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Los Angeles, CA. - It's time to revisit in more detail the
Wednesday, November 23, 2005 "Track Roadsters - Road to the
Indianapolis 500" special program at the Wally Parks NHRA
Motorsports Museum at the Pomona Fairplex of the Los Angeles County
Fairgrounds. Steve Lewis' Performance Racing Industry and Irwindale
Speedway co-sponsored the exhibit/program. Author/historian/videographer
Dick Wallen, of Glendale, AZ, was present to sign copies of his new
book, "Roaring Roadsters-The Road to Indy". A
reproduction of a Joe Henning-drawing depicted five racing track
roadsters at the Carrell Speedway dirt track on Vermont Ave. and
Artesia Blvd. in Gardena, CA. All guests received a copy of the
painting that is suitable for framing. The roadsters shown were Troy
Ruttman (# 19), Pat Flaherty (# 12), Jim Rathmann (# 16), Rodger
Ward (# 7) and Harry Stockman (in unnumbered, pair-of-dice car). The
exhibit will be on-going to
January 2006.
Some 175 persons visited the special display of
California Roadster Association roadsters, photos, videos and racing
items. A luncheon program preceded a panel discussion, hosted by
broadcaster Bob Jenkins of SPEED Channel. He said 73 CRA post
World War II roadster drivers made Indy 500 starting lineups through
the 1950s. CRA roadster drivers who won the Indianapolis 500
included Troy Ruttman, Bob Sweikert, Pat Flaherty, Jimmy Bryan,
Rodger Ward, Jim Rathmann and Parnelli Jones. Those winners
account for eight Indy 500 victories. Other CRA roadster drivers who
made Indy 500 starts include: Don Freeland, Bob Scott, Joe James,
Jim Rigsby, Manuel Ayulo, Jack McGrath, Bob Veith, Richard
"Red" Amick, Chuck Hulse, Elmer George, Johnny Boyd, Andy
Linden, George Amick, Art Bisch, Dick Rathmann and Dempsey Wilson.
Jenkins served as moderator and posed questions
to the four panelists on the dais. They were Walt James, 82 year old
former roadster driver and CRA president (1950-70); Jim Rathmann,
77, 1960 Indianapolis 500 winner; Parnelli Jones, 72, 1963
Indianapolis 500 winner, and Art Chrisman, roadster engine builder,
dry lakes racer and drag racing legend. Art subbed for Andy
Granatelli who was unable to attend because of a back problem.
Rathmann and Jones both raced CRA roadsters before racing to fame in
Indy 500 roadsters. Jenkins mentioned the big three racing founders
or key persons after WWII were Bill France, Sr (NASCAR), Tony Hulman
(Indianapolis 500) and Wally Parks (NHRA drag racing). Only 92-year
old Parks survives and the respected gentleman spoke about the
roadster racing era and his role in founding NHRA to take drag
racing off public
streets.
Jenkins asked the same question and each panelist
responded. Question # 1 - What was your first car/hot rod and did
you street race? JAMES mentioned a long-gone car and said he had
street raced. RATHMANN said, "I received 48 tickets street
racing before I was 18." JONES said, "I have to keep Jim
alive. He's the oldest living winner of the Indy 500 and I'm next
oldest. Jim didn't need a helmet even back then. Just put a number
on his bald head." (Aside--Rathmann and Jones looked remarkably
as they did when they won the Indy 500. Talk about Pat Boone and
Dick Clark never showing their age, Jim and Parnelli could be added
to that Fountain of Youth Club.) Parnelli mentioned his first
car was a 1932 Model A Ford roadster and said he "got a lot of
tickets". Regarding his first exposure to racing, Parnelli
said, "I went to see roadsters race at Carrell Speedway in
Gardena one day. Young Troy Ruttman came from the back of the pack
to win a roadster race and it made a big impression on me. I decided
to be a race car driver that day." CHRISMAN too admitted to
receiving tickets.
