46 replies to this topic

[terry mcgrath]

Does anyone have any information on motor racing in Puerto Rico during the 1950's or 1960's.

Possibly there was some events at the Air Force base SAC in Ramey Puerto Rico​

Love to hear from anyone with any info

terry

[raceannouncer2003]

Here's one:

 

http://www.racingspo...1962-11-11.html

 

Vince H.

[Rob29]

Not much info there? Love the program cover which seems to have no connection with the entry I don;t remember this event being reported by Autosport which would have been about a week after first Mexican GP.

[bradbury west]

Terry, check out the wonderful Revs Inst foto archives, and look under the recent Albert R Bochroch archives. Apart from the fact that these are simply brilliant for their coverage of events, there are some rarities their. Log onto the collection in full, set it to 100 images per page, click on the venues page, click on Antilles circuit, of which I had not heard before, and there you have a raft of racing in Puerto Rica photographs. It is simply marvellous stuff, even just out of general interest, let alone specific cars or drivers.
Incidentally, the opening page on the collection shows a long series of shots of the Penske Zerex Fubar being built plus several racing shots, some in colour. As I said to a well known TNFer recently, after all these years I never realised that that car was red.
I believe. Mr Bochroch was a man of independent means who was able to follow his chosen sport at his leisure, and he benefitted from access to the rich and famous. Classic stuff.
Roger Lund

Edit.
I cannot put up a link on this new setup. Perhaps another TNFer can. Thanks. RL

Edited by bradbury west, 07 November 2015 - 09:56.

[Tim Murray]

Here's the link to their home page:

https://revslib.stanford.edu/

[bradbury west]

As ever, thanks Tim

RL

[Manfred Cubenoggin]

I distinctly recall that the race identified by Vince above appeared as a feature c/w photos in the pages of Road & Track magazine.  Probably published in early '63.  Worth pursuing...

[Rob Semmeling]

Antilles Auto Racing Circuit near Caguas, Puerto Rico hosted the well-attended but seemingly one-off Puerto Rico Grand Prix from 3-11 November 1962, which appears to have been the inaugural event on this 1.7-mile purpose-built course. The track, also known as Autopista Caguas, operated until approximately the mid-1980s. It was located west of town on the road to Aguas Buenas but has since been built over; no trace remains today.

In the 1970s there was also racing at a combined dragstrip and road course called Riverside Speedway (aka Pista de Añasco), on the western tip of the island near Añasco and La Playa.

Nowadays, Puerto Rico has two active race tracks: Ponce International Speedway Park, and Salinas Speedway (aka Puerto Rico International Speedway). Both are on the southern coast and include a dragstrip.

[Jerry Entin]

Al Bochroch was a copy writer for the Collier advertising agency in the 1930s. He went freelance in the 1950s, wrote several books, was press officer for Bridgehampton and publicity director for the Can-Am series.

 

As for any Puerto Rico competition held at the local Air Base before the 1st [and only] Grand Prix de Puerto Rico hosted at the Antilles Circuit from November 3-11, 1962, based on the number of local Grand Prix production entries it is very likely. Unfortunately these events were never reported by the foreign press.

 

The 1.7-mile, eight-turn Antilles Circuit was built in the middle a hilly sugar cane plantation 15 miles south of San Juan. It was modeled after Lime Rock. Before the Puerto Rico GP took place, eight races for locals had already taken place but their results were not reported either.

 

The driving force behind the professional GP in November 1962 was the SCCA's David Ash, who was chairman of the West Nyack, NY-based Grand Prix Societe de Puerto Rico. Ash assembled an impressive group of race officials for the GP project, loosely based on the Nassau Speed Weeks: George Rand, Bill France, John Bishop, Tracy Bird, Frank Falkner and Joe Lane, responsible for timing at Sebring.

 

Thanks to corporate sponsorship, the purse grew to $20,000. Starting in August, Ash sent out regular information bulletins listing the latest entries, like the Nassau people did. It looked impressive and by October 80 entries were listed. It looked good on paper, but there were some head scratchers, such as Stirling Moss driving one of Carroll Shelby's new Cobras. Not until bulletin #5 was it disclosed that Ken Gregory , Moss's manager, had advised that Moss would not enter any races for the remainder of 1962. In the same bulletin Shelby announced that his Cobras were not race ready yet.

