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Spring Issue 2016
The Harry A. Miller Club
Harry A. Miller Club News
Roster Limited to 60 Cars
Be Part of this Exciting Weekend Gathering!
Vintage Indy cars run the famed Milwaukee Mile all day Friday and Saturday!
Talk with the owners about their car’s unique history and restoration!
Get your entry application in now!
Weekend activities include our Thursday evening Social at the Crowne Plaza, and Friday
Banquet and Silent Auction. We will also recognize our loyal club members, including
Jim Himmelsbach, who has shared his knowledge and expertise of Miller engines and cars
with countless others over the years to help with their restoration projects!
For entry details, go to harrymillerclub.com, or
Email [email protected].
See these cars and more!
1933 - 34 Wonderbread Special. Pat Phinny
1911 National. Brian Blaine
1
Spring Issue 2016
Indianapolis 500 – The First Fifty Races
N
inety-nine Indianapolis 500’s have been completed, and this
year the much anticipated 100th running of the “500” will be
held on May 29th. With all the remembrances being written, it would
be unthinkable not to mention one very important person, the one
man whose cars and engines have dominated the field at Indianapolis
- Harry Armenius Miller. His contributions took center stage in the
1920’s – and are highlighted in this article during that timeline.
In 1909, Indianapolis, Indiana was the center of the automobile
universe. Many manufacturers and suppliers were located in central
Indiana. Carl Fisher, the co-owner of the Prest-O-Lite company,
along with partner Jim Allison, Frank Wheeler of Wheeler-Schebler
Carburetor and Arthur Newby of National Motors turned 320-acres of
farmland on Indianapolis’ Southwest side into a 2.5-mile rectangular
track. On February 8, 1909 articles of incorporation were filed at a
capitalized value of $250,000. A surface consisting of crushed stone
and asphaltum oil (commonly used to construct roads) on a firm clay
base was used.
The first automobile races were held on August 19th – 21st, 1909.
65 entries representing 15 manufacturers including some of the biggest
named drivers were on the entry list. Drivers such as Bob Burman,
Barney Oldfield, Louis Chevrolet, Lewis Strang and Johnny Aitken
were present at the first weekend.
Some consider the initial races a dismal failure. Deteriorating track
conditions, leading to unsafe driving conditions, accidents, and several
fatalities, caused negative press and a lackluster public following.
Fisher decided that the track needed to be upgraded. A concrete
surface was considered, however a brick surface which cost twice the
price would last longer, and was chosen. On a wintry day in December
of 1909, an exhibition race was held on the new brick surface and the
“Brickyard” was born.
In May of 1910, 42 races were held, however attendance was once
again lackluster. Multiple races were held the following month with the
same results. Fisher had seen enough, Speedway management decided
on a single race, 500-miles in length would be held on Memorial Day
weekend.
The Pre-War Era, 1911-1916
In April of 1911, Ray Harroun was a retired race car driver. The
previous year he won several “heat” races, and also won the Wheeler-
Ray Harroun’s crashed Marmon crash in 1910, exactly one year to the day
before his win in the 1911 Indianapolis 500.
2
Ralph DePalma and Rupert Jeffkins are seen pushing the hulking Mercedes
race car that broke down only laps from the end of the race in 1912. DePalma
and Jeffkins were cheered as they gallantly pushed the car to the finish line.
Schebler Trophy race, breaking speed records at the 150-mile and 200mile marks. Harroun would also crash on May 30, 1910 before winning
the 20-lap Remy Grand Brassard trophy race later that day. So when the
500-mile race was announced, he considered himself retired. However,
the management at the Marmon Corporation has other ideas. Driving
the single seat Marmon Wasp, the soon to be iconic race car equipped
with the first rear-view mirror, Harroun won the inaugural 500-mile
race before an impressive crowd of 80,000. After the race, Harroun
eased into to corporate life employed as an engineer for Marmon.
In 1912, Italian-born Ralph DePalma dominated the race only to
have his hulking Mercedes break down on lap 197. DePalma and his
riding mechanic, Rupert Jeffkins were able to nurse the car another lap
before the crankshaft broke knocking a hole through the crankcase on
the backstretch. With the help of Jeffkins, DePalma pushed the heavy
car to the pits. A 22-year-old local driver, Joe Dawson, in his locally
built National won over Teddy Tetzlaff and Hughie Hughes.
European drivers made their mark early on the “500” as French
driver Jules Goux won the 1913 “500” in his Peugeot. Frenchman, Rene
Thomas driving a Delage won the 1914-edition with fellow Frenchmen,
Arthur Duray and Albert Guyot following. DePalma got his revenge on
the Speedway when he won the following year driving a Mercedes as
only ten European entries made it due in part because of World War I.
