18 replies to this topic

[sramoa]

These two topics could have continuation such possibly.This and This
I never heard about these drivers but I would not believe in the fact that they would have been very inexperienced in the world of the driving though.They were Indy entries:

1929:C.H. Cunard
1930:Fred Fansin,James Klemos
1931:M.M. Trexler and C.C. Reeder
1932:A.C. Aiken
1933:Paul Butler,Terry Curley and L.A. Lariviere
1935:Robert Wilson
1938:Tom Cosman
1946:Harold Bailey
1948:Joe Perkins and Loral Tansy...

Do you have any info Michael(again )?

[Michael Ferner]

C. H. Cunard was an entrant, not a driver. I have also seen him listed as the driver of the Buckeye=Duesenberg, but that was probably a mistake. Not sure, though, what his exact role was - the car was actually owned by Gibson Bradfield; maybe he was team manager??

Fred Fansin was a dreamer, forget him. James Klemos (possibly: Klemons), no info.

Marion M. Trexler was a veteran originally from Ohio, I believe - his first entry I have is in 1912 in a Stoddard-Dayton. Didn't race much, or if he did he wasn't successful. C. C. (or: C. W.) Reeder was Trexler's entrant in '31, and apparently requalified the car after Trexler proved too slow - didn't make the field, either. He was also entered at Roby that year, no info apart from not finishing in the top ten. There was an Ernest Reeder competing in a Mercer in Ohio in 1913, on the same track were Trexler had first appeared one year earlier - possibly a coincidence. Pretty sure there is no connection to Jimmy Reeder, a regular from Texas during the twenties.

[Michael Ferner]

A. C. Aiken was apparently known as "Bob" Aiken, other than that no info. There were several other drivers by the name Aiken competing in the twenties, best known probably John D. "Johnny" Aiken from Georgia, or Homer W. "Speed" Aiken from Massachusetts or Pennsylvania; none of whom looks to be a likely candidate for "Bob".

The only Paul Butler I have was from Indianapolis, and competing in "colored" races with a Fronty-Ford in 1932 - we are led to believe that he wouldn't have been allowed to join the AAA. Terry Curley was a riding mechanic in the twenties, and apparently a former professional pugilist. There was also a Raymond Curley riding as mechanician, perhaps a brother - likely Hoosiers. Lariviere - no info, but there was a Zip Larrivee/Larivee/Larancic/Larancie/Lariance from New Jersey competing in AAA events (New York and New England) in 1931

[Michael Ferner]

Bob Wilson from Kansas City (MO) raced 1933 to '38 minimum, in and out of AAA, IMCA and other independent or even unsanctioned events. Best result I have for him is a 3rd place at Savannah (MO) in '33 behind Pat Cunningham and Tex West, both of whom had galaxies full of better results than Wilson, but never made it to Indy - such is life!

Tommy Cosman had a decent career in California, twice finishing in the top 30 in AAA Pacific Coast points, and apparently 11th in the 1933 "Class B" classification - perhaps slightly overmatched at Indy.

Harold Bailey, no info.

Joe Perkins was listed from Van Nuys (CA), no other info.

Loral R. Tansy was entered at Arlington Downs a few weeks before Indy, no other info.

[sramoa]

I think I opened an exciting topic!I thought these drivers were known on a some kind of level.

I found a bit about Tansy:His grand(or -grand) daughter wrote somewhere on Net(myvip or facebook?)Tansy was a famous(how famous???)dirt track driver in Indiana a lot and trough long time...

[Michael Ferner]

"How famous?", indeed - and what for? When he entered Indy he was said to be a 17-year veteran of dirt track racing. Well, I certainly can't claim to know everyone and everything, but my records are quite extensive, and his name does appear only in the two races mentioned, both time as a DNS (possibly even DNA). He was a local news item several times between 1948 and 1969, but most of the time for reasons you don't want to read your name in the papers...

[Richard Jenkins]

1930:Fred Fansin,James Klemos
1931:M.M. Trexler
1933:Paul Butler,Terry Curley and L.A. Lariviere
1938:Tom Cosman
1946:Harold Bailey
1948:Loral Tansy...

Do you have any info Michael(again )?

Well, I'm not Michael but in addition to what he has said;

Fansin is probably one of the most tenuous of my list of who was actually there. Either him or Bert Adams. For now, he remains - http://www.oldracing...ver/Fred_Fansin - died tragically young in 1937, aged only c.27.

James Klemos - also died tragically young. Only 36 when he died in 1935. Like Fansin, this was his only serious attempt-http://www.oldracingcars.com/driver/James_Klemos

Marion Trexler - from Indianapolis. Died in 1968, started racing as early as 1912 - http://www.oldracing.../Marion_Trexler

Paul Butler was one of the hard luck stories of Indianapolis. Unfortunately, I've not found any biographical data about him but in short, he was a taxi driver in Indianapolis - http://www.oldracing...ver/Paul_Butler

Terry Curley died aged 85, in the late 80's. Started off as an amateur boxer, then was a racing mechanic, before a brief spell as a racer.

