Big Car Racing Association and Hall of Fame
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Big Car Racing Association & Hall of Fame, LLC BCRA ESTABLISHED 1958, COLORADO SPRINGS CO BCRAWelcome Staff. Dave to the Tyson(Mo) bcra hall Ray Cunningham(Ks)Boydof fame newsletter Adams(Tx)Bruce hall of Budy(C0)Gerry Miller(Tx) Tom Davey(Co)Wayne Panter(Tx)Gary Wolfe(Ne) Welcome to the Big Car Racing Assoc newsletter, Hall of Fame addition Bcra Staff: for Dave 2015 Tyson(Mo). The good Ray Cunningham(Ks), Guys Hot Rod Boyd club Adams(Tx), came to Bruce Budy(C0), Gerry Miller(Tx), Tom Davey(Co), Wayne Panter(Tx), Gary Wolfe(Ne) Lincoln on this weekend and with the sponsorship of Speedway Motors had a number of activities including the Cone Racing event, “Day at the Hay” held at the Haymarket facility in Lincoln. Somewhat new to the area, the event was a big success and will return June 25th of 2016. The Model T Speedsters returned for a great weekend of showing us how it once was. I was able to take in the Hill Climb event and this is a must see for “T” enthusiast. The Model T club will return in 2017. Tours of the Museum included the new addition which is partially complete with cars and significant motors of the fuel and fire evolution. Jim Petty program on early Stock Car days and Jack Petty’s horrendous wreck and fire at Hutch, Ks. This was a most interesting presentation by Jim and we Joe’s Speed Shop with members (Lto R) Gene Kruback(Ne),Joe Haag(Ne), look forward to more in the future. Jon Backlund(N.M.),Dave Tyson(KC),Jack Petty(Ks), Iran(Ks)and Jim Petty(Ks) Flat Head Hill Climb, an amazing display of power from the early days Ramona and Gene take a ride in the Haag Hot Rod At the meeting held at the South Folsom Speed Shop a discussion centered around the five BCRA Hall of Fame Inductees for 2015 which include: Colorado Springs native. Bill Mytan was one of the original incorporators of the BCRA but was also instrumental as the Glen Majors was another of the original incorporators of the Big Car Racing Assoc and served as first secretary/ treasurer. He began racing in 1947 in Colorado with the Midgets and in 1951 began driving for George Peterson piloting his #24 Stock car and later raced the Colorado tracks including Greeley . Glen also ran briefly with the Wyoming Racing Association and ran Pikes Peak in ‘57.These two Officials along with Art Meyers , Don Budy and Karl Mismach brought Sprint racing to the Midwest in a big way, thrilling fans for the next 20 seasons. Dick Frenzel was Production Manager at Merrill engineering in Denver and in ‘49 attacked Pikes Peak with the first of two standout Frenzel Cars and driver Walt Killinger who began competition in 1931 on the circle tracks and Pikes Peak. Enjoy… DICK FRENZEL and the Frenzel Lincolns. Bill Mytan was one of three frontline officers who formed the BCRA beginning in 1957 at Colorado Springs, Colorado first Vice President. As a competitor, Bill Ran Pikes Peak (’58- ’59), the Wyoming Racing Association and ran the BCRA in his Hemi powered big car. Some may remember Erma’s Kitchen in the Springs where Bill and wife Erma provided hot coffee and quick meals to their clientele. “Frenzel Cars Always Pose Top Threat in Peak Contest”.. July 4th 1959 Colorado Springs Gazette. Harry Ivers Dick Frenzel who works as production manager of Merrill Engineering in Denver annually takes time out from his work with the Pioneer Electronic Balancing firm to invade Colorado Springs with his two race cars. 2 Finney qualified fastest in the 1953 time trials and won fourth place on race day. The next year, 1954, was one of the hottest competitive races ever held on the Hill and Finney, after qualifying fastest, only finished third in the race although his time was less than the old record.. In 1955, however, the Finney and Frenzel combination really got working broke the record and took first place in the time trials and first place in the race for Dick Frenzel. In 1956 Finney timed in one second behind Bob Unser who won the event with Finney second. But Dick was sure enough of his design to build another car like Finney’s for the driver that who had been finishing right behind Finney for two years in Bill Grover’s little Chevy 6, Slim Roberts. The two cars Dick entered in 1957 finished one and two, the first finish if its kind on Pikes Peak. Roberts and Finney drove the two cars to second and third places in 1958 to prove that it took a new record to beat Dick’s design. In the 1959 Hill Climb Hill Climb Champ and BCRA hall of famer Slim Roberts at BCRA Canyon Roberts finished second and Finney fourth. City 1958 At the 1961 Hill Climb Roberts would finish second behind The two “Rocky Mountain Paving Specials” are driven by Unser while new driver to the team, Charlie Lowderman took Slim Roberts and Bob Finney. Slim Roberts placed the number the Frenzel #58 to a fourth place finish. 