Old Race Cars

[DavidM]

Been around racing and cars just about my whole life.  Racing photography is something I do in my spare time. 

https://davidm.smugmug.com/2019-Jalopy-Showdown-Lincoln-Speedway/

 

[Arch Hoagland]

Pretty neat pictures!  Thanks for posting.

As I looked at them I wondered how much longer interest in these old race cars will continue. It seems the younger folks aren't too interested in hobbies like that anymore or am I wrong.

 

[Roy M]

Those open wheel dirt track cars are a hoot to watch, the drivers are nuts. ;D The front engine v-8 cars are getting increasingly scarce and too valuable to be chopping up but you are right, the current generation is not interested in them. They didn't grow up watching Junior Johnson or Fireball Roberts, they want 4 cylinder rice burners with fat tires, tinted windows and big spoilers.

 

[PopPop51]

Great pictures! Saturday nights at Lincoln Speedway were a family ritual when I was a kid.
I can still remember the smell of french fries mixed with the aroma of racing castor. I'm still not sure what those fries were cooked in.
Remember the incredible Bobby Abel? Watching him work his way up from the back of the pack was so exciting.

 

[Oldgator73]

Those open wheel dirt track cars are a hoot to watch, the drivers are nuts. ;D The front engine v-8 cars are getting increasingly scarce and too valuable to be chopping up but you are right, the current generation is not interested in them. They didn't grow up watching Junior Johnson or Fireball Roberts, they want 4 cylinder rice burners with fat tires, tinted windows and big spoilers.

I grew up in Daytona Beach and remember racing on the beach. Went to the first Daytona 500 at the new track in 59. Many of the drivers lived in Daytona including Marvin Panch and Fireball Roberts. Marvin Panch worked at Cape Kennedy, Cape Canaveral at the time, with my dad. As teens we would sneak into the track and watch the races. We live in Dover, DE now about a mile from ?The Monster Mile? but have no desire to attend a race.

 

[Daffy]

Great Pictures!!

 

[DavidM]

Great pictures! Saturday nights at Lincoln Speedway were a family ritual when I was a kid.
I can still remember the smell of french fries mixed with the aroma of racing castor. I'm still not sure what those fries were cooked in.
Remember the incredible Bobby Abel? Watching him work his way up from the back of the pack was so exciting.

Bobby was my favorite driver as a kid.  I rediscovered on old Cars and Stars magazine my dad got for me and Bobby had signed his photo. 

I did a little bit of racing in the mid 90's at Delaware in Mod-lites. 

 

[DavidM]

Thanks for the comments on my photos everyone! 

 

[Lowell]

If you like old race cars, you should get into the hobby of designing, building and racing CycleKarts. they are modeled after prewar race cars.  It is a growing hobby and people all over the world are building them, 212 cc engines, 17" dirt bike wheels, and the rest is up to your imagination.  This is one of the cars I built.

 

[Oldgator73]

If you like old race cars, you should get into the hobby of designing, building and racing CycleKarts. they are modeled after prewar race cars.  It is a growing hobby and people all over the world are building them, 212 cc engines, 17" dirt bike wheels, and the rest is up to your imagination.  This is one of the cars I built.

That looks like fun. What?s a ballpark cost to build one?

 

[Lowell]

That looks like fun. What?s a ballpark cost to build one?

It depends on what you want.  Some are built out of wood with wood frame and that lowers the cost. Most of them only drive the right rear wheel which is much lower in cost that a differential. And a harbor Freight 6 1/2 HP engine is only $99 compared to a Honda at $350. The CycleKart in the picture ran me close to $2000 as it has a differential, torque converter, hydraulic brakes. It will do about 45 mph.

I think I had about $1500 in the The yellow Ford T-bucket Cyclekart. That's a friend driving the T-bucket on July 4th.

 

[Roy M]

That looks like too much fun. 8)

 

[garyb1st]

Looks like fun.  About 10 years ago, we camped at the Lugana Seca Raceway near Monterey California.  They were about 10 Mazda Miatas driving around the track.  I believe they were giving lessons to young kids.  To bad at age 66 I didn't qualify as a kid anymore. 

 

[Old_Crow]

Looks like fun.  About 10 years ago, we camped at the Lugana Seca Raceway near Monterey California.  They were about 10 Mazda Miatas driving around the track.  I believe they were giving lessons to young kids.  To bad at age 66 I didn't qualify as a kid anymore. 

To hijack a bit, Gary, how was the camping at Laguna Seca?  Is it open year round?  Do you have to buy tickets to a race to camp there?
My granddaughter lives in Salinas, and we've been looking for an interesting place to camp in the vicinity.

 

[garyb1st]

Wally, don't know if it's still open.  IIRC, we were there in September or October 2008 just after we purchased our trailer.  At the time, there were no races scheduled and that might be a consideration.  We just drove in and parked.  No reservation and not even a host.  You can't see the track from every spot but it's only a short walk to a viewing area.  The only thing I remember clearly is how my first dump at the sewer went.  I'll just say it was a learning experience.  :-[

 

[roninX]

Professional shots man, nice!

 

[DavidM]

If you like old race cars, you should get into the hobby of designing, building and racing CycleKarts. they are modeled after prewar race cars.  It is a growing hobby and people all over the world are building them, 212 cc engines, 17" dirt bike wheels, and the rest is up to your imagination.  This is one of the cars I built.

Lowell,

Looks like a lot of fun.