Sprint car legends

[Mitch G.]

This is a beautiful Al Consoli photo of Greg Weld in Paul Leffler's sprint car, Terre Haute, IN. Early 1970's. Weld was USAC National Sprint champ in 1967.

[Mitch G.]

1969, El Centro, California, Jimmy Oskie a 5 time CRA sprint car champ, in the only 4 bar chassis Hank Henry ever built, Oskie's own, "J-Ram Special". Oskie is a member of the "National Sprint Car Hall of Fame".

[Mitch G.]

Look at this awesome color shot of Tommy Hinnershitz in the "Miracle Power Spl"#2, leading Speed McFee in Dutch Culps #4, both Offy powered Hillegass built sprint cars. Williams Grove, PA, 1955 is the site of the shot from Gordon Eliot Whites great book, "Offenhauser, the legendary racing engine and the men who built it". The photo is from the Lou Ensworth collection.

[Mitch G.]

Great shot of Johnny Parsons Sr. qualifying the "Autobright Spl." sprinter at Reading, PA in 1951. From the Bruce Craig collection, also from Gordon Eliot Whites book on the Offenhauser engine.

[Mitch G.]

Ouch! Chuck Hulse takes a terrible tumble at New Bremen, OH on May 3, 1964.
That's Bob Wente in the "Wynn's" #3 subbing for the injured Don Branson. Ken Coles shot this amazing photo. Hulse suffered pretty serious back and eye injuries, but recovered to race many more years. Look at Wente's left rear tire, I'm suspecting he tangled with Hulse.

[Mitch G.]

Parnelli Jones had a younger brother, Paul who was a excellent sprint car driver also. Here is Paul Jones in Bruce Bromme's Offy sprinter, Imperial, CA in Feb. of 1969. Photo from Dolan Lannon Collection, from Buzz Rose's great book "California Hot Shoes, CRA sprint cars 1955-1970 volume 1"

[Mitch G.]

Jud Larson in A.J. Watson's Offy sprint car, Terre Haute, IN. in 1965. A great Ken Coles, photo of the legend himself.

[Mitch G.]

A portrait of a champion.

[Mitch G.]

http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=24&pictureid=273

Now here's a beautiful sprint car, built by the incredible Steve Stapp in 1964. This car is now fully restored, but it led a terrific life, it was driven by 5 USAC national sprint car champions, A.J. Foyt, Parnelli Jones, Johnny Rutherford, Rollie Beale, and Pancho Carter, Mario Andretti, 4 of which won the Indy 500. This car competed until 1981 (under several other owners), It was restored in 2004 by Joe Fiore

[Mitch G.]

http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=24&pictureid=274

Here's 3 time Indy 500 winner, and 1965 USAC National Sprint Car Champ, Johnny Rutherford, on his way to winning the feature at Terre Haute, IN, 1965. In the wonderful Stapp sprinter.

[mac miller]

Ouch! Chuck Hulse takes a terrible tumble at New Bremen, OH on May 3, 1964.
That's Bob Wente in the "Wynn's" #3 subbing for the injured Don Branson. Ken Coles shot this amazing photo. Hulse suffered pretty serious back and eye injuries, but recovered to race many more years. Look at Wente's left rear tire, I'm suspecting he tangled with Hulse.

Bad day at New Bremen.
This was the same day that Jim Maguire lost an arm in a crash and Bob Black destroyed the original Cheesman Offy over the turn 4 wall.
That was the last time the "Fike" car ever ran in the midwest, although it turned up later in Cal. owned by Johnny Anderson. It ended up in Australia, with a roll cage and a wing:mad: Hank Henry must have rolled over in his grave when he saw what those guys did to his "magnum opus". It is still in Aus. owned by a guy named Bob Blacklaw.

[Mitch G.]

Mac, thanks for adding to the history here, it really makes these posts come to life when someone like yourself, who was there, can add details and insight. We need guys like you to validate some of this history!

[Mitch G.]

