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European midget racing


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#1 Don Radbruch

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Posted 23 March 2001 - 17:00

Here is a tough one. Does anybody know anything about midget racing in Holland in the 1930s and 1940s. I have a scattering of information that indicates there was a European Championship race held at Rotterdam in 1937 and that there were races at The Hague on October 13, 1946. From a magazine photo it looks like the 1946 races were held on a half mile dirt track. Most of the drivers in the 1946 races were from England but there were a couple from Holland and two from Spain. Perhaps there was midget racing in Spain in the 1940s?

Any further information would be greatly appreciated.

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#2 fines

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Posted 23 March 2001 - 19:29

Don, there was at least one 'Kleinstrennwagen' race on a dirt track at Recklinghausen in Germany, in 1949 IIRC. Not exactly a US-type midget race, but of sorts. These 'Kleinstrennwagen' (miniature racing cars) were forerunners of Formula 3 in Germany, powered by 750cc motorcycle engines, some supercharged, I believe. Would that be of interest to you? I could dig out some details, if you want.

#3 Don Radbruch

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Posted 24 March 2001 - 00:48

Michael.
Yes, I would like to know more about the Klienstrennwagon race in Germany in 1949. These cars sound reasonably close to the midgets that were running in England at the time. Hopefully, in 1949, the German cars were front engined. If not, they would be a handful on dirt! Please don't go to any special trouble but whatever you have handy would be much appreciated. Thanks Michael

Don Radbruch

#4 David McKinney

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Posted 24 March 2001 - 05:53

Just to but in, Don, and maybe save Michael some work, the Kleinstrennwagen cars were, as he suggests, more like 500cc F3 cars, and therefore mostly rear-engined. They raced on normal circuits most of the time.

#5 fines

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Posted 24 March 2001 - 15:11

Yes, David's right, most of them were rear-engined. I am going to post something here anyway, as I've also promised Tony to do something on the German 500cc scene, and it's also a fascinating and interesting subject for me which I was going to delve into anyway. But not today, and probably not tomorrow, I'm sorta busy...

#6 Don Radbruch

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Posted 25 March 2001 - 01:36

Thanks guys. Darn those rear engines!!! Michael--if you are going to dig into that dirt track race anyhow that's fine but it will be hard to call these cars "real" midgets. Someplace in France, Holland and maybe Spain some late 1940s midget racing is still hiding. I'm sure there wasn't very much of this even though there was a fairly active program in England during these years. There was also the American invasion of England in 1948 with Ford V8-60 midgets and Lana Turner.

Don Radbruch

#7 Jim Thurman

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Posted 26 March 2001 - 07:18

Don,

Are you aware of what was described as "midget car racing" on a dirt oval at Crystal Palace sometime in the 1930's?

This was briefly mentioned in Phillip Parfitt's book "Racing At Crystal Palace":

"Midget cars were also raced, but perhaps surprisingly did not provide much crowd appeal and also proved very expensive for the competitors. The best known drivers were Walter Mackereth and C.S. Dellow, with international competition provided by Frenchman Jean Reville and one Spike Rhiando, English-domiciled but variously reported as hailing from Mexico or Canada."

There also is a picture and caption. The caption notes that the midget racing was abandoned after less than a year. That's the only mention though, no other details.

The cars look like "midget" versions of 30's era GP cars rather than the U.S. style midgets, but it was a dirt oval.


Jim Thurman

#8 Rob29

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Posted 26 March 2001 - 09:12

I believe Midget cars (called Speedway) raced at several places in Britain pre-war,but never really caught on,unlike the 2 wheeled variety which were, and still are, organized on a town team basis like soccer.
Midget cars have been revived in recent years-I went to a meeting near Peterborough a couple of years ago.

#9 Don Radbruch

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Posted 27 March 2001 - 00:46

Yes, I am aware of prewar midget racing in England and there was a fairly stong program starting in about 1935. It was a team concept just like the motorcycles and the midgets ran on the same cinder tracks. Some of the most sucessful cars were the Skirrows---chain driven, four wheel drive and powered by JAP motorcycle engines. I have a couple of dozen photos I'd be happy to share.
Spike Rhiando was mentioned as one of the drivers. Good ole Spike! He was reputed to be from the US, Canada and who knows where. I have never found any record of him driving midgets in the US. Spike's adventures, if they can be belived, were unbelivable!

Don Radbruch