What Can YOU Tell Me About the Nascar Roadster Division???

This past week, I was re-reading my favorite book, 'Driving with the Devil', which in my opinion, tells the TRUE story that Nascar doesn't want you to know, of how it was started by a bootlegging self-made millionaire, a greasy mechanic named Red, who loved engines more than anything, and 23 other men. It tells the real stories about Bill France and how he begged Mr. Raymond Parks to come in on his deal, because otherwise if he didn't, I wouldn't be here telling you about the history of Nascar, because if not for Raymond Parks, there probably wouldn't be a Nascar as we know it.

Anyway, while half-way through the book, focusing on the first year of Nascar, it states that France wanted three classes in 48' - the Modifieds, Strictly Stock, and the Roadster division. But in 1948, many automobile manufactures didn't have much different models from before the war. So the Strictly Stocks was put off till' 1949 when everyone came out with what I call a 'full-fendered' car. In 49, they still had the modified division which was still very popular.

But what I would like to know today, is everything anyone knows about the roadster division. Besides racing, one of my hobbies include old hot rods from pre and post war. That includes roadsters, there's nothing better than a Model A roadster with a flathead. I've seen a couple of pictures of roadster stock cars, in fact Lloyd Seay won the 1941 Championship on Labor Day of 41' driving a 34' Ford roadster, #13. I do know that roadster racing dates back to the early Bonneville Salt Flat days, and from what I hear, that's what really hurt Nascar's version of the series because it was a "Yankee Thing", but mainly out west, like I said, Bonneville. So does anyone know how long it lasted and is there any pictures floating around out there that features them?

Thanks for any help

-Cody

Thanks PattyKay and Robbie, but I don't think you understand what I'm trying to find here. The Speedway division started in 1952 which was much like an Indy car, but using American motors sponsored by american cars and some strictly stock drivers competed in them. The Roadster division was started in 1948, and that's all I know.

A Roadster looks like this

or like this (The gray one)

Or even like this

The Speedway Division had cars like these.....

And this

Iappreciateyourinput, but we're talking about two entirely different things.

-Cody

Here's something in writing I found..." The original plans for NASCAR included three distinct divisions: Modified, Roadster, and Strictly Stock. The Modified and Roadster classes were seen as more attractive to fans. It turned out that NASCAR fans wanted nothing to do with the roadsters , which fans perceived as a Northeast or Midwest series. The roadster division was quickly abandoned, while the modified division now operates as the Whelen Modified Tour . The Strictly Stock division was put on hold as American automobile manufacturers were unable to produce family sedans quickly enough to keep up with post-World War II demand."

i posted this a while back of roadster racing back in the day

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No --there was actually a roadster division,short lived but they were there for a short period of time

Source: HOW STUFF WORKS

January, 1949

NASCAR heavily promotes its new Roadster division featuring chop-bodied convertibles. The first race scheduled at Daytona is cancelled due to work on the newly designed Beach-Road course. Other events are slated for the Broward Speedway north of Miami.

Source: Wheels of Speed -

1949

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida . A NASCAR sanctioned racing program at the 2 mile paved Broward Speedway featured Roadsters, Sports Cars and the first NASCAR race for a class of passenger cars known as Strictly Stocks, a class that would evolve into the Grand National division. Ft. Lauderdales Benny Georgeson won the 5 lap Strictly Stock race in a Buick. The featured 100 mile Roadster race was won by Atlantas Bob Flock with future Indy Car star Jim Rathmann 2nd. Tom Demetry won the 25 mile Sports Car race.

Look at this link:

http://books.google.com/books?id=OPYDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA61&lpg=PA61&dq=broward+county+speedway+nascar+roadsters&source=bl&ots=RUD_8eON14&sig=eqr6M9Xa6X4j2VpXQPQQuLzotkY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=FPT8TpPzA8TY2gWm6pjNBw&ved=0CEAQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q&f=false

It displays a February 26, 1949 article about an upcoming NASCAR Roadster Race in Ft. Lauderdale

When someone mentions roadsters, these cars come to mind that johnny put up. They were raced at the Motor City Speedway in Detroit and looked very similar to these cars. Dangerous cars!!

Here is my idea of a roadster (or Hot Rod class), as we called them. Basically stock body cars with no fenders or hood and some didn't even have a roll bar. This one is a Ed Beste car driven by Jack Goodwin at Detroit with a flathead engine. Note the black pipe roll bar which had no effect what so ever. The others looked more Indianapolis or Sprint car that you had. This car never lost a race it finished...119 wins!

Thanks BB, this is what I think of as a roadster, when I get to the museum in the morning, I will get a picture of a picture of Lloyd Seay's roadster. At least maybe this will give people an idea of what to look for.

does these cars look like the cars you are thinking of????

Yes Johnny, sorta anyway. Some of the noses look like Indy cars or midgets, but then again, that was a popular change on Model T roadsters in the 50's. Was this a Nascar sanctioned race? If so where was it at?

Thanks

-Cody

This is in Oakland Speedway in Sanjose Ca. It was a 5/8 mile high bank track.

The #6 is driven by Loyd Ragon,He lives in Charlotte NC. He is a young age of 84 now. His step son is Donnie Hicks of Racers Reunion. He lives in Van Wyck SC..

This could be a great hook up for you to interview on your segment on tues nite If you dont get hijacked by the rustlers over at the Goat Rodeo. Holler I can help you further.....................memories

Cody, The picture that Johnny Mallonee posted of the roadster races in Calif. was the true roadster races. Not the Indy Car, Speedway Div. type cars. The roadsters raced primarily on the west coast. As far as I know it was not a NASCAR Division. I owned a 1932 Ford Roadster back in the early '50's and believe you me if there had been a division in NASCAR for the roadsters I probably would have been racing in it. The only open cockpit cars that ran in NASCAR was the Convertible's and the Speedway Div. If there were a Roadster Div. in NASCAR, which I don't believe there was, I never heard of it. Tommie

Here ya go Tommie...

" NASCAR heavily promotes its new Roadster division featuring chop-bodied convertibles. The first race scheduled at Daytona is cancelled due to work on the newly designed Beach-Road course. Other events are slated for the Broward Speedway north of Miami."

The original plans for NASCAR included three distinct divisions: Modified, Roadster , and Strictly Stock. The Modified and Roadster classes were seen as more attractive to fans. It turned out that NASCAR fans wanted nothing to do with the roadsters , which fans perceived as a Northeast or Midwest series. The roadster division was quickly abandoned.

-Cody

This is fascinating. I thought those type of cars were strictly the domain of the west coast.

Cody, Get in touch with Marty Little in Florida. If you do not have his email address then let me know and I will send it to you. I knew of a race course in Broward County at the airport. We raced TQ Midgets there in the very early '50 - '51 years.

Marty is a historian on the South Florida Tracks. We worked closely on the early history of Palm Beach Speedway. He would probably have information on the Broward Speedway (?).