Classic Car Museum. The
classic Car Museum on Rexford
St. in Norwich, NY is holding a
race car display and requested
several cars from our club take
part in it. On May 14th they
held an open house for museum
members as well as exhibitors so
we made the trip. As I found
when I dropped the Flying 90 off,
this place is just fantastic. And
white cars show very well here.
The race car display is very nice
and tucked away in it's own
building. There are some
significant racing cars here
including the Charley Sack's
HAL - a sprint car from the
1950's who with ace driver Len
Duncan, beat the Offenhauser
powered sprinters often enough
at Allentown and Reading to be
called the 'Offy Killer'. One has
to understand the Offenhauser's
dominance at the time to
understand the significance of
this car, Model B Ford overhead
valve conversions were good but
rarely good enough to beat an
Offy. In fact, looking back
through the history of
Indianapolis - you'll find that the
entire 33 car field was powered
by Offenhauser engines (with
maybe one or two Novi's - a V8
version designed by Bud
Winfield and Offy's Engineer -
Leo Goosen) - and this was the
case for decades through the
30's, 40's, 50's and into the 60's
when Ford got involved. In fact,
only the rules really got the
Offy's, and the same was true in
the sprinters. Jon Buttons Jim
Carrol big car is here, a Hillegas
that's stunningly beautiful.
Mario Andretti's TQ midget,
(Mario also sat in the Sacks Hal's
later incarnations as well), Bob
Ossant's Model 'T' Speedster,
Elliot and Judy Reitz's '29 Ford
Racer. You're greeted by a sweet
1932 Ford Roadster and you're
head is soon on a swivel, just so
much to see and that's just at
the race car display. Winding
your way through the museum
you'll walk past Auburn's,
Packard's, a sweet Cord, a fuel
injected Bonneville that I'd like...
and the Franklins. These aren't
really cars, they're art, and truly
beautiful. Then, of course,
there's our stock cars. I have to
believe that mine is the only $50
car in the museum, (Bob Ossant
bought his for $25 I think).
Regardless, the club display is as
nice as any other in the
museum. John Clarks Turner
#10, Dad's P-13, Mel Ogden's
#103, and my Kotary #90 are all
nicley restored original warriors
while Mike Newell's Pink
Panther is a good replica. Dave
Conde's car was on it's way and
we had no news of Jim Chase's
#66 which was on the list but
absent for the open house.
Alan Tatich's two cars are just
fabulous and he sent me the
following info on each:
The # 55 is an original
unrestored sprint car as it was
found in a barn.
It was constructed for the
1936 racing season by George
LaTell of Binghamton , N.Y. The
car competed in events in the
following states, New York,
Pennsylvania, Illinois,
Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, Ohio, and
New Jersey. Drivers of it include
Charles Knarr Binghamton, N.Y.,
Harry Sents Binghamton, N.Y.,
Amos Hill Bainbridge, N.Y. ,
Johnny Carpenter " The Flying
Schoolmaster" Syracuse, N.Y. ,
George LaTell Binghamton, N.Y.,
and Mabel Latell Binghamton,
N.Y. Racing organizations that
it competed with were the AAA ,
Central Pennsylvania Racing
Association, Central States Racing
Association , Southern Tier
Racing Club , National Auto
Racing Association , Eastern
States Racing Association , Sports
Car Club of America. The car
was at the first Watkins Glen
road race in 1948.
Some of it's racing history is as
follows:
May 9, 1936 - Afton Fairgrounds,
Afton, N.Y. Fatal Crash during
practice, George LaTell's
wife Mabel LaTell killed in the
crash.
1937 - Tri-County Fairgrounds ,
Altamont , N.Y.
August 27, 1938 - Hughesville,
Pa. Fairgrounds, Harry Sents
driver , AAA sanctioned
May 30, 1939 - Caledonia, N.Y.
