NEWSLETTER Vol 38 #6 October 2020
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NEWSLETTER Vol 38 #6 October 2020 The late great Sherm Decker The fastest MG racer ever? Our cover headline last month was sure a fizzle. The Lime Rock MGVR Focus race was cancelled. It was not the MGVR race but the fact the weekend was shared with the TransAm series. The State of CT ruling for quarantine would not have allowed dozens of crew and drivers from other States to participate – so the event went down. No MGVR focus race for 2020 – maybe 2 for 2021? In This Issue Sherm Decker was the superstar of MGA racers. Back when the SCCA classified cars by displacement, the poor 1500cc MGA raced against the 1500cc 4 cam Porsche Carrera’s. But Decker humbled them more than once. A tribute story about Sherm written by the journalist Edward Vendyk and courtesy of Safety Fast Magazine. Alix Lafontant was The Photographer at Watkins Glen in the 50’s & 60’s. He took that expertise to tracks around the world. A great story about this unusual career in photo journalism. A fair amount of items For Sale. Those “things” you have in your garage or barn or storage could be just what somebody out there needs badly. Feel free to use this forum for cars, parts, publications, posters or whatever. No letters to the editor, shame on you. No tales of MG’s past and the great times you had, shame on you. SHERMAN DECKER By Edward Vandyk When I became aware that one of Sherman Decker’s Twin North American contacts including Dave Nicholas, Ted Rounds, MGA! Editor Cams had recently been restored in the UK I thought this was Mike Tooke, Michael Eaton along with details from ‘Call it MGA’, courtesy of something that would be of interest to the MG community and, Roger Martin and the MG Car Club MGA with the help of the owner, I set about writing an article both Register, I hope what follows gives an overview of Sherman Decker and his about Sherman Decker and his MGAs. achievements in his MGAs. However, from here onwards it will be ‘Sherm’, as he was hilst Sherman Decker’s name 12 Hour Race in 1959, I very soon became known, not ‘Sherman, in the same way as will forever be associated in aware how little information about both a UK ‘boot’ is a US ‘trunk’. MG circles with his historic Sherman, and the MGAs he competed in, Sherm Decker was born December 13 nighttime session in a ‘works’ was actually easily accessible. 1929 in Oneonta, New York and died in a WMGA Twin Cam (Race Number Accordingly, with the help of various tragic car accident in October 1987 at the 30) in the deluge that beset the Sebring www.mgcc.co.uk27 SAFETY FAST! XXXX 2020 XXXX 2020 SAFETY FAST! 27 Car 2 - Watkins Glen 21 September 1957, black 1500 - #112 – 4th Collier Cup a ‘running back’, despite weighing in at only 127lbs but he chose not go on to College, preferring instead to be drafted into the Army, just two weeks after his wedding, where, after basic training which he loathed, he taught motor pool officers how to fix jeeps and trucks at Fort Benning GA. The young Sherm also was a downhill Car 1 - Watkins Glen 15 September 1956, red 1500 - #67 – 1st Collier Cup skier and rodeo competitor. age of 57 in Delaware County, New York. Sherm was naturally strong and After the Army Sherm went to Broome Married on August 5, 1951 to Joan, who is athletic but relatively short (5’9”) which Technical School with Ted Rounds and still very much with us, they had one son, would have made the MGA, with its they remained friends and racers for Greg, who has also sadly passed away. As relatively tight driving position and lack of life. Ted gave an indication as to what his close friend Dave Nicholas said, it was any power assistance an ideal competition Broome offered as follows “The President ironic that such a talented driver should vehicle for him. He was a star (American) of Broome Tech was Cecil Tyrell, an ME have passed away in a car accident. football player at High School, probably who majored in automotive technology. Car 2 - Watkins Glen 27 June 1958, black 1500 - #38 – 1st Glen Classic 28 SAFETY FAST! XXXX 2020 www.mgcc.co.uk Car 3 - Sebring 21 March 1959 Ash Green Twin Cam - #30 – 12 hour race 46th Car 4 – Watkins Glen 23 August 1959 Red Twin Cam - #62 – 1st Collier Cup with overall, 4th in classCollier Cup with Joan and Gordon Morris Joan and Gordon Morris He could foresee what was coming competed in an MG TF 1500 in a couple Decker showed up, put his hand on Dave’s in