Mitch G.
05-25-2010, 12:44 PM
Having grown up at Lakeside Speedway watching midgets every Saturday night, any race car that looked like a midget was o.k. in my book. And in 1951 and 52 cars that were built more for dirt track racing, won the big show at Indy. Here we have the winning cars of the Indianapolis 500 from 1951 and 1952. The Bellanger Special #99 a Frank Kurtis masterpiece, was Tony Bettenhausen Sr. ride for 51' he was injured and Lee Wallard filled in winning the 500, this car looked for all the world like a large scale Kurtis midget, beautiful and fully restored living in the Indy motor Speedway museum. Here's Wallard in the Bellanger.
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=36&pictureid=2220
And here it is on the dirt, Tony Bettenhausen up, June 10, 1951 on the dirt at the Milwaukee Mile, he won.
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=36&pictureid=2221
My personal favorite, the J.C. Agajanian, Eddie Kuzma built #98 for Troy Ruttman, man what a car! Troy was the youngest winner of the Indy 500 at the time (and may still be), this car won dozens of races, dirt and pavement, small track and large. Bill Vukovich won at Denver's Centennial Horse track in this car on Sept. 28, 1952 in a AAA 100 mile champ car race, filling in for Ruttman. Here's Ruttman, and Aggie at Indy (note dirt tires,which were not used in the 500 of course). The last upright dirt car to win the Indy 500.
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=36&pictureid=2219
Here's Ruttman on the dirt at Williams Grove, PA a 1/2 mile dirt track for a non-points paying AAA champ car race, July 27 1952.
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=36&pictureid=379
This car raced well into the 1960's, had several different owners, colors, numbers, etc. It is fully restored as the Aggie #98 and is owned by Bruce Meyers. Oh yeah, both powered by the greatest auto racing engine ever built, the Offenhauser, of "Offy". In 1953 Vukovich would win the Indy 500 in a Kurtis roadster, and roadsters ruled the Indy 500, until the horrible rear engine cars started winning in 1965.
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=36&pictureid=2220
And here it is on the dirt, Tony Bettenhausen up, June 10, 1951 on the dirt at the Milwaukee Mile, he won.
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=36&pictureid=2221
My personal favorite, the J.C. Agajanian, Eddie Kuzma built #98 for Troy Ruttman, man what a car! Troy was the youngest winner of the Indy 500 at the time (and may still be), this car won dozens of races, dirt and pavement, small track and large. Bill Vukovich won at Denver's Centennial Horse track in this car on Sept. 28, 1952 in a AAA 100 mile champ car race, filling in for Ruttman. Here's Ruttman, and Aggie at Indy (note dirt tires,which were not used in the 500 of course). The last upright dirt car to win the Indy 500.
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=36&pictureid=2219
Here's Ruttman on the dirt at Williams Grove, PA a 1/2 mile dirt track for a non-points paying AAA champ car race, July 27 1952.
http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=36&pictureid=379
This car raced well into the 1960's, had several different owners, colors, numbers, etc. It is fully restored as the Aggie #98 and is owned by Bruce Meyers. Oh yeah, both powered by the greatest auto racing engine ever built, the Offenhauser, of "Offy". In 1953 Vukovich would win the Indy 500 in a Kurtis roadster, and roadsters ruled the Indy 500, until the horrible rear engine cars started winning in 1965.