Quarter Midget Racers from Late 50's/early 60's

[Midget 85]

 

Sometime back we lost a few of the photos that were posted when the forum was down.

 

Here's one that got lost, so I thought I would post it again. This is a color version of my last race car.

 

A Pacemaker Midget manufactured in the west coast.

 

 

Feature Win -Spring 1960- Pasadena Race Track

[Midget 85]

1959 GulfGate Race Track-Midget 85

 

Here's a shot of Little Joey Jordon ( The Track Mascot ) getting his picture made with myself after taking a win.

[jakdad]

Boy Randy, You were riding in style!!! Great pics!

[Rowdy Dowdy]

I remember racing 1/4 midgets in Houston and around Texas in my younger days, but have lost track of alot of the competitors over the years.

 

A little help with this list and where they might be or what they've been up to would be interesting. Here's who's names I can remember.....Larry Schilds, Larry Robinson, Johnny Robertson, Randy Coon,(Shannon now), Bubba Nolan, Gail Nolan, Sandra Honea, Jo Jo Jordan, BoBo Cooper, Bill Pollack, Kathy Pollack, Larry Pollack, Dempy Rozofy......and somebody help me out here. Oh yeah me ...Denny Burton.

 

Denny,

 

I was the driver of the 48 Robert "Rowdy" Dowdy. I you have the time call me at 321-636-8249. I would love to talk to you, and I know Bruce would also, he drove the 47. I know I wore the chrome off your rear bumper, think back!

 

Robert

[Midget 85]

Vintage Quarter Midget from long ago..Looking for a new life

 

Jim found this car on an auction and forwarded it to us to view.

 

I copied and hopefully will give our readers another view of the classic midgets some 50 years ago..

 

 

 

 

The photos refect a recent pint size stormer that sits quietly.

[BruceBoening]

Howdy all from Galveston.

 

I'm Bruce Boening and used to race the "1/4" car at the Galveston airport and also at Gulfgate up in Houston. I was often sponsored on the Sunday TV shows by Bert Lynn Music and also 7-UP. Went to the Garland Nationals a few times also.

 

I drove a dark blue Kurtis 500 with white custom pin stripes.

 

Raced from 1956-1959. Started out as a B modified and ended up in unlimited running a Solt aluminum engine and a "secret" fuel mixture. We also experimented with one of the first synthetic oils back then called Steen-C.

 

I lost most of my pictures in Hurricane Ike but think I may be able to put together something in the near future.

 

Seeing all the familiar names and pictures really hit me emotionally as I, like many of you will never forget the great times we had racing.

Edited April 1, 2010 by BruceBoening

[NickHolt]

Welcome, Bruce. We're dying to see whatever pics you have and to read all about your days in the quarter midgets.

 

Nick

[Midget 85]

Bruce Boening

 

Well, well..

 

Bruce glad to see you here and although we just got off the telephone speaking with each other we must share our experience in that crash you and I had at Gulf Freeway Race Track back in 1958.

 

For our readers out there, Bruce and I locked wheels which drove me into the fence and soaked us both with gasoline from my fuel tank after impact.

 

I think it was a memory we both will remember.

 

I have my side of the story and Bruce has his. Non the less we look back at those youthful days and can remember the impact and how my second midget was pretty much toast after that impact.

 

The story is further back on this thread from what I remember. We will let Bruce tell his side when he comes to this post.

 

Anyway Bruce, welcome to the forum along with everyone else who has since joined us.

[BruceBoening]

Well Randy we both know what happened.

 

You screwed up and wrecked both of us! - ha.

 

I was just holding my race line when you got all excited and tried to pass me on the outside going into turn 2.

 

The worst part of that whole incident was having our moms strip our gas soaked coveralls off down to our underwear right out there on the track.

 

Seriously, it was great talking to you after all these years and I look forward to meeting other racers from the Gulfgate and Galveston Airport era.

 

-Bruce

[NickHolt]

Sounds to me like a grudge match is in order here... LOL

 

Nick

[BruceBoening]

Personally, I think Randy is just living in the past and doesn't have what it takes anymore to win on any track.

 

He's lost that edge, you know.

 

I must admit, his recollection of himself back then is tremendous.

[NickHolt]

Fightin' words if I've ever heard 'em....

 

What say thee, Randy? Doth the man speaketh the truth?

 

But wait, I don't think either one of you would fit in a quarter midget... you both probably have trouble getting in and out of a mini van!

