Milwaukee and the rear-engine revolution

[rabbit]

Robin Miller: http://www.cart.com/News/Article.asp?ID=6066

Interesting read with a couple cool pics.

http://www.cart.com/content/photos/2003/By800/20030523P_0004.jpg
http://www.cart.com/content/photos/2003/By800/20030522P_0001.jpg

[Railbird]

That's a great story, an old buddy of mine was at State Fair Park that day. Different times for sure.

Lotus had been going up to Milwaukee for a couple years by then as the first photo shows. The old stock block conversion 29s first showed up at Milwuakee August 18 '63 with Clark setting a ntr and Gurney in P2. In the race Foyt split the two at the finish driving a Watson roadster.


The first Lotus to show up on the Championship trail had come a few months earlier at Trenton where on April 21 Lloyd Ruby placed Frank Harrison's Lotus 18 on the pole with a 2.7 version of the venerable Climax power plant. Spotting the offies some 90 cubic inches he managed to lead thirty laps before being felled by gearbox woes.

[RTKar]

That was my first race, so I've been told. I was probably crapping in my diaper but at least I was there. :D There's a bit about that race in a historic racing film about the Mile.

http://www.raresportsfilms.com/

[devilmaster]

Originally posted by RTKar
That was my first race, so I've been told. I was probably crapping in my diaper but at least I was there. :D There's a bit about that race in a historic racing film about the Mile.

http://www.raresportsfilms.com/

Just think, in thirty years or so from now, you'll be there, crapping in your diaper again...

Circle of Life, Rick.... ;) :D

Steve

[pchall]

The day that Indy died.*

*according to lemming history ;)

[devilmaster]

Originally posted by pchall
The day that Indy died.*

*according to lemming history ;)

*according to lemming history, which changes with a slight breeze. ;)

Steve

[RTKar]

I had posted this up at 7th G, thought some of you folks might find it interesting.

From the June 5th 1966 Milwaukee Mile program for the "Rex Mays Classic 100 Mile National Championship Big Car Race"

"Foyt's Greatest Ride at Milwaukee"

"It wasn't planned that way but A.J. Foyt of Houston Tex. gave the Milwaukee racing gentry a dispaly of some of the finest driving ever seen in the 200 miler lasdt Aug. 22 Foyt appeared at the track towing his Sheraton-Thompson Spl. dirt track type macine he had raced the previous day in the 100 miler in Springfield, Ill.

When Foyt's rear-engined Lotus-Ford failed to appear with his crewmen, a quick phone call was made to his garage. Yes, the crew had left. Later Foyt received a phone call from his crewmen who were enroute with the car. They might not make the race in time.

Now the drama began to unfold. Foyt quickly unloaded his dirt track machine, changed tires, made some mechanical adjustments and took his time trial. His time was 33.37 seconds, good enough for the pole position. Foyt then drove one of the finest races of his career...here or any place else. He was a factor and might have won if it hadn't been an unscheduled pit stop for anew tire near the 170 mile mark. Gordon Johncock of Hastings Mich. won the race, but the day belonged to Foyt. (the article goes on to describe a picture of the start with Foyt low on the track underneath Gurney)


[FYI - Foyt, in a roadster, battled both Gurney and Clark in Lotus's in 63, finishing 2nd to Clark, Gurney came in 3rd]

[sundaydriver]

Good stuff. Why did A.J. have to turn out to be such a putz.

I now remember why I used to idolize this guy. :shakehead

[pchall]

Originally posted by sundaydriver
Good stuff. Why did A.J. have to turn out to be such a putz.

I now remember why I used to idolize this guy. :shakehead
Hey, that's the price of being one of Hulman's Heros....

[RaceGrrl]

Originally posted by pchall
Hey, that's the price of being one of Hulman's Heros....

"I know NUSSING!" (Tony George)