Harry Sents driver, AAA
sanctioned
1939 - Kirkwood Speedway,
Kirkwood, N.Y. , Southern Tier
Racing Club sanctioned
1939 - Pottsville , Pa., Harry
Sents driver , Central
Pennsylvania Racing Association
sanctioned
August 25, 1940 - Hamburg, N.Y.
Harry Sents driver, AAA
sanctioned
September 1, 1940 - N.Y. State
Fairgrounds , Syracuse, N.Y. ,
Harry Sents driver , AAA
sanctioned
September 14, 1940 -
Hughesville, Pa., Harry Sents
driver, AAA sanctioned
September 28, 1940 -
Bloomsburg, Pa. Johnny
Carpenter driver , AAA sanctioned
August 23, 1941 - Hamburg, N.Y.
Harry Sents driver , AAA
sanctioned
1942 - Reading Fairgrounds,
Reading , Pa., Harry Sents driver,
Central States Racing
Association sanctioned
!946 - ShangriLa Speedway,
Owego , N.Y. George LaTell
driver , Southern
Tier Racing Club sanctioned
1947 - ShangriLa Speedway,
Owego , N.Y. Amos Hill driver,
Eastern States
Racing Association sanctioned
1948 - Watkins Glen Road
Course, Watkins Glen , N.Y.
George LaTell
driver, Sports Car Club of
America sanctioned
1950 - Honesdale Fairgrounds,
Honesdale Pa., National Auto
Racing Association sanctioned
1950 - Cortland Fairgrounds,
Cortland, N.Y. , National Auto
Racing Association sanctioned
The #26 Midget was built for the
1937 racing season by George
LaTell of Binghamton, N.Y. The
car competedin events in New
York, Pennsylvania, Ohio , and
in Canada. Drivers of it include,
Don Hart, Binghamton, N.Y. ,
Johnny Hoover, Danby N.Y. ,
Bud Houghton, Binghamton, N.Y.
Johnny Carpenter, Syracuse,
N.Y. , Bill Domicco,
Scranton, Pa., Paul Russo,
Chicago, Illinois, and George
Bancroft from Massachusetts.
Racing organizations that it
competed with were the Central
States Racing Association ,
Niagara Frontier Racing
Association, Auto Racing
Association., International Racing
Association. From 1937 to 1940
the car was powered by an
ELTO 460 outboard engine.
Some of it's racing history is as
follows:
1937 - Paul Russo driver
1937 - 1941 - Woodstock Legion
Speedway, Woodstock, N.Y. , Bill
Domiccodriver
1938 - 1939 - Roosevelt
Speedway , N. Y.
1938 - 1939 - McCormack's Park,
Wilkes Barre, Pa., Bill Domicco
driver
1939 - Kirkwood Speedway,
Kirkwood, N.Y.
1939 - 1940 - Champion Park
Speedway, Syracuse, N.Y. ,
Central States
Racing Association sanction
1945 - Sportsman Park , Ohio
1945 - 1946 - Hyde Park
Stadium, Niagara Falls, N.Y. ,
Central States Racing Association
sanction
1946 - ShangriLa Speedway ,
Owego, N.Y. , Auto Racing
Association sanction
1946 - Lockport, N.Y. , Central
States Racing Association
sanction
1947 - Caledonia, N.Y.
Independent sanction
1948 - Caledonia, N.Y. , Niagara
Frontier Racing Association
sanction
1948 - ShangriLa Speedway,
Owego, N.Y. , Niagara Frontier
Racing Association sanction
1948 - Seneca Falls, N.Y. ,
Niagara Frontier Racing
Association sanction
1949 - Brantford, Ontario,
Canada, International Racing
Association sanction
1950 - Cortland Fairgrounds ,
Cortland , N.Y. Niagara Frontier
Racing Association sanction
1951 - London, Ontario, Canada,
International Racing Association
sanction
The cars were both purchased
from the Gary LaTell estate in
2007 by Alan Tatich, 37 years
after he saw them for the first
timeas a 15 year old.
Thanks to Alan for the
information on both of his cars.
