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

Bobby Black destroyed that car at New Bremen, driving for Paul Leffler.

 

TCM29, Welcome to the HAMB! I don't know who has Barney's Knucklehead midget, but I've seen photos of it on the web. It is fully restored and painted light blue. When I last saw it along with Barney & Ruth it was traveling the counrty on the roof of his stationwagon. Really nice guy that I'm glad I met years ago.

 

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Thanks for the welcome.
The last I heard about Barney was from a kindly gentleman who was watching my son race indoors about ten years ago at a Larry Boos indoor karting show at Columbus.
I also met Dizzy Dean Renfro at a kart race in NC and I believe that is where I learned of Barney's passing.
It's not all that hard to bolt a bunch of parts together like today's racers, but racers like you guys were just as gutsy when it came to doing things in the garage, let alone the driving.
From my own (56 y/o) perspective, there was so much to be learned from people like Barney, regardless of how odd they seemed to be. His turned up hat showed his pride in his (aviation mech) flyboy appearance, with a true respect for the correct or simpler way of doing things.
Very opinionated and not always right, he was a perfect match for me at a time when I wanted to be a pit brat for the car that was winning, and I wanted to learn all I could. He bummed my L&M cigarettes, and taught me a great deal about what a real mechanic/fabricator was.
I had the rare opportunity to race with him in a heat race at Butler. PA- his driver did not show up, and I was just starting out; I looked in the infield after a few laps and there he was- said his arms got tired.
I made every effort to pass on the same basics to my son who excelled at karting and is now an aerospace engineer in FL. I wish we could still race, but the financial reality has put our racing on hold for the time being.
I don't suppose it's any easier now than in 1937 when Barney built his HD powered midget, but for me, racing must be passed on to my son, and he has to pay for it. (yeah, I'll help him out and even buy some tires)
I love the posted photos and appreciate the work by you racing artisans.
Keep it going!
TRH,
Greensburg, PA

 

Welcome... Beautiful car!

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Welcom to you too TCM29

Good stuff.

JD

 

INVITE TO ALL!!

April 18th CINCINNATI Ohio.

My Shop and Wade Hughes shop is having our annual Open house party.

around 150 Hot rods and race cars will cruise in from all over the midwest.

We will feed everyone FOR FREE!! Hamburgers, hot dogs, Cincinnati Chili, and Larosa's Pizza.

The event will start at 10:00 and go till 2 or 3..

THEN THE BEST PART!!!!

Around 3:00 all the "Racers" at the Event are heading just 10 min. down the road to Lawrenceburg Speedway for USAC SPRINTS that night!!!

So come on down, have some food, drinks, check out some cool cars and then cruise on over to the Legendary LAWRENCEBURG SPEEDWAY for a great show!

Shaw Hot Rods
7427 Harrison Ave.
Cincinnati Oh. 45247

513-257-5121

Hope you all can make it!

Joshua Shaw

 

Incidentally, I copied the photo of Jim Packard from the most recent post of him and e-mailed it to Betty. She was overjoyed. They would have been married 50 years last Thanksgiving, and she says it's hard to believe he's been gone 49 years. She sent it to the kids, who naturally want to see anything about their father. Lisa was 11 months old and Betty was pregnant with Jim when their father was killed. She told me a broken water pipe in the basement when she lived in Speedway destroyed nearly all of her photos, and would be happy to get any photos. I'm sending her the one of Jim at Terre Haute in 1959. I don't want to clutter the thread, so if anybody has any of Jim Packard, they can e-mail them to me at indybigjohn@roadrunner.com and I'll pass them along. Thanks.

 

Thanks Rootie and others, any more info on drivers of the Lewis car would be appreciated. Known drivers are Don Hamilton, Terry Nish, Bubby Jones, maybe Buster Venard, Tommy Hunt, Danny McKnight.
Picture of Bob Lewis and of Bubby flying the front wheels at Ascot...picture is from Open Wheel mag December 1981.

 

You're killin' me, Josh. That would be a dream weekend for me, and I'd love to be there. Unfortunately, it's just a little too far for me to make it. Wow, Hot Rods & USAC Sprinters in the same day...........Have Fun!

 

It would be an Honor to have you!

JD

 

If you guys have not made it to Josh's party in years past, you need to make the trip this year its a great time, C-ya there.. Ryan

 

Indybigjohn,
That last photo of jimmy Packard is Allentown Fairgrounds 1960. Jimmy won that day, but we lost Johnny Thomson on the first lap of the feature. Packard was driving Walt Flynn's car.

 

indybigjohn-
I dont think a dozen or so Jim Packard pics would clutter the thread at all. But then im only speaking for myself. The caged cars are nice, but Jim, and his peers, were the ones who really put it on the line!
Hope i didnt offend anybody, just the way i feel.
Thanks

 

Jim-
Enterprise Machine Offy, right?

 

I have been waiting so long for the first USAC race at the Burg, and the GENEROUS open house you and Wade put on make for an incredible motor head day.

 

The open house and going to the Burg sounds like the perfect reason to fix the radiator in the sedan so I can drive the hot rod over.

 

Yes, Enterprise Offy there Spike.

 

Hmmm. Josh, the only way I could make it is if it's raining at 9:00 a.m. in Corbin and looks like it's going to rain for the next two days.

 

"I'm not lifting!"
Herk, Davis, P.J., E.George, Marshman- Reading 62.

 

Jim Packard Salem 1959

 

John you have a few week's its not till the 18th of April..

 

Damn I dont follow this thread enuff and I should... Josh i called my youngest and told him we need to be at the Burg ... Id like to see you and Wade again and ive never been to the Burg either...
Im on it...
Dave

 

Often overlooked in favor of the 'back east glory boys', but second to none, here's some early west coast sprint car action.

Mike Mosley#5 chasing Don Thomas-Ascot 1966
Al Unser#92, Ray Douglas#49 and Gorden Wooley- El Centro 1964
Bob Hogle in the #2 Tamale Wagon- Pleasanton 1966
Alan Heath in Bromme's brand new, unlettered, Andy Gump- Clovis 1962.
P.J. dualing with a hemified #17 Colby Scroggins- Ascot 1959
Opp in the #12x at a NARC or CRA race 1968.

 

Great pics Rootie You guys amaze me by coming up with all these....

 

You need to come on down to our neck of the wood's Dave let me know if your gonna make it...Ryan

 

Ryan if the kids dont wanna come I just may come by my self... Id like to see you again too...
Dave

 

IndybigJohn tell Betty I have a picture of her daughter Lisa and I when we were maybe 11 or 12 if she would like a copy let me know

 

hey JOSH,,, are you still at the same place that i was at a few years back???
Do you need me to come up and bring TOILETPAPER????

just checking,,,

MISS hootch

 

Racer5c, I just PM'd you.

 

I remember watching Don Hamilton drive that car one night many years ago at Cajon Speedway. Don had everybody' number that night and was running away with main. All of a sudden he slowed down and was passed by quite a few cars. He finished well down (I don't remember how far). He explained later that the knob fot the in/out box had vibrated off and worked it's way under the throttle pedal. He tried to go fast and kick it out of the way at the same time but had on luck.