[DonMoore10]

Where is the Solon Springs "pop bottle" Offy midget? This is the car that was owned by Tubby Kirchner of Solon, Ohio back in the late 50's thru the early 70's. Tubby died unexpectedly around 1971 and the car was sold, possibly to someone in Michigan. It was painted yellow and had two pop bottle pics on the tail tank which represented the number "11". In it's last form it had a chrome cage that could be removed and the new owner possibly could have replaced the Offy with a Chevy II.

I first saw this car at the USAC 100 lap event in 1959 at the Canfield, Ohio fairgrounds on the quarter mile. In 1968, this car finished 36th in USAC points. The two pop bottle likeness on the tail tank made this car unique and a tourist attraction where ever it raced. The Kirchners owned the Solon Springs beverage business. Sons Kent and Kris Kirchner went on to become world class swimmers and swimming coaches. Kent now lives in the Woodlands, Texas and Kris is currently working for a USAC sprint car team.

So where is this car today? I talked to Kent Kirchner and we both would like to track this car down. Somebody surely must know the trail to find this car. It possibly could have gone to Australia or New Zealand. I don't know. If it wasn't dismantled, it's got to be somewhere. If you have a pic of the car, please post it. I only have one pic of it from an old Ed Watson midget yearbook. The pic is Bob McClean at Terre Haute in 1968. He is on the outside of Danny Frye in the Pizza Hut number 15.

[Seadog]

Don, thanks for sharing. I remember this car when I was a boy while going to Midwest midget shows in the 50's. It was a favorite car of mine as well as a lot of the kids because of the twin pop bottles #11.

I have no answer as far as where it is, not having even seen the car in about 50 years. Best of luck to the hunters of this fine old machine.

[DonMoore10]

It was driven by a number of drivers: Bob McClean, Jimmy Florian and I think maybe Jim Hines also among others. I think I last saw it run at the Ohio State Fair 100 lap midget races in the late 60's.

[Gregg]

I've seen it run at Lawrenceburg in June of 1964. It was my very first race and almost every driver was new to me so I have no recollection of who was driving it. The yellow car with the two pop bottles on the tail definately stood out.

[DonMoore10]

I got a PM from a member on here that knows of a similar but not exact old midget they saw in a warehouse near Springfield, IL. If anyone has any info on that particular car there, please PM me.

[DonMoore10]

Some others that drove the Solon Springs Offy:

Mel Cornett
Larry Rice
Bobby Grim indoors at Fort Wayne
Gene Hartley at Canfield 1959
Jigger Sirois
Bill Homier

[interpreter66]

speaking of old midget's, does anyone ever remember a car that was called the sunshine special? it was ran out of zephyrhill's florida.
it now is in a garage window in a small southwestern town in pennsylvannia by the ohio line.my brother sent me a picture of it when he was on his way to ohio

[DonMoore10]

The pop bottle car was also driven by Gays Biro, a very popular driver from northern Ohio, Sam Hanks and Parnelli Jones. I'm told that Parnelli drove the car from 18th to third out East at Old Bridge, NJ.

Those are some really good drivers!

[DonMoore10]

The car in my original post is not a Kurtis Kraft as I thought. Kirchner originally had a Kurtis but the car in the pic is a Heman chassis. Does anyone have any info on that? It differs from a Kurtis with a different nose and the slope of the front part of the car, IMO. Also most of the Kurtis cars had enclosed engine body work.

[Speedwrench]

Not sure that it's very relivent to your inquiry, but didn't Ted Hartley,Gene's father, also ran Bottles 11 indoors for several years?

I always thought it was amusing that Ted continued to drive for several years after Gene retired.