 

Many of the cars in the October listing did not show, such as the three NART Ferraris and the GTOs of David Piper and Jean Guichet. Some cars had changed ownership and some had driver changes: Dan Gurney replaced Joakim Bonnier in the 2-liter, 8-cyl Porsche.

 

Two Ferraris arrived from Italy [the Serenisima 250GT Breadvan and GTO], but owner Giovanni Volpi pulled out after Ricardo Rodriguez's fatal accident a few days before and the cars spent the week in the lobby of the Condado Beach hotel, which served as race headquarters. The field began to look a little thin by now, although Grady Davis surprised everybody by arriving with the new Sting Ray for Dick Thompson.

 

Racing started on Saturday November 3, to end with the 2-hour Grand Prix on Sunday November 11, featuring a field of only 12 cars. Roger Penske ran away from his competitors with his Zerex-Duralite [not Fubar] Special, which had ran a 2.7-liter Climax engine. Trailing three laps down at the finish were Tim Mayer [Penske's old Cooper Monaco] and Dan Gurney [8-cyl Porsche].

 

The feature was a boring race. Penske won $3,000, a sum he would need to convert his center-seat Zerex to the new SCCA specs for 1963. USAC had banned the car already in early November.

 

From: Sports Car Racing in the South, Volume 3 [1961-1962]

[terry mcgrath]

I found this on Google with a great photo attached

It is more this sports car racing we are trying to research

 

http://forums.motorl...?t=28486&page=4

 

Given the date of the "duck" this event took place in 1955. Notice how the cars are positioned "in the ear" (with an S) and you will recognize, Aston Martin DB 2/4, Austin Healey, Triumph TR3, Jaguar XK 120 or 140 or both, Ford Thunderbird, .... Obviously the track used was a basic AIR FORCE - AIR FORCE BASE - (LBS) de Puerto Rico; you will see the big bombers B36 hexamoteurs "Peacemaker". The article, very few prolific, even when means the winner Paul-E. Fontaine on Jaguar and in ladies, Miss Rosita Merino of San Juan, ranked fourth aboard a MG sedan bearing No. 5. That my friends, I wrote everything I could reap. Who can help ?

 

Compte tenu de la date du "canard" cette épreuve s'est déroulée en 1955.

Remarquez comment les voitures sont positionnées "en épis" (avec un S) et vous reconnaîtrez, Aston Martin DB 2/4, Austin Healey, Triumph TR3, Jaguar XK 120 ou 140 voire les deux, Ford Thunderbird, ....

Visiblement la piste utilisée fut une base de l'AIR FORCE - AIR FORCE BASE - (A.F.B) de Puerto Rico; vous apercevrez des gros bombardiers B36 hexamoteurs "Peacemaker".

L'article, très peu prolixe, désigne quand même le vainqueur, Paul-E. Fontaine sur Jaguar et chez les dames, Mlle Rosita Merino de San Juan, classée 4e à bord d'une M.G. berline portant le n° 5.

Voilà mes amis, je vous ai écrit tout ce que j'ai pu récolter.

Qui peut aider ?

​

Edited by terry mcgrath, 08 November 2015 - 00:25.

[Frank S]

Just a little fiber for this thread: In 1957-58 at Little Rock AFB I knew a Sergeant Karel Janacek or Janecek who spoke of racing on Ramey Air Force Base, Puerto Rico. That's all I remember. There is a Karel Janecek who overwhelms my Googler.

[raceannouncer2003]

I distinctly recall that the race identified by Vince above appeared as a feature c/w photos in the pages of Road & Track magazine.  Probably published in early '63.  Worth pursuing...

 

Competition Press, Vol. 9-No. 10, November 24, 1962, featured extensive coverage of this race (and support races), including photos by Al Bochroch.  Motoracing newspaper also briefly covered the first three support races which were held the weekend before the GP.  Motoracing must have covered the GP too, but I don't have that edition my computer.

 

Vince H.

[RA Historian]

A fact that I have not seen mentioned, but undoubtedly played a big role in the 1962 pro race flop, is that the Cuban missile crisis was still ongoing. Understandably, this had a deleterious effect on attendance and entries.