Here's the car Mac refers to, the wonderful Fike Plumbing Spl. with the legendary Parnelli Jones aboard.
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=24&pictureid=1487
A blurry color photo from an obscure book "American Automobile Racing An Illustrated History" by Albert R. Bochroch published in 1974 in Great Britain, then published in the US in 1977. The Fike car at Winchester, IN in 1960, again Parnelli in the wheel house.
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=24&pictureid=1488
Not sure who's in Diz Wilson's #71 Offy up top there, Johnny White?
Mac Miller can give us the stat's on the Fike car, it won a ton. USAC sprint title in 60 and 61, and much, much more.

[Quick Time]

Hey Mitch,

The Steve Stapp #4 is one great picture, what a beautiful restoration.

Chuck

[mac miller]

Hey Mitch,

The Steve Stapp #4 is one great picture, what a beautiful restoration.

Chuck

The car is owned by Larry Pfitzenmaier in Arizona, who also owns the #99 "Joe Hunt" champ dirt car and the #16 Simoniz Watson roadster.

There is also a perfect reproduction of the Stapp#4 in northern Indiana owned by Pat York.

[indybigjohn]

Thanks for those memory-jogging photos. Mac, one of my greatest memories is that I came out of the service in 1960 just in time to see Parnelli Jones and the Fike Plumbing Special appear in the Midwest.

[mac miller]

Probably the ultimate picture of the "Fike" racing with A.J. on the high banks at Salem in 1961.

[christiea29]

My grandfather Johnny White drove Diz Wilson's 71. And Knepper drove his car 70.

[CTtoPA]

http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=24&pictureid=274

Here's 3 time Indy 500 winner, and 1965 USAC National Sprint Car Champ, Johnny Rutherford, on his way to winning the feature at Terre Haute, IN, 1965. In the wonderful Stapp sprinter.

That was June 13. Johnny missed the first 4 sprint races before getting this ride. He lost it the following race and picked up the Meskowski #9 ride for the rest of the year and the rest is history. Ended up breaking his arms the following April at Eldora in the Wynn's #1. That car was also restored by Joe Fiore.

[bobjeffreson]

I was speaking with a mate of Bob Blacklaw last weekend and just happened to mention the Fike Special. He knew nothing about the car and said ..."Lets phone Blacklaw and find out how it's going"
Aparently the car is coming along nicely and is about 3/4 restored. Trouble is I didn't ask in what configuration.......the Fike car or the car that came to Australia....now known as the Anderson sprinter. Because of my interest he told my mate that I'll be invited to check it out when it's done.
With camera in hand, I'm looking forward to that!

[Mitch G.]

Can't wait to see that, keep us posted Bob!!!!

[CTtoPA]

Unfortunately for us, the car is being restored as it ran in Australia.

[bobjeffreson]

Then it will look like this......as seen here from 1972 when Anderson ran it at Liverpool City Raceway, Sydney Australia. Don't get me wrong... I'd prefer to see it come back as the Fike Plumbing Spl....however this is the way the car is remembered here...not as the Fike car.
This car totally changed racing here. Super Modifieds became obsolete overnight!

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g181/bobjeffreson/SCAN_0197.jpg

[CTtoPA]

Sometimes those decisions are hard when a car has more than one great history! Don't take this the wrong way but I say forget you Aussies! Give us back our cars! Honestly though, I'm glad someone with the money and resources has chosen to use it to preserve racing history.

[bobjeffreson]

"Give us back our cars!"
LOL.......With the number of notable cars that are in Australia and New Zealand, I reckon you guys should be more aware of the history of your famous cars...especially midgets....we certainly are down here!
Here is an example of one that got away a while back from a noted collector in the "States" and currently resides in Sydney.
Hey CT.... you're right buddy.....as long as someone restores them, then the history is maintained.
Just an aside.....the Fike Plumbing Special sprinter....one of "the cars of the 1960s"... was found sitting in long grass in the front of a house in Darwin, Australia....Google that place and see how far it was from its home town!
Thank goodness Bob Blacklaw knew what it was.
And on that same visit to Darwin, Blacklaw also found one of Bob Tattersall's famous cars ...the Cascio Offy that is totally retored and is seen on display at events around Sydney.

