(Please
Note: several additional photos and additional information
was added to the web site on November 2010)
Click
HERE
for a new PDF scan of the on track history of the car.
A 14 page documentary. Who owned the car when, was driven
by who when and where they finished.
Most
notably this Ford Riley Sprint Car was driven by Walt
Ader to the 1936 Garden State Auto Racing Association's
Championship with 336 points. Also important to note,
all throughout the 30s - 50s the numerous drivers of this
car always finished at or near the top of their heats.
The
car was originally built by Johnny Osborne of Far Mills
New Jersey in 1933.
At this time the car was painted Blue and was car #9.
It had a Miller-Schofield Head for a Model "A"
Block. Osborne ran the car for the first time with Syd
Pershouse of Pluckemin, New Jersey during the tail end
of the 1933 season. Note: Walt Ader was a good friend
of Pershouse and was part of Osborne's pit crew in 1933.
In
1934, the car had a new owner, Joe Osworth with Al Lattanzio
as the driver. During a race at Woodbridge, NJ on September
30, 1934 the car broke a fuel line and caught fire. Lattanzio
was badly burned about the arms and legs and the car had
extensive damage. Following this incident Osworth did
a complete rebuild job replacing the Schofield with a
Winfield Flathead. In 1934 driver Al Lattanzio finished
runner up to Johnny Matera for the Garden State Auto Racing
Association's Championship. Lattanzio had 183 points while
Matera had 201 points.
In
1935 the car again had a new owner, Joe Barzda. Joe assigned
the car #32, and painted it Orange and Blue. This time,
drivers consisted of Johnny Matera, Walt Ader and again
Al Lattanzio.
June
30, 1935, Lebanon Fairgrounds, Mark Light. Earliest Photo
in our Archives. If you should have any photos of this
car prior to 1935, please E-mail
us.
In
1936 most was the same mechanically as in 1935 but with
the exception that the car was now powered by a Four-Port
Riley on a Ford "A" Block. In
1936, Driver Walt Ader won the Garden State Auto Racing
Association's Championship with 336 points.
Walt
Adler after winning 1936 Championship
The
following photographs were donated on Aug. 18, 2001 by
Paul Barzda Sr., brother of former owner Joe Barzda.
Please
click to enlarge.
Paul
Barzda in 2001 at the Latimore
Valley Convention.
In 1937 after two races in April, Walt Ader made the move
to AAA diving Tommy Griffin's #36 Rocker-arm Cragar.
In
1938 Joe had four drivers including himself.
Newt Meyer, Joe Verebly, Charlie Breslin.
On
June 29, 1938 at Crossbay Speedway in NY, the spriner
driven that night by Joe Verebly won the consolation race.
Joe Barzda's driver earlier in the year, Newt Meyer, who
was driving for someone else this night can in first in
the 40 lap main event.
By
clicking on the image below you can read the full article
about the June 29th race at Crossbay Speedway. (Gordon
White provided this article).
Click HERE
for a PDF of this article.
Actual 1938 trophy from that event that was awarded
to
Newt Meyer, click to enlarge.
On September 1, 1938 at Crossbay Speedway Joe finished
3rd in his heat and 2nd in the 30 lap main event.
In
1939 Joe had Bob Chronister drive for him but on June
4th at Williams Grove he again drove for himself (where
he was forced out of the consolation). Shortly after this
race Joe sold the car to Guy Hastings of Essington, PA.
Bob continued to drive for Guy except on November 12th
when Joe Barzda came back to run the car one last time.
Joe was 2nd in his heat and 2nd in the 20 lap main event.
Bob
Chronister drove in 1940 and ½ way through 1941.
Mid way through the 1941 season Bob left to drive Emmett
Shelly's Hal #36. George Ruddy took over driving duties
and placed 3rd on the Penn-Jersey Circuit.
1940,
A.A.A., Hastings Riley
In
1941 car #32 was painted Black.
In
1942 the car was only driven once and that was by Pete
McKeone at Williams Grove. The government then put a ban
on racing until after the war.
For
the first race of 1946 the car was painted silver and
had a head rest for the first time. Driving for Guy was
Pete McKeone, Eddie Kulp and Scotty Arrell. After the
July 7th race at Williams Grove the car was painted red
and numbered 39.
1946
(?), Car At Guy Hasting's garage, Guy (left), ? (right)
1946
(?), Car At Guy Hasting's garage
1946, Williams Grove, PA, Scotty Arrell
1946,
Williams Grove, PA, Ed Kulp
1946,
Flemmington Speedway, NJ, Ed Kulp
1946, Reading, PA, Ed Kulp
1946,
Car At Guy Hasting's garage, (unknown driver)
1946,
Car At Guy Hasting's garage
July
1947, Larry Smith
Guy
Hasting at his garage
1948,
Reading, PA, Ed Kulp
On July 4, 1949 while racing at Alcyon Park, Pitman, NJ
Pete McKeon flipped the #39 on the back stretch and put
the top guard rail completely through the length of the
car. Pete was only slightly injured, (see photo below).
August
28, 1949, Nazareth, PA, Pete McKeon
September 16, 1949, also
at Alcyon Park, Pete ran through a cyclone fence and straight
up a tree. Pete was not injured, (see photo below).
In
1950 #39 was Creme and Red colored as well as Dark Red.
October
22, 1950, Wall Stadium, NJ
In 1951 #39 changed back to blue.
In 1952 #39 was again red with Charlie Mussleman Driving.