 

In 2003 the SCCA ran a Trans Am race on the  runways and taxiways of the airport located in the San Juan harbor. Local driver Willy Castro won in a Ford Mustang. Must have lost money as the event was not repeated.

 

Tom

[Rob Semmeling]

IndyCar also raced in Puerto Rico...

Well, the American IndyCar Series did. It ran a race called Chrysler Puerto Rico Grand Prix on November 24, 1996. I don't even know who won, and I'm not sure about the location either - possibly a street circuit in San Juan, or perhaps more likely, Salinas Speedway.

[Jerry Entin]

The Cuban missile crises may have had something to do with it, but the cost of transportation to San Juan was an important factor as well. Although the original cut-off time for entries was September 30, 1962, the organizers may have been getting nervous by the quality of entries up till then.

 

In the first bulletin of August the first ten entries were listed, including:

 

#1 Cooper Car Co.   Cooper Monaco [2.7 liter]   Bruce McLaren, England

 

 

McLaren ran the car on the West Coast in October, after which it was sold to John Mecom. Before the transfer of ownership took place, Bob Schroeder, Mecom's driver, received the following invitation, dated October 3:

 

Dear Mr. Schroeder:

 

In making a final review of applications for the 1962 Grand Prix de Puerto Rico, we are pleased that the entry is both sizeable and of high quality. Fact is - we have reached the point where our budget will not allow us to entertain any more "superstars."

 

We do, however, have room for a limited number of SCCA drivers and are concerned that we do not overlook any such applicant who might have been hesitant to enter for fear that the costs involved might be too high.

 

Special "champagne" group flights have been arranged with Trans Caribbean Airways on their new fan jets, which will reduce the round-trip fare per person to around $100 between New York and San Juan.

 

The race entry fee of $150 fully covers the cost of shipment of your race car from Newark to San Juan and return to Newark [or Miami].

 

Thanks to the Puerto Rico Hotel Association, a number of specially priced rooms have been made available for SCCA drivers, materially reducing the overall costs of racing and vacationing in Puerto Rico.

 

If, after reviewing these new facts, you would like to participate, get on the phone and we'll do everything we can to squeeze you in. The 'bind" is the tightness of hotel space in San Juan in November. It is really important that we hear from you at once if you intend to enter. Things are going just great. See you in San Juan.

 

Cordially

 

David Ash [Department of Tourism, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, New York]

 

PS In consideration of the last-minute rush of entries, we are moving the closing date forward to October 15th.

 

 

The Mecom team did not make it to San Juan, but it ran the newly acquired Cooper Monaco at Nassau in December, with Roger Penske at the wheel.

[raceannouncer2003]

So that would be the David Ash who raced?

 

Vince H.

[raceannouncer2003]

 

 

In 2003 the SCCA ran a Trans Am race on the  runways and taxiways of the airport located in the San Juan harbor. Local driver Willy Castro won in a Ford Mustang. Must have lost money as the event was not repeated.

 

Tom

 

There is video of this event at the following link:

 

 

Vince H.

[RA Historian]

In the end, apparently only 12 entries made the grid, including some locals. The results that I have found are as follows, although I suspect that Willem Oosthoeck has more info in his files.:

 

1. 7 Roger Penske (USA) Zerex Special Climax F1/16/61            

2. 4 Tim Mayer (USA) Cooper Monaco T61 Climax ex-Penske              

3. 10 Dan Gurney (USA) Porsche 718 WRS 047?              

4. - Hap Sharp (USA) Cooper Monaco T61 Climax CM/1/61              

5. 39 Ludwig Heimrath (CDN) Porsche 718 RS60              

6. - Luis Merino Elva Mk.6              

7. 83 Jack Ryan (USA) Porsche 718 RSK              

8. 95 Rafael Rosales (PR) Elva Mk.6              

9. 99 Herb Swan (USA) Porsche 718 RS61              

10. 36 Bob Hurt (USA) Ferrari 250 TR 59 0766TR                

11 Chuck Dietrich (USA) Ferrari 250 GT SWB 3327GT              

  - David Piper (GB Ferrari 250 GTO 3767GT MO79460

 

Not exactly bursting at the seams with so many international stars that the entry had to be closed to them, and, according to Ash's over the top letter, SCCA entries might just be squeezed in. Ash's plea for entries is both humorous and insulting at the same time.