 

LOL

 

Have at it, boys!

 

Nick

[Midget 85]

Some things left better un said...Nick

 

However, Bruce is right about one thing.

 

Wrecking the cars was bad enough but to be stripped down to our briefs on the track was even more humiliating as I managed to duck inside the show room where new quarter midgets were being displayed.

 

All I can say,, if Bruce hadn't been such a light foot in the curves then I wouldn't have to pass him in the outside.

 

I got the idea he just didn't wanna be passed at all.. inside or out ..or was I lapping him!

 

It all happened so fast all I can really remember after locking wheels was heading up the banking with my wheels turned left and his turned right??

 

We were headed straight to the pit exit opening where people were standing and I remember seeing people scramble for cover as we were both wide open on the throttles and drifting into the pit opening.

 

The right rear wheel on my midget caught the fence post and the midgets being locked together came to an abrubt stop.

 

The gas spout behind me was about a half inch in height and the cap was sheared off and the fuel came sloshing out after the jolt!

 

If the rear axle had missed the fence post then we might have ended up on I-45 South bound still wide open and headed toward Galveston where I could have escorted Bruce back home..

 

I decided the next time I was behind Bruce while either passing or lapping him, I would just shove a bumper up that Kurtis Kraft and move em myself..

 

All in laughing fun as we look back.. LOL

 

One thing we can both agree on. Young or old, kid or grown up, racing has the same adrenaline effect no matter your age factor.

 

It's called RACIN'

 

Speaking of Bruce, he has sent me this photo of the old Galveston 1/4 Midget Track which was one of the last tracks we raced on.

 

Thanks Bruce!

 

 

The track still exists at the Galveston Airport. Of course it's overgrown but it's still there amazingly.

 

Attached is a Google Earth image and the track is dead center.

 

-Bruce

[BruceBoening]

Update on the Galveston Airport Track.

 

Apparantly, that aerial picture was taken before Hurricane Ike put 6 feet of water across the island. Since I only live about a mile from the track site I went out there yesterday with my camera with the intent of taking some close-up pictures of it. Sorry to say, it's now completely covered up and no longer visible.

 

It's now under about 4 feet of fill dirt

 

Rest in peace old friend... I'll never forget you.

[BruceBoening]

The fabulous 1/4 Galveston car.

 

These are the only 2 pictures that survived Hurricane Ike. Both taken in my early days around 1958-1959 when I was running stock (note tires).

 

The b&w photo was at the Galveston Airport track and the color one at Gulfgate sporting Uncle Bert's sponsorship for one of the televised races.

 

Anybody know who the 5 & 8 cars were driven by. I seem to recall the name Sanders on the 8 but forget the driver's name.

 

 

-Bruce

 

 

 

[Midget 85]

Bruce,

 

The Gold Pacemaker number 8 was driven by Jim Sanders ( or Saunders )

 

His dad was owner of a Ford dealership off the Gulf Freeway.

 

The Black and White "Champ" 5 midget was originally driven by Chubby Chapman although several other drivers escorted the old 5 car after Chubby ended his racing career.

 

The Champ 5 was owned by Jack Boslog from Liberty Texas and was a very poor and ill handling race car!

 

I qualified it one time and was glad to get out of it.... Felt like driving a tank..

 

Correct me if I am wrong, but I remember the Kurtis Kraft Midgets having a "Foot Brake" as an option to the Hand Brake that could be used either way.

 

Foot or Hand..

 

When you pressed on the Foot Brake, you would see the Hand Brake Move..

[BruceBoening]

Randy,

 

You're absolutely correct on the brake. The foot and hand brakes were directly linked and if you stepped on the foot brake then the hand brake would move and vice versa.

 

How in the world do you remember all these details man? I can't even remember to take my blood pressure medicine in the morning. And I absolutely don't remember the late 60's and all of the 70's for sure -ha.

 

-Bruce

Edited April 6, 2010 by BruceBoening

[BruceBoening]

The Black and White "Champ" 5 midget was originally driven by Chubby Chapman although several other drivers escorted the old 5 car after Chubby ended his racing career.

 

The Champ 5 was owned by Jack Boslog from Liberty Texas and was a very poor and ill handling race car!

 

I qualified it one time and was glad to get out of it.... Felt like driving a tank..

 

Well, if you take a very close look at the stagger of the tires it's amazing that thing stayed on the track at all.

 

The left front looks to be off a Kroger shopping basket compared to the other tires.