Beyond that, I'll let the pictures
do the talking.
classic Car Museum on Rexford
St. in Norwich, NY is holding a
race car display and requested
several cars from our club take
part in it. On May 14th they
held an open house for museum
members as well as exhibitors so
we made the trip. As I found
when I dropped the Flying 90 off,
this place is just fantastic. And
white cars show very well here.
The race car display is very nice
and tucked away in it's own
building. There are some
significant racing cars here
including the Charley Sack's
HAL - a sprint car from the
1950's who with ace driver Len
Duncan, beat the Offenhauser
powered sprinters often enough
at Allentown and Reading to be
called the 'Offy Killer'. One has
to understand the Offenhauser's
dominance at the time to
understand the significance of
this car, Model B Ford overhead
valve conversions were good but
rarely good enough to beat an
Offy. In fact, looking back
through the history of
Indianapolis - you'll find that the
entire 33 car field was powered
by Offenhauser engines (with
maybe one or two Novi's - a V8
version designed by Bud
Winfield and Offy's Engineer -
Leo Goosen) - and this was the
case for decades through the
30's, 40's, 50's and into the 60's
when Ford got involved. In fact,
only the rules really got the
Offy's, and the same was true in
the sprinters. Jon Buttons Jim
Carrol big car is here, a Hillegas
that's stunningly beautiful.
Mario Andretti's TQ midget,
(Mario also sat in the Sacks Hal's
later incarnations as well), Bob
Ossant's Model 'T' Speedster,
Elliot and Judy Reitz's '29 Ford
Racer. You're greeted by a sweet
1932 Ford Roadster and you're
head is soon on a swivel, just so
much to see and that's just at
the race car display. Winding
your way through the museum
you'll walk past Auburn's,
Packard's, a sweet Cord, a fuel
injected Bonneville that I'd like...
and the Franklins. These aren't
really cars, they're art, and truly
beautiful. Then, of course,
there's our stock cars. I have to
believe that mine is the only $50
car in the museum, (Bob Ossant
bought his for $25 I think).
Regardless, the club display is as
nice as any other in the
museum. John Clarks Turner
#10, Dad's P-13, Mel Ogden's
#103, and my Kotary #90 are all
nicley restored original warriors
while Mike Newell's Pink
Panther is a good replica. Dave
Conde's car was on it's way and
we had no news of Jim Chase's
#66 which was on the list but
absent for the open house.
Alan Tatich's two cars are just
fabulous and he sent me the
following info on each:
The # 55 is an original
unrestored sprint car as it was
found in a barn.
It was constructed for the
1936 racing season by George
LaTell of Binghamton , N.Y. The
car competed in events in the
following states, New York,
Pennsylvania, Illinois,
Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, Ohio, and
New Jersey. Drivers of it include
Charles Knarr Binghamton, N.Y.,
Harry Sents Binghamton, N.Y.,
Amos Hill Bainbridge, N.Y. ,
Johnny Carpenter " The Flying
Schoolmaster" Syracuse, N.Y. ,
George LaTell Binghamton, N.Y.,
and Mabel Latell Binghamton,
N.Y. Racing organizations that
it competed with were the AAA ,
Central Pennsylvania Racing
Association, Central States Racing
Association , Southern Tier
Racing Club , National Auto
Racing Association , Eastern
States Racing Association , Sports
Car Club of America. The car
was at the first Watkins Glen
road race in 1948.
Some of it's racing history is as
follows:
May 9, 1936 - Afton Fairgrounds,
Afton, N.Y. Fatal Crash during
practice, George LaTell's
wife Mabel LaTell killed in the
crash.
1937 - Tri-County Fairgrounds ,
Altamont , N.Y.
August 27, 1938 - Hughesville,
Pa. Fairgrounds, Harry Sents
driver , AAA sanctioned
May 30, 1939 - Caledonia, N.Y.
Harry Sents driver, AAA
sanctioned
1939 - Kirkwood Speedway,
Kirkwood, N.Y. , Southern Tier
Racing Club sanctioned
1939 - Pottsville , Pa., Harry
Sents driver , Central
Pennsylvania Racing Association
sanctioned
August 25, 1940 - Hamburg, N.Y.