 

As far as the "American Indy Car Series" is concerned, I have never heard anything about that most backwater of woebegone series running in P.R., But that is not surprising as nobody ever paid any attention to it.

 

Tom

Edited by RA Historian, 09 November 2015 - 13:53.

[E1pix]

Whatever AIS lacked in PR it made up for in speed. The cars ran quicker than CART and sounded fantastic!

Did you ever see them run?

[Jerry Entin]

In addition to Tom's 12-car grid [all cars finished the 2 Hours]:

 

Victor Merino finished 6th in an Elva Mk 6 #33

 

Rafi Rosales finished 8th in an Elva Mk 6 #6

 

Luis Merino finished 10th in an Elva Mk 6 #???

 

Bob Hurt's 250TR #36 [winner of the first weekend's prelim] came in 11th, victim of overheating and lack of spare tires. Since the GP feature was for sportsracers, Chuck Dietrich [John Baxter's 250GT] and David Piper [GTO] did not take the start. In fact, Piper was a no-show that week.

 

Finishing 12th and last, a mere 45 laps down, was Bill Bowman of Minnesota in what was described as a #62 Chevy-powered Aston Martin GT, running in modified class. In spite of asking a number of Minnesota drivers of the era what model this could have been, nobody remembers the car. Perhaps a DB4?

 

As for Aston Martins, the original entry list had a #8 Aston Martin GT [212] entered by Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd, in a later bulletin changed to Roberts Harrison as the entrant. Its assigment driver? Richie Ginther. Both car and driver were no-shows as well.

 

All research: Willem Oosthoek

[raceannouncer2003]

Terry, check out the wonderful Revs Inst foto archives, and look under the recent Albert R Bochroch archives. Apart from the fact that these are simply brilliant for their coverage of events, there are some rarities their. Log onto the collection in full, set it to 100 images per page, click on the venues page, click on Antilles circuit, of which I had not heard before, and there you have a raft of racing in Puerto Rica photographs. It is simply marvellous stuff, even just out of general interest, let alone specific cars or drivers.
Incidentally, the opening page on the collection shows a long series of shots of the Penske Zerex Fubar being built plus several racing shots, some in colour. As I said to a well known TNFer recently, after all these years I never realised that that car was red.
I believe. Mr Bochroch was a man of independent means who was able to follow his chosen sport at his leisure, and he benefitted from access to the rich and famous. Classic stuff.
Roger Lund

Edit.
I cannot put up a link on this new setup. Perhaps another TNFer can. Thanks. RL

 

Here is a link to the Al Bochroch photos from that race:

 

 

As for Bill Bowman's Aston Martin, there are some photos.  It is light colored, but, I think, an earlier GT than a DB4.  The licence number appears to be 6D - 15438...not sure what state.

 

Vince H.

Edited by raceannouncer2003, 10 November 2015 - 07:04.

[raceannouncer2003]

Hmmm.  I can't seem to post that link either.

 

Here is the link to the home page:

 

https://revslib.stanford.edu

 

Under photographer, choose Albert R. Bochroch.   Then search for Puerto Rico.

 

Vince H.

[proviz]

Rosales' Elva MkVI looks modified beyond recognition by late 1962 - any info about the changes made would be most welcome.

[Jerry Entin]

The #95 car is misidentified. Not Rosales in an Elva MK 6, but Hap Sharp in his Climax-engined Cooper Monaco.

 

From the Bochroch images it looks as though Bill Bowman's Aston Martin was a DB2.

As for David Ash, yes he was the race driver. He and his MGA feature prominently in a video of the 1957 Sebring 12 Hours.

 

all research: Willem Oosthoek

[john wood]

'American racing: road racing in the 50s and 60s' by Tom Burnside has a section on the 1962 race which contains some great photographs (p.178-191). 

[GBarclay]

IndyCar also raced in Puerto Rico...

Well, the American IndyCar Series did. It ran a race called Chrysler Puerto Rico Grand Prix on November 24, 1996. I don't even know who won, and I'm not sure about the location either - possibly a street circuit in San Juan, or perhaps more likely, Salinas Speedway.