With war waging in Europe, entries for the 1916 race were down.
To assist, the Speedway built three Premier cars. They were copies of
the successful Peugeots that proved productive at the Speedway and at
other tracks. Twenty-one cars started the event, cut short to 300-miles,
the only time the race was not scheduled for 500-miles.
The Roaring Twenties
Howdy Wilcox won the first race after the War in 1919, driving
a Speedway-owned Premier. The race was marred by three fatalities
and several serious injuries, as Wilcox took over the lead from Louis
Chevrolet and never looked back. Writer, Jack Fox writes about one
of the Speedways more unusual accidents, Late in the race, Louis
Chevrolet threw a wheel on the frontstretch and his hub cut the timing
wire. The wire snapped back and caught Elmer Shannon across the
throat, cutting it badly. He almost bled to death before he reached the
pits. His mechanic took over the wheel and finished 12th.
Gaston Chevrolet and Tommy Milton won the “500” in 1920 and
Harry A. Miller Club News
Moore coming home third.
Indianapolis-native, Bill Cummings won the 1934 race in Mike Boyle’s
Miller. Colorful Kelly Petillo won the 1935 race, beating Wilbur Shaw in
record time, Petillo’s speed of 106.240-MPH was in spite of several long
cautions including the one for Clay Weatherly who was fatally injured
on the ninth-lap.
Louie Meyer became the first three-time winner in 1936 when he
piloted his Ring-Free Special Miller to victory. A fuel limit of 37 ½
gallons was set and seven cars ran out of fuel late in the race. Despite of
new restrictions, Meyer set a new race record.
Indiana-native Wilbur Shaw won the first of his three “500” wins in
1937. The following year, Shaw returned to victory lane in the Boyle
Maserati 8CTF. Sadly Roberts, the defending champion, lost his life in a
multiple car accident in turn two.
Eddie Rickenbacker was a driver at Indianapolis before WWI and enlisted
in the U.S. Army soon joining the 94th Aero Squadron. A decorated ace with
26 confirmed victories, Rickenbacker won the Distinguished Service Cross
a record eight times. After the war he purchased the Indianapolis Motor
Speedway in 1927. After selling the Speedway to Mr. Hulman in 1945, he
would later be president of Eastern Airlines.
1921 driving Frontenac race cars built locally by the Chevrolet’s. The
Chevrolet brothers used the name, Frontenac due to them selling
their “name” to William Durant of General Motors.
The early 1920’s were known as the Duesenberg era. In 1922 Jimmy
Murphy won in a Duesenberg powered by an engine built by Harry
Miller. Miller’s design borrowed and expanded from the double
overhead cam four-cylinder engine, pioneered by Peugeot before the
war turned out to be revolutionary design. This basic engine design a four-cylinder double overhead cam would power Millers and later
be further developed by Fred Offenhauser. This would become the
mainstay of Indy Car racing until the mid-1970's.
Miller's design would power Murphy's Duesenberg to victory in
1922. Later, his car and engine designs would win four more times
in the 1920's (Frank Lockhart in 1926, Louis Meyer in 1928 and Ray
Keech in 1929) in Miller chassis. Miller-powered cars would win
the race another seven times between 1930 and 1938 (twice again,
in 1930 and 1932, in Miller-designed chassis). Miller/Offenhausers
engines would power the "500" winners 36-times with Texan, Johnny
Rutherford winning the final time for the revered "Offy" in 1976.
Duesenbergs would win the “500” in 1924 with L.L. Corum and Joe
Boyer. A year later, Peter DePaolo, nephew of Ralph DePalma, would
win in a yellow Duesenberg the following year. His victory is significant
as he was the first to average over 100-mph for the race (101.13-MPH).
The Junk Era
In 1930, Speedway officials moved to change the rules to
encourage more manufacturer participation. Changing the rules
made it possible for a semi-stock car to have a reasonably good
chance against a specialty built race car.
Harry Miller powered cars continued their domination with Fred
Frame winning the 1932 race after Arnold once again found himself
in the lead, leading 56-laps before crashing over the wall suffering
serious injuries.
1933 was a tragic year, as five men lost their lives and another one
was seriously injured. Louis Meyer won his second “500” driving the
Miller-powered Tydol Special. Wilbur Shaw finished second and Lou
The Post-War Years 1946-1952
In late-1945, Terre Haute businessman, Tony Hulman believed
that the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was a jewel that needed to be
preserved. He also acknowledged that resurrecting the track that has
suffered from years of neglect during World War II would require deep
pockets.