Harry Sents driver, AAA
sanctioned
September 1, 1940 - N.Y. State
Fairgrounds , Syracuse, N.Y. ,
Harry Sents driver , AAA
sanctioned
September 14, 1940 -
Hughesville, Pa., Harry Sents
driver, AAA sanctioned
September 28, 1940 -
Bloomsburg, Pa. Johnny
Carpenter driver , AAA sanctioned
August 23, 1941 - Hamburg, N.Y.
Harry Sents driver , AAA
sanctioned
1942 - Reading Fairgrounds,
Reading , Pa., Harry Sents driver,
Central States Racing
Association sanctioned
!946 - ShangriLa Speedway,
Owego , N.Y. George LaTell
driver , Southern
Tier Racing Club sanctioned
1947 - ShangriLa Speedway,
Owego , N.Y. Amos Hill driver,
Eastern States
Racing Association sanctioned
1948 - Watkins Glen Road
Course, Watkins Glen , N.Y.
George LaTell
driver, Sports Car Club of
America sanctioned
1950 - Honesdale Fairgrounds,
Honesdale Pa., National Auto
Racing Association sanctioned
1950 - Cortland Fairgrounds,
Cortland, N.Y. , National Auto
Racing Association sanctioned
The #26 Midget was built for the
1937 racing season by George
LaTell of Binghamton, N.Y. The
car competedin events in New
York, Pennsylvania, Ohio , and
in Canada. Drivers of it include,
Don Hart, Binghamton, N.Y. ,
Johnny Hoover, Danby N.Y. ,
Bud Houghton, Binghamton, N.Y.
Johnny Carpenter, Syracuse,
N.Y. , Bill Domicco,
Scranton, Pa., Paul Russo,
Chicago, Illinois, and George
Bancroft from Massachusetts.
Racing organizations that it
competed with were the Central
States Racing Association ,
Niagara Frontier Racing
Association, Auto Racing
Association., International Racing
Association. From 1937 to 1940
the car was powered by an
ELTO 460 outboard engine.
Some of it's racing history is as
follows:
1937 - Paul Russo driver
1937 - 1941 - Woodstock Legion
Speedway, Woodstock, N.Y. , Bill
Domiccodriver
1938 - 1939 - Roosevelt
Speedway , N. Y.
1938 - 1939 - McCormack's Park,
Wilkes Barre, Pa., Bill Domicco
driver
1939 - Kirkwood Speedway,
Kirkwood, N.Y.
1939 - 1940 - Champion Park
Speedway, Syracuse, N.Y. ,
Central States
Racing Association sanction
1945 - Sportsman Park , Ohio
1945 - 1946 - Hyde Park
Stadium, Niagara Falls, N.Y. ,
Central States Racing Association
sanction
1946 - ShangriLa Speedway ,
Owego, N.Y. , Auto Racing
Association sanction
1946 - Lockport, N.Y. , Central
States Racing Association
sanction
1947 - Caledonia, N.Y.
Independent sanction
1948 - Caledonia, N.Y. , Niagara
Frontier Racing Association
sanction
1948 - ShangriLa Speedway,
Owego, N.Y. , Niagara Frontier
Racing Association sanction
1948 - Seneca Falls, N.Y. ,
Niagara Frontier Racing
Association sanction
1949 - Brantford, Ontario,
Canada, International Racing
Association sanction
1950 - Cortland Fairgrounds ,
Cortland , N.Y. Niagara Frontier
Racing Association sanction
1951 - London, Ontario, Canada,
International Racing Association
sanction
The cars were both purchased
from the Gary LaTell estate in
2007 by Alan Tatich, 37 years
after he saw them for the first
timeas a 15 year old.
Thanks to Alan for the
information on both of his cars.
Beyond that, I'll let the pictures
do the talking.
Thanks to All at the Classic Car
Museum for the hospitality!
Museum for the hospitality!