Question # 2 - RE: early racing memories. JAMES
spoke about the Ash Can Derby at San Bernardino for track roadsters
and the only fence was a barbed wire fence. RATHMANN spoke about
gambling and racing for Andy Granatelli in roadster races at Soldier
Field in Chicago in 1947. "I made so much money ($18,000) I
told my dad back home not to tell other roadster drivers about the
big money available in the Midwest at Andy's races. I lived in
Alhambra (CA) then and Danny Weinberg was a friend. He had an old
Maserati and we flipped, double or nothing."
Question # 3 - RE: memories of Andy Granatelli.
Parnelli replied, "I had a chance to test drive the Novi and
went faster than anyone in it. Andy showed me his turbine car and I
didn't think it had much potential. He kept after me to race it in
1967. I said bring it to Phoenix to test it. He wanted me to
drive it again in 1968, but I didn't. Andy cried in the garage in
1967 when we broke down leading the race with only a few laps to go.
My Firestone Tire stores business was taking off and it helped me
decide to get out of open wheel racing. I never did retire formally.
I feel young in this group. I never had a very good (CRA) roadster
so they kicked my butt."
Question # 4 - to CHRISMAN RE drag racing and the
Bonneville Salt Flats. "I didn't mind going fast, but I didn't
like turning left or having dirt clods hit me in the face. My
partner, Leroy Neumeier, did go sprint car racing."
Question # 5 - to RATHMANN about racing under
an assumed name. He replied, "AAA didn't want their drivers to
race in non-AAA or outlaw races, so I raced under the name Tommy
Melvin. My brother (Dick) and all of us used it when we raced outlaw
races." He related the well-known story about switching names
with his three years older brother to go racing because of the
minimum age 21 rule at the time. Jim is really Dick and Dick is
really Jim. They never switched back to their real names.
Question # 6 to JONES about his goal when he
started racing? "Survive," Parnelli answered. "I
never thought I'd win the Indy 500. I set my goals as I went along.
I like to see what's on the other side of the hill. I ran 65-70
races a year." Parnelli mentioned that he just finished reading
the book about fellow driver and best friend, the late Jim Hurtubise.
"I cried three times reading it. Jim was a carefree guy. He
often would say he forgot his helmet or he'd leave his wallet
behind. At the St. Paul (MN) IMCA State Fair race they paid us in
cash and Herk left it in a brown paper bag in his old Pontiac
station wagon."
Question # 7 - to RATHMANN about why he went to
the Midwest to race? "The
money was excellent when Andy Granatelli promoted at Soldiers Field.
He had 50,000 spectators there in the late 1940s for $63,000,
$46,000 and $72,000." Jim related some Granatelli and ambulance
stories. "I made so much money racing there I told my dad to
say I was working on a farm to get money to come home. My dad
couldn't keep a secret and the word got out. Pat Flaherty heard
about it and relocated to Chicago."
Question # 8 - to JAMES about how he became CRA
president. "I was in a hospital in central California after
highway car crash that killed Bud Winfield of Novi fame. He was
sitting in the front seat. So they elected me because I wasn't there
to refuse the job. I served 20 years." Walt told the story
about roadster drivers at a Phoenix, AZ motel swimming pool. Drivers
jumped into the pool in their racing uniforms after a race and the
next day the pool had an oily film on the water. The motel put up a
sign, "No Racers Wanted" the next day.
Questions from the audience included one from
Dick Jordan, of USAC, to RATHMANN about the Monza, Italy "Race
of two Worlds" airport story from 1957 or
58. Rathmann recalled it by saying, "We (the American drivers)
were on our way back home and at the airport in Paris. I learned
that our airplane was gone. A. J. Foyt had answered here for Jim
Rathmann and the plane left without me. I was stuck there for two
days. I lost all the trophies and never got them." Other
questions were directed to audience members Chuck Hulse (the 1959
CRA champion), Louie Senter and Dick McClung. Stories and racing
reminiscing from racing legends made the afternoon pass much too
quickly.
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