What's in a photo?

What's in a photo? The photo posted is from the Daytona Beach Road Course 1954, Lee Petty Won the event when Tim Flock was disqualified (interesting story in itself). I recently come across a batch of photos and this one stands out due to the unfamiliar car numbers, and then when you look closer, in the back ground it's clear the M-1 Fish Carburetor Modified or, was it the Sportsman, since the M-1 ran in both the modified and sportsman races on separate days but, who drove it in `54, and who drove that #37? I cannot confirm any information on the #37. What's interesting to note is the Grand National Cars parked so close to the Modified or, Sportsman cars. And, I wonder if the "Triangle Cafe" on the #37 Ford would give a clue to who the driver is? Please, feel free to post your discoveries. - Photo from my personal collection.

Dodge and Olds were there in color but a poor boy drove the Olds down to race,the Doge must be local because its ready to ride.

The coupes were the attraction it seems and #3 must have gotten there late because he had to add to his the #7 making him #37

You know your car makes Johnny.

The photo was taken 1954

Thanks for the photo, Jim. I was born that June it's always cool to see photos from that period. According to NASCAR records, the #6 Dodge was driven by Ralph Liguori, who completed 21 of the 39 laps, and finished 51st in the 62 car field. The official reason for Liguori's exit was "stalling".

Fireball Roberts started 14th, and finished 8th in the Leland Colvin owned # 25 Oldsmobile. The Roberts-Colvin team was a familiar fixture, in both Grand National and modified-sportsman competition in the early days of NASACR. During the 1954 season, the Darlington-based Leland Colvin-Fireball Roberts team would compete at Daytona Beach, Atlanta, Raleigh, Columbia, and Darlington.

The 1954 Daytona sportsman race was won by Orlando, Fl native Dick Joslin*.

*Marty Little...legends of NASCAR.com

I agree, Johnny, the "7" on the #37 looks to be a "scoring situation" number added, after the fact.

Good info. Bobby. It's interesting to see Fireball Roberts parked so near to the M-1 Ford which he drove for Bob Fish but not sure if it were before or after 1954? I've looked for the #37 in both the modified and sportsman races in Feb. `54 but find no reference. There was a 37X driven by Larry Flynn in a `38 Ford but I'm not convinced the 7 was added, it looks to be painted by an experienced sign painter since it matches the font of the number 3 and, if so, why would an experienced sign painter make such a simple error as drag out the seven's length...I think it was meant to be like that, much like the nose art of the war era where much of the art work resembled the cartoons of the times.

Thanks PK. The #37 is in this picture is not the same car as Victor Geisler drove a 51 Ford like you stated, this one is a 1938-39 Ford that ran in either the Modified or Sportsman Race on 19 and 20 February. It's possible it could have run both races but Surely don't know how they ruled one a Modified and one a Sportsman and the same car run both races but, it appears it was done in the M-1 Ford behind the #37.

Does anyone know the meaning of the shoe-polish numbers on the windshields of the GN cars? "L3 for Louruori and "L97" for Fireball.......some relation to time trial sequcence, perhaps?

That is interesting Bobby, perhaps someone will know the answer. Since it's the year of your birth I've added a few more pictures from that weekend 58 years ago so see what the couple that drove to Daytona saw on their mini vacation in February 1954. Enjoy!

Note their personal automobile on turn two, I wonder if that was a paid lap, like "Take a lap at Daytona for a buck!" or, did the officials allow POV's to drive on the track before or after the race or, was this couple getting VIP treatment and if so, who were they?

Love it!!!

I see Wendell Scott competed in the Sportsman race in a `38 Ford number #140 finishing 33. Not to shabby.

Jim - The #M-1 was driven by Milton Hartlauf in both the Sportsman, and Modified-Sportsman races in 1954. Fireball drove #25 a 1939 Ford in both races. I have no idea who could have been the driver of the #37 as it's not listed on the entry list, or race results for 1954. There was a #3 listed in 1954 driven by Harry Palmer from Miami, so maybe the "7" was added and never got changed in the results.

Great shot - Thanks for posting

Johnny and Bobby both say the 7 was added and you seem to agree so maybe it's probable.

Jim - On the original photo can you read whats under "Triangle Cafe" ?

1954 Sportsman winner Dick Joslin following his win in the 100 mile Beach race.

Photo from Dave Westerman's Florida Stock cars website via Florida State archives

http://www.floridastockcars.com/gallery3/v/Beach/newspaper+106.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1

Palmer drove a 1937 Ford in 1954.

Dick Josin won the Sportsman race on Feb. 19th, and Cotton Owens won the Modified-Sportsman race on Feb 20th, 1954.

Yep... Jack is right. The longer Mod-Sportsman race was run the day after the 100-mile Sportsman.

