20 replies to this topic

[RA Historian]

It is with great sadness that I  have to report that Harry Heuer has passed away. Those of us who have closely followed American sports car racing well recall that Harry founded the Meister Brauser Racing Team in 1959 and that it was one of the very top US teams for several years. Drivers Augie Pabst and Harry Heuer won National championships for five consecutive years, driving Scarab and Chaparral 1 race cars. 

 

As many of you know, I have been writing the history of the Meister Brauser Team for a book that will be published very soon by Dalton Watson Fine Books. The book is complete and is at the printer's now. It is titled "Meister Brausers, Harry Heuer's Championship Racing Team". It is scheduled to be rolled out this July at the Road America International Challenge historic race weekend. The plan was to have Harry present for that, but his health rapidly declined in the last couple months. 

 

I had been in telephone contact with Harry for many months gathering info from him for the book. As such, the text is loaded throughout with direct quotes from Harry. We will have the three surviving Meister Brauser drivers, Augie Pabst, Bill Wuesthoff, and Don Devine at the event.

 

Harry was a fine fellow, a three time champion race driver, and a fountain of stories, both printable and not! I will miss him.

 

Tom

[E1pix]

Sad loss, Thanks for letting us know.

[D28]

Sorry to hear that. I have fond memories of the Meister Brauser Team at  the Canadian GP 1963, Harry drove the Chaparral, but Don Devine did much better in the Scarab, finishing 4th. I recall coming up on their very colourful transporter on highway 401 leading to Mosport.

RA, I would love to see an image of that if you happen to have one.

Edited by D28, 27 May 2019 - 16:53.

[Jerry Entin]

Mansfield, Louisiana in March of 1961.

Harry Heuer in action in his Meister Brauser Scarab.



Photo Credit: Bob Jackson [Willem Oosthoek Collection]

Edited by Jerry Entin, 27 May 2019 - 17:44.

[Jerry Entin]

A rear view shot of Harry’s Scarab in the same race.
Everyone was looking forward to seeing Harry Heuer and his cars at Elkhart Lake this coming July for the Vintage races.

RIP Harry

Edited by Jerry Entin, 27 May 2019 - 17:48.

[Jerry Entin]

Harry Heuer giving photographer Bob Jackson the eye.

Edited by Jerry Entin, 27 May 2019 - 17:54.

[Jerry Entin]

Mansfield, March 1961. Heuer in his Scarab, with his big rig driver Richard Ex next to the car. The big rig can be seen in the background.



Photo: Bob Jackson [from Sports Car Racing in the South, Volume 3]

Edited by Jerry Entin, 27 May 2019 - 17:59.

[Jack-the-Lad]

Thank you, Tom and Jerry.

[RA Historian]

A rear view shot of Harry’s Scarab in the same race.
Everyone was looking forward to seeing Harry Heuer and his cars at Elkhart Lake this coming July for the Vintage races.

RIP Harry

The show will go on. Augie Pabst, Bill Wuesthoff, and Don Devine will be there. Currently, we are scheduled to have a Meister Brauser Scarab, courtesy of the Revs Institute, and the Meister Brauser Chaparral, courtesy of Tom Hollfelder, in the tent. I so wish that Harry could have been there, but it is not to be.

 

Tom

[Jerry Entin]

Laguna Seca, October 1962. Harry Heuer in action with his Meister Brauser Chaparral during the Pacific Grand Prix. The car was built by Troutman-Barnes in California and developed by Heuer.



It is tempting to call it chassis 002, but since the first four Chaparrals built by T-B did not have any chassis numbers, we refer to it the second chassis built.



Photo: Willem Oosthoek Collection

Edited by Jerry Entin, 27 May 2019 - 23:04.

[Jerry Entin]

Harry Heuer and his friend Jim Jeffords
It is a little known fact that Jim Jeffords and Harry Heuer, both Scarab drivers, ordered in 1960 the first two of what would later be known as the Troutman-Barnes Chaparrals. T-B originally called their design the Riverside Special.
Both put up a deposit, but when Jeffords came down with a viral infection in January 1961, he sold his share in the project to former Road America 500 co-driver Jim Hall, who then became the owner of the first car constructed.
Heuer had to wait until October 1961 to take possession of the second completed car.

All research: Willem Oosthoek

Edited by Jerry Entin, 28 May 2019 - 00:47.

[JacnGille]

Sad news

[TerryS]

It is with great sadness that I have to report that Harry Heuer has passed away. Those of us who have closely followed American sports car racing well recall that Harry founded the Meister Brauser Racing Team in 1959 and that it was one of the very top US teams for several years. Drivers Augie Pabst and Harry Heuer won National championships for five consecutive years, driving Scarab and Chaparral 1 race cars.

