Ft. Wayne 5/8 speedway
 

:checkered:HOW MANY EVER SEEN A AAA BIG CAR RACE THERE?

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WHERE ARE ALL THE RACING VETS.?:checkered: OR SEEN ANY RACE THERE? ROADSTERS MIDGETS?

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Went to a race there once. It had to be after 1961 I believe. Can't remember if it was a midget or sprint and it could have been non USAC. Do remember the track was terrible, rough and broken asphalt everywhere. It might have been the last show there. The whole place was in bad shape

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Saw what today would be ARCA. I was very little. I belive I saw some Hudson's and of all things a Henry J. Also saw a big car race, the only thing I remember was Wayne Alsbaugh in Howard Hall's fabulous duece. A Cadillac I believe.

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Duke, my memory ain't what it once was, but seems like I remember, what was called Big Cars at the time, running the dirt half mile, at Shelbyville, In. That's been many moons ago, course now, its all horses, except for about a quarter mile inside, we run TQ's on. Bob

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Originally Posted by snoopy:
Saw what today would be ARCA. I was very little. I belive I saw some Hudson's and of all things a Henry J. Also saw a big car race, the only thing I remember was Wayne Alsbaugh in Howard Hall's fabulous duece. A Cadillac I believe.

BOB KING DROVE HOWARDS CAR ALSO! MARC WAS THE STOCK CARS!:checkered:

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Went there many times. Also went to South Anthony Speedway in Fort Wayne In.

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Originally Posted by TQ29m:
Duke, my memory ain't what it once was, but seems like I remember, what was called Big Cars at the time, running the dirt half mile, at Shelbyville, In. That's been many moons ago, course now, its all horses, except for about a quarter mile inside, we run TQ's on. Bob

THATS GOOD WHAT ABOUT FT.WAYNE?:doh:

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Duke, we were lucky to have enough money to go once in a while at Columbus, In, to watch MRA, let alone a 200 mile trip to Ft Wayne! Bob

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Originally Posted by rcman:
Went there many times. Also went to South Anthony Speedway in Fort Wayne In.

YES WENT THERE FOR A MIDGET RACE 1/4 DIRT!:applaud:

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Hey Duke, I remember seeing the car Jackson Hegameyer had his accident in at Terra Haute sat in Sherm Allens garage in Ludlow Falls, Ohio, . I heard that Bob King ended up with the car, do you know what ever happened to that car once he got it?

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Originally Posted by stevee:
hey duke, i remember seeing the car jackson hegameyer had his accident in at terra haute sat in sherm allens garage in ludlow falls, ohio, . I heard that bob king ended up with the car, do you know what ever happened to that car once he got it?

sorry i don't remember bob with that car? What was the car nb.?

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The car was #49 I believe. It was orange and blue. It was beat up pretty bad because of the horrific accident Jackson had, but not beyond rebuilding in that era.

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Originally Posted by stevee:
the car was #49 i believe. It was orange and blue. It was beat up pretty bad because of the horrific accident jackson had, but not beyond rebuilding in that era.

ok that was sherm's car! I don't think bob got the car? There was several guys in muncie that had some old cars don skeen? Bob skinner?

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Ran somewhere with Chick Hale in a super modified and I think it was South Anthony back in the late 50's, early 60's on Tuesday night. 1/4 mile asphalt or maybe a 1/5 mile. Memory is fading. Probably ran Fort Wayne 5/8ths as well as Chick ran everywhere back then. Never did much good due to running on a shoestring budget but we had a lot of fun. Did see a MARC race there but I don't remember the date.

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Went to FtWayne 5/8 several times, (midget's on the small inside track). At the time I was 12 or 13. At times there was a carnival there behind the grandstand, my buddy and I spent my allowance there. One time the freezer at the consession stand quit working and we got free ice cream. At the end of one year the racing association gave away a new kurtis chassis, Paul Howe won, the car later was the red and white #11 belonging to Virgil Welch, driven by Ed Yeager and Jim Hines and others.

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Originally Posted by Circletrack40:
Went to FtWayne 5/8 several times, (midget's on the small inside track). At the time I was 12 or 13. At times there was a carnival there behind the grandstand, my buddy and I spent my allowance there. One time the freezer at the consession stand quit working and we got free ice cream. At the end of one year the racing association gave away a new kurtis chassis, Paul Howe won, the car later was the red and white #11 belonging to Virgil Welch, driven by Ed Yeager and Jim Hines and others.