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g181/bobjeffreson/yeraldimidget.jpg

[Mitch G.]

It's important that these cars survive, it does bum us out when we lose one to another country, but as long as they survive, and thrive. You guys in Australia have some of our fantastic cars, the wonderful "El Toro Garage" Edmunds VW that Larry Patton, Bobby Olivero, and Sammy Swindell (won his first ever midget race in),and many others drove, went down under a few month's ago. Maybe the guy could have a separate body built with the "Fike Plumbing", livery on it, and unbolt the cage and display it every now and then as it raced with Parnelli Jones aboard!
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=24&pictureid=1487
Should not have put up this photo, now I'm gonna' cry.

[CTtoPA]

There is a prominent Australian businessman who has been buying midgets left and right. I think they're all still here in the states though. Three aren't even done yet! One of which is the Matoon Motors Offy that Tattersall drove.

[bobjeffreson]

HMMMMMMM......I wonder who that could be?

[mac miller]

Maybe the guy could have a separate body built with the "Fike Plumbing", livery on it, and unbolt the cage and display it every now and then as it raced with Parnelli Jones aboard!
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=24&pictureid=1487
Should not have put up this photo, now I'm gonna' cry.


Here is a pic of my humble replica of the "Fike" as it appeared in the Parnelli Jones display at Amelia Island a couple of years ago. Also, a pic of Parnelli in my car at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

[Racephoto1]

Being a Yank, I'd rather see the Fike car. Being down under it will probably be done as the Anderson car.

[PutterMcGavin]

This might be REALLY random but I posted on a different forum that my grandfather used to be really involved in motorsports back in the day and was asked what type, when, etc.

That got me googling and I just stumbled upon this post.

I didn't realize until today how much influence the Fike car had! My grandfather, Joe Pittman was the mechanic I assume is responsible for some of the success which I kind of knew but didn't realize it has such a profound influence!

If ANYONE has any more interesting information about the car, links to articles with my grandfather, pictures of the car, etc. please PM me. I'd be really interested to see them!

[Mitch G.]

Putter,
Always great to see younger guys take a interest in sprint car history, your grandfather was in the thick of the golden era of sprint car racing.
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=320&pictureid=3630
From the Carl Hungness book "USAC Sprint History 1956-1980"

[webby]

This might be REALLY random but I posted on a different forum that my grandfather used to be really involved in motorsports back in the day and was asked what type, when, etc.

That got me googling and I just stumbled upon this post.

I didn't realize until today how much influence the Fike car had! My grandfather, Joe Pittman was the mechanic I assume is responsible for some of the success which I kind of knew but didn't realize it has such a profound influence!

If ANYONE has any more interesting information about the car, links to articles with my grandfather, pictures of the car, etc. please PM me. I'd be really interested to see them!Putter... welcome to Auto Racing Memories! I have certified your membership so now you have full privileges and you can post pictures if you want to. For tips on how to post images check out these instructional videos (http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25).

Looking forward to hearing more of your auto racing memories!

[PutterMcGavin]

Putter,
Always great to see younger guys take a interest in sprint car history, your grandfather was in the thick of the golden era of sprint car racing.
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=320&pictureid=3630
From the Carl Hungness book "USAC Sprint History 1956-1980"

Mitch thank you for the picture! I shot it over to my dad who immediately recognized it.

My grandfather passed away a feew years ago and while it was definitely tough it was really interesting getting back into his shop in Phoenix. I hadn't been there in YEARS and seeing all of the tools, parts, writings, everything took me back a bit!

I am fortunate in that he left for me some of his tools and a toolbox. Something I'll be sure to use and pass down to a future son in years to come.

My dad actally inherited his old '32 (I think...) Ford Coupe with a "Joe Pittman" built flat head. I don't know the specs but it is a future project for my dad and me. He also inherited a Monterrey; unfortunately nothing like the Fike though!

As I get more pictures I'll be sure to post them up! I need to get back to AZ soon...

Putter... welcome to Auto Racing Memories! I have certified your membership so now you have full privileges and you can post pictures if you want to. For tips on how to post images check out these instructional videos (http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25).