As many of you know, I have been writing the history of the Meister Brauser Team for a book that will be published very soon by Dalton Watson Fine Books. The book is complete and is at the printer's now. It is titled "Meister Brausers, Harry Heuer's Championship Racing Team". It is scheduled to be rolled out this July at the Road America International Challenge historic race weekend. The plan was to have Harry present for that, but his health rapidly declined in the last couple months.

I had been in telephone contact with Harry for many months gathering info from him for the book. As such, the text is loaded throughout with direct quotes from Harry. We will have the three surviving Meister Brauser drivers, Augie Pabst, Bill Wuesthoff, and Don Devine at the event.

Harry was a fine fellow, a three time champion race driver, and a fountain of stories, both printable and not! I will miss him.

Tom

For interest what was the significance of his team’s name “Meister Brauser”?

Edited by TerryS, 28 May 2019 - 01:54.

[Jack-the-Lad]

Harry Heuer and his friend Jim JeffordsIt is a little known fact that Jim Jeffords and Harry Heuer, both Scarab drivers, ordered in 1960 the first two of what would later be known as the Troutman-Barnes Chaparrals. T-B originally called their design the Riverside Special.Both put up a deposit, but when Jeffords came down with a viral infection in January 1961, he sold his share in the project to former Road America 500 co-driver Jim Hall, who then became the owner of the first car constructed.Heuer had to wait until October 1961 to take possession of the second completed car.All research: Willem Oosthoek

Thanks. I had no idea.

What was Heuer's business or professional background? Was he related to Jack?

[raceannouncer2003]

Sorry to hear about Harry Heuer.  I don't think I ever saw him race, but I often read about him racing.

 

And the Bocar:

 

https://rmsothebys.c...user-iii/328383

 

Vince H.

Edited by raceannouncer2003, 28 May 2019 - 05:48.

[RA Historian]

For interest what was the significance of his team’s name “Meister Brauser”?

 

 

 

Harry was Vice President of Peter Hand Brewing Company of Chicago. Their best selling brand was Meister Brau. In 1959 when Harry was putting the team together, he arranged sponsorship from the Brewery. Hence, 'Meister Brauser'.

 

Tom

[RA Historian]

 

 

And the Bocar:

 

https://rmsothebys.c...user-iii/328383

 

 

Hoo boy, what a load of BS in that writeup! Heuer's first race car was the Bocar, but it quickly became apparent that it was a real dog. Fast in a straight line, but could not corner.  The Meister Brauser Team only ran it four times: Heuer raced it in the May Meadowdale and Sept Vaca Valley USAC races and was way back in the field. Pabst raced it twice, at Road America in Oct 1959 in a small SCCA Regional, where it finished second to John Staver's Echidna, even with Pabst driving. As mentioned earlier, the car barked. Finally, Augie had to drive it at Nassau when his Scarab was damaged in a highway accident en route to the port of Miami. Heuer parked the car hoping to never see it again.

 

The article cited is effusive in its praise for a race car which was not good at all. But I suppose that is to be expected when they are trying to sell the thing.

 

Heuer's public disdain for the Bocar created a feud with the Bocar's creator, Bob Carnes. It came to a head in Sept. 1960 at Continental Divide Raceway with a grudge race between Carnes in a Bocar and Heuer in a Scarab. Heuer easily won and that was that.

 

Full story in the upcoming book, due this July.

 

Tom

[E1pix]

Harry was Vice President of Peter Hand Brewing Company of Chicago. Their best selling brand was Meister Brau. In 1959 when Harry was putting the team together, he arranged sponsorship from the Brewery. Hence, 'Meister Brauser'.
 
Tom

I never quite understood the connection between Augie and a competing brand on his Scarab, can you enlighten?

[D28]

I never quite understood the connection between Augie and a competing brand on his Scarab, can you enlighten?

Augie explained the situation in Michael Argetsinger's biography of Walt Hansgen.

 

He drove the Scarabs for 2 years under Peter Hand sponsorship and won many races and 2 championships. But when he won a race the headlines would say "Pabst wins" or something like an "absolute  blue ribbon". Maybe way down at the end of the article they would mention Peter Hand or Meister Brau. At the time Augie's family had no longer any control over Pabst Brewery, but Pabst was getting the press. It became a problem for Harry Heuer to explain to his board of directors, Finally he was let go and became available to join Briggs Cunningham.

Edited by D28, 29 May 2019 - 16:12.

[E1pix]

Thanks Bud!

[RA Historian]

I never quite understood the connection between Augie and a competing brand on his Scarab, can you enlighten?

I explain it at length in the book (due out this July) but D28 has summarized the situation nicely.

 

Tom