Champ car memories

[Mitch G.]

Another scene never to be repeated in racing ever again. This is practice for the 1965 Phoenix 200 mile USAC National Championship race. Dee Jones is in a traditional upright dirt car (this is actually the Eddie Kuzma built car that J.C. Agajanian owned, and Troy Ruttman won the 1952 Indy 500, in), leading Carl Williams in a roadster, this style car was king of paved ovals starting in 1953. In the back is Lloyd Ruby in a new fangled "funny car", rear engine car. This was not an exhibition, these guys were trying to qualify to be in the same race! This photo represents race car evolution within a 13 year period. Here you have Offenhauser engines in the dirt car, and roadster, a DOHV Ford V8 in the funny car, sadly the rear engine cars took over.
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=36&pictureid=323
Hey Webby, check out Jones lifting that left front, ala midgets at Lakeside Speedway!!

[Mitch G.]

One last hurrah!! And another story proving A.J. Foyt is the greatest race car driver of all time. 1965, the Indy 500 has been won by a rear engine "funny car", Jim Clark in a Lotus has driven the nail in the coffin for real race cars at the Championship level. You still have to run the dirt mile ovals to win the USAC National Championship, which is why Clark never came close to winning that title.
The Champ cars run the dirt mile at Springfield, IL Aug. 21st. Foyt won in the Wally Meskowski built dirt champ car. The next day the Champ cars are on the paved mile at Milwaukee, WI, the 26 car starting field has only 6 old front engined roadsters, and 2 really outdated upright dirt cars. Clark is the favorite, Mario Andretti is a close 2nd, the front engine days are over. A.J. Foyt's Lotus 34 "Funny car" is a no show, now this guy is all about racing, so he unloads the dirt car, and yes it's still dirty from the Springfield win. Well A.J. puts the old dirt car on the POLE!!! Foyt led many laps, but Gordon Johncock in a rear engine Offy won the 200 lapper, Foyt was 2nd.
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=36&pictureid=324

[webby]

Wow! A J Foyt was the man.

That is amazing stuff.

It's cool but sad at the same time. It's sad because it's a lost era in racing.

[Thomas E]

The now USAC Silver Crown Series cars were called "Big Cars" back in the days of AAA auto racing. I had the chance to see them run a few times southern California, South Dakota, and Colorado, under the sanction of AAA (American Automobile Association) 1902-1955.

It is hard to escape the minds eye memory of those thunderous rumbling 270 Offy's framed inside the Kurtis Kraft and Eddy Kuzma big car chassis. The power slide with a rooster tail of dirt shooting high into the air just as if were Old Faithful itself, was a sight to behold. Some of the 100 mile races could flag to flag at 100+ mph, others seemed like they wouldn't even get into the record book.

The AAA Championship Trail came to Denver, Colorado for a 100 mile race at Centennial Park; Centennial was a 1 mile dirt oval, specifically for horse racing. Centennial was located at Bellview and Santa Fe in Littleton, Colorado. For only two years AAA sanctioned the 100 mile Big Car events at Centennial.
1951, September 23 - Tony Bettenhausen winner 100 miles.
1952, September 28 - Bill Vukovich winner 100 miles.
AAA left sanctioning auto racing in 1955, and in 1956 the sanctioning auto racing body became USAC, United States Auto Club.

The most prolific of all the AAA Big Car racing was Ted Horn. Ted was the AAA Champion in 1947-48-49. And in nine consecutive Indy 500's Ted never finished less than 4th.

My favorite big car drivers are -

Sam Hanks 1915-1994. 1953 AAA Champion, 1957 Indy 500 winner.
After Sam retired from auto racing in 1957, he was appointed USAC's director of competition.
Sam also drove the pace car for the Indy 500 nine times, the same number of times
that Jim Rathmann drove the pace car.
Bill Vukovich I, 1918-1955. 1953-54 Indy 500 winner.
Bill suffered a fatal crash on lap 56 during the 1955 Indy 500.
Jim Malloy, 1935-1972. Multiple CAMRA championships, competed at Indy 1968-71.
Jim died as result of crash practicing for the 1972 Indy 500.

[Thomas E]

My favorite big car drivers.

Photos in order . . .

Sam Hanks, 1953 (Indy third place) Offy
Bill Vukovich I, 1953 (Indy 500 winner) Offy
Jim Malloy, 1968, Hoosier 100