Forrest 'Bud' Dana

Posted 10 May 2008 - 20:12

The Le Mans start of the 1960 Nassau Trophy. Forrest 'Bud" Dana makes a stellar start with his Corvette-powered Healey #65 He finished 23rd, ten laps behind the winning Lotus 19 of Dan Gurney

Bud was born in West Palm Beach in 1936. His dad worked for the local police department and was interested in motorracing. He took Bud to his first race on January 3, 1950, the First Sports Car Road Race of Palm Beach Shores. Bud still has the program.
all research Willem Oosthoek.

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Posted 10 May 2008 - 20:22

Alfonso de Portago at Nassau in 1955

This picture is from Sebring in 1956 in the white hat behind the car is Eugenio Castellotti, Alfonso de Portago is leaning into car.
Eugenio Castellotti won the 1956 Sebring race with his co-driver Juan Fangio. He was tragically killed practicing for the 1957 Sebring race. At the Modena Autodrome.
Alfonso de Portago was one of the hero drivers of the mid-50s. Bud's dad took these photos of de Portago, with his own #13 Ferrari 750 Monza at Nassau in 1955, and with the #19 works 857 Monza at Sebring in 1956.
All research Willem Oosthoek- photo lent site Forrest Dana collection

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Posted 10 May 2008 - 22:09

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Posted 10 May 2008 - 23:58

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Posted 11 May 2008 - 01:20

Few people know that, after Briggs Cunningham closed his manufacturing plant in West Palm Beach in 1955 [the IRS disallowed Briggs' deductions after his enterprise did not show any profits after five years], the facilities and most of the employees were taken over by Red Byron, the very first NASCAR Champ. Byron received funding from John Shakespeare, a wealthy 50s Ferrari driver. It became Red Byron Automotive and Bud Dana went to work for Byron at the tender age of 19. I guess you could not ask for a better mentor.

Here are some more photos taken by Bud's dad, Maseratis this time. Bud thinks the white #79 150S was taken at Miami and that it belonged to Bobby Williams.

The second photo shows Tony Parravano himself with his #1 Maserati 150S, possibly at Nassau.
photos Forrest Dana collection.

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Posted 11 May 2008 - 08:01

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Posted 11 May 2008 - 17:42

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Posted 14 May 2008 - 17:42

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Posted 14 May 2008 - 19:28

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Posted 14 May 2008 - 20:27

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Posted 14 May 2008 - 22:12

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Posted 15 May 2008 - 00:03

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Posted 15 May 2008 - 00:07

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Posted 26 May 2008 - 22:55

1959 Chevy El Camino tow car with Healey-Chevy on trailer
This is from Cuba in 1960. Note the hubcaps on the El Camino, they were called Moon rims. They were used on high speed runs at the dry lakes.

Healey-Chevy on trailer.
Bud Dana sent us some rare photos, program covers and track layouts of Fidel Castro's 1959 and 1960 sportscar races in Havana, where he raced his Corvette engined Healey.
photos Bud Dana collection.

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Posted 26 May 2008 - 23:19

Bud Dana in his Healey-Chevy in Cuba in 1960.
This picture is from 1960 and it is in the pits at Libertad.

Bud Dana on the line
The fellow in the Healey outfit with his back to us is Kenny Davis, Bud Dana is facing him.
photos lent site Bud Dana collection.

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Posted 27 May 2008 - 01:11

Poster announcing the 1960 Cuban race.
poster lent site Bud Dana collection.

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Posted 27 May 2008 - 01:36

Race Program for the 1960 Cuban race.
Libertad was a full working Military base.
program lent site Bud Dana collection.

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Posted 28 May 2008 - 07:20

This picture and the ones that are going to follow are from 1959.
On the left is Bud Dana, a Cuban race official and Jerry Purslow, Brett Nichols and Emery Purslow, and of course the Military squadron.


Note the Cuban Military Motorcycle Squadron that accompanied the drivers. They were by the American drivers for security the whole time.
photo Bud Dana collection

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Posted 28 May 2008 - 07:45

Brett Nichols in the background are cars #12 and #1 and #5 this was the Austin Healey Team.
photo lent site Bud Dana

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Posted 28 May 2008 - 08:04

Forrest "Bud" Dana in his Austin Healey, Note the Gulf of Mexico in the background.
photo lent site Forrest "Bud" Dana collection

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Posted 28 May 2008 - 08:10

Jerry Purslow and his #12 Austin on the line.
photo lent site Forrest "Bud" Dana collection.

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Posted 28 May 2008 - 23:19

Letter sent to Forrest "Bud" Dana by race orginizers explaining the boat fares and room rates.
letter lent site Forrest "Bud" Dana collection.

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Posted 29 May 2008 - 02:53

George Arents Siata-Ferrari.
This picture was taken by Bud Dana's father in 1956 at Boca Raton, Florida.
photo Forrest "Bud" Dana collection.

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Posted 29 May 2008 - 03:13

Sherwood Johnston with his back to us in dark shirt.
Cunningham D-Type Jaguar at Nassau in 1955.
A bit of trivia on Sherwood Johnston is in 1955 he won a race called the Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, this was in a Cunningham D-Type and he also was awarded the President's Cup and the Kimberly Cup by the SCCA. These awards were for the most improved and the driver being the most competitive in the eyes of the race stewards.

photo lent site Forrest "Bud" Dana collection.