 

AIS ran that event on a street circuit in San Juan. IIRC it was won by JC Carbonell driving for Bill Tempero's team, possibly called Tempero-Guiffre Racing at the time. Not 100% on any race details, so am not certain it was won by Carbonell, but pretty sure it was. It did seem to draw pretty large crowds, with some of the locals telling us how grateful they were to have (any) racing on the island. If I remember correctly (cut me some slack, it was almost 20 years ago) tropical rainstorms played havoc with the event, possibly resulting in a shortened main race. I "think" the support races consisted of local saloon cars, some in SCCA GT1 trim (close to TransAm cars)

 

E1pix is correct, around this time the AIS cars were mostly ex-CART chassis (from a couple years to about 10 years old) and most had the downforce that had been slowly reduced by CART over the years. Engines were essentially unrestricted (there were some engine rules, mostly with an eye to parity between NA and turbo) with no pop-off valves required. A fair number of ex-Cossie Lola's were converted to run Buick's (and later Buicks badged as Menards). Without the engine restrictions, several of the AIS cars were running power outputs some 100bhp more than what CART was putting out at the time. Target Ganassi "rented" one of Tempero's cars for a commercial shoot for Target which was shot at Sebring with Montoya driving. Again IIRC, this would have been spring of 1997 a few days after the late winter/spring testing. Montoya was almost 5 seconds a lap quicker in the AIS car than he was in the CART chassis of the year. Not surprising given the power advantage and downforce advantage of the older car, but enough of a difference to surprise JP. The tires favored by AIS at the time were pretty much Hoosier Sprint Car tires, so the tires were much quicker than the much harder tires being run by CART at the time. 97-ish - CART might have switched to Firestones by then, don't think they were still running GY, but again I could be wrong. 

[E1pix]

Great analysis. 

 

Personally, I'd love to see someone take this formula and push it hard. It seems like such a winner, Americans love V8s and Formula 5000 is sorely missed. It's been long snubbed by some purists who may or may not have ever seen them run, but fast racing is enjoyable racing to me and they were quite fun to watch — on the short ovals the acceleration was downright amazing.

 

I also admire Bill Tempero's diligence. He's a good guy, longtime supporter of our sport, and an authentic, down-to-earth enthusiast (and Dad to a longtime friend's wife).

 

Off-topic, is that a WF1 in your avatar?  

[Jerry Entin]

 

Interesting that the Burnside book also misidentifies the #95 Cooper Monaco of Hap Sharp as Rafi Rosales' Elva Mk 6. Strange, since Sharp's Monaco was very well known as the 1961 Times GP winner at Riverside with Jack Brabham at the wheel.

 

All research: Willem Oosthoek

[proviz]

 

 

Interesting that the Burnside book also misidentifies the #95 Cooper Monaco of Hap Sharp as Rafi Rosales' Elva Mk 6. Strange, since Sharp's Monaco was very well known as the 1961 Times GP winner at Riverside with Jack Brabham at the wheel.

 

All research: Willem Oosthoek

 

Yes, that misidentification has been so persistent across the board that I accepted it despite strong initial doubts. Still embarrassed not to identify #95 as Sharp's Cooper Monaco, though, despite looking at photos of the latter only days earlier...

[RA Historian]

" Target Ganassi "rented" one of Tempero's cars for a commercial shoot for Target which was shot at Sebring with Montoya driving. Again IIRC, this would have been spring of 1997 "

 

Doubt it. Montoya did not join Ganassi until 1999.

 

 

[GBarclay]

 

I also admire Bill Tempero's diligence. He's a good guy, longtime supporter of our sport, and an authentic, down-to-earth enthusiast (and Dad to a longtime friend's wife).

 

Off-topic, is that a WF1 in your avatar?  

 

At some point in the early 2000's he was recognized by the Speedway for the number of drivers that had come through AIS at some point and gone on to race at the Speedway. Both Laziers, some Unsers, and quite a few others used the "cheap" running costs of AIS to gain high HP experience.  

 

2004 Stohr with Hayabusa motor currently in SCCA P2 trim. Not the fancy tunnels or carbon bodywork of the WF1's. Fun car to drive

[GBarclay]

" Target Ganassi "rented" one of Tempero's cars for a commercial shoot for Target which was shot at Sebring with Montoya driving. Again IIRC, this would have been spring of 1997 "

 

Doubt it. Montoya did not join Ganassi until 1999.

