Author |
Share Topic Topic Search Topic Options
|
Nick1986
Emperor
Mighty Slayer of Trolls
Joined: 22-Mar-2011
Location: England
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7940
|
Quote Reply
Topic: History of auto racing Posted: 28-Nov-2012 at 07:35 |
Auto racing began in France at the turn of the century. Before proper tracks were introduced, drivers raced on roads from city to city. Naturally, these were very dangerous and caused many deaths before proper regulations were introduced
|
Me Grimlock not nice Dino! Me bash brains!
|
|
Nick1986
Emperor
Mighty Slayer of Trolls
Joined: 22-Mar-2011
Location: England
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7940
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 29-Nov-2012 at 07:32 |
Henry Ford built this car himself, won a race in it and used the prize money to start the Ford Motor Company
|
Me Grimlock not nice Dino! Me bash brains!
|
|
Nick1986
Emperor
Mighty Slayer of Trolls
Joined: 22-Mar-2011
Location: England
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7940
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 30-Nov-2012 at 07:56 |
The 1921 Deusenberg that won LeMans
|
Me Grimlock not nice Dino! Me bash brains!
|
|
Nick1986
Emperor
Mighty Slayer of Trolls
Joined: 22-Mar-2011
Location: England
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7940
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 01-Dec-2012 at 07:14 |
Eddie Rickenbacker was a successful racer before he became a pilot. Here is in Tucson AZ, 1915
|
Me Grimlock not nice Dino! Me bash brains!
|
|
red clay
Administrator
Tomato Master Emeritus
Joined: 14-Jan-2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 10226
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 01-Dec-2012 at 11:02 |
Auto Racing was a major event in New Jersey in the 20's and 30's. The Raceways, or Speedways as they were called in this state were some of the Famous ones in early racing.
Amatol [also known as "The Atlantic City Speedway" Alcyon [Pitman Raceway] Flemington all were prestige races.
Amatol was one of the famous ones. Built entirely of wood, racing surface included, it opened in 1926. The Race House is still there, it's now a State Police regional HQ.
This is a link to an incredible site with hundreds of photos. They have one of those setups that doesn't allow you to copy.
This a pic of Amatol under construction. It took 4.5 million board ft. of lumber to build. The track only operated for 2 years. It was torn down in 1933.
Of note- The main backer of the enterprise was, Charles Schwab, yes, that Charles Schwab.
Getting ready for a race at Amatol. The Grandstands used 1.5 million bd ft to build and could hold 60,000 spectators, with standing room for 250,000 folks.
The Raceway was built on the site of the WWI Amatol Shell Loading facility. The plant was built in 1918, employed nearly 10,000 folks, for which an entire town was planned and built. Today, not even a stick of lumber is left, of any of this. It's part of a 2,000 acre State nature preserve.
|
"Arguing with someone who hates you or your ideas, is like playing chess with a pigeon. No matter what move you make, your opponent will walk all over the board and scramble the pieces".
Unknown.
|
|
Nick1986
Emperor
Mighty Slayer of Trolls
Joined: 22-Mar-2011
Location: England
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7940
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 02-Dec-2012 at 09:17 |
Cool. It looks almost like a Roman chariot arena
|
Me Grimlock not nice Dino! Me bash brains!
|
|
Nick1986
Emperor
Mighty Slayer of Trolls
Joined: 22-Mar-2011
Location: England
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7940
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 03-Dec-2012 at 08:55 |
|
Me Grimlock not nice Dino! Me bash brains!
|
|
red clay
Administrator
Tomato Master Emeritus
Joined: 14-Jan-2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 10226
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 03-Dec-2012 at 12:58 |
In the late 40's, 50's, stock car and jalopy racing was extremely popular, practically every town had it's "dirt track".
A lot of cars similar to the above, began their life as "racers" at my Grandfather's welding and smiths shop in Manahawkin NJ.
He would weld the doors shut and weld up the roll cage and any other additions needed.
|
"Arguing with someone who hates you or your ideas, is like playing chess with a pigeon. No matter what move you make, your opponent will walk all over the board and scramble the pieces".
Unknown.
|
|
red clay
Administrator
Tomato Master Emeritus
Joined: 14-Jan-2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 10226
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 03-Dec-2012 at 13:12 |
Originally posted by Nick1986
Henry Ford built this car himself, won a race in it and used the prize money to start the Ford Motor Company
|
I don't know if this is the same car, but in 1905 there was a famous race between Ford and Louis Cheverolet, on the beach at Cape May NJ. Neither won the race, there were 2 others in the race who won by default when Ford's car was swamped by a wave, and Cheverolet's car got bogged down in soft sand.
|
"Arguing with someone who hates you or your ideas, is like playing chess with a pigeon. No matter what move you make, your opponent will walk all over the board and scramble the pieces".
Unknown.
|
|
Nick1986
Emperor
Mighty Slayer of Trolls
Joined: 22-Mar-2011
Location: England
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7940
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 04-Dec-2012 at 08:10 |
Originally posted by red clay
In the late 40's, 50's, stock car and jalopy racing was extremely popular, practically every town had it's "dirt track".
A lot of cars similar to the above, began their life as "racers" at my Grandfather's welding and smiths shop in Manahawkin NJ.
