I figured that I would post my timeline notes, thus far, for the 1917 to 1918 season. They are still a work in progress, especially as I integrate comments from this forum. However, the structure of my notes does give some insight into Barney's racing activity in 1917 and 1918. Mostly, I just wanted to post this while the thread was still being discussed.
Thanks again to everyone who set me straight on these two seasons. As always, I genuinely appreciate the feedback.
Barney Oldfield Timeline
1917
5/10/17: Uniontown, 168 miles. Races a Delage #27. Flkagged, but gets his only points of the season (300).
5/30/17: Cincinnati, 250 miles. Races the Delage again. Looks like he starts and finishes in 11th place, according to the Phil Harms table. No championship points.
6/16/17: Chicago, 250 miles. Unleashes the Miller Golden Submarine. Looks like, according to the Phil Harms table, that he qualified in third at 107.46 mph. Makes it only 24 laps before a broken valve spring sends him out. Finished in 20th.
9/3/17: Back to Uniontown for another Championship race. Miller Golden Submarine. 112 mile race. Wrecks. No points. (Only points he got that season were at the First Uniontown race).
—This is where the Nolan story actually originated from, as to quotes about being burned and ending up in hospital. I have yet to confirm the hospital detail, let alone his quote about not being allowed to smoke in the hospital, yada, yada, yada.
9/15/17: Providence Rhode Island. 100 miles. Miller GS. 98 laps then flagged? How long was the track? need more info?
11/29/17: Ascot 10miles. Miller GS. “Did not start” per Phil Harms table.
7/28/17: Atlanta, GA; Lakewood Dirt Oval: Match Races.
8/18/17: Sheepshead Bay, NY; Match Races. Races in both the Golden Submarine and a Delage.
1918
1/13/18 Los Angeles, California—Ascot Park Dirt Oval. Miller Golden Submarine. Match Races.
Interesting detail, per Robert Dick via Los Angelas Herald, The car definitely raced without body work. However, the race organizers asked that he parade the car with bodywork, prior to the race. [This is not confirmed, as the Los Angeles Herald article was written prior to this occurring. So, we know that the car raced without bodywork, just not whether he paraded the car with body work)
3/17/18: Los Angeles, Ca—Ascot Park dirt oval. Miller Golden Submarine. Time trials (Averaged 81.82 mph per Phil Harms). Also finished in the Blinky Ben Trophy.
5/16/18: Uniontown, PA, Board Track. Miller Golden Submarine—Phil Harms lists a match race versus L. Chevrolet and another heat race, both of which were in the Golden Submarine.
—Per Championship Phil Harms table, there was also a series of 28 mile champ races. It looks like Barney Oldfield scores 30 points in second race, but is “out” for the first, third, and fourth races.
6/1/18: Sheepshead Bay, NY—Board Track; Harkness Trophy Race. Again, in the Golden Submarine (“GS” at times hereinafter).
6/22/18: Chicago Board Track, Miller GS. Phil Harms, back of Nolan, list this as a Handicap race. (50 laps?)
7/4/18: Cincinnati, OH Board Track— Miller GS (Liberty Sweepstakes).
7/18/18: Uniontown, PA—Board Track. Miller GS. Independence Auto Derby. He was flagged at 96 laps?
—Per Championship Phil Harms table, this was also a points paying champ race. Oldfield scores 15 points. (This is the final points paying race that Barney competed in that season. He finished the season in 13th place).
10/18/18: Independence MO—Dirt Oval. Miller GS. Match Races.