THE TRACK WAS AT THE FAIRGROUNDS! :applaud:

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Originally Posted by TQ29m:
Duke, we were lucky to have enough money to go once in a while at Columbus, In, to watch MRA, let alone a 200 mile trip to Ft Wayne! Bob

In 1958 Dave Norris Got upside down & burnt pretty bad in his ol #50 I run a Marcum race there in 1964 Jack Bowsher won I run 6th .. Butch Wilkerson #1:applaud::applaud::checkered::checkered::angry-smiley-007::angry-smiley-007:

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Watched the Mutual Roadsters at Ft. Wayne in early 1950's and Pat O Connor won the feature in the Dutch Hurst Motors #309 powered by a Ford Flathead V8. A few years later we again went to Ft. Wayne to watch the modified stock cars and Mickey Potter, from Ft. Wayne, won the feature.

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Sorry! That was joe zimmerman's roadster 309 that pat drove! He was a car dealer at 309 so. Madison muncie! I seen roadsters csra and aaa big cars there!

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The car was black with a yellow lightening bolt painted on the side and "Dutch Hurst Motors' 309 N. High Street Muncie, Indiana painted on top of the hood. Dutch had a car dealership at 309 N. High street and on the back ,west, wall had a HUGE photo of midgets running three abreast at Cincinnati, Ohio. I met Hurst and O Connor at the old Turner Alignment Shop in eastern Muncie in 1949 or 1950. Turner had a brisk race car business with roadsters, midgets, big cars and modified stock cars in and out of his shop and at the time I hung my hat about 1 block away.

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Saw many races at Ft.Wayne speedway, two of the races I recall had bad wrecks. One with Leroy Warnier (sp) going over the backstretch wall and thru a few billboards, the other was Ed Elison (sp) in I think in the Iddings car and Red Renner. Some good shows also with Eddie Sachs and Bob Sweithert.

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Originally Posted by old time hoosier:
the car was black with a yellow lightening bolt painted on the side and "dutch hurst motors' 309 n. High street muncie, indiana painted on top of the hood. Dutch had a car dealership at 309 n. High street and on the back ,west, wall had a huge photo of midgets running three abreast at cincinnati, ohio. I met hurst and o connor at the old turner alignment shop in eastern muncie in 1949 or 1950. Turner had a brisk race car business with roadsters, midgets, big cars and modified stock cars in and out of his shop and at the time i hung my hat about 1 block away.

call ron burton his dad was everett burton killed at kokomo! In indy he will tell it was maroon and white 309 joe zimmmerman own it! When pat drove it! Don't want to fight with you!

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No fighting from me, I'm to damn old. The Mutual Roadster that Pat O Connor drove when I was in Turners Alignment Shop was a BLACK car with YELLOW lightening bolts down the side and the '309' was inside one of the lightening bolts. DUTCH HURST MOTORS was painted on top of the hood with the address 309 N. HIGH STREET MUNCIE, INDIANA. True fact plain and simple. I am very aware of the Everett 'Baldy' Burton Kokomo crash and the fact that his starting position for the upcoming Little 500, where he had already qualified, was left open during the parade laps. I was there.

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Originally Posted by old time hoosier:
no fighting from me, i'm to damn old. The mutual roadster that pat o connor drove when i was in turners alignment shop was a black car with yellow lightening bolts down the side and the '309' was inside one of the lightening bolts. Dutch hurst motors was painted on top of the hood with the address 309 n. High street muncie, indiana. True fact plain and simple. I am very aware of the everett 'baldy' burton kokomo crash and the fact that his starting position for the upcoming little 500, where he had already qualified, was left open during the parade laps. I was there.

no lightening no black no gold! It had a white diamond with 309 in it!~~~:15:

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I have a cousin who still lives in Muncie and his wife is Dutch Hursts granddaughter. Although she was not much into the racing thing I have emailed her just to see if she might by chance have a photo of the 309 Mutual roadster that had DUTCH HURST MOTORS, 309 N. HIGH STREET MUNCIE, INDIANA painted on top of the hood. While we are locking antlers over this deal here is another one from that era. The canary yellow #25 driven by Red Amick was reportedly built in California by Clay Smith, sold to Andy Granatelli for his 'Hurricane' association and purchased later by Amick. What do you know of this car?