Mr. Hulman purchased the track from Eddie Rickenbacker, it started
a rebuilding process that is still ongoing today.
George Robson won the first post-war race, which featured mostly
continued on pg 4
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Spring Issue 2016
race cars mothballed since racing ceased in the United States in 1942.
The following years, many of those same cars, some dating back to the
1930’s, continued to make their way to the Speedway each May.
Mauri Rose would be the second three-time winner of the “500”
when he added victories in 1947 and 1948. The mustached driver
would work at Allison Transmissions in the morning and in the
afternoons would practice getting up to speed at the Speedway during
the month of May.
Johnnie Parson won the rain-shortened race in 1950, when the race
was called at 138-laps. Lee Wallard and 22-year-old Troy Ruttman won
the next two “500s” as they were the final two wins for the Offenhauserpowered upright style dirt cars. Frank Kurtis of Glendale, California was
building what Bill Vukovich called “roadsters.” Offset low slung purpose
built race cars for Indianapolis. With tracks like Milwaukee being paved
in 1954, Darlington on the schedule, the transition to the sharp looking
cars seemed natural. In 1952, Vukovich driving a Kurtis KK500A was
leading until his steering broke giving Ruttman the victory.
The Roadster Era 1953-1966
Bill Vukovich would find victory lane in 1953 and 1954 driving the
Fuel Injection Special owned by Howard Keck and wrenched by Bill
Travers and Frank Coon. “Vuky” dominated the stifling 1953 race
which saw track temperatures over 130-degrees. Qualifying back in
field in 1954, Vukovich worked his way through traffic before leading
90-laps in victory.
In 1957 and 1958 George Salih built a laydown roadster, and won the
famed “500.” Sam Hanks retired from National Championship driving
in victory lane. The following year Phoenix, Arizona’s Jimmy Bryan
drove the low-slung car to victory lane.
In 1959, Zink let the talented builder join the new Leader Card
Racers Team started by Bob Wilke of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The
team hired veteran Rodger Ward as their driver. What started was a
domination of the Watson roadster at Indianapolis.
Ward won the race in ’59 and followed up with a win in ’62. However
his best car he said he drove was in 1960 when he finished second
to Jim Rathmann in a sister Watson roadster. Many still consider the
battle the greatest two-duel at the famed Brickyard.
A young Texan named A.J. Foyt won the 1961 after a late duel with
Eddie Sachs. A return to victory in 1964 in a Watson roadster turned
out to be the final win for a front-engine car at Indianapolis.
Parnelli Jones drove to victory in 1963 over Jimmy Clark in a rearengine Lotus. Jones who broke the 150-mile barrier in qualifications
the year prior was a fan favorite, winning Rookie of the Year in 1961,
sharing the honor with Bobby Marshman.
Rookie Jim Hurtubise shocked the crowd in 1960, when in the
second weekend of qualifying, he bested Sachs’ track record of
146.592-MPH to 149.056-MPH unheard of when speeds went up in
small increments.
The Offenhauser-powered front-engine roadster is one of the most
iconic eras at the Speedway, a time of owner-sportsmen, mechanics
brought up on hot rods and drivers who cut their racing teeth on the
dirt tracks across the United States.
In 1965, only six front-engine cars made the race with Gordon
Johncock faring the best with a fifth-place finish in the Weinberger
Special Offenhauser-powered Watson roadster. In 1966, the final
Watson roadster made the race when Bobby Grim qualified a
turbocharged Offy only to be eliminated in the first lap pile-up with
eliminated eleven cars.
– Steve Zautke
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Harry A. Miller Club News
2016
Milwaukee
Concours
de Elegance
T
he name has changed, but the prestigious car exhibit
remains the same. The Milwaukee Concours de
Elegance will be held August 27-28 along the beautiful
Lake Michigan shoreline at Veterans Park. This year, an
invitation has been extended to Miller Club members,
who are invited to bring their vintage Indy cars for exhibit.
They would like to increase the number of unique, historic
cars for this year’s event.
There is no cost for the car entry. Exhibitors are asked to
attend both days of the event, but if only one day is possible,
they prefer Sunday, August 28. If anyone is interested in more
information, please contact Steve Savic at 414-587-0242.
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Spring Issue 2016
From the Racing Archives
By Bill JUNGBLUTH.
Billy Winn, heavy footed veteran from Detroit, breezed around the one mile dirt
oval at State Fair park yesterday to victory in the feature 25 mile automobile race
before an over flow crowd of about 16,000.
Losing control of his car,
George (Doc) MacKenzie was
killed at State Fair park Sunday.