1952, Delmar, Delaware, Charlie Musselman
(First race of 1952)
August
4, 1952, Indiana PA, Charlie Musselman driving with
Charles Jennings following.
Charles
Jennings
sent the above photo into us March 2007. Below is an excerpt
from his note:
"I drove NARA in 1952 with your Charlie Musselman.
I still have a picture of Charlie. I was just showing
my helmet in the dust behind Charlie, I think this was
in Indiana PA. 8/4/52. My last race in 1952 was in Marlington,
WVA. I was drafted the next week and ended up in Pusan
Korea. I drove one race Aug. 1954 in Vineland NJ.
In
1953 Bob Brown (Williams) drove the car to second in points
(567) & Rookie of the Year honors in NARA. Bob Brown
was runner up to his brother Bill Brown (Williams) with
597 points for the championship.
November
21, 1953, Fourteenth Annual NARA Banquet, Bob Brown receiving
1 of 2 awards for Rookie of the Year. 1 trophy & 1
plaque.
July
5, 1953 Bob Brown, Guy Hastings Riley
Actual
plaque awarded to Bob Brown, (click to enlarge)
Note:
Mr. Bob Brown has generously donated the plaque he received
for Rookie of the Year in 1953 to Mr. Bill Watson, (restorer
& present owner of the car). This plague along with
additional photos donated by Mr. Brown will forever reside
with the car.
1953
National Auto Racing Association's
Thirteenth Annual Banquet program
Click
HERE
To View Page 1
Click HERE
To View Page 2
Click HERE
To View Page 3
Click HERE
To View Page 4
Membership
card of Bob Brown (Williams) for the 1953 season for NARA
September
25, 1954, Gratz PA, Bob Brown (Williams)
October
2000, Hershey PA, AACA Car Show - from left to
right: Bill Watson, David Watson, Bob Brown, Brian Watson
The
car was campaigned for most of the 1954 season, then for
only a few races in 1955, 1956, 1959, 1960, then saw its
last race in 1961 at Flemmington NJ where Steve Cameron
took it to 9th in his heat and 7th in the feature. Not
bad for a car 28 years old.
Authentic 1955 National Auto Racing Association - Membership
Card
Actual 1955 National Auto Racing Association
registration for car # 39 - Owner: Guy Hastings, click
to enlarge
Authentic 1955 National Auto Racing Association - Pit
Pass
May
29 1955, Gratz PA, Ira Robbins
Sixteenth Annual Banquet, NARA, January 14, 1956
Authentic National Auto Racing Association - Decal
July 7, 1956, Lehighton, PA, Ira Robbins
September
5, 1959, Flemmington, NJ, Skippy Goslin
Skippy
Goslin
October
8, 2008, Bill Watson, Skippy Goslin
1961,
Flemmington, NJ, Seated: Don Barron,
Left to Right: Unknown, Guy Hastings, Joe Ferrell
The
1933 Ford Riley Race Car was raced from 1933 to an amazing
1961
when it was finally retired.
(Please note: there is slight evidence actually raced
until 1963...)
|
DRIVERS:
|
|
Al
Flemming, Al Lattanzio, Bob
Brown, Bob Chronister, Bob Stumpp, Bud Olson,
Bud Phillips, Cecil Lester, Charlie
Mussleman, Charlie Breslin, Dick Swarmer, Eddie
Culp, George Ruddy,
Ira
Robbins, Jack Yardley, Joe Barzda, Joe Sanco
(Joe Hyrenske), Joe Verebly, Johnny Matera, Larry
Smith, Mark
Light, Newt Meyer, Pete McKeone, Sal Marchella,
Scotty
Arrell, Skippy Goslin,
Steve Cameron, Syd
Perhouse, Wally Whitman, Walt Ader.
|
|
TRACKS
VISITED :
|
|
PA:
Altoona, Allentown, Bedford, Bird-In-Hand (Central
Speedway), Brandenville (Anthracite Speedway), Breckneck,
Ebensburg, Indiana, Gratz, Kutztown, Lancaster,
Latimore
Valley, Langhorne, Lebanon (Fairgrounds), Leighton,
Lincoln,
Nazareth, Port Royal, Reading, Schuylkill Haven
(Cressena Fairgrounds), Sellingsgrove,
Twin Oaks (Delco Speedway), Williams
Grove
DE: Delmar, Harrington
MA: Northampton
MD: Baltimore (Gov. Ritchie Speedway), Hagerstown,
Marlboro, Patuxent (St Mary's Speedway), Pomonkey
(Airport Speedway)
NJ:
Market, Pitman (Alcyon Park), Mt. Holly, Troy Mills,
Union, Vineland, Woodbridge
NY: Campbell, Chatham, Crossbay, Middleton, Riverhead
VA: Manassis
WV: Marlington
|
The car changed hands for the last time in 1970 when Bill
Watson
became owner and the restoration began.
The
historic Sprint Car as it arrived for the first time
at the garage of Bill Watson.
This
very same trailer can be seen in this PHOTO
from 1940 and in our VIDEO
section cira 1961 pulling into Flemmington Speedway.
NOTE:
We are always looking for additional: PHOTOS,
MOVIES, STORIES and GENERAL INFORMATION concerning
this car. If you should have any of the above, or know
anyone who may, please contact Brian Watson at brianwatson@watsonracingteam.com.
In particular, we are looking for
any photos from the
car's first year, 1933.
Thank
You
Over
the years, many people have contributed vast amounts of
historical documents, photos and information to our family
that have made this thorough presentation possible. I
would like to take a moment and sincerely thank them for
all their help, without them, this would not be possible.
Thank you!
