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

Rootie that thread in Autosport could cause me to waste a bunch of time. John Printz has always done his homework. He is correct that Borgeson has a few inaccuracies in his Golden Age as well as Jerry Gebby. I got to know Jerry quite well and he had tons of photos. We used to argue a bit but for some reason he put up with me when I woudld visit him at his home in Arizona. Don't want to speak out of turn about either but hopefully some of the early history will be straightened out.

JD I always enjoy the pics of Cincy. Ralph DePalma set the fastest laps there and in 1917 had the fastest times but a splinter in his radiator forced him to park the 299 Packard ( carrying the #4). He won the Liberty Sweepstakes 100 miler on July 4 1918, averaging over 100mph. Somewhere i have pics at Cincy but here is the car getting the checkers at the two mile Sheepshead board track with Louis Chevrolet in the 4 cylinder Frontenac (not to be confused with the Fronty Ford) coming in second. Oldfield in the Golden Sub came in a somewhat distant third.

Here is the OHC 12 Packard and radiator in my shop. Pete DePaolo said in his I Drove the Boards article that it was always the loudest car on the boards. Typical of a Liberty design-Jim

 

Can you imagine how slick those wood track would get?
Thos car would polish that surface within a few laps I would guess - especially if they were running one groove.
Ever been on a Barrel Track "Death Track" where they ran the Motorcycle - The whole damn thing would shake a wooble with a stripped Triumph and Rider.
Like someone said above The wooden rollie coaster move all over the place. They just opened a brand new one here in Erie this summer base on one that was there back in the 30's - First year out rated #2 in the Nation.

 

Not only that but many of those engines did not use gaskets where necessary and most had hand pumps for the mechanician to lubricate the engine on the exterior (ie the exposed valve train). Some of the cars were drenched with oil at the end of the races. Depalma carried 5 gallons under the cowl for lubrication or to load his crankcase after his epic loss at Indy in 1912. He had a couple of laps on the field but threw a rod with 2 laps to go. After that he found it necessary to carry extra oil.

The track workers threw sand to soak up the oil and it was always up for debate as to whether the sand or the oil or a combination made the whole adventure worse. The drivers had to have a pretty good set between their legs to drive at those speeds under those conditions, with virtually no safety features.

 

Yep, big, brass and furry. Amen

 

I was curious what kind of oiling system they used on those highbanks. I guess that oil "pan" answers that.

 

Been wanting to post this pic of Tony Stewart for some time now.I realize that it is newer than 1969 but I think it still has some historical value.
This picture was taken in the early 90's on a test day at Anderson Speedway by Jim Morrison. This 3/4 midget was built by the Late Larry Dwenger ( Dick Dwengers son) Strictly as a pavement only car. This car never lost a race to my knowledge and was raced for only 1 year before the UMRA banned it from competition. Larry sold the car the and new owner cut it up (thought he could improve it?)and it was never put back together and has since vanished. What a shame.

 

So I guess it is OK to post Indy Cars and Board Track stuff here? If so I'll go to the files.

 

Bob, I wont complain-Jim

 

Why did they ban it ?

 

To show how big Sheepshead Bay boardtrack was, click on the link.....but oh my God , don't post a track roadster here.....
Gene

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query...ils,prok,brhc,nclc,matpc,iucpub,tgmi,lamb,hec

 

Bob,

Why not start a board track thread?- this one's already stalling my PC!!!

 

Yeah, if you notice the oil lines going to the rockers, I don't recall seeing those or fittings for them in any of the Liberty engines I've seen in the aero museums (so either the ones in the museums were incomplete, I missed it, or they added it for track racing).

 

Look back through the pages.. There have been lots of Indy car stuff, and we have discussed Board tracks a little bit, But I'd like to see more.

Thanks.

 

I am ALWAYS ready to talk,read,see photos of the boards and early Indy racing!

On the Atlas F-1 Nostalgia board I go by Tony DeSeta-Board track fanatic.

 

Found this one in the back of a drawer. Jimmy Bryan in the Dean Van Lines roadster at Monza...

 

Now here's a real boat, McCluskey at Trenton 1961.

 

Hey Rootie Kazoootie

I see your from Colorado,we used to go up and run Rocky Mountain National Speedway with Roberts and those guys, that was just before I hung it up, well anyway about this midget I'am putting together, I bought it from Edmunds in 1979 chassis #366 well anyway it has a stroked 5/8 215 Buick (307 CI) that is scary fast, we ran IMCA most of the time. I won some races with the car and Bobby Brummett won with it ( Brummett is a lurker on this post sometime) anyway it was finally outlawed and put up to rest for 28 years, if I knew how to post some pictures I would or if I could e-mail someone the pictures and they could, hope to have it ready by April
Thanks for asking
"Doc" Parsons

 

How's this for some close racing......George Burany, Gene Force and Elmer George at New Bremen 1959.
Gene

 

Found this looking thru the files.

 

Doc, you have mail

 

I love this shot. Turn 4 from a 70s Hoosier Hundred

 

[quote="Doc" Parsons;3250355]Hey Rootie Kazoootie

I see your from Colorado,we used to go up and run Rocky Mountain National Speedway with Roberts and those guys, that was just before I hung it up, well anyway about this midget I'am putting together, I bought it from Edmunds in 1979 chassis #366 well anyway it has a stroked 5/8 215 Buick (307 CI) that is scary fast, we ran IMCA most of the time. I won some races with the car and Bobby Brummett won with it ( Brummett is a lurker on this post sometime) anyway it was finally outlawed and put up to rest for 28 years, if I knew how to post some pictures I would or if I could e-mail someone the pictures and they could, hope to have it ready by April
Thanks for asking
"Doc" Parsons[/quote]

307 c.i. yikes!!! I wonder why it got outlawed
I remember Randy Roberts well. When I moved to Colo. in the early 70s I started out racing ministocks with him when he was starting out. Mike Gregg, Strickland, Tucker, Troxel etc. put on some good shows up at CNS.
I'd be happy to post your pic's but Brian26 may have beat me to it. If not PM me and I'll send you my addy.

 

Here's a Buick v-6 powered midget, a v-8 with 2 cyl. lopped off.

 

GREAT PICTURES GUYS!! THATS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT!!!


**Harley Gene.. I'm sorry, but NO pictures of midgets in that corner of that track allowed.. LOL!! Just KIDDING!!

I really like that picture Gene, and check out the front bumpers, MAN! Think they were expecting some "rooting" going on? I've seen D8 Bulldozers with smaller "Pushing areas"


Thanks, guys!

JD

 

That is an awesome looking midget.

 

good to see something good posted here.

 

Here is a photo of Bob Sweikert at Dayton Speedway in 1952. He won Indy in 1955. He was killed at Salem the next year.
Gene

Law of Probability
The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act.

 

Harleygene, did you send that photo to Foggy? If you did I missed it on the site. That's a good one.

 

Not yet. I did send him one tonight of the Bob Estes car right after Rigsby was hurt in it.
Gene

 

Big John, the reason I have not sent it to Foggy is that the photo was taken at Terre Haute.
Gene