6
It was while the field was traveling
at an 85 mile an hour clip in this
event, the feature of the afternoon,
that George (Doc) MacKenzie,
Philadelphia pilot, crashed into the
wall on the dangerous southeast
corner and suffered injuries from
which he died in County hospital a
few hours later. The crash occured
on the fist lap and all cars were
called off the track and the race
restarted after MacKenzie's car has
been removed.
TRACK IS HEAVY.
Winn covered the distance in 17
minutes and 32 seconds, fairly fast
time considering an all night rain
had left the track heavy.
Chet Gardner of Long Beach,
Calif., breezed home second and
Ken Fowler of Patterson, N.J.,
driving Ted Johnson's car, came in
third. Frank Beeder, St. Louis, was
fourth; Port DeFrates, Springfiled
Ill., fifth and Chuck Tabor, Orange
N.J., sixth. Connor, who won the
pole position with the best time trial
of 42 seconds, led the race for seven
miles, but was forced to withdraw
with a broken rear axle.
Wild Bill Cummings, veteran
speedway pilot, won the second
10 mile qualifying race. It was the
first time Cummings had crossed
the finish line first since 1934. He
trailed in second position until the
fifth lap when he stepped on the gas
and shot into the lead which he held
the rest of the way.
Connor won the first tenmile race
with Winn second and MacKenzie
third. It was a thrilling battle for
second place with MacKenzie just
missing out by less than half a car
length. DeFrates won the third
tem mile race and Jonny Sawyer of
Milwaukee the fourth.
CONNOR'S AXLE BREAKES.
Connor, making his first appearance on the West Allis track,
appeared headed for victory in the
25 mile race untill he was forced out
with the broken axle. He jumped
into the lead at the start and held it
until the accident, although pressed
by Winn all the way. Once Winn
moved into the front he was there to
stay, despite the ambitious effort of
Gardner.
The field, one of the finest ever
assembled in Milwaukee, will return
for another dizzy whirl Wednesday.
The program will include four 10
mile races and a 25 mile feature.
Harry A. Miller Club News
T
Evolution of the Indy Roadster
he Indy Roadster rose from the depths of the design-vacuum
that characterized Indianapolis race cars from the 1930s to 1961.
The decade of the 1960s was the most volatile period Indy car racing
ever experienced. However, the previous 30 years was one of the most
stagnant periods in Indianapolis Motor Speedway history. Indy-car
design evolved in very small increments which, fortunately for the
fans, lent itself to close competition across the board. The "sameness"
in design, which kept competition close, took a new direction during
the late 1930s.
With that said, let's define what a Roadster is and how it differed from
traditional designs. Chassis architecture is a key to defining a race car
and a low center-of-gravity and 50/50 weight distribution are primary
considerations. Given this reality, let's reflect on front-drive Miller's of
the 1920s. Although "roadsteresque" in appearance, they weren't classic
Roadsters. Although their center-of-gravity was better than average,
overweight front ends rendered them less nimble than their rear-drive
counterparts. Efforts to improve handling during the 1930s spawned
the rise of the Roadster.
Except for some early chain-driven designs, the drive-line was almost
always centered in the chassis whether front &/or rear-engine or front
&/or rear-drive. In 1938 Art Sparks conceived a new layout for his race
cars. He commissioned Clyde Adams to build two cars with cockpits
on the left side. Their driveshafts traveled next to the drivers' right hip
back to an offset differential.
The center-of-gravity was lower than more conventional "upright"
dirt cars. Powered by one of his DOHC 6 cyl engines, one of Sparks'
cars set the ten-lap qualifying record at Indy in 1938. The first post-war
Indy 500 saw George Robson drive Sparks' second Roadster to victory
in 1946. (To the best of this authors' knowledge, these were the first
classic Indy Roadsters.)
Even though Lou Moore's front-drive machines won the 1947, '48
& '49 500 mile races at Indy, this was their swan song never to be
replicated. Two Kurtis-built race cars followed in 1952 and became
the first modern iterations of the Roadster. They were the Cummins'
and Keck Indy entries which helped energize post-war interest in the
"Greatest Spectacle in Racing".
After WWII, Cummins' owners entertained the idea of a return
to Indy car racing. In the intermittent years, plans were made which
included a new 'sidewinder' engine-installation concept. Knowing
their Diesel 6 cyl was too tall for conventional installation, Cummins
commissioned Frank Kurtis to build a car to their specifications for the
1952 Indy 500. The Cummins "braintrust" laid a 6 cyl Diesel over to
the right (as viewed from the cockpit) 5° from horizontal. In classic
Roadster fashion, the drive shaft traveled next to Freddie Agabashian's
left thigh back to an offset differential. The cars center-of-gravity was
lowest ever seen at the Speedway.
