Some of these American road racers stories can be found in this very interesting book..
Some good reading here.
https://books.google.com/books?id=oZ...201964&f=false
An Ambro Special driven by George Burford.
(Jerry Melton photo )
Ken H
Some of these American road racers stories can be found in this very interesting book..
Some good reading here.
https://books.google.com/books?id=oZ...201964&f=false
An Ambro Special driven by George Burford.
(Jerry Melton photo )
Ken H
Last edited by khyndart in CA; 05-09-2018 at 03:09 AM.
Yes please more more moreOriginally Posted by Paul B
I once found a second-hand book on road racing in America in the pre-WW2 years...
I read it and really learned from it, but then I passed it on to someone else. I regret that now.
By the look of what Jerry Entin has posted over the years on TNF about them, Willem Oosthek's (sp?) books on 'Road Racing in the South' would be pretty interesting.
We're even...Originally posted by khyndart in CA
.....Ray,
I did not know the Ed Hugus LeMans story, thank you for that.
Attachment 53690
Check this link also.
https://petrolicious.com/articles/th...st-le-mans-win
I never knew anyone ever put a Ferrari V6 into a Lotus 23! I did know about the Porsche engine, though.
And sources say that Rindt and Gregory had agreed before the start that they couldn't win. So they would simply drive it flat out for the whole race, 'win or bust'.
Another car captured by Jerry Melton was the Beach Bandini sports car which I had not heard of before.
Another interesting site.
http://www.virhistory.com/beach/photos.html
Ken.
Last edited by khyndart in CA; 05-10-2018 at 05:52 AM.
One of the last front engine Chaparral Mark 1 types showed up at Green Valley in early 1965.
Driver was Joe Starkey in car # 21
Is Joe smoking while his mechanic works on the carbs. ?
Starkey coming up to pass the Lotus 23B # 17 of Ken Leith.
So this is how you convert a dairy farm in Texas.
This shows the Green Valley Raceway dragstrip off toward the hill and the road racing was done in the opposite direction and around the car park to the left.
Spectators would to sit on the hills where the cows used to roam. Sadly no more.
(Jerry Melton photos.)
( Ken H )
Last edited by khyndart in CA; 05-11-2018 at 07:38 PM.
February 1965.
Carroll Shelby was developing the first of the new Mustangs, the fastback GT-350.
His first prepared car was brought to the Green Valley Raceway near Dallas Texas.
Ken Miles was the driver that day of the car designated 5R002 # 98.
It was white with blue stripes and was the first ever "R" model Shelby Mustang.
Jerry Melton's photos captured that momentous day for the Shelby Mustang.
Ken Miles really launching the new Mustang GT 350-R
Just to affirm that Hyndman is not stretching his Carroll Shelby story too far you can read more at this site;
http://terlinguaracingteam.com/terli...-team-history/
(Ken H)
Last edited by khyndart in CA; 05-12-2018 at 06:47 PM.
What exciting times they must have been for drivers like Miles...
Now they were dealing with real horsepower. I'm sure the GT350 in race trim had plenty for its chassis, but in that last 18 months of his life he drove Cobras and 7-litre Cobras, well and truly stretching the limits of tyre development, and the 7-litre Ford GT development cars.
Ray or whomever,
Remind me why Ken Miles was so upset that McLaren and Amon won the 1966 24 Hrs of LeMans. Was he mad at McLaren or at Henry Ford the 2nd for trying to arrange a dead heat finish ? ?
Ken
Last edited by khyndart in CA; 05-13-2018 at 01:27 AM.
Ken H,Some of these American road racers stories can be found in this very interesting book..
Some good reading here.
https://books.google.com/books?id=oZ...201964&f=false
An Ambro Special driven by George Burford.
(Jerry Melton photo )
Ken H
I have that book, and another one called " Pro Sports Car Racing in America " by Motorbooks " Classic " and -
another one called " American Racer " a rather large book which has captions in English German and French - covers the 1950's to the late 1960's by Tom Burnside and text by Denise McCluggage, a name you will know.
Cheers Ken H,
from Omokoroa's newest Car Nut.
Roger
PS must Edit my TRS details
By 1966,popular local driver, Joe Starkey had purchased a McLaren Elva and had some good battles with Mason O'Keefe also in an early McLaren at the Green Valley Raceway.
(Jerry Melton photos except the last one )
Last edited by khyndart in CA; 05-15-2018 at 12:06 AM.