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Red Amick was my hero, and that car was one bad hombre, used to watch them guys have at it at Columbus, in, and once in a while we'd go to Franklin. Those were good times,and good racin. Bob

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Well guys and gals......Duke is right on this one. The Zimmerman car 309 had a big white diamond on the side. Here is a photo from Winchester with Pat O'Conner driving. Everett Burton and others also drove the car.
Dusty

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Another one of the 309 car. I can't say the're were no lightening bolts but I don't remember that or have I ever seen any photos of a paint job like that on the 309. As we know sometimes they did things for a special race and it may have been a one race deal??? I do have other photos of a different car that was owned by Dutch Hurst that was the "house" car that had a Desoto engine in it. That one had Dutch Hurst motors on it. I think at that time Everett Burton was the mechanic and sometimes driver, but several drivers drove it from time to time.
Dusty

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I'am old but i know what i'am talking about!:8::5:

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I am older and I also know what I am talking about. There is no doubt that the photo shows the 309 inside a diamond and no lightening bolts on the car BUT when I was a kid I hung out at Turners Alignment Shop, sweeping floors-going for coffee--making go-fer runs, I helped push this car off the trailer and inside the shop. In fact one time O Connor let me sit in the seat and steer the car while it was pushed. At that time the car was BLACK with lightening bolts down the side. On top of the hood was DUTCH HURST MOTORS 309 N. HIGH STREET MUNCIE INDIANA. I am trying to find a photo of this color scheme and name on the hood. Dusty Goggles might have something when he mentioned another car that did have the DUTCH HURST MOTORS 309 N. HIGH STREET MUNCIE INDIANA painted on the hood.

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Originally Posted by old time hoosier:
i am older and i also know what i am talking about. There is no doubt that the photo shows the 309 inside a diamond and no lightening bolts on the car but when i was a kid i hung out at turners alignment shop, sweeping floors-going for coffee--making go-fer runs, i helped push this car off the trailer and inside the shop. In fact one time o connor let me sit in the seat and steer the car while it was pushed. At that time the car was black with lightening bolts down the side. On top of the hood was dutch hurst motors 309 n. High street muncie indiana. I am trying to find a photo of this color scheme and name on the hood. Dusty goggles might have something when he mentioned another car that did have the dutch hurst motors 309 n. High street muncie indiana painted on the hood.

what ever!:14:

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Originally Posted by SUPERDUKE:
what ever!:14:

It has taken me nearly two years to sort through and come up with an answer to a post with SUPERDUKE and myself. Originally he had asked if anybody ever attended racing at the old 5/8 Ft. Wayne Speedway. I answered and stated that I had watched Pat O Connor in the Dutch Hurst Motors #309 run at Ft. Wayne with the Mutual Roadster organization. He replied that I was wrong and that the #309 car was owned by a man named Joe Zimmerman who had a car lot at 309 S. Jefferson in Muncie. I answered back that Dutch Hurst had a DeSoto dealership at 309 N. High Street in Muncie and I vividly remember the wording 'Dutch Hurst Motors 309 N. HIgh Street Muncie, Indiana' painted on top of the hood. Duke produced a photo from another reader that did indeed show the car with a 309 inside a diamond which matched the description he had described. 'Dusty Googles' produced still another photo of the car and again it was as Duke had described. I was confused for sure because I did remember that car and that name on the hood although it was over 60 some odd years ago. The last post that I left on the subject was that I would contact my cousin, who still lives in Muncie and is married to Dutch Hursts granddaugher, to see if I could produce a photo of the name on the hood. She had no interest in her grandfathers racing activies and no memorbila but my cousin was more than a passive fan of the roadsters and midgets back in the day. He said he thought the car that Pat O Connor drove was owned by a man whose last name started with a 'Z' (Joe Zimmerman) When I told him of my confrontation on the IOW site with another old timer because I could remember the Dutch Hurst Motors name on the hood of this roadster, he said he thinks he knew how I got confused. He told me that Dutch did have a car in his garage on High Street with either a DeSoto or Chrysler engine and it did have the number 309 the same as his address and was painted on the hood and was black but he didn't remember any lightening bolts painted on the side ( which I had told Duke I remembered) He also told me he didn't think ( but he was not absolutely sure-he is 81 years old) that this particular car was ever raced but used only as a show car for the car agency!!! So, with apologizes to Duke sort of, the mystery has been somewhat solved. At my age your mind struggles to remember exact details and even with the explanation from my cousin I still think I watched this car race.