85 first in the time trials Tuesday while Finney drove Number The 341 cubic inch Lincoln engines used in both cars had been 58 to third place. modified by Dick and carried four Stromsberg 97 carburetors Frenzel’s racing activities started in 1947 when he built a on an intake manifold of his own design and manufacture. The midget race car and raced it for that season and during 1948 on power was carried through a Ford transmission with a Special the Colorado circuit. Midget racing was at its height then and second gear, a Halibrand quick change center section, an open Dick was racing his car five nights each week , three in Denver tube rear end that Dick fabricated and magnesium wheels. at the Lakeside track and one night each at Colorado Springs Both racers have tubular steel frames and differ chiefly in the and the Pueblo speedways. body design. Finney’s no. 58 with its blunt nose and square grill In 1949 Frenzel had designed an overhead valve modification design has an all aluminum body while Roberts Low, wide for Ford and Mercury Flathead engines and decided to test his snouted car uses fiberglass for the nose and tail, and aluminum design by running the Pikes Peak Hill Climb(Frenzel/Stephans for the hood and cockpit sections…….. Overhead). Walt Killinger raced the car to 12th place that year th Slim Roberts would run the first BCRA race at Canyon City in and 6 in 1950. a Frenzel and the cars would move on to the BCRA running In 1951 Bob Finney took over the wheel of Dick’s racer and th from Pueblo in 1958 until Bob Daly of Broomfield would retire took the Frenzel modified Ford to 7 place money. In 1952 the his Frenzel in about 1970 after a decade of the Hill Climb and racer was out of the race with a broken valve and Dick decided IMCA, MVRA and BCRA. Harry Ivers acquired the Finney to change to another engine. The engine chosen by Frenzel was driven Frenzel and ran it until about ‘64 in the IMCA MVRA an overhead valve Lincoln V-8 and the choice was evidently a and BCRA. Bob Daly still has the running and mint condition good one, because he hasn’t had one of his racing machines th Roberts car to this day. Bernie Shires was born in 1926 at finish below 4 since then. Deming NM. Shires began racing in 1953 running midgets and ran the Carrera Pan-Americana road race, considered one of the most dangerous of the day, with a V-8 Ford and partner Norman Patterson. He later came to the BCRA at Pueblo driving the # 7 for Joe Taylor of Amarillo and his own # 321 at Pueblo and other locations in the years to come . He later would drive for Gordon Herring in his stable of big cars and proved an excellent driver and competitor. Bernie was a constant at the Belleville Nationals for years and passed away in 2006 Chuck Mauro built, owned and maintained some of the most successful open wheel, Midget, Sprint and “Big Cars” of the ‘50’s-‘90’s. Many of these cars were piloted by some of the nation’s top drivers that competed anywhere. Chuck built his first car in 1936, a 29 Model A he turned into a roadster and Jim Merrill, Potsy Gow,Tony and Merle Finney,Lou and Dick Frenzel, Bob Finney won the Main at Derby,Co.. Mauro bought his first Sprint 3 modified it, including a Pop Meyers Cragar and in ‘45 raced it mark on the decade by competing in over sixty Champ Car at Pueblo and in Nebraska and Wyoming. In ‘48 Mauro went to races. His record included four wins, while amassing twenty Pikes Peak with driver Jimmy Good and the Cragar and Good six top five finishes, leading 477 laps, and grabbing nine pole went off the road . In 1958 Chuck and driver Eddie Jackson positions, including the Indy 500 in 1954. Jack McGrath, AKA came to the BCRA with the Mauro Miller and would compete "The Splendid Splinter" was that driver, and teamed with with the club throughout its tenure in the Midwest all the while Wichita Oilman Jack Hinkle in 1950 they would become one of fielding an Offy sprinter and some top Midgets with drivers the top race teams in Champ Car racings Golden era.