33 replies to this topic

[MPea3]

My recent thread which have dealt with tractors and the resulting postings showing them being raced made me wonder what all has been raced over the years.

First, I especially loved dbw's link to the pig-n-ford races! Great stuff!

Along with tractors, I've seen the truck racing on Speed, and I don't mean the NASCAR pickups... I mean the huge over the road trucks.

A local college has a yearly race with motorized bathtubs. I always thought that was pretty inventive.

Bed races are another, although I don't remember if they were motorized. Oh the mind wanders...

Speed has also often been a source of out of the way competitions, such as figure 8 racing along with it's variants such school bus figure 8 racing and racing cars chained together front to rear.

Riding lawn mowers seem to be popular on both sides of the pond. Thank God they remove the blade although not doing so would lend a somewhat hard edge to the sport.

So guys, what all have you seen raced over the years and where? I'm thinking that in some instances the venues might be as interesting as the racing.

[RStock]

I found this photo awhile back . It seems appropriate here .



I have no idea what's going on there . Looks like a garden party where a few too many pints have been hoisted . That's a young Damon helping dad give Jimmy a push .

[MPea3]

I should add that the sight of grown men (and women) racing pocket bikes to be pretty funny too.

[Vitesse2]

Originally posted by REDARMYSOJA
I found this photo awhile back . It seems appropriate here .



I have no idea what's going on there . Looks like a garden party where a few too many pints have been hoisted . That's a young Damon helping dad give Jimmy a push .

Post-British GP party chez Hill in - IIRC - 1964. There's a picture of a slightly younger Damon on the same tractor in the Graham Hill Scrapbook in the 1963 section.

[McGuire]

I seem to recall from the ABC Wide World of Sports in the 1960s a strange firemens' competition that employed souped-up fire trucks. The truck would have to race up to a line, whereupon the fire crew would jump out, fix a hose line to a hydrant and spray a target. Since the elapsed time included the distance covered, the trucks were highly modified with big supercharged V8s etc. Anyone else remember this sport or know more about it?

Not nearly as automotive but another part of the firemens' competition involved testing one's prowess with a fire ax. The object of this contest was to demolish an upright piano into small enough bits to toss through an old tire suspended on a rope. I imagine an audio tape of this would be interesting... the equal of John Cage or Phillip Glass, perhaps.

[stevewf1]

I've heard of barstool racing, but never have seen it on TV (yet)...

http://rides.webshot...061190215xWfcHi

[RStock]

Originally posted by McGuire
I seem to recall from the ABC Wide World of Sports in the 1960s a strange firemens' competition that employed souped-up fire trucks. The truck would have to race up to a line, whereupon the fire crew would jump out, fix a hose line to a hydrant and spray a target. Since the elapsed time included the distance covered, the trucks were highly modified with big supercharged V8s etc. Anyone else remember this sport or know more about it?

.

Oh yes . I remember those well . Regular fare on WWS . The trucks were hopped up considerably , there was a bit of a serious drag race at the start .

A local dirt track I used to frequent often held "spectator races" , where for a small entry fee , you could run your street car . They were short , 1 lap , one on one races held during intermission . Quite entertaining . One fellow used his company truck , rolled it and scattered tools everywhere .

They also held "roll over contests" , where cars would hit a ramp with one wheel , Joie Chitwood style , and would receive "style points" for the best roll over .

[Ray Bell]

Oran Park once had a race for trucks...

Well, they had a lot of truck races, but this first one was for Grace Brothers Removals (or furniture delivery?) trucks. Bedfords etc with huge pantech bodies that threatened to overbalance them at the slightest swerve.

[MPea3]

Originally posted by REDARMYSOJA
A local dirt track I used to frequent often held "spectator races" , where for a small entry fee , you could run your street car . They were short , 1 lap , one on one races held during intermission . Quite entertaining . One fellow used his company truck , rolled it and scattered tools everywhere .

Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, Georgia used to have spectator races. As I remember it they'd send two people out at a time for one lap single elimination races until they had a winner. I remember one time when it got really nasty between two guys and both cars ended up the lap pretty much totaled.

[RStock]

Originally posted by MPea3


Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, Georgia used to have spectator races. As I remember it they'd send two people out at a time for one lap single elimination races until they had a winner.

