Road America - 54 years ago

[Bill Bonow]

Lance Renshaw sent me this video link of the June Sprints in 1958. Just three years after the track opened.

It's strange to see the same track/corners as we see today, but get 10 feet off the track and it's like you were on mars. Really scary to see the starter (Bud Sevrens SP?) standing in the middle of the track for the whole race! No pit wall (or pit lane), just people standing 30 feet from the cars driving by at 100+ mph!

Watch and enjoy.

http://vimeo.com/49357431

[RussMcB]

Bill, thanks for sharing. Very fun to watch.

Lots of things to chuckle at, such as the brake system test in the tech shed. :-).

Noticed at the end of the movie it was produced by someone named Onan. I guess that explains the little embedded generator commercial earlier in the film.

[Steve Davis]

I have to wonder how they strapped a camera into those cars? Had to be a 8 or 16mm film camera of pretty good size and weight I would think. Pretty impressive incar footage for that time.

And obviously a PROFESSIONAL production - well done.
Steve, FV80

[mike g.]

Tell us more, Uncle Bill, when you were there taking this video :-)

[Bill Bonow]

Russ,

Loved the genny with the little light bulb to verify that electricity was being made! It didn't seem to be as quiet as the current era Honda generators.

Steve,

Gotta figure 16 mm camera for the quality produced, the camera had to weigh 25 to 30 lbs? Not that it would be accurite, but I timed his lap in qualifying..... 3:37.2
Can't figure the extra weight of the camera would slow him down that much!

Mike,

Looks like you need to change your signature

By the way, club racing hasn't changed that much, I saw a semi trackor trailer as a tow rig in the paddock........ in 1958!

[JerryH]

Wondering if this was 1958.

Look at 14:24.......in middle of picture is a white chevy....either 59 or 60 year model....could have been late enough in 58 to see a 59....but it doesn't look new.

Great footage in any case! The track didn't look much different when I started driving in 67.....and lots of the same cars were running!

Jerry

[mike g.]

So at 13:40 or so - I realized it was an Onan Generator ad - I wish they did that now... might get some nice commerical sponsored 15 min videos of tracks...

Sweet video.

Yes. I need to update the signature. I'll do that now :-) The car should be in Bruce's hands within 2 weeks.

-Mike

[Bill Bonow]

Jerry,

The white car is a '59 Chevy (Batmobile tail fins), but the license plate on the car next to the Onan generator is from Minnesota and dated '58. It could be that they compiled footage from a couple of years?

It's really great to look at the priceless iron in the paddock........ Now where did I put that time machine?

[glenn cooper]

Was that hard to watch (and listen to)!
Who was the squirrel bait driver?
Dudeman really liked his power on oversteer!

[Jerry Santucci 33]

had a chance to watch it this morning - great post!

the first thing to hit me was SAFETY.. wow, we have come a long way. those corner workers and flagman were living very dangerously. but back then, that was state of the art. and i imagine those trees were not forgiving if you had an off.

anywho thanks for posting...

[sracing]

The beginning hot lap was about 3:37. About the speed of a current pace car lap.

[Westroc]

Been doing this since 1968 not counting karting and the thought that occurs to me is this. I started racing in a time when racing was dangerous and sex was safe. Think about it.

[Beartrax]

Gotta love the narrator telling the driver how to drive around the 22 min mark. Is that where Steve Matchett learned how to commentate?

[Pop Chevy]

Wow, 50,000 spectators !!!! In 1958 !

[rickb99]

.......the first thing to hit me was SAFETY.. wow, we have come a long way. those corner workers and flagman were living very dangerously.....

58 and prior and 59, 60, 61 it was "normal" for corner workers to be protected with a row of hay bails between them and the track. Not that it would stop cars....

[Rick Kean]

Don't even rotate an electric start Onan with a weak battery, much less continue rotating it without success trying to get it fired up.

The Onan starter windings will just burn up trying to comply...

I never recovered from this stupidity episode at the 1984 Road Atlanta IMSA round while working for Clayton Cunningham Racing.

Rick

[dalz]

had a chance to watch it this morning - great post!

the first thing to hit me was SAFETY.. wow, we have come a long way... and i imagine those trees were not forgiving if you had an off.

anywho thanks for posting...

I've talked to youngsters who are horrified that I remember when all that was waiting outside of the Caroussel was a grass strip, a three-foot guardrail and 100-year-old spruce trees.

RA should bring back the Have a Pepsi bridge.