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

WOW! Page 500. UNREAL!

You guys need to pat yourselves on the back! It couldn't be done without you.

I see a lot of new guys, WELCOME! Good to have ya. In Honor of page 500. I'll go with the 500... again!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DObRkFU6-Rw

 

Lorraine E. Hoettels


Hoettels, Lorraine E. passed away on March 4, 2010, at the age of 78. She is survived by her loving husband Ronald of 48 years. Loving mother of Joan (Tom) Wenig and Janice Hoettels. Proud grandma of Nicole and Brett Wenig. She is further survived by other relatives and friends. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, March 6, at 11 AM, at St. Gabriel Parish, 1200 St. Gabriel Way, Hubertus (corner of Hwy 164 and Hubertus Rd). Visitation will be held from 9 AM until the time of service at the church. Entombment to follow at St. Mary's Cemetery.
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500

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlytNaTqVZ0&feature=channel



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Here is to another 500 pages of the best thread around.

 

Rabs and sm66p-terrific stuff tonite!

I wish I still had all my old USAC News.They are a wealth of information.

I still have a few late 60s ones when they were still the large newspaper size.

 

I made these for Rich,and he said to share them with the group.

 

2 cars in oversteer and 1 car almost in a push with inboard shocks

 

That`s what grabbed me about the photo that Rabs posted. The 3 different attitudes of the cars.

I cleaned it up and gave it a bit of an art treatment and cropped it in closer.

 

Hey Buildy, Thanks! can you work your photo shop art magic on this shot of Osborn for me.....THANKS Rich

 

Congrats on making page 500!

 

Ha ha! So... I typed into "Google" search "500" just to see what I would get, then I typed in 500 sprint car hoping to find a Sprinter with the #500.. Instead I stumbled across this video. I've seen short clips of it before, but what makes this one funny is the "classic" Death defying style announcer! I love when T.V. shows get a hold of a Sprint Car crash video and COMPLETELY screw up the info, and what happened.

Basically... the guy hooked his Right rear and took a ride. He was fine and climbed out on his own, but!!! According to the announcer, "His axle buckles sending him sailing through the air to his sure death"

It's worth watching due to: It is a SPECTACULAR Sprint Car crash!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUvChvLbMCA

 

"Hey Buildy, Thanks! can you work your photo shop art magic on this shot of Osborn for me.....THANKS Rich"


Sure thing Rich!

Spike the #55 was Tom Bigelow.

Rich,here you go.

 

Does anyone have a photo of the No. 11 Biggio Bros. Chevy that Bobby Courtwright raced in URC (and once in USAC) in 1958?

 

Hey cool photo of my car #45 with Dee Jones

 

thanks for posting that one,Josh. I agree about the announcer's lack of knowledge- like "fuel leaking from the engine" and other nonsense. Perris is a great track for action. Some consider it a replacement for Ascot. I can remember a couple of cars having to be extricated from the fence at Ascot the same way. Wow I got to start page 501!

 

A copy of my posting on the modified stock car thread.

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Just spoke to Marty Himes (The Himes Museum of Auto Racing Nostalgia .. here on Long Island, NY) and he advised me that the date for the Annual Show at the Historic Hallockville Farm -- Mattituck, Long Island, NY has been set.

The show will include antique cars, antique trucks, antique fire engines, antique tractors, antique industrial engines (such as the "hit & miss" ones used on farms & other applications) .. there even was some old military aircraft engines there .. and of course historical/nostalgia/antique RACE CARS of all sorts & from many eras.

Something else at that show (that I found fascinating) is the tractor pull contest that features real working farm tractors. The weight these everyday machines, that we pretty much take for granted, can pull is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING !!!!

If you have a race car that you'd like to show .. the guy to contact is Marty Himes. Drop me a Private Message & I'll give you his phone number (if you don't already have it).

The dates are Saturday & Sunday July 17th & 18th. MARK THEM ON YOUR CALENDAR.

It's a real fun and enjoyable way to spend a day or weekend in the country, to show your machine &/or just look around.

Even though they've been posted here before, I'll post just SOME things from last years show.
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On a sad note; while surfing the web, I stumbled across the obituary for "Flyin' Bryan" Osgood.He died on Dec. 19,2009. Bryan was a front runner in central Pa. in the mid '60s. He had 15 feature wins at Port Royal. He won the first 2 Modified shows at Pocono on the big track. Dirt or asphalt, openwheel or closed, Bryan was always fast. If you Google his name,you will find a nice tribute written by Geoff Bodine.