 

You are correct, I had the years wrong. 

[Rupertlt1]

Can anybody shed more light on the Formula Junior race in 1962?

 

Heart Trophy (45 min)

1. Tim Mayer (Cooper)

2.  Wm Smith (Cooper)

3. Peter Revson (Cooper

Av speed 74.8 mph

 

Source: Competition Press, Nov 24, 1962, Page 3

 

RGDS RLT 

[bradbury west]

Pics on Bochroch Collection on Revs. I just entered Puerto Rico. Bonus is more pics of R Penske and Fubar Spl, in colour too.
Roger Lund

[Rupertlt1]

I've been looking at them, but want to provide accurate captions!

 

Looks like Dietrich in the #34 Elva, also #25 Lola.

 

RGDS RLT

Edited by Rupertlt1, 01 October 2016 - 11:11.

[Jerry Entin]

Rupertlt1,

 

The first three finishers were all part of the same Rev-Em team. Hugh Dibley's Lola Mk 5/Ford was an early leader but spun out, causing steering problems.

 

Fourth overall went to Chuck Dietrich [Elva 300/Ford], with wife Suzy in fifth place [Cooper/BMC]. Fangio himself handled the green flag.

 

As for Penske's Fubar Special mentioned, it was really named the Zerex-Duralite Special.

 

 

 

Source: Sports Car Racing in the South, Volume 3 [1961-1962]

 

all research: Willem Oosthoek

[bradbury west]

Jerry, Willem, my use of the name Fubar was simple self indulgence over one of my favourite cars. There are some wonderful shots of it in build on the Revs site, plus colour shots of it racing in S America. It was only last year when I checked the Revs site about a circuit of which I had never heard that I saw that the Penske was red, I had only seen black and white shots prior to that.
Roger Lund

Edit
Revs Institute archives
Albert R Bochroch collection
Sort by Zerex or Penske or Puerto Rico, or just set to 100 pics per page and scroll down for 2,3,4 pages.

Edited by bradbury west, 02 October 2016 - 00:14.

[Jerry Entin]

Roger:

The reason we brought it up is that in Southern California in the early sixties Dave Dunbar actually raced the real Fubar Special, powered by Ford and then by Buick.

[bradbury west]

Thanks, Jerry.
RL

[RA Historian]

Plus in the early 1960s there was a different special called the Fubar which ran in the midwest with Chuck Rickert as the occasional driver.

[Jerry Entin]

 

Tom,

 

We have not been able to find Chuck Rickert racing any Fubar Special around the Midwest in the early sixties. He did race a Durlite Porsche, a 550RS with special light weight body produced by Bob Webb of Indianapolis. Webb called his construction method the Durlite process, and he used it to do the body for the original Penske Zerex as well.

 

Webb wanted to charge Penske a royalty fee for the use of the Durlite name, which Penske did not want to pay. Ever frugal, Penske changed the name of his newly bodied car to Duralite to avoid any further cost, hence Zerex-Duralite Special.

 

 

All research: Willem Oosthoek

[bradbury west]

Jerry, Willem, presumably that is the Durlite Porsche which we saw at the Revival a few years back, or the latest incarnation of it....
Roger Lund

[Cynic2]

Hi, Jerry,

 

When I worked at/hung around Jaguar Midwest Distributors (as I recall the name) in Indianapolis in the mid to late 1950s there was a Porsche in the back that i assume was the Durlite Special.  It was a 550 (as I recall) with everything drilled for lightness (e.g. not just the pedals, but the pedal shafts as well).  I don't remember where Webb's shop was located, but perhaps there's some connection with Jack Ensley?

 

Ensley and a former used car dealer named Pat Murphy were the partners in the dealership/distributorship.  I suspect the money was from Murphy and Ensley contributed his name.  Ensley had been sort of a mentor to me, and taught me how to drive (on a golf driving range at an amusement park he owned called Little America).  I learned on a RHD MG TC with few if any synchros in the gearbox;  after that anything else was pretty easy.