the auto industry. He designed a of races, (finishing 9th and 20th) and then shoulder, stared Tiny in the face, complete two-year program named automotive on to 1956 and the start of 27-year-old with cigarette hanging out of Sherm’s lips, technology. He was aware that we would Sherm’s eight season history racing MGAs and said: “Let’s go Nicholas”. Lund just need to understand the rules of physics which continued until the 1963 season. turned around and walked away. As Dave and chemistry. The two-year program But first a personal anecdote from says: “Nobody would challenge Sherm”. worked us hard, fifty weeks a year, eight Dave Nicholas. At the 1965 Watkins Glen Dave Nicholas recalls that Sherm would hours a day, four or five lab reports a USRRC weekend, Dave had entered his help anyone, a friend or competitor, and week, on mechanics, thermodynamics, MGA in the preliminary races. He had also that Sherm often had a cigarette and electricity, petroleum chemistry, hydraulics, also just bought a very cool Simpson a beer close by. accounting etc. Not much time for nuts Indianapolis racing suit, white with yellow and bolts, although we put rings and a stripes on the arms and legs. The weekend Sherm’s MGAs valve grind on a donor car from a friend was also a NASCAR stock car weekend. Sherm raced at least seven different MGAs or relative. However, we did find time to A well-known NASCAR driver was Tiny in that eight-season period, starting with generously support the nation’s Brewers.” Lund who won the Daytona 500 in 1963. the only variant available in 1956, the Ted Rounds recalls the graduation picnic He was named Tiny because he was huge. ‘Original MGA’, colloquially known as from Broome which began Tuesday night Tiny was also known for fighting. When an MGA 1500, which, for purists, I am at Chenango Valley state park and ended he saw Dave in the scrutineering line he referring to as simply an ‘MGA’ in the Sunday morning in Buffalo! immediately started picking on him for table setting out Sherm’s MGA races. This Leaving Broome, Sherm found work my “fairy lookin’ suit”. Dave knew who is believed to be complete. with Gordon Morris in his dealership just he was and what he was famous for From pushrod cars Sherm moved on to north of Oneonta, New York, and was pretty sure he the MGA Twin Cam, driving the Hambro which takes us conveniently wanted a fight. Out ‘works’ entry in 1959, and subsequently first to 1955 where Sherm of nowhere, Sherm owning and competing in two Twin Cams, Car 4 – Watkins Glen 23 August 1959 Red Twin Cam - #62 – 1st Collier Cup www.mgcc.co.uk XXXX 2020 SAFETY FAST! 29 Car 5 – Watkins Glen 25 June 1960 Black Twin Cam - #167 – 1st Watkins Glen Classic firstly a red car followed by the second, a The Twin Cams, YD2/931 to 934, hour when the engine let go just after the black car, acquired in the summer of 1960 had been constructed as roadsters but start of a lap. He pushed it for a mile and a and sold a year later, which has been the were converted to coupé form by the half in the rain until he ran out of energy. subject of the recent restoration. After the Competitions Department. The cars ran When he tried to start the car (with some Twin Cams Sherm competed in an MGA with numbers 28 (Gus Ehrman and Ray unacknowledged outside assistance) it 1500 again and finally in an MGA 1600 Saidel), 29 (Jim Parkinson and John Dalton) was plain that a piston had gone but he MkII De Luxe. Whilst the table has the race and 30 (Jack Flaherty, Ray Pickering managed to drive round to the finish line, details, photographs of the seven MGAs with Sherm Decker as reserve). All these driving in short bursts until it seized. As are illustrated below plus even an eighth drivers were American and came from the engine cooled after each seizure he car at the [XXXXX] Hill Climb in the late areas picked to give a spread of dealers drove another few yards. The car was 1950s. within the regions. Sherm Decker was not pushed over the line to qualify as a finisher happy to be the reserve as his times were in 45th place. The other two cars came Sebring 12 Hour event 1959 consistently faster than the others. He did, 2nd (No. 28) and 3rd (No. 29) in class and This event remains probably the context however, drive in the race. 27th and 34th overall. In passing, it should in which Sherm Decker’s name is most The race started at 10.00am in clear be added that photographs show that the recognised by MG aficionados worldwide.