 

I was hanging with Billy today,he's not sure if he has of any pictureor not...RICH

 

Following the capacity discussion , here are the 1969 USAC eligibility regs for Champ Cars attempting to qualify for Indy which would give some insight into the rules for the feeder groups.
Eligibility of four cycle supercharged overhead camshaft engines will be limited to a maximum piston displacement of 161.703 cubic inches(2650cc);non supercharged four cycle overhead camshaft engines will be limited to a maximum piston displacement of 256.284 cubic inches (4200cc);American stock production block design,single non-overhead camshaft, removeable head, non-supercharged engines will be limited to a maximum piston displacement of 320.355 cubic inches(5250cc);Special rocker arm,single non-overhead camshaft,removeable head, non-supercharged engines will be limited to a maximum piston displacement of 305.1 cubic inches (5000cc);Two cycle engines, other than Diesel engines,, supercharged or not will be limited to a maximum displacement of 170.856 cubic inches (2800cc);Diesel engines,supercharged, two or four cycle,will be limited to a maximum displacement of 203.4 cubic inches (3333cc);Diesel engines ,non-supercharged, two or four cycle will be limited to a maximum displacement of 305.1 cubic inches (5000cc);Gas turbine engines will be limited to a maximum total inlet annulus area of 11.999 square inches measured at the entrance to the first moving stage of the compressor section;and all cars powered by gas turbine engines must have facilities as stipulated by USAC to prevent escapement of debris resulting from turbine wheel failure;Rotating combustion engines, non-supercharged,will be limited to a maximum of 256.284 cubic inches (4200cc) ,based on maximum volume minus minimum volume of one working chamber.

This was the header to the Entry List for the 53rd running in 1969.
There were 67 listed entrants to try to qualify for the 33 grid positions ,10 of whom availed themselves of the 320 Cu In regulation and non of which was entered with under a 4" bore ,the largest being 4.060" with a stroke of 3.180"
This might indicate 350 ,four bolt Camaro blocks with short stroke cranks for those attempting with Chev blocks but more informed readers than myself might have answers to that.
The only one to qualify under this capacity was the Olsonite Eagle AAR Ford-Weslake of Dan Gurney who ran second.
I belive the Frank Curtis "National Boatlift Special " qualified with a Chev but crashed in practice the day before the race and was therefore bumped.
Does anybody have a link to where I might find the actual qualifying times for all the 67 entrants, not just the successful ones that made it to Memorial Day
I would be very appreciative
Cheers Greg

 

This isn`t exactly what you are after,but it will give you something to get started with.

I don`t think the Curtis car qualified,but rather crashed in practice without an attempt at qualification.

http://www.champcarstats.com/races/196903.htm

 

Thanks Buildy , it looks like it was a dismal month for the Chevs!!
How long did it take (if ever) for one to get up??
From the build quality, compared with say an AAR Eagle it looks like the Curtis was one of the last "Built at home in the shed" cars to take a tilt at running at the Brickyard.
At this late date it was still a tube space frame (and about the same structural integrity as an early Formula Ford) but with pannier fuel pods rivetted on full length.
The fuel cells are in great condition and are dated 2/67 so the build date can be accurately attributed.
Once again, many thanks Cheers greg

 

I don`t think any stock block Chevy qualified at Indy after 1963, until 1973 when my uncle Jerry Karl qualified Smokey Yunick`s twin Turbo Chevy Eagle.
That car had a 209 cu in with about 1100 HP. They couldn`t keep both turbos together on it long enough to finish the races.
In 1975 Jerry qualified it again and finished the 500 with the engine severely detuned and the tach hooked up reading wrong.

You are right about Curtis,he built that car right down the block from my grandmother`s house in Hewlett NY. Yes,it was a regular garage next to his house,and small.

 

Old Bill, do you mean this car? 1958 Williams Grove

http://www.thevintageracer.com/jimnise/nise_autograph9.htm

 

Rabs,the last few sets you have posted were from Reading in 1975.

The #1 4 bar car was Pancho in 1975. I was in the Air Force at the time and never saw that car or any of these in your sets before.

 

I figured I'd help you catch up on what you missed in '75! Sorry I took so long, LoL.....Rich

 

Jim, That looks like it. Later in the year it was unpainted with friction tape numbers. Any idea what color it was in your photo?

 

Hey Bill,Sorry I had a brain fart! Gene, I think still lives about a mile up the road from me,I'll have to stop by and see if I can get any shots or info.....Rich

 

Not trying to get anything started, but might the 55 have been Gordy Lee ? I think he used that number in USAC about this point in time - the old Klincher locknut car.

 

No problem here. I try,but I get it wrong sometimes.
I went by the open wheel times results,but either they,or I could have goofed.
Maybe someone here knows for sure.


I don`t mind if someone corrects me.