History Auto racing 1894-1942

GREAT Photo to start off 2026! Over the years I had EVERY PART to build a sister to that car. Looks like it has a Roof Liberty overhead with a Speedway body and Buffalo wire wheels. Best wishes to everyone for 2026! I once sold an old race car to a friend in Coatesville, Pa. and later bought it back.

Bob

 

Happy New Year Bob.

 

I agree on your thoughts about it not being Bob Swanson. In California Swanson drove the car with #2 Offy Midget engine.

 

Happy New Year! Looking forward to seeing the car you put under the historic bucket seat you are now caretaker of.

Bob

 

Was this his car or one he drove on the East Coast for someone?

 

The Rastelli's

 

@The37Kid

This ties into the conversations we were having elsewhere regarding the '36 Vanderbilt Cup race.

Check this page here: https://www.goldenera.fi/gp3612.htm

While there is conflicting information , it appears that Ruth Rastelli was listed as the entrant for both the #51 Wetteroth-Offy 3/4 car and the #53 Wetteroth-Offy midget. It looks like both cars were entered with 2 different drivers, with the #51 entered by Hogan for Billy Devore, and entered by Ruth Rastelli for Bob Swanson, with both entries as "Hogan-Miller", and the #53 entered by R Rastelli for both Louis Tomei and Bob Swanson as "Wetteroth-Offy".
Further down, in the starting grid, both cars are shown as "Wetteroth-Offy". And in the results list further down the page, both entries are accredited to R Rastelli, the #51 Hogan-Miller and the #53 Wetteroth-Offy.

As mentioned on the page linked, there is contradictory information everywhere regarding this race, but that page at least provides sources for the information, several European publications, which is more than can be said for a lot of other websites giving information on the event.

I wonder what the origin of the Rastelli Offy midget is? @banjeaux bob do you know the history of that car?

 

Walter Baker at the starting line in his Torpedo Kid in 1903. Used the electric drivetrain from one of his Baker Electric sedans, he was probably the first person to hit 80 mph, but crashed before he could back it up. Way ahead of his time with the application of aerodynamics, but also in the first use of seat belts.

 

What is the venue shown? According to what I can find out, "The first board track for motor racing was the circular Los Angeles Motordrome, built in 1910 in the area that would later become the city's Playa del Rey district." (Gnerre, Sam (January 12, 2011). "Los Angeles Motordrome". South Bay History. Archived from the original on 9 June 2011. Retrieved 24 July 2012.)

If that's correct, then the 1903 date can't be right, and the photo is probably a lineup of "vintage racers" from a much later date. This is also my impression when I first saw the photograph and had not read the caption.

 

I don't believe it's a board track, though it certainly has that look in the photo. This event took place at Glenville, Ohio.

 

I'm sticking with my original evaluation.

 

https://macsmotorcitygarage.com/clevelands-lost-racetrack-the-glenville-one-mile-oval/
https://case.edu/ech/articles/g/glenville-race-track