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

Compared to the coil springs commonly found on most coil-over shocks today those springs look woefully inadequate in diameter and wire size.

 

On his later effort with the coil sprint car Watson added a sway bar to help control roll resistance. 1960s shocks were pretty primitive by later day standards.

 

One more. Ward 1961.

 

French,
speeds were a lot lower then, reducing rates and track conditions weren't the smooth slicked in stuff of today. Look at the tires and you see that horsepower could only handle the narrow tires. The battle was to keep it upright, not necessarily stuck.

Just my opinion.

Along those lines, in a conversation with Tommy Hinnershitz, (1960ish) I asked how he drove so smoothly through the holes and ruts while others bounced around. He said, " The secret is breaking the rear wheels loose so you slide through!"

 

On the subject of Indy cars and torsion bars and coil overs. Remember the MG liquid suspension special in the 60s? It was rear engined also.

 

Is that J.R."Whitey " Hollowood looking on ???

 

East coast midget racing legend, Dutch Schafer in a rare sprint car appearance at Reading 1961.

 

Speaking of Watson here is a video taken last Saturday of the ceremony dedicating a plaque to A.J. just across from the main entrance to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Indiana Racing Memorial Association (IRMA) and the Town of Speedway put this program together.

 

Dutch Schafer didn't drive sprint cars much. His wife was massively against it.

He was tough in a midget!

 

Kentucky driver James "Chick" Smith at Franklin Ind. 1940s. Of note: his partner, Morse, was a relation to E.T. Morse who owned the (ex-Colvin K.E.Y.) Ezra Brooks car in the late 60s.

 

I thought I would post my Dad's collection. They have mostly been sold recenlty so they will not be together again. Lots of special memories.

 

BURDIE5533: How about some individual pictures with some history for each?(drivers/races/finish positions/etc.)

 

anybody know who built this car??

 

The only ones with history are the red sprint car, 4th one back and the white midget next to last. I will try to upload more. Here is a CAE sprint but I dont know anything about history. more.

 

This car was driven by Tom Bigelow, Bobby Grim, and Lee Kunzman. It won the original midget race in the Astrodome in 1969.
http://www.si.com/vault/1969/03/17/559679/poor-lil-midgets-texas-style

 

Lee Wallard in the Cracraft #7, 1947.

 

Originally John Hajduk's car?

Roo

 

I don't think so. The first driver was Mike McGreeve (pardon the spelling) and was owned by Bob Willies for quite a while in the early days.

 

Its a Shalala built I think in 1962.

 

Foyt outside of Bob Veith. Langhorne, 1959.

 

WOW - remember my dad taking me to Allentown fairgrounds to watch Dutch Schafer race midgets late 50's maybe 1960. Never got to Reading track before became a shopping center.

 

Mel Weidner, Nazareth Pa. 1940s.

 

bcook,
I don't know who built Homeyer's 1961 sprinter. He only had it in 1961. In 1962 he had the Jud Phillips built chevy. I never saw it again.

That picture is Jack Rounds, I think at IRP. Jack didn't last long in that seat. He was replaced by Al Keller.

 

thanks Jim...Rounds looks that way in every picture I've seen of him...could be a Watson???

 

Don't really know anything about this car out of the PNW/Seattle area from the mid/late 50s. The driver looks kinda like Shorty Templeman but hard to say for sure.

 

re #24423, kon. hot car. per traylor team history(j.heisler), this was the car that musselman wrecked @ langh. in 1957. it appears on his detailed history of the traylor team as 1 of the 2 cars built by hickey for traylor. hickey also stretched 2 midgets, caccia & beal into sprints. again, this is per research by buzz rose & joe heisler.
mlight9

 

very interesting!! thanks very much.... Ben... what ever became of it??

 

bcook, according to heisler, car is restored & somewhere in calif. joe says spoke to owner years ago @ EMMR, doesn't remember the guys name. any info on this w/be apprec.
mlight9

 

Porn

 

Your best pics yet!!!!