L. A. Lariviere - the entry on WATN pretty much sums him up, Canadian born, American racer, raced on board and dirt tracks, LA was Leonide Albert - http://www.oldracing...L._A._Lariviere. Also of Belgian descent.

Tom Cosman - Jim Thurman and I have done a lot of work on him - http://www.oldracing...iver/Tom_Cosman His 1937 effort was pretty much it.

The only thing I can add about Harold Bailey is that he was from Detroit, Michigan. Again, the WATN entry pretty much sums up him - http://www.oldracing...r/Harold_Bailey. Probably deceased.

Loral Tansy - well not only do I know a bit about him, but I can provide a photo as well - courtesy of his grandson, the aptly named Pilot - http://www.oldracing...ver/Loral_Tansy Pilot has said that really, bar, his Indy 500 attempt, there wasn't much to his racing career, and he was more famous locally for his police and community work in Indianapolis

[sramoa]

Well, I'm not Michael but in addition to what he has said;

My question is not only to Michael,but he is the US big car "scientist"

[lotuspoweredbyford]

C. H. Cunard was an entrant, not a driver. I have also seen him listed as the driver of the Buckeye=Duesenberg, but that was probably a mistake. Not sure, though, what his exact role was - the car was actually owned by Gibson Bradfield; maybe he was team manager??

I have a signed photograph of C.H. Cunard showing him as a driver at the Speedway actually.

Now, whether he actually practiced is another issue entirely.

Edited by lotuspoweredbyford, 04 January 2013 - 20:45.

[Jim Thurman]

I have a signed photograph of C.H. Cunard showing him as a driver at the Speedway actually.

Now, whether he actually practiced is another issue entirely.

Shades of Al Reinke! (though Reinke was underage at the time and simply posed seated in a car)

Edited by Jim Thurman, 05 January 2013 - 16:38.

[Michael Ferner]

I have a signed photograph of C.H. Cunard showing him as a driver at the Speedway actually.

Now, whether he actually practiced is another issue entirely.

Interesting! Back then, it was much easier for even a complete novice to race at Indianapolis - I don't have anything on Cunard!!

[sramoa]

Not really one-off driver but no info for Steve Smith who tried to qualify 1927 and 1929 with Rausie(?) car.Also Smith was from Alloway,NJ(?)

[Richard Jenkins]

Ive a birthdate but nothing more significantly than that

[Michael Ferner]

He was also there in 1925, but he never actually tried to qualify. I call him Steven Smith, to avoid confusion with the infinitely more prominent father-son combo of Steve and Stevie Smith. The car was apparently called the Rausenberger (possibly Ransenberger) Special originally, which was mostly shortened to Rausie (Ransie?) Special for practical matters. It looked a bit like a stretched Fronty, but was an eight, with individually cast cylinders - quite unusual!

 

Steven S. Smith's hometown was always listed as Jamestown/NY, which is interesting, because that was also the hometown of Empire State Gas Motors, sponsors of a certain Floyd A. Smith between 1930 and '32 - perhaps they were even related?!? Floyd Smith, of course, was famous for running a successful racing team throughout the late twenties and early thirties, with drivers such as Wilbur Shaw, Shorty Cantlon and Bill Cummings!

[Richard Jenkins]

PS To refer back to the original query regards Harold Bailey - all details about him have since been confirmed - Donald Davidson confirmed Harold was the younger brother of George.

[sramoa]

Thanks your answers-I found some little more infos for Mr. Smith.

 

Yes he was born in 1895 and location is correct(New Jersey)-an Indy newspaper think he was thirty y/o in 1925.Real name was Stephen S. Smith and lived in 20s years at Jamestown,NY-and raced from 1922 some local tracks.Also he entered as owner 1927 Altoona event(in September) Ransie car with Clarence Belt.No more info about his later life....

[Michael Ferner]

For what it's worth, I have seen both Steven and Stephen, but the former more often.

[sramoa]

Well, I'm not Michael but in addition to what he has said;

Fansin is probably one of the most tenuous of my list of who was actually there. Either him or Bert Adams. For now, he remains - http://www.oldracing...ver/Fred_Fansin - died tragically young in 1937, aged only c.27.
 

 

I found a small info about Fred Fansin was regular driver at Creve Coeur Lake track in St. Louis,MO min. 1929 to 1934

[sramoa]

A. C. Aiken was apparently known as "Bob" Aiken, other than that no info. There were several other drivers by the name Aiken competing in the twenties, best known probably John D. "Johnny" Aiken from Georgia, or Homer W. "Speed" Aiken from Massachusetts or Pennsylvania; none of whom looks to be a likely candidate for "Bob".

 

A. C. Aiken was Allan Crooks Aiken who lived in Indianapolis in this time, but he travelled before in Michigan, and years later he was lived in Tennesse and after WW2 until his death lived in Las Vegas,NV

 

He was born March 13th, 1900 Ellwood City,PA and passed away April 17th, 1964.

 

No more info about him.

Edited by sramoa, Yesterday, 20:33.