew Harry Hespell owned a sprint car.

Gene Hartley in the Johnny Fray car, Reading as well.

Looks like Van Johnson in the Traylor #55.

I suspect Mike Nazruck in the #3 on the high banks.

 

Mike Nazaruk-Elkins 73, Terra Haute circa 54.

 

Bayliss Leverette-Karl Orr Spl. Bay Meadows Ca. circa 52.

 

Jackie Holmes, Langley 75, Winchester circa 52.

 

Dee Jones in the Roosevelt Dairy car, and I think Johnny Wood in the Al Kitts Chevy, Ascot 1961.

 

This photo was taken at Ft. Wayne in 1954. Larry Crockett and Mike Nazaruk

 

Jud in the Pfrommer....

 

Elisian in the Schmitt

 

Is this Larry Crockett?? his usual ride...or is this someone else....?

 

Ralphie the racer...looks like it's getting warm, and wet? or just smoky...

 

Sprint car racing will never...I repeat, never be this magnificent again. On Facebook all the reply's would be..."Wow how dangerous, what ridicules chances those guys took...geee no roll cages, how barbaric"....

 

Not a "steering wheel holder"....

 

O'Connor and Nazaruk...

 

Tommy in color...

 

Jud and A.J., getting ready.

 

Crockett's main ride in 54 was, I believe, the Erickson 33 but he may have driven the Engle Stanko 31 at times (?) He signed on to drive for Engle for 55 but, of course was killed in that car right off in March at Langhorne. That is also the same car that Gordon Reid was killed in at Dayton a couple of years before.

 

It's the Magnolia Park district of Burbank, California. I thought the foliage looked a little So Cal like, but I've also seen a photo of Lou Webb where the Magnolia Park sign can be seen in the background, along with some other businesses. One of them is the Magnolia Park Market, which advertises Weber Bread. I believe Weber was only a west coast brand, but even more telling are the signs visible for Valley Gospel and "The World's Largest Pumpkin." That was a pumpkin shaped building located on Magnolia Ave. in Burbank. It stood at least through the 50s, housing a variety of businesses. In checking, it was the Valley Gospel Center from 1935-1938, which goes with the Webb photo.

 

Excellent detective work and a good eye. Thanks for clearing things up, Jim.