Old Nash Race car photo

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   RE:Old Nash race car photo

I bought this photo at an AMC swap meet about 10 years ago. I failed to ask any question about who the car belonged to , or any other information. I think I got it off some one from the old Randall AMC dealership in Phoenix , but I'm not sure. The man has what looks to be a NASCAR offical patch on his shirt and the car was sponsored by the Phoenix NASH dealers circa around 1951. Any one have any more information on the photo it would be appreciated as it looks to be going into the History of AMC racing book Car Tech Books is coming out with next year. LRDaum

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mramc Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Jul/12/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3217	Post Options Post Reply Quote mramc Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Old Nash Race car photo Posted: Oct/14/2014 at 12:53pm
	RE:Old Nash race car photo I bought this photo at an AMC swap meet about 10 years ago. I failed to ask any question about who the car belonged to , or any other information. I think I got it off some one from the old Randall AMC dealership in Phoenix , but I'm not sure. The man has what looks to be a NASCAR offical patch on his shirt and the car was sponsored by the Phoenix NASH dealers circa around 1951. Any one have any more information on the photo it would be appreciated as it looks to be going into the History of AMC racing book Car Tech Books is coming out with next year. LRDaum
	LRDaum

uncljohn Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Jan/03/2013 Location: Peoria AZ Status: Offline Points: 5394	Post Options Post Reply Quote uncljohn Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct/14/2014 at 3:16pm
	Larry According to a book I have, the NASCAR CHRONICLE Nash took an active interest in NASCAR early on in the 1950's, with cash prizes and contingency money in selective races, plus a new Nash to the NASCAR grand national Champion, won by a Bill Rexford. Nashes were supplied for the 1950 Carrera Panamericana for Bill France and Curtis Turner and he and Johnny Mantz for the beginning of the 1951 NASCAR season. Turner it seems was not crazy about the Nash as it over heated a lot and dropped it but Bill France hung in there longer. Although Nash and Turners name are referenced together up through the 1952 season. Of course they were also they days where the word stock car meant just a bit more than a spec series car with the grill and the head lights painted on for product identification.
	70 390 5spd Donohue 74 Hornet In restoration 76 Hornet, 5.7L Mercury Marine Power 80 Fuel Injected I6 Spirit 74 232 I-6, 4bbl, 270HL Isky Cam

tyrodtom Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Sep/14/2007 Location: Virginia Status: Offline Points: 6213	Post Options Post Reply Quote tyrodtom Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct/14/2014 at 9:58pm
	Nash's only NASCAR win was a 150 lap race at Charlotte Speedway in 1950, this was a dirt track, several years before the asphalt tri-oval. Driven by Curtis Turner, on April 1st`. Nash was the first car builder to openly sponsor NASCAR racers, and offer contingency awards.
	66 American SW, 66 American 2dr, 82 J10, 70 Hornet, Pound, Va.

mramc Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Jul/12/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3217	Post Options Post Reply Quote mramc Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct/15/2014 at 1:07pm
	That is interesting as it seems George Romney was president of the AMA when it banned member car companies from Auto racing. Was it Romney realizing Nash could not compete and leveling the playing field ? I've always thought so. But was never sure. Nash did make an effort at stock car racing in the early 1950s and had a twin carburetor setup like Hudson twin H setup but never fared as well as Hudson did. I found a video from Nash for 1951 that has the 1950 Mexican Carrera Panamericana race on it , as a Nash dealer with what seems a private effort came in 3rd in the race. Plus it has a 1950/51 Nash Rambler going up Pike's Pike and Lucky Lee Lott's heck Drivers in a 9 minute film strip. The URL is : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07doVRjxyCQ for you tube. I think I got the photo at the Phoenix AMO meet about 10 years ago possibly off the vendor space Randall AMC was selling items from. But I'm not sure. It's been too long ago. Would like to know more about the Phoenix Nascar race the Nash was in circa 1950/51 or so and who is the man in the photo. LRDaum
	LRDaum

uncljohn Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Jan/03/2013 Location: Peoria AZ Status: Offline Points: 5394	Post Options Post Reply Quote uncljohn Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct/15/2014 at 1:57pm
	Larry a quick check of two books I have did not give much, I'll look later but this was interesting: http://www.racecarstories.com/NashraceCars.htm
	70 390 5spd Donohue 74 Hornet In restoration 76 Hornet, 5.7L Mercury Marine Power 80 Fuel Injected I6 Spirit 74 232 I-6, 4bbl, 270HL Isky Cam