 

There could be a very interesting short biography on Ensley, who was an extremely interesting man.  I started to write one quite a few years ago, but never got around to finishing it.  Perhaps some day someone will do a magazine article.  For example:

 

Ensley had been a stunt man in the movies Ben Hur and The Ten Commandments, and was a ballroom dancer with Joan Crawford as his partner.

 

He won the SCCA B-Modified National Championship in 1954, driving a Kurtis-Kraft 500 with a Cadillac engine.

 

He finished third at Sebring in 1955 in a D-Type Jaguar, co-driving with Bob Sweikert who won the Indy 500 that year.

 

He was the oldest rookie ever to attempt to qualify for the Indy 500 (although he'd knocked a couple of years off his real age, which was always sort of a mystery anyway).

 

From a Donald Davidson story on the Indy Roadster Ensley had tried to qualify:  at one point Ensley owned a nightclub, where he employed two ex-wives, his current wife, and his current girlfriend . . . all at the same time.

 

Ah, memory lane.  They really don't make 'em like they used to . . . .

 

David

Edited by Cynic2, 04 October 2016 - 01:30.

[RA Historian]

 

 

Tom,

 

We have not been able to find Chuck Rickert racing any Fubar Special around the Midwest in the early sixties.

 

I did not think that I was going batty. I checked my Road America entry lists from that era and found this for the 1962 Road America 500:

 

Car No.: 0

Entrant: Chuck Rickert, Indianapolis, Indiana

Drivers: Chuck Rickert, Bill Kirtley

Car: Fubar Porsche Special

Class: FM

 

In the race they were a DNF

[Rupertlt1]

Staying O/T ref post #43 by Cynic 2:

 

Did you ever come across Hubert (Hugh) McPhail, who also raced a Kurtis sports car out of Buffalo, NY?

I seem to recall some connection to Jack Ensley - McPhail was a pilot, aluminum basher, who owned many different cars including Kurtis, Jaguar, Elva and an A.C. Ace with a Chevrolet engine.

 

RGDS RLT 

[Jerry Entin]

David,

 

Since both Jack Ensley and Bob Webb had Indianapolis as their domicile at the time, we are sure there is a connection. Ensley also put a Chevy engine in one of his D-type Jaguars, which he sold to Bill Fuller of Louisiana after a couple of races. Fuller ran it as the Rebel Special.

 

Since you knew Ensley personally, we encourage you to do a magazine article on him, as it sounds he had a fascinating background. Magazines such as Vintage Motorsport or Vintage Racecar Journal would be interested in it.

 

 

Tom,

 

After checking the 1962 Road America entry list, we have to conclude that you are right. Chuck Rickert ran his Porsche Special as the Fubar Porsche Special. Perhaps he was dissatisfied with the end result by Webb and, tongue-in-cheek, decided to use that old WW2 expression "****ed Up Beyond All Recognition".

 

By 1963 [Road America 500 entry list again] the car was entered as just a Porsche Special, for Rickert and Sam Eller.

 

It is hard to say how many Porsche-based Durlite Specials were made by Webb, but at least three. The Chuck Rickert car started life as Eddie Crawford's 550RS. Crawford sold it to Dean Causey, who commissioned Webb to do his magic. It became the Durlite Mk 3 and included two fins [like the works RSKs of 1958]. Causey sold it to Rickert.

 

 

 

All research: Willem Oosthoek

Edited by Jerry Entin, 05 October 2016 - 00:18.

[Cynic2]

Staying O/T ref post #43 by Cynic 2:

 

Did you ever come across Hubert (Hugh) McPhail, who also raced a Kurtis sports car out of Buffalo, NY?

I seem to recall some connection to Jack Ensley - McPhail was a pilot, aluminum basher, who owned many different cars including Kurtis, Jaguar, Elva and an A.C. Ace with a Chevrolet engine.

 

RGDS RLT 

 

 

I haven't had time to go through my old files (as they're laughingly called), but somewhere I have an unpublished and incomplete listing of Kurtis 500S and SX owners.  (There was also a 500M, a road car although a very few were raced, and a 500 KK, a chassis kit only, usually finished with a commercial Fiberglas body of some sort.)

 

The name "Hugh McPhail" does sound familiar, although I cannot place it.  Let me try to excavate my old Kurtis material.

 

Jerry Entin (for Willem Oosthoek) is someone who might possibly know about McPhail. 

David