Looking forward to hearing more of your auto racing memories!


Thank you Webby! I'll be sure to contribute in the future!

[iSeeMore56]

This is a beautiful Al Consoli photo of Greg Weld in Paul Leffler's sprint car, Terre Haute, IN. Early 1970's. Weld was USAC National Sprint champ in 1967.

Loving that blue and white colorway!

[LittleFauss]

.....'Part of the history of the Fike Plumbing car that Johnny Anderson ultimately took to Australia in early 1972 is that in 1964/65, John Pestana and Bobby Lang bought the car for Dick Atkins to run in NARC in northern California and for some trips down to race with the CRA whenever there wasn't a conflicting date with their Pestana-Lang 2-car midget team running in BCRA. When Atkins left to go run for Wally and J. C. Agajanian in 1966, the car was sold to Sherman Cleveland. And poor Sherman didn't have it long. When he lost his life at Calistoga in July of '66, the car was sold to "Broadway Andy," Johnny Anderson's father. The car was called, "Mom's Mink" and was the most beautiful sprinter in northern California. Actually, Anderson's younger brother Billy, probably logged more time in the car than Johnny. Billy came close to losing his life in the car at the open comp race at Sacramento in 1969. I'm sure our friends 'down under' will find it interesting that there's a connection between the Fike car and Sherman "The Shy One," since I know he was extremely popular down there, as well as with a lot of us over here.

Pics' top to bottom: Dick Atkins racing at Champion Speedway (South San Francisco)--Sherman Cleveland, with the car still lettered Pestana-Lang and Billy Anderson racing Jerry "Termite" McClung and Gerry McLees from Washington down the front straight-away at Sacramento, 1970.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5095/5511124653_5f8f9d2668_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/34494273@N05/5511124653/)

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5292/5511127535_4156b8d579_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/34494273@N05/5511127535/)

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5096/5511715138_d48a676ac6_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/34494273@N05/5511715138/)

[Mitch G.]

LittleFaus,
Amazing how well documented the life of that particular sprint car has become. I don't begrudge the Australian boys getting the car, just wish it would be restored as the "Fike Plumbing Spl.". I would have never known what a beating the car took, always figured it never suffered much damage.

[ArtworxFX]

The sprintcar that changed a Nation!

I have always since a young boy of about 4-5 years old been a Motor Racing fan especially speedway in Australia during the 60’s and 70’s! My Mum and Dad used to take me to the Speedway, as in those days it was a cheap night out and it was very popular, especially the Sydney Showground! You might think why would a kid of this age like Speedway? I am not sure what attracted me to Speedway racing at that age. But 40 odd years later, I can distinctly remember the smell of the fuel, the colours of the cars under lights, and the electrifying atmosphere! Especially when the lights went out at the start of a race, in that dusty cauldron! It was a magic place! I have read about the atmosphere of that place, and yep, there sure was! I was there!

It was a place full of Speedway history starting in 1926. The Sydney Showground was a place where at times, a lot of visiting American speedcar drivers would teach some of our boys a lesson or two in their beautiful Offenhausers! Bob Tattersall springs to mind, as one of your countrys many popular visitors!
I loved Speedway that much that during this early time in the 60’s, I began to draw my favourite cars, and 40 or so years later, at 50 now, I still draw them!

In the late 60’s I moved to an outer suburb of Sydney, and it just so happened there was a new track opening and at the time it looked like a country speedway!
My Dad took me to this new Liverpool Speedway, where we used to spend a lot of time enjoying this great sport! Over time we had speedcars, bikes, modifieds, and what we call sedans, your call them Stock cars!
By the 70’s mostly our cars were home made specials, we were slowly being out numbered by Australian owned Offenhauser Speedcars, Our modifieds were sometimes Edmounds Copys, running Chev power, and we thought life was great and at that time, and as a young boy, I remember it was a great time! By around this time my local Liverpool Speedway had built a Grandstand and it was starting to come of age!