Here's a nice color photo ( don't know where or when - caption says late 50s) of the late Dick Joslin's coupe from the Legends of NASCAR web site:

Joslin ran this neat '37 Ford coupe on both pavement and dirt in the late 50s. Built by Roy Jones,
long time car builder for Fireball Roberts, the car featured a 312 cubic inch fuel injected
Y-block Ford engine and offset driveline. The engine was set well back in the frame and the
body was moved aft as well.
Ralph Allen photo from Marty Little collection

Actually, neither race was 100 miles.

The Feb. 19 NASCAR Sportsman race was 25 laps on the 4.1 mile beach/road course - 102.5 miles.

The Feb. 20 NASCAR Modified-Sportsman race on the same course was 5 laps longer - 30 laps - 123 miles.

DUH.

Jack, the words under "Triangle Cafe" are too blurry. There is currently a Triangle Cafe in Mount Dora, FL. Maybe Bobby can get a 3-D image to see if it is old or new construction? Here's the link http://www.city-data.com/fl-restaurants/TRIANGLE-CAFE.html

Awesome thread, Jim!!

Jeff,

Unlike Jack Walker and Ray Lamm I don't have a cache of personal photos to resort to and have to rely heavily on treasure hunts to locate original stuff but, what I find is even better in many cases, photos taken by amatuers that take hap hazard photos that capture background images otherwise not a focal point for more experienced photographers. Most of the images are not centered, sometimes out of focus and faded from years of storage but with today's technology can be restored to capture the moment. More to follow. I really enjoy the topic "What's in a photo" there are so many stories within a single shot. Again, it's a treasure hunt within a single snapshot of history.

The original photo is about 3x5 inches and the image of the #37 is tiny. Here this is the cropped image before I stretched it to compare size.

As promised, here are a few more tasty eye candy for the viewing pleasure and treasure hunter...

Ahhh, the famous Brushy Mountain Motors#55 Pontiac that Junior Johnson rolled and was outta the car before it stopped crashing!

Ahhh, so THATS why you parked your hind end next to Harry Gant at last year's RacersReunion Columbia Speedway's autograph session. Hmmhmm!!

Wow, I didn't make the link though thought the car looked familiar.

And now, for the grand finale...

Awesome photos all!

Note in 1956 how Lee Petty's car advertised the Chrysler 300, but had its number 42 on the hood and rear quarter behind the door.

Looks like Slick Smith in the #4 from the 1954 race. He started 19th, and finished 60th.

Old postcard from the era of the Rio Beach Motel with Pool Scene Daytona Beach, FL

Great shot Dave ! I don't think I've ever seen that one. I'll bet the scorers loved it too !!

The #300 in Jim's photo may be a flying mile attempt... just guessing.....

1955 Chrysler Daytona Record Setter

Dave, in fact there are other photos of land speed cars with the bunch. The fact that the 300 wasn't used yet may have been a test run for `55. I have some old shots of David Pearson testing the `69 Torino in 1968.

Wonder how many folks know ( I sure did NOT ) that Tim Flock won the only sports car race sanctioned by NASCAR?? The year was 1955 and the place was Raleigh, NC ( the mile track?? - I don't know).

Tim drove another 300 - a MERCEDES-BENZ 300 SL Gullwing owned by who else.... Carl Kiekhaefer.

The large photo is from the Tim Flock web site and the two smaller ones from a Mercedes enthusiast site.

This car is the first of only 29 Alloy 300SL coupes produced. The car came fitted with a lighter body and windows, along with a higher performance engine, special gearing, racing suspension, larger brakes and quick-change wheels.

This low mileage alloy coupe looks exactly as it did at Raleigh, NC, in 1955 for the first and only NASCAR Sports Car Race. Carl Kiekhaefer, of the Mercury Marine Racing Team, owned the car and he used his best driver, Tim Flock, for this race. NASCAR Champion Tim Flock lead the entire race and crossed the finish line well ahead of the rest of the field. Since this was the only NASCAR Sports Car Race ever held, this car is the original and only championship NASCAR Sportscar.

This win is always noted in any history of Tim Flock who was inducted into the International Motor Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.

Dave , Just found some details, butI don't think this was the only Nascar Sports Car Race. Gwyn Staley also won an event at Raleigh on June 2nd, 1955, and another oneat Martinsville on June 3rd,1955.

Thanks, Jack.

Thanks, PK

#55 Junior Johnson Brushy Mountain Motors Pontiac 2-26-1956 Daytona Beach Race

Ok this is what I have found out Garry Flynn Larry's son owns a Scrap Metal business in Holly Hill Fl. Larry's Grandson is going to show the picture to his dad Garry to see if it is Larry. His Grandson does beleive it is his Grandpa Larry. So stay tune for further updates.