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Posted 29 May 2008 - 03:20

Here is the program from the 1955 Nassau Races.
Program lent site Forrest "Bud" Dana collection.

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Posted 29 May 2008 - 03:28

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Posted 29 May 2008 - 03:38

Program entry list lent site Forrest "Bud" Dana collection.

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Posted 29 May 2008 - 14:22

The fellow in this Ferrari is Robert "Red" Byron.
Also in this picture are Roy Sherman and Bud Dana,with hat and car owner John Shakespeare.
Bud Dana was good friends with Red Byron, Red was the first NASCAR Champion. He won the title in 1949 the first year of NASCAR's strickly stock class. Red had also won the Daytona Beach race the year before in 1948.
photo Forrest "Bud" Dana collection

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Posted 29 May 2008 - 14:36

Red Byron taking a drink in his Ferrari. This is from Nassau in 1955.
In 1955 Red took over Briggs Cunningham's car operation. Bud Dana went to work for him as a young apprentice. Red was born in 1915 and tragically met an early death in Chicago in 1960 at the age of 45. He died of a heart attack.
Red was called to service in World War two and had his left leg badly injured and walked with a limp after that. He joined the Army Air Corps and served as a B-24 flight engineer. He flew 57 successful missions, but on the 58th his plane was shot down over the Aleutian Islands and he was critically wounded. Byron spent more than two years in Army Hospitals, before he finally made a recovery.
He left the hospital in 1945 able to walk with a cane. With plans to return to return to his racing.
photo lent site Forrest "Bud" Dana- research Frank Morrison.

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Posted 29 May 2008 - 15:04

Bud Dana tagging Red Byron for the LeMans start.
As the officials knew that Red was unable to run they allowed a designated runner for him in the LeMans start. Bud Dana was his runner.


Another view of the LeMans start.
The following comes from fellow forum member Terry O'Neil: " This car was John Shakespeare's Ferrari 212 Export # 0100 E. The car finished in 16th place in the Nassau Trophy race, 3rd in class D. The car had also run in the Ferrari race and finished in 9th place as well as the Governor's Trophy race where it could only manage 39th oa."

photo lent site Forrest "Bud" Dana collection.
research Terry O'Neil.

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Posted 29 May 2008 - 16:52

Red Byron Sales in West Palm Beach.
This was the former Cunningham Factory. These are two Coopers being made ready for the 1956 Sebring races.


The drivers of these Coopers for the 1956 Sebring races were Leech Cracraft and Red Byron in the #55 car. They would finish 21st in the race. And in the #56 car were Ed Hugus and John Bentley, they would retire in the race.
photos lent site Forrest "Bud" Dana collection.
research Willem Oosthoek.

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Posted 29 May 2008 - 17:40

Here are some cars parked across the street from Red Byron's shop.
The Ferrari is the John Shakespeare owned car and the white Jaguar was the ride of Forrest "Bud" Dana and the black Jaguar was Bobby Williams car.
photo lent site Forrest "Bud" Dana collection.

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Posted 29 May 2008 - 18:08

Who's ride was the 2CV?

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Posted 29 May 2008 - 19:02

A very interesting car, Allard LeMans with Packard power.
This car was brought to Red Byron to prepare for the 1955 Nassau races. It was owned by Walter Gray. He was from Kansas City, Kansas.


Packard engine with 6 carburetors.

Michael : The Citroen was the company loaner car.
photos lent site Forrest "Bud" Dana collection.

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Posted 30 May 2008 - 02:43

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Posted 30 May 2008 - 05:09

Cunningham Coupe


Flyer for Cunningham Car sales
Address of Factory was: 1402 Elizabeth Avenue, West Palm Beach, Florida
photo lent site Forrest "Bud" Dana collection.

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Posted 30 May 2008 - 11:08

Cunningham Roadster version.
This picture was taken at a Vintage car meet. At Sebring, Florida around 1980.
photo lent site Forret "Bud" Dana collection.

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Posted 30 May 2008 - 12:34

Briggs Cunningham's Factory in the 50's
photo lent site Forrest "Bud" Dana collection.

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Posted 30 May 2008 - 14:56

The old Cunningham Car Factory building has changed over the years. This is what "1402" Elizabeth Avenue in West Palm Beach looks like today.




There aren't any exotic old car parts lying around either.

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Posted 30 May 2008 - 15:02

Did you mean "hasn't changed", or what do you expect after 50 years?

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Posted 31 May 2008 - 04:11

Cunningham Brochure
lent site Forrest "Bud" Dana

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Posted 31 May 2008 - 04:18

Cunningham C2 Roadster
"Briggs Cunningham was an American millionaire that decided to build and race his own sports cars. He built his cars in West Palm Beach, Florida, and at that time the US government allowed a tax break if your company ran at a loss for five years, which he took advantage of. In 1955 he had to sell the building and equipment due to no profit being made. That was the end of Cunningham race cars.
A stock car driver by the name of Red Byron backed by John Shakespeare bought his company, not to build race cars, but to sell and repair other sports cars as a dealership, hence Red Byron Automotive and it was in 1955 that I went to work for Red as a mechanic.
The red Cunningham chassis was built in West Palm Beach, Florida and then shipped to Italy for the body at the Vignali factory (all hand made aluminum), then shipped back to West Palm Beach. It sold for $10,500.00."
picture lent site - Forrest "Bud" Dana collection.
above information - Forrest "Bud" Dana.

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Posted 29 March 2015 - 07:17

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Posted 29 March 2015 - 10:05

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