We have a clever man in Australia, named Mike Raymond, who had already made his mark in speedway, in the managing of the great Sydney Showground during the those famous days of the 60”s! Fast forward to the early 70’s, and he managed to change Liverpool Speedway in a big way, until its closure in 1989! Mike had masterminded many new ideas into speedway, which over time, made this small venue into one of Australia”s and if not the worlds best tracks!

As I have mentioned earlier, in the early 70”s we had been running a different assortment of Dirt Racers, But without the fans knowing, Mike Raymond was planning to introduce us Aussies to something to which we had never witnessed, and to something which would change our speedway forever!
Mike had met a young Californian hard charger named Johnny Anderson, who was already a seasoned campaigner of different race cars, and they both agreed to bring a never seen before Sprintcar to Australia!

This car had already done race duties in Parnelli Jones hands as the Hank Henry built FIKE PLUMBING SPECIAL in the early 60’s And by the mid 60’s American Sherman Cleveland who later owned the race car, was unfortunately killed in this same car at Calistoga in July 1966, so this car already had a sad, but famous history.
Sherman had already toured Down under in early 1966, and was set to return the following year racing midgets!

But now the 70’s had arrived, and that same car was now in the Anderson’s ownership, this History making car, was about to embark on a journey to a little track called Liverpool Speedway, on the other side of the world! Mike and Johnny had organised to bring the beautiful Sprintcar to Australia under a secret cloud of secrecy, but as history shows, like most secrets when the car arrived at Liverpool Speedway in Australia, for a private practice session, everyone who was anyone was there having a look, to see this new missile and this young American in action! I would think that some Aussie jaws would have hit the floor, when Johnnys foot planted the floor in this Sprintcar!

Looking back to 1972 I was a young 11 year old speedway nut still drawing pictures of cars especially speedway cars thru my childhood! I was still enjoying speedway every Saturday night, or Sunday afternoons! Always dreaming of one day being on that other side of the fence! That dream never came,. . . .

I can still see this winged wonder on our track! Spewing plumes of dirt and dust! Creating history under a dusty cloud of controversy! This winged wonder was winning races, in the land from down under! To this kid it was a special car, and I thought it looked beautiful in its red white and blue paint with the big shiny wing on top with that GOLD Number 1 on its tail! To the traditionalists they didn’t like the spoilt look from its original beginnings! To me, coming from another generation, I thought it was the best car I had seen in speedway, and I still think today its one of the best!

The car and the driver had arrived, and it won plenty in its time here amongst plenty of controversy! The Australian Speedway record books will show, that after plenty of Checkered flags, The time had come for Johnny to wind up his tour, and Johnny had sold the car to (future 10 times Australian champ) Garry Rush, and he headed back home to California!

Australian history shows Garry Rush went on and won more races, amongst more controversy, and was very successful in this car for some years! The Sprintcar in Australia had arrived, and it changed the face of our speedway forever!
Australian Sprintcars were thin on the ground for a few years but eventually everyone who raced our Dirt modifieds, had one!
Fast forward to the modern era, and we are on equal terms to any car from the USA!

After 39 years We are still talking about this car and driver, 39 years??? You can ask any Australian Speedway fan from that era, who Johnny Anderson is and they STILL talk about the Anderson sprintcar that came here!

I can tell you I am still drawing it, as I was back then as a kid, I am glad I actually saw this car and saw history in the making! I am proud to say that through my love of my artwork and speedway, I have become friends with Johnny and his lovely wife Brenda and they have the first print of this car proudly hanging in their trophy room in their home in California! I feel a personal thrill, to think that a part of that 11 year old boy is over there in Johnny Anderson”s Trophy room ! Wow! What a buzz!

History shows Johnny was a versatile driver who won a lot of races in different cars all over the world! I personally think he has been a part of the worlds speedway landscape, and he should be recognised as such! For this reason, from my part of the world, I think he should have been inducted in the Knoxville Hall of Fame! I am not sure how many Americans fans know what He did for us Aussies down under in 1972! In Australia he came, he won, he conquered, and his name goes down in Australian Speedway History amongst all the other American Racers! But here is one thing the others didn’t get to do
He changed the history of Speedway in Australia forever by bringing with him the Sprintcar that changed a nation! Thank you Mr Johnny Anderson. . . . .