Here's an interesting 1955 Larry Flynn ride with a Myrtle Beach connection from Legends of NASCAR Larry Flynn page:

This is a newspaper picture from the August 23, 1955 Myrtle Beach News.
In 1955 Larry started racing out of Myrtle Beach and was sponsored by Hussey Motors.
The engine was a Ray Fox power plant. - Caption on photo as it appears on Legends of NASCAR web site.

Jack... you want me to delete the pic?

Oh no, just wanted you to know. Just about all the photos he has posted there about Larry came from my site(photo Pit #1). Larry was a great driver, and raced out of Myrtle Beach in 1955,56,and 57.

Jack, and Dave, I'll see Ray next Tuesday night at our Living legends meeting and again on Sat. the 26th for his 96th Birthday. Would either of you like me to get him to sign a copy of the picture for your collection? Bill McPeek

Thanks, Jack.

Bill, thank you, too for the offer. I'm ok.

Jim, FYI....

I discovered that the Triangle Cafe is actually located inside the huge Triangle Bingo hall in Mt. Dora.

They seem to bus we seniors (lol ) in from all over Florida.

http://www.trianglebingo.com/

I also saw the health inspection records for a couple of years at your link and don't think I'll be eating there any time soon.

Don't forget we have a

wonderful food selection

here at Triangle Cafe.

All kind of meals, salads,

sandwiches and desserts

available.

Call Bambi or Melinda at

352-735-4677

Bill -

Jack, I'll ask Ray about the engine in Larry's car. I'll also get the picture signed for you and then mail it to you. This is a great thread and has gone in several different directions, All of them wonderful memories....

Regarding this photo, I saw another of this car, probably from Jack's site, it's a good looking race car, it looks well built and being it had a Ray Fox power plant makes it all the more interesting. Bill M., I envy you being able to celebrate Ray Fox's 96th birthday. I met Ray at Darlington and he signed a couple of photos I have, and actually took some time to talk to me about them, what a treat.

Tim Flock finished first but was disqualified due to post race inspection where a NASCAR official found the carburetor to look a little different. Since NASCAR rules stated the that parts must mirror the manufactures parts catalog, NASCAR phoned Oldsmobile in Lansing, Michigan (30 miles from my hometown) and found that the venturis in the carburetor had been relieved 1/8 inch and Lee Petty was declared the winner. Flock quit NASCAR in disgust.

In other words, the carb throat was assumed to be widened 1/8 inch at it's narrowest point to allow for more air.

My uncle, Vic Geisen of Cullman Alabama (nascar misspelled his name as "Geisler") drove #37 in the 1954 beach race won by Lee Petty. It was a 1951 Ford so the #37 above is not his. I have looked at old photos of 1954 trying to find his car, but the car broke after only 2 laps. Uncle Vic raced extensively in Alabama, Tennessee and Northwest Georgia in the 1950s and won a number of track championsips. He died in 2008. In 2009 he was inducted into the Alabama Auto Racing Pioneers Hall of Fame, which has a separate hall of fame room on Alabama racers at the museum at Talladega SuperSpeedway.

By the way - I was just able to confirm this week (with the help of Ed Duncan) that Larry Flynn did indeed drive the #14 with Ray Fox power to a 2nd place finish at Langhorne in 1955.

Jim in 1954 the Feb. 19 race was only for Sportsman cars, but the Feb. 20th race was for both Sportsman, and Modified cars(in the same race). But, this still doesn't help finding out who might have driven the #37. I'll keep searching, asI know you will too.

If it was the modified championship race held in October 1955, Pete Corey was the 1st place car. Interesting is that is the case, and Pete Jr. would like to hear that.

That's it Jim. Oct 9th, 1955

I've been trying to get the complete finishing order for Pete, but so far only the top 15.

But, As of yesterday, I now have the full field starting line up with car numbers. I'll be giving a copy of this to Pete at Lakeview July 7th.

That fantastic Jack. I recently come across a Langhorne news letter from 1956 talking about the `55 race. I gave it to Pete, but maybe there's some more drivers info., I need to look at it again. Thanks!

My wife's grandfather was the owner of Hussey Motors and loves to tell stories about these times and Rambi Raceway. Thanks to Jack and Dave for putting this picture up so I can match it to the stories he tells me!

Joe, it's wonderful that you saw the Hussey Motors car photo because of Jim Wilmore's original post and the photo from Jack Walker's site.

Joe - Does your wife's grandfather have any photos of the Hussey Motors car, or anything from Coastal Speedway ? Would your grandfather be Richard Hussey ?

Yes, he is Richard Hussey. A great guy with a memory like a steel trap! I don't know what kind of photos he might have, but I'll ask him the next time I get to visit.