 

-Bruce

[Midget 85]

Bruce,

 

The cockpit of the midget was so low that a competitors wheel could easily end up in your lap with little effort.

 

I actually think the AMC Pacer automobile was designed after Champ 5, due to the width of the chassis.

 

Felt like driving a Bath Tub..

 

Don't see how Chubby could drive and maintain that car..

 

 

 

As to the brake movement, I compare it to the Moss Midget with it's spring movement.

 

If you were sharp you would look for the tale tale signs of what the driver was doing by the midget's response to the drivers action.

 

On the throttle..off the throttle..on the brake..off the brake.

 

I tried to learn each drivers habits when pursueing them in a race and depending on the midgets characteristics in design you would learn a lot..

[BruceBoening]

I don't recall using the brakes at all when racing.... pretty much just let off the throttle diving into turns 1 and 3 and let the engine and direct drive slow it down a bit. Of course that was when Burton and Schilds would pass me up!

 

In fact, we had the same disc pads on the 1/4 car for it's entire life.

 

Maybe I used the brake one time when some dude tried to pass me on the outside between 1 and 2 at Gulfgate - ha.

 

-Bruce

[Midget 85]

Yeah..Right Bruce..

 

Wasn't the brake at all..it was the loose screw behind the wheel that thought he was on a European track making right hand turns instead of lefts!!

 

I still think you did that deliberately..

 

You couldn't stand the thought that I was gonna pass you. Instead you got your undies soaked in gasoline just like me.

 

What really pi..ed me off was when it was all over, you were grinning ear to ear like you had done somethin! lol

 

If I ever needed shoulder straps it was on this day

 

Boy what a ride that was..

 

 

 

Speaking of the old Galveston track..

 

We could always un earth it and I would be glad to give you driving lessons on how to turn left..

[BruceBoening]

Sorry you're in such a cranky mood..... are you having hot flashes also?

 

I was grinning because I was so happy to have survived not because of the other clown on the track.

 

And man I never deliberately wrecked anybody, seriously, believe me, honestly. I do recall being on the receiving end a couple times and picking out straw from inside the cockpit.

 

I keep thinking about that car of yours with the gas tube sticking thru the engine cowl way up in the air. You say it had a gas cap on it but I'm still thinking it was just a tube without a cap. Seems like a lot of people had concerns about that setup.

 

But like I said earlier, my memory of back then is pretty much toast and I still don't know how you recall all the fine details and minutia of 50 years ago. I'm jealous of you on that point Randy.

 

-Bruce

 

 

Ans: I think it is due to all the fumes I enhaled from that funny smelling fuel behind Schilds #1 car ..

-Randy

Edited April 9, 2010 by Midget 85

[TexPete]

This Moss Midget is on ebaymotors right now:

 

ebay link

 

 

TexPete,

 

Thanks for looking out for these midgets and letting us know about them. It appears they are beginning to come out of the wood work lately.

 

This would be a great midget to restore!

Randy

[Midget 85]

Bruce,

 

Yes, it did have a gas cap at one time before impact.

 

The reason the spout tube was sticking so high in the air as you say was due to the tank bracket being bent upward after impact.

 

It actually shoved the neck and entire tank upward through the opening in the cowling. The cap was found near the fence and was made of brass and had a small secure chain attached to it.

 

When the cap was sheared, the small security chain actually pulled the entire tank assembly upward from the impact before snapping.

 

Bizarr as it sounds, things have unexplainable answers under stress situations.

 

I'm just glad no one dropped a cigarette around us or Richard Prior would have nothing to brag about..

 

In normal conditions when the cap was screwed down all you could see was the top of the cap above the cowling.

 

After the impact the roll bar was added to the midget. Prior to the wreck it didn't have one.

 

Maybe if had, the cap wouldn't have been sheared off

 

The frame of the car had alignment problems and never was the same after that. The car was pieced back together and sold.

 

Glenda Parker drove it after that for one season and then I never saw it again nor in the winner's circle

 

I think it was scrapped..

[BruceBoening]

Randy,

 

Thanks for the clarification.... it makes sense now.

 

Once again your photographic and detailed memory is awesome.

 

Don't know if this was the same wreck but remember an "incident" where another midget ended up on top of the front of mine. I recall staring at the underbelly of that car after the wreck as it just sat there rocking back and forth before they pulled it off my car.

 

Put it all in a book and I'll be the first to buy one.

 

-Bruce

Edited April 9, 2010 by BruceBoening