Yes , that's the same way these were run .

I remember one time when it got really nasty between two guys and both cars ended up the lap pretty much totaled.

There was a fellow at the "spectator races" in a very large , ugly Cadillac . He was dubbed "Doctor Feel Good" for his propensity to run into the other cars . Some of the guys would be in new Camaros or Mustangs , and were intimidated rather easily . Doctor Feel Good's downfall was a fellow with a front wheel drive FIAT . He was simply to quick , and no one else could get near him . No one could beat him .

[bradbury west]

Is that Les Leston behind NGH's left shoulder, then Henry Taylor on LL's left, and Gregor Grant above JC's left knee, on Bette's right.?
ISTR that there was a race at Brands in the 50s for pre war Royces, with JVBolster in something very early perpendicular from the '20s or so, possibly Ghost. Video here somewhere.
Roger Lund

[David McKinney]

I thought Leston and Taylor. Not sure about GG, but wondered if it might be Ian Walker holding a glass above the little girl's head

I think the Brands race JVB was in with the Royce was a vintage (or maybe Edwardian) do - I suspect his car was a pre-WW1 Silver Ghost

[Rob G]

I remember watching huge semi trucks racing on the high banks of Atlanta Motor Speedway close to 30 years ago. Some footage has been preserved for posterity in one of the "Smokey and the Bandit" movies.

The strangest motor competition I've ever seen in person was a series of five demolition derbies at Cloverleaf Speedway near Cleveland, Ohio. The first one was for cars, but they had derbies for trucks, SUVs, motorcycles (crazy!), and motor boats (in a small pond dug out of the middle of the infield just for this event). These demo derbies were a supporting event to their weekly program of stock car racing, so luckily nobody ended up spinning into the pond.

[Simpson RX1]

Originally posted by MPea3
My recent thread which have dealt with tractors and the resulting postings showing them being raced made me wonder what all has been raced over the years.

Along with tractors, I've seen the truck racing on Speed, and I don't mean the NASCAR pickups... I mean the huge over the road trucks.

So guys, what all have you seen raced over the years and where? I'm thinking that in some instances the venues might be as interesting as the racing.

Truck racing used to be really big news, both here in the UK and in many other European countries; IIRC two of the leading lights were former GP biker Steve 'Stavros' Parrish and ex F1 driver and sometime ABBA session drummer Slim Borguud.

I took part in a major truck meeting (I believe it was billed as the British Truck Superprix) but not in a truck; I was in the support event, the Citroen 2CV Challenge, truely from the sublime to the ridiculous!

[jarno]

Originally posted by REDARMYSOJA
I found this photo awhile back . It seems appropriate here .



I have no idea what's going on there . Looks like a garden party where a few too many pints have been hoisted . That's a young Damon helping dad give Jimmy a push .

That really is a fantastic pic. All the men wearing ties and not a sign of terrorists!!

[jarno]

As for truck racing.........An undoubted waste of time and money which also ruined a lot of circuits

[Simpson RX1]

Originally posted by jarno
As for truck racing.........An undoubted waste of time and money which also ruined a lot of circuits

I think you can describe any form of racing as a waste of time and money, why single out truck racing?

And what tracks did it ruin?

[jarno]

Are you serious?

[Catalina Park]

Originally posted by Simpson RX1
And what tracks did it ruin?

Oran Park, Winton, Lakeside, Baskerville, Calder, etc. (actually every Australian track that held truck racing!)
They break up the edges of the track so they widen the edge and pretty soon the corners are shaped differently to what they used to be. They also ripple up the braking areas.
Then there is the layer of diesel that is left on the track that softens the surface causing it to melt.
Truck racing would bring in a crowd but the long term benefits are few.

[Robin Fairservice]

There was a time in England when there were races for cars towing holiday trailers!

[sterling49]

.....lawn mowers in East Sussex................

[ray b]

backward on a road course
at riverside in the 70s
with name drivers

a olds station wagon won
with a flipped rear so he had 4 speeds in reverse

[Simpson RX1]

Originally posted by Catalina Park
Oran Park, Winton, Lakeside, Baskerville, Calder, etc. (actually every Australian track that held truck racing!)
They break up the edges of the track so they widen the edge and pretty soon the corners are shaped differently to what they used to be. They also ripple up the braking areas.
Then there is the layer of diesel that is left on the track that softens the surface causing it to melt.
Truck racing would bring in a crowd but the long term benefits are few.