[bobjeffreson]

Terry,
Well said mate!
You're right.....name another car that is still revered after all these years.....not many. Maybe to a lesser extent Bill Warners "Moon Eyes" Super modified... the Wigzell "Suddenly" car out of Adelaide......hhmmmm.
When Bob Blacklaw finally shows the restored car, it again will be the talk of the speedway fans....on both sides of the Pacific Ocean I guess.

[LittleFauss]

.....'I finally had the chance to go back into my vast video archives library and retrieve this short clip that I referred to earlier. Johnny Anderson's brother, Billy drove the ex-Fike Plumbing car at both the 1969 and 1970 CRA sanctioned U.S. Open Competition sprint car race at the California State Fairgrounds in Sacramento. Also noted in this clip is driver Don Hawley, who plowed into Billy while he was upside down. Don was substituting for regular driver Paul Jones, Parnelli's brother, in the Bruce Bromme Offy.

What wasn't mentioned before was, during the 1965 CRA sprint car season, Dick Atkins won a CRA feature at Hanford (CA) on February 21st and Sherman Cleveland won a CRA feature at San Francisco's Champion Speedway later that year on August 21st. The car was owned at the time by John Pestana and Bobby Lang before they sold the car to Sherman at the conclusion of the 1965 racing season.

note: ..'Please do not mention this clip to mac miller, one of the great vintage car restoration and replica builders. He's obviously well aware of the history of this great car and I'm sure will "cringe" if he does see this!






YouTube - ‪ex-Fike Plumbing Billy Anderson Sacramento1969‬‏

[meengrinch]

that one will make anyone "cringe".........:banghead:

[Indybail]

Here's the car Mac refers to, the wonderful Fike Plumbing Spl. with the legendary Parnelli Jones aboard.
http://www.autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=24&pictureid=1487
A blurry color photo from an obscure book "American Automobile Racing An Illustrated History" by Albert R. Bochroch published in 1974 in Great Britain, then published in the US in 1977. The Fike car at Winchester, IN in 1960, again Parnelli in the wheel house.
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=24&pictureid=1488
Not sure who's in Diz Wilson's #71 Offy up top there, Johnny White?
Mac Miller can give us the stat's on the Fike car, it won a ton. USAC sprint title in 60 and 61, and much, much more.

I recall Parnelli and The Fike car having some classic battles with Jim Hurtubise in the Sterling Plumbing car. As I remember, these were the guys that really made small block Chevy's the way to go in USAC sprint cars.

[MickeyD]

Mitch thank you for the picture! I shot it over to my dad who immediately recognized it.

My grandfather passed away a feew years ago and while it was definitely tough it was really interesting getting back into his shop in Phoenix. I hadn't been there in YEARS and seeing all of the tools, parts, writings, everything took me back a bit!

I am fortunate in that he left for me some of his tools and a toolbox. Something I'll be sure to use and pass down to a future son in years to come.

My dad actally inherited his old '32 (I think...) Ford Coupe with a "Joe Pittman" built flat head. I don't know the specs but it is a future project for my dad and me. He also inherited a Monterrey; unfortunately nothing like the Fike though!

As I get more pictures I'll be sure to post them up! I need to get back to AZ soon...




Thank you Webby! I'll be sure to contribute in the future!

Here is a shot of what I believe was your grandfather's shop. This is the Fike Plumbing car in 1962.

[Racefan 777]

People who have never heard the cars of that era or have never seen those brave talented men drive those beautiful cars. They truly do not know what they have missed. I would love to be able to go back for one more race. Well maybe two no three lets just say a bunch. Wow they are great cars and drivers.

[indybigjohn]

Every time I saw Dizz Wilson bring both cars to a race while Johnny White was driving, Johnny was in the yellow No. 70. I recall Dick Gaines and others driving the 71. Doesn't look like Gaines in this photo, and the driver is sitting up straight like Johnny used to do.