The second Roadster for the 1952 Indy 500 incorporated the ideas
of Jim Travers and Frank Coon who headed up Howard Keck's Indy
car team for their driver Bill Vukovich. Keck commissioned Kurtis to
build a car under the direction of Travers and Coon. Like the Cummins'
Roadster, Travers had the offset-drive shaft running next to the drivers'
left side. They also leaned their Offy over 18° to the right (as viewed
from the cockpit) for better weight distribution to improve handling.
Rumor has it that following his 1953 Indy win, Vukovich coined the
nickname Roadster. When asked by a reporter where he would go from
there, he allegedly responded, I'm takin' "...my little Roadster..." to
Milwaukee for the next race....
In the late 1950s, A. J. Watson raised the bar in Roadster construction
technique with his modified Kurtis design. In spite of its' potential,
he never built a 'sidewinder', preferring the new - Takio "Chickie"
Hirashima inspired - Low-Tower 252 Offy installed bolt-upright in
his Roadster chassis. History records the remarkable success Watson
Roadsters achieved from 1956 through 1964.
Another update to the Roadster came in 1957. It emulated the '52
Cummins' 'sidewinder' by laying an Offy on its side 18° from horizontal.
The Belond Exhaust Special was fabricated by Quin Epperly under
George Salihs' direction. It was an unqualified success carrying Sam
Hanks and Jimmy Bryan to back-to-back wins at the 1957 and '58
Indianapolis 500s respectively. However, 'sidewinder's never achieved
the success of their Watson counterparts.
The Roadsters' fabled history began to unravel when an underpowered mid-engined F1 Cooper/Climax qualified and finished in 9th
place at the Brickyard in 1961. The proverbial "writing was on the wall"
for the establishment to see. A British intrusion into Indy car racings'
"design-vacuum" laid the groundwork for the future of race-car design,
not only at the Brickyard, but around the globe. The Indy Roadsters'
demise was inevitable and the rest, as they say, is history.
by Kenneth E. Walton
7
Spring Issue 2016
The Harry A. Miller Club
P.O. Box 541 • Germantown • WI • 53022
Tel (262) 388-5221 • harrymillerclub.com
E-mail: [email protected]
22 Annual
Millers at Milwaukee –
Vintage Indy Car Event
June 24-25, 2016
Our entry roster is filling fast! Be sure your car is one
of the 60 vintage Indy cars running the Milwaukee Mile!
Register now by completing the entry form provided on the
harrymillerclub.com website or
Email [email protected].
About The Harry A. Miller Club
Miller Club, sought to bring recognition to
Harry Miller and his vast accomplishments, by
sharing his great race car and engine designs
with younger generations.
Miller based cars and engines dominated
championship competition in this country
during the 1920’s, winning 39 Indianapolis
500 races!
To Join the Harry A. Miller Club
H
arry Miller is quite simply the greatest
creative figure in the history of American
auto racing. He created the great school of
American thoroughbred engine design, which
was faithfully followed by those who sought to
outdo him. Miller was the first U.S. designer who
viewed the racing car as an art object. Miller had
a passion for metalwork and machinery that
soared above and beyond all other designers.
*From The Miller Dynasty, By Mark Dees, The
Hippodrome Publishing Co. 1994
David V. Uihlein, Sr., founder of the Harry
8
New members may complete the membership application found on the Harry
Miller Club website: harrymillerclub.com,
or call 262-388-5221. The fee for new members,
or members renewing after 2011 is $40.
Membership renewals for members who
have held continued membership for more
than five years is $25.
Please mail your check (made out to The
Harry Miller Club), along with your name,
address, phone, and e-mail to:
The Harry Miller Club
P.O. Box 541
Germantown, WI 53022
Harry A. Miller Club
B o a rd o f D i re c t o r s
President:
Dana Mecum
Office, 262- 275-5050
Directors:
Brian Brunkhorst
Lenore Heinzelmann
Tom Malloy
Bill Warner
Tedd Zamjahn
Associate Directors:
Dan Davis
Bob McConnell
Address:
Harry A. Miller Club
P.O. Box 541
Germantown, WI 53022
262-388-5221
This newsletter welcomes contributions, photos,
and suggestions. We hope to feature stories about
members’ car restorations or other news pertinent
to vintage auto collectors. All items submitted for
the newsletter shall be considered an expressed
warranty by the author that said material is in no
way an infringement upon the rights of others.
Editor: Lenore Heinzelmann
The Harry Miller Club News is published three
times per year, and is printed for the auto racing
enthusiast interested in open wheel history. The next
deadline for submission is August 20, 2016.