Re: The Last Offy
 

The March 2008 issue of Sprint Car & Midget has a John Mahoney photo of Watson's Offy at Terre Haute in 1973. Mel Cornett is shown winning what I would guess was the last USAC sprint car race won by an Offy. I believe this may have been his only USAC sprint car win although he had more success in the midgets. Mel Cornett passed away in Jan. at the age of 71.:checkered:

Vern Plotts

Re: The Last Offy
 

Here's the last offy In Northern California, the forementioned Stan Vermiel Offy, the last offy to win a NARC sprint car race:
http://images14.fotki.com/v363/photo...6NARC19-vi.jpgHosted on Fotki
http://images110.fotki.com/v1112/pho...6NARC74-vi.jpgHosted on Fotki

Re: The Last Offy
 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2038/...f9784bf998.jpg

Here is Mel Cornett at Williams Grove in 1973.

Re: The Last Offy
 

Rich Gentes indeed drove my father's Vermeil Offy sprinter for a NARC victory at Calistoga speedway in 1974- As reported on Hammerdownusa.com:

It was the last feature race won by an Offenhauser engine. Offenhauser was once the king of power for sprints and midgets. Gentes was driving the "Vermeil Offy". # 65. He had the lead in the feature for a while until the much more powerful Chevy of Lem Tolliver passed him. Then with about 5 laps to go Lem had car trouble and dropped out. Gentes then took the win. ...The last sprint car Main Event won by an Offy in the United States? ...37 cars, quick-time to Van Conett, dash to Andreetta, Heats to Bob Bloom, Don Melvin, Phil Pedlar, and Tolliver. ...KNBR radio personality, Mike Clary handled the trackside microphone.

Dad's car was the Travelon Trailer Special sprinter- a Shilala chassis with a 270 offy. Will post a pic soon-

Cya
Troy V

Re: The Last Offy
 

Chad, if you can find out the exact date I would like to know, I know for a fact I am the last one to make a USAC feature in an offy, but would like to know if your dad made a feature with a different association after that. It was 1990 for me in Duke Edwards offy, I ran it later than that at IRP in I believe a namars show. The engine in the car as the one that Bob Wente used when he won the USAC Midget title

Roy

Re: The Last Offy
 

Im pretty sure Johnny Heydenreich used an Offy in a Turkey Night Grand Prix in either the late 80's or early 90's.

Re: The Last Offy
 

:)Roy, Looking through old results the last feature that my dad ran in the offy before changing over to the cosworth I believe was St. Charles Mo, in early 1989. He ran for Harshbarger a few more years but they replaced the offy with one of Kneppers Cosworths. I could be wrong on the dates because I know the change took place right in there somewhere and they kept the same number so the results still show the harshbarger 5jr. with MARA.

Re: The Last Offy
 

Mr. Consoli, thanks again for sharing some of your tremendous pictures. Just when I think I am getting decent I see one of your shots and return to reality. I'm convinced you were born good!!

Re: The Last Offy
 

I wonder if the 270 or 318 offy could be somewhat competitive in todays racing?? from the research I have done, it looks like the normally aspirated 270 made about 400 to 450 horsepower I would assume the 318 makes more. I know that today the sprint cars make north of 800hp. So I'm going to say no on that.

But what about a midget at the chili bowl????? I know the rules are more open there, and how badaZZ would it be to hear an offy screaming inside of that place?!!!!!?

Re: The Last Offy
 

3 laps