He would weld the doors shut and weld up the roll cage and any other additions needed.
|
Love that Model A coupe in the final photo Red.
|
Me Grimlock not nice Dino! Me bash brains!
|
|
Nick1986
Emperor
Mighty Slayer of Trolls
Joined: 22-Mar-2011
Location: England
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7940
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 05-Dec-2012 at 11:05 |
Nazi race car: 1938 Auto Union Silver Arrow
|
Me Grimlock not nice Dino! Me bash brains!
|
|
Nick1986
Emperor
Mighty Slayer of Trolls
Joined: 22-Mar-2011
Location: England
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7940
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 06-Dec-2012 at 08:47 |
Another view of the Nazis' race car. The streamlining is similar to that of an airplane
|
Me Grimlock not nice Dino! Me bash brains!
|
|
Nick1986
Emperor
Mighty Slayer of Trolls
Joined: 22-Mar-2011
Location: England
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7940
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 07-Dec-2012 at 08:06 |
1961 Cooper-Climax 54, the first rear-engined race car
|
Me Grimlock not nice Dino! Me bash brains!
|
|
red clay
Administrator
Tomato Master Emeritus
Joined: 14-Jan-2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 10226
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 07-Dec-2012 at 09:59 |
Nick, on the front of the Nazi car are rings as the logo, Audi Rings?
|
"Arguing with someone who hates you or your ideas, is like playing chess with a pigeon. No matter what move you make, your opponent will walk all over the board and scramble the pieces".
Unknown.
|
|
red clay
Administrator
Tomato Master Emeritus
Joined: 14-Jan-2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 10226
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 07-Dec-2012 at 10:10 |
Louis Cheverolet in the car he raced Henry Ford in at Cape May. I have no idea as to what all of the stuff on the front is.
|
"Arguing with someone who hates you or your ideas, is like playing chess with a pigeon. No matter what move you make, your opponent will walk all over the board and scramble the pieces".
Unknown.
|
|
red clay
Administrator
Tomato Master Emeritus
Joined: 14-Jan-2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 10226
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 07-Dec-2012 at 11:18 |
In the 50's Drag racing became extremely popular. The track is 1/4 mile.
As far as I know, Drag Racing began as an American sport. How popular it was in the rest of the world I don't know.
The Scorpion, 1957
Here you can see the "Slingshot" car starting to evolve. ca1955
Don "Big Daddy" Garlitts' fully evolved Slingshot, ca 1959.
No date on this, but it's early 50's. You can still see the influence of conventional race cars. The slingshot hadn't shown up yet. Also note the tire size, horsepower wasn't enough yet to warrant the larger tire for traction.
A classic Slingshot, fully evolved, early 60's.
An open body Sling in full burn at Carlsbad Raceway, late 60's.
The front engine Slingshots are gone forever, they were exciting, but dangerous as hell for the man in the drivers seat. These were class A fuel engines, some used alcohol/ gas fuel mixes, others used "nitrous" super chargers.
I saw several "blower explosions" and one race where the front end of the car folded back onto the cockpit.
|
"Arguing with someone who hates you or your ideas, is like playing chess with a pigeon. No matter what move you make, your opponent will walk all over the board and scramble the pieces".
Unknown.
|
|
red clay
Administrator
Tomato Master Emeritus
Joined: 14-Jan-2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 10226
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 07-Dec-2012 at 12:07 |
In 1970, drag racing changed forever. This is a pic of Don Garlits as his transmission exploded. The configuration of the Slingshot had the drivers legs straddling the trans. The force of the blast tore off part of Garlits' right foot.
The explosion had the force and effect of a "military landmine", pieces flew everywhere. You can see the clutch disc flying across the track. The person circled lost an arm and there were several other near fatal injuries.
While in the hospital, Garlits' started working on a rear engine car.
|
"Arguing with someone who hates you or your ideas, is like playing chess with a pigeon. No matter what move you make, your opponent will walk all over the board and scramble the pieces".
Unknown.
|
|
Centrix Vigilis
Emperor
Joined: 18-Aug-2006
Location: The Llano
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7392
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 07-Dec-2012 at 15:50 |
Bootlegger heaven Rednecks and Texians love this stuff.
|
"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"
S. T. Friedman
Pilger's law: 'If it's been officially denied, then it's probably true'
|
|
Nick1986
Emperor
Mighty Slayer of Trolls
Joined: 22-Mar-2011
Location: England
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7940
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 09-Dec-2012 at 09:43 |
Originally posted by red clay
|
This one looks cool. I saw a similar car in Mad Max 2
|
Me Grimlock not nice Dino! Me bash brains!
|
|
Nick1986
Emperor
Mighty Slayer of Trolls
Joined: 22-Mar-2011
Location: England
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7940
|
Quote Reply
Posted: 19-Dec-2012 at 13:02 |
Originally posted by red clay
Louis Cheverolet in the car he raced Henry Ford in at Cape May. I have no idea as to what all of the stuff on the front is.
|
Red, could it be a water tank to keep the radiator cool, or part of the gearbox? Perhaps it was an early type of front-wheel drive
|
Me Grimlock not nice Dino! Me bash brains!
|
|