Just to clear up a fact.Steve was driving for Bob Thompson (orange & black 53) and blew engine in hot laps.He was allowed to race from the tail but didn't get the points so didn't get championship.

That's the way I remember it too. I think the car had Pizza Hut on the hood as the sponsor.

Morgan / Thompson sponsor that year on the hood(M/T) Pizza Hut the next year

Let me step off this train, I musta missed the station, the F800's I'm referring to, are the ones before the first sprint cars, these were the one's that were Model A, and Duece bodied cars, early 50's style, and as I recall, and could be wrong, it was Clarey's SpeedShop, in Louisville, don't remember it being O'Clarey's, took my Flathead, and later, Chevy rotating stuff there to be balanced, the guy that used to work here in Seymour, at Hoosier Parts, worked there as an apprentice, back in the day. Carry on! Bob!

question. did the hill car come with a chrome roll cage or did cecil have it chromed? thanks...

They were called modifieds back then before there were any sprintcars.
Jalopies before that.

As I remember it was already chromed when Cecil bought it, but I am not 100% positive.

At that track, they were called about anything, the CRA, and MRA both ran at the 25th st half mile, as well as the 3/8 mile inside, and a lot of them were Ranger aircraft engine powered, about all of the MRA cars were flatheads, then I believe it was Roy Prosser showed up with either an overhead Studebaker, or a Plymouth, then the V8 Chevy, and the chase was on. I think it was Hamm's garage, at Greensburg, had a large field of Chrysler Corps coupes. Bob!

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I also recall Pete Brewer. and Marshall McKain having sprint cars here locally, pretty sure Cecil, and Bobby drove for one, or maybe both of them, I know Marshall cut his up, after Bobby Miller was killed in it, Marshall never did forget that, he used to come into my shop, and as hard as I'd try to not let him bring it up, he would, felt sorry for Marshall, he took that day to his grave. I'm sure the Hurst Bros remember that as well. Bob!

Also heard them called doodlebugs and bombs.

Anything you wanted to call them, kinda fit. Skeeter's comes to mind, course the Mo-skeeter's at that track, were almost as big as the cars, I had a jalopy I ran there for about a half season, a 1937 Ford sedan, oughta had my ass kicked, it was perfect, no rust, no dents, course it wasn't that old, then, but, had to race, paid $75.00 for it, and drove it home. What an idiot! We did some good with it, just a stock, 85hp V8, but it was racin, and nothing else mattered! Bob!