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

Hi Easter, yes, I took both pictures. The Wagner car photo was taken at NorthStar Speedway in 1973. The black #63 was taken in 1972 at Cedar Lake Speeway (WIS). Funny you should mention the wing being bent. He rolled the car over in hot laps. That's Jerry lacing up his shoes. A great driver, I was fortunate as I saw him race many times. Did you know Scratch has a brother named Itch? He drove also.

 

One more of #63, sorry about the quality.

 

More of the engine display at EMMR.

 

Dick - Thanks for the response. Itch? He must have come first (older). I only got to see Jerry for a few years - mainly 67 - 70. I saw him on dirt in Allentown, Topeka, and Tampa - that's pretty spread out. I posted some pics of him earlier on this thread. He seemed to always have a huge smile and I only remember him with a crew cut. He seemed 100% racer. Jerry and Opp were always the first drivers to go out to the wall. Back then in IMCA, it seemed to me that Richert was sprint car king and Ernie Deere was stock car king. Ernie looked like a 1940's movie star with his little mustache. I can also still hear that huge hemi of Ernie's (from Keokuk, Iowa I think) racing against Ramo Stott. Those were some good times. We might have all been carnies or gypsies, but we were happy.

 

Amen to that! The State Fair was 10 days at that time so they raced sprints 5 days and stock cars 5 days. (I.M.C.A) Derr was the man then but a lot of good racers from Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska all put on a good show. To not race their anymore is a #$% shame.

 

I know, I know: it's a sprint car thread - but, we were on the subject of Ernie Derr (I always thought it was Deere) and here is a good photo from an IMCA yearbook. When we were at the State Fairs, the stocks would usually run the same day as the midgets and the sprints ran separate shows. Some of the sprint car drivers would run in the stock cars also. That's Ernie in the top left photo. An added note: The Joey Chitwood Thrill Show traveled with IMCA, too. Who needed to go to the midway with all of this entertainment on the track?

 

Here's something that might be of interest. Somebody can get this for me for Christmas if you like.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/1967-PEPSI-IMCA-Sprint-CarTrophy-63-car-A-J-Foyt-/200583101391

 

Bill Schindler was lost today, September 20, 1952 at the Allentown Fairgrounds.

 

I consider myself as being very fortunate to have seen Schindler race one week prior to his fatal. He and Paul Russo put on one helluva race at the Morristown NJ Speedway - side by side almost the entire race. Schindler in the Earl Beal Offy and Russo in the Caruso Stretched Midget.
Unknown to many, Schindler was due to run twice the day he lost his leg in 1936. He vowed to never race twice again, and kept that vow until 9/20/52 when he ran the Sprint Car at Allentown and then was going to race a Midget at Hatfield that night. He was only 43 years young!

 

Are you saying you can connect us with either Rita Hayworth or Rosemary Clooney.? Halloween is coming!!!

 

This guy drove with one leg? I assume it was his left he lost?

 

Cal Niday drove midgets and Indy cars for the better part of his career with only one leg. When he climbed into a race car he would remove the wooden leg, and hand it to a crew member. Said "he didn't want it getting in the way".

 

Did he use a hand brake?

 

Give me a break please, okay? I'm still trying to channel ELVIS! So far all i do is say 'thank ya vury muuuucch', and for some reason I desire peanut butter and banannas on white bread........................

 

New rules in New Jersey roll cage has to be 3 inches above drivers head in this shot most of the drivers heads are 3 inches above roll cage. It took real men to run these cars not spoiled rich kids.

 

That's for damn sure. I admire anyone who drives an open wheel car but, those guys were special.

 

Yup, when he used the brakes. Cal drove during a different time. No front wheel brakes, and very little brake on the rear. His generation drove with the steering wheel and the throttle.

 

The end of an era as Joe Kennelly passes...the last pre-WWII on-track competitor. If you're in the Indianapolis area, the viewing will take place at 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 23 followed by a funeral Mass at noon, both at The Church of St. Pius X, 7200 Sarto Drive, Indianapolis.

http://www.indianapolismotorspeedwa...-ends-as-riding-mechanic-kennelly-dies-at-97/

 

Yes, it was his left leg. Schindler also drove Stock Cars, too. For him to race Indy cars he had to take a "test" and that "test" was he drove the # 17 of Clark Gable in the movie "To Please A Lady" on the dirt track in Texas. He came in second.
Ironically, Schindler and Ted Horn only drove in one Indy car race together and that was at Goshen in 1936. Neither qualified. Shortly thereafter, Schindler lost his leg and didn't return to Indy cars until after Horn was fatally injured on 10/10/48. They never competed against each other in Sprint Cars, either. After Horn lost his life, Schindler did drive the Horn Sprint Car for Teds widow.
At one time I was believing that it was due to Schindler losing his leg that made the hand brake come about, but I was told that wasn't so.
Ther was also a one armed driver - Wes Saegesser, who also drove here in the east.

 

Back to the cars at EMMR.

 

Easter, I know the 1 is Ernie, the 0 is Ramo, and the 29 is probably Ron Hutcherson. Who is the 7. And you should post this on the Historic Stock Car Photos thread.

 

Another project that is going together here at Zakira's is the LocoMobile J-8 Spl.

I might have mentioned it already, but either way here are some update photos. Chassis is built, Rolling and steering.. now it's time for Body Bucks and to hammer out a body.


Enjoy