I did have the privilege to get down to NHIS the first of the month for the annual vintage race car meet/show. If you folks have never bothered to take in one of these meets, you really don’t know what you’re missing.

There were over 100 pre-registered cars and it appeared as if more than that were in the garages and the pit area. These aren't just old race cars people, these cars are restored and rebuilt to a much higher degree of fit and finish than they ever saw while they were racing.

And what a variety of cars there were. Everything from some beautiful old, two man Indy racers to a couple of Bugatti’s to an extremely rare Maserati that had been brought into the US back in the 1930’s, attempted to qualify at Indy in ’39 and again from ’46 – ’49. (It never did make the show) The really interesting thing about this Maserati was the fact that after it had been raced with the SCCA throughout the 1950’s, in the search for more reliability, an early Chrysler Hemi had been installed, the car had been parked in a barn and set there on its trailer until it was purchased by the current owner. (Who has several other really neat old race cars to keep it company in his garage.)

Of course, we have to mention the fantastic midgets, many of them still with their Offy engines, (if you have never heard an Offy, you’ve never heard a real racing engine.) a whole bunch of gorgeous sprint cars, again some of them still running the Offy’s, and even the old Dean Van Lines Special, the first car to qualify over 150 mph at the Brickyard. This car was headed for Pebble Beach and the auction block and it will be interesting to see what kind of money it brings.

How about some modifieds? Everything from old flathead Ford coupes, (I could relate to these), up to and including some Pintos and even a couple of Gremlins. Oh yeah, how long since you’ve heard a big block roar around a mile oval at full song? And over in the corner of one of the garages I even found a reproduction of a Curtis Turner/Holman & Moody 1963 Galaxy 500 with the slanted rear window, complete with a nice sounding 427 under the hood. A really nicely done 1957 Chevrolet was there as well, but I never did catch up to it. Seems like when I was in the garage it was out on the track and when I went out to the pit area, they were hiding back in the garage. Maybe next year. There was even a fairly late IROC Dodge that not only looked immaculate, it was quite rapid on the track as well. While they’re not supposed to race, most of the guys are not afraid to get into the loud pedal a bit, especially on the straights, they do pass each other and it makes for a good show when they’re out there getting in track time.

One of the best parts of these meets/shows is the fact that the owners of these cars are only too happy to take the time to talk to anyone who expresses an interest and they know every nut and bolt on the cars that they have restored; it is a true labor of love for these folks and it shows not only in their cars, but in their attitude as well.

If you happen to be in the area next summer, take the time to attend this show, if you’re not here, look for a vintage meet at a track near you. You’ll be glad that you took the time to step back into racing’s past, if only for a couple of hours.

I guess that’s about all I’m gonna talk about this time; I do have to extend my deepest thanks to the people at NHIS, especially to Fred Neergaardt, the Public Relations director, for letting this old goat spend some time there on a beautiful mid summers afternoon; also to Ted Goddard, the operations manager, for taking the time to share some of the tracks earlier history with me; he was able to clarify some dates and details that I needed for a project I’m working on.

These folks really do know how to take care of everyone that they deal with, from the competitors, to the fans, and even to old grumps like me that have outlived their usefulness. Thanks a million to all of them; they do the track, its owners, and its operations proud.

Comments, questions, and hate mail to:
BoB
topaz@cyberportal.net

PS: The rumors that NHIS has been sold are simply not true. That’s from the folks that work there.

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