In fairness, is that the fault of the trucks or the circuit maintenance team?

If my car was hit by another car and then didn't look quite the same after it was repaired, I wouldn't blame the car that hit me, the problem is with the bloke that fixed it.

[Quixotic]

Also trying to race at Mallala immediately after a dinosaur, (truck), race I would find the track as slippery as buggery due to the film of unburnt diesel from the exhausts.

[Andretti Fan]

Originally posted by ray b
backward on a road course
at riverside in the 70s
with name drivers

a olds station wagon won
with a flipped rear so he had 4 speeds in reverse

Wasn't that Dan Gurney that did that?

[brucemoxon]

Reliant Robins.

http://au.youtube.co...h?v=-1baol5Jlw4


At least this has four wheels - even if the body is made of paper!


http://au.youtube.co...h?v=ItmNNk__zXI




Bruce Moxon

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Simpson RX1
In fairness, is that the fault of the trucks or the circuit maintenance team?

If my car was hit by another car and then didn't look quite the same after it was repaired, I wouldn't blame the car that hit me, the problem is with the bloke that fixed it.

Lakeside had ruts develop so openwheelers would bottom out. I guess the other circuits had the same. Circuits weren't built with sufficient roadbase under them to withstand the weight of the trucks... so they simply don't hold up.

[Tom Glowacki]

Originally posted by Andretti Fan


Wasn't that Dan Gurney that did that?

Sam Posey did that to John Fitch at Lime Rock. Fitch used to challenge drivers to a one-lap race in reverse and was undefeated until Posey came up with the 4 speed reverse.

[Andretti Fan]

Originally posted by Tom Glowacki


Sam Posey did that to John Fitch at Lime Rock. Fitch used to challenge drivers to a one-lap race in reverse and was undefeated until Posey came up with the 4 speed reverse.

Thanks Tom. I knew it was someone like that.

[Lee Nicolle]

With the truck racing I was surprised how little damage they did to the track, but having raced Sports Sedans on the same bill at Mallala the track is very greasy from the oil, unburnt fuel and water from the brake cooling. And since they spent a fair bit of time off the track the amount of gravel and rubbish on the track was horrendous.
My recollection is that the track was 2 seconds a lap slower than a normal meeting by Sunday afternoon, and tyre damage from the rubbish was considerable.
Trucks are still raced here in Oz now.

[D-Type]

Not quite trucks, but ...

A few years ago I was in Thailand and one Sunday while surfing the channels in the hope of finding a film in English I came across a race meeting (Pattiya?) on the TV. This features single seaters, presumably Formula Pacific or similar, saloons, and double cab pick-ups, a popular vehicle locally.

I suppose it comes down to "If it's got wheels, somene, somewhere, will race it". Except possibly the Trojan.

[Allan Lupton]

Originally posted by D-Type

I suppose it comes down to "If it's got wheels, somene, somewhere, will race it". Except possibly the Trojan.

I think someone even raced one of those in a VSCC Light Car race at Silverstone.
W/Cdr Scroggs, probably, but it might have been Marcus Croome.

Bored aeroplane engineers in India once held races using a set of three Otis 8-passenger lifts . . . .

[LotusElise]

Originally posted by brucemoxon
Reliant Robins.

http://au.youtube.co...h?v=-1baol5Jlw4


At least this has four wheels - even if the body is made of paper!


http://au.youtube.co...h?v=ItmNNk__zXI




Bruce Moxon

Both of our local stock car ovals have held races for Robins on a semi-regular basis. The maddest thing I have ever heard of going on at one was a combine harvester demolition derby.

[brucemoxon]

Originally posted by LotusElise


Both of our local stock car ovals have held races for Robins on a semi-regular basis. The maddest thing I have ever heard of going on at one was a combine harvester demolition derby.

I take no responsibility for my actions (or postings)


http://au.youtube.co...h?v=btEpF334Rtc



You started it!




Bruce Moxon