uncljohn Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Jan/03/2013 Location: Peoria AZ Status: Offline Points: 5394	Post Options Post Reply Quote uncljohn Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct/15/2014 at 7:06pm
	A reference was made that Frank Mundy towed a Nash on April 8 1951 to Gardena California to be raced at Carrel Speedway but Nash Company scotched the deal as that model year was not to be introduced until the following week. So that is about the only two NASCAR references I was able to find in my collection of stuff. However that was an era where racers were sponsored by local people and cars many times came from a dealer rather than the manufacturer. So the odds of finding much of anything are going to be pretty thin when it comes right down to it.
	70 390 5spd Donohue 74 Hornet In restoration 76 Hornet, 5.7L Mercury Marine Power 80 Fuel Injected I6 Spirit 74 232 I-6, 4bbl, 270HL Isky Cam

tyrodtom Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Sep/14/2007 Location: Virginia Status: Offline Points: 6213	Post Options Post Reply Quote tyrodtom Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct/16/2014 at 6:30am
	I've seen another picture of maybe the same car, with different signage on it. Same number, but solid white, mask tape over the entire front, with different sponsors. Big waves in the background, probably the Daytona Beach race course, before they built the Daytona tri-oval. In that era racers would often paint the numbers and sponsor signage on with water based paint, cover the headlights, and sometimes the whole front end with masking tape, and race. Then after the race, wash off the paint, remove the masking tape, and you had a ordinary car. That's if, of course, you had no encounters during the race. I don't think it's been pointed out, but those pictures are of a Ambassador, the 50 model would have been the early big ohv 234 six, available with a 2 carb intake. Edited by tyrodtom - Oct/16/2014 at 6:41am
	66 American SW, 66 American 2dr, 82 J10, 70 Hornet, Pound, Va.

uncljohn Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Jan/03/2013 Location: Peoria AZ Status: Offline Points: 5394	Post Options Post Reply Quote uncljohn Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct/16/2014 at 7:49am
	Here can be found one picture of a number of locations but of a Nash described as a Super 60 and when not driven as a race car it was a pace car or driver for Bill France. http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-racing/nascar/season-recaps/1950s/1950-nascar.htm And yes many times during this era a race car was driven on the streets or even to and from a race track when not being raced. Following is documented some of the legendary figures at the time and their exploits that took place as the sport developed. http://www.taurtoisemotorsports.com/fifties/National.html The history of the Petty's is legendary with exploits of that type.
	70 390 5spd Donohue 74 Hornet In restoration 76 Hornet, 5.7L Mercury Marine Power 80 Fuel Injected I6 Spirit 74 232 I-6, 4bbl, 270HL Isky Cam

mramc Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Jul/12/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3217	Post Options Post Reply Quote mramc Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct/16/2014 at 4:40pm
	Thanks, John. On a whim I decided to see if I could track down information on the race. Seems NASCAR has a fantasy league and put all the race data from ALL NASCAR races on line and I found the 1951 Phoenix race . Here is the URL : http://fantasyracingcheatsheet.com/nascar/races/results/1951/arizona-state-fairgrounds/1951-06/249 . It lists a Johnny Mantz as getting 29 place in the Phoenix race in 1951, in a NASH ! Right car right race, so now I looked for Johnny Mantz. He won a 1950 Nascar race in Plymouth and there a photo of the car and Mantz. Same car number 98 JR and same guy in the photo. Here is the URL : http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/johnny-mantz-drove-a-1950-plymouth-co-owned-by-bill-france-news-photo/80231723 . So, looks like I found the answer to my own question. All good information that helps with the racing history book. LRDaum
	LRDaum

uncljohn Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Jan/03/2013 Location: Peoria AZ Status: Offline Points: 5394	Post Options Post Reply Quote uncljohn Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct/17/2014 at 8:00am
	I saw the fantasy race site but did not realize what it was. I should have taken the time to look further. PIR is having a celebration year this year and has a display set up featuring cars and drivers that either competed there or were contemporary of those that did. Not sure at the moment. A.J. Foyt was the man of the moment in the spring. It was interesting looking at the Roadster that he had driven in the era. A whole different genre of car. And a local Mesa manufacturer of the FI technology was there too. I have tickets for a fall race in Nov. and intend to go through the tent again. I understand a whole new display will be available.
	70 390 5spd Donohue 74 Hornet In restoration 76 Hornet, 5.7L Mercury Marine Power 80 Fuel Injected I6 Spirit 74 232 I-6, 4bbl, 270HL Isky Cam