In 1966 there were many different classes and races at Green Valley which brought out a variety of cars from Alfa Romeos
to a "Zerex Special".
I thought surely that is not THE ""ZEREX SPECIAL" that Roger Penske and Bruce McLaren drove but after reading this "primotipo.com"
article it verified that this was indeed that car now driven by a Dave Morgan.
" In Bruces’ hands the car won the Aintree 200 in April 1964, the Silverstone International, the Player’s 200 at Mosport in June and the Guards Trophy at Brands Hatch in August’. After the Toursist Trophy at Goodwood in August Bruce sold the car, via Mecom/Teddy Mayer car to Dave Morgan having obtained all the information he needed to build his first sports car. The prototype McLaren M1A , also Oldsmobile powered, appeared later in 1964.
Morgan raced the car into 1965 and 1966 in the US and Nassau. From Morgan the car was sold to Leo Barboza in Venezuela, the car is still there in his families hands."
https://primotipo.com/2015/03/19/rog...zerex-special/
(Jerry Melton photos.. )
As the Zerex Special looked in Venezuela in 1967.
(Ken H )
Feb. 1966.
Sometimes there is a story to go with some of these photos.
(photo shows Jerry Titus sitting in a Shelby GT350, which was not eligible to use in the Trans-Am series.)
" The above pic of Jerry Titus has him sitting in an R-model Shelby (5R001) for the "South Polar Prix Sports Car Race" at Green Valley Raceway, February, 1966. Jerry was just beat out by Pedro Rodriguez in 5R108 at this event.
The above detail was confirmed through the national Shelby registrar, Howard Pardee. And here is more from Howard, further clarifying the reasons this is 5R001, and not 5R002 per some other accounts:
"The car is 5R001. You can tell from this photo that the passenger side window has a quarter window which 5R002 didn't have. Also, the instrument panel has six gauges and 5R002 had only five gauges. Titus only drove an R-Model at Green Valley in 1966." (Jon Mello)
Jerry Titus at work.
Bill Steele driving # 7 Mustang GT 350 before Pedro Rodriguez showed up !
" The owner of 5R108 at Green Valley was Gene Hamon Ford; Bill Steele was their driver who quit when he saw the Shelby American truck pull in with 5R001 and Jerry Titus. That's why Rodriguez was hired at the last minute."
Pedro had to learn the track in a hurry and what better way than to drive a Mini Cooper !
"Here is international racing star Pedro Rodriguez putting in some practice laps in one of the Purple People Eater Mini Coopers
prior to the actual race, when he switched over to run one of the Shelby GT350 Mustangs.
Pedro Rodriguez having fun in the Mustang GT-350 # 7
(Jerry Melton photos )
Last edited by khyndart in CA; 05-16-2018 at 11:14 PM.
Bruce Dyer,
I just had to input Alfa Romeo photos for you of racing during 1966 at Green Valley including a wet endurance race.
This Alfa Romeo GTA driven here by Hal Mayfield was the car that Jochen Rindt had driven earlier in the year to win the 1966 Sebring Trans Am in the under 2 litre division.
An Alfa Guilietta cornering.
An Alfa Romeo whose owner wished that the rain had not come !
Horst Kwech driving on the limit as usual.
Horst Kwech showing how to corner in the rain. (Note the Kangaroo and Australia on the door. )
(Jerry Melton photos )
Another Australian entry in 1966. (Sorry no photo. )
(Ken H )
Last edited by khyndart in CA; 05-17-2018 at 08:46 PM.
Great photos Ken. Yes I love the Alfa’s but the Mini Cooper S is up there as well. Shame no Lotus Cortina photos.
This is a great collection of pics Ken, keep them coming.
Cheers and Regards
Bruce
OK Bruce,
(Jerry Melton's photos..1966 )
I'm loving these photos Ken. Keep them coming.
Bruce I agree Mate, Ken needed a bit of encouragement .. and an Australasian connection to the photo's
Roger
Some more of the cars that competed at Green Valley Raceway in 1966.
Leroy Melcher in his beautiful Lola T70 (One of my favorite looking race cars... KH )
A Lotus 30
A Maserati Tipo 61 Birdcage driven by Bobby Aylward.
(Jerry Melton photos. )
Awesome history and research, thanks Ken. Keep them coming.
Did you ever meet or see "Skip" Scott (Robert Livingstone Scott) in the sports cars. he drove for Ford couple times. Drove an assortment of sports cars in 60s early 70s.
Last edited by Rod Grimwood; 05-19-2018 at 09:33 PM.
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