Speedway Posters

50 years ago … … July 9, 1960 … …  Balboa Stadium San Diego California.

1960 Balboa Stadium San Diego California Poster Print

Balboa Stadium was one of the hotbeds of midget racing starting in about 1937 until the early 1950s (except for the war years). When interest in midget racing started waning, jalopies became popular. The San Diego Racing Association was formed in 1953 and started sanctioning the racing. By 1958 the San Diego Racing Assn had transformed from a jalopy association to more sleek modified sportsman (the forerunners of today’s super modifieds). Jalopy champions of the SDRA at Balboa included Glen Hoagland (1953), Jim Wood (1954), Jack Krogh (1955), Harris Mills (1956), Don Ray (1957), and Mondo Iavelli (1958). Don Thomas (1957) was the inaugural modified champion with Art Pratt being a three time titlest (1958 – 1959 – 1960). Rip Erikson took the honors in the 1961 season that was split between Balboa Stadium and Cajon Speedway. Also holding events at Balboa Stadium during the 1950s were occasional visits by the URA midgets and the NASCAR Pacific Coast Late Models. During the 1950s it was not unusual for more than 10,000 fans to attend a weekly show at Balboa.

Auto racing took place on a 1/4 mile dirt track in Balboa Stadium from about 1937 through July 4, 1961 when the racing stopped so the facility could be used for pro football.

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49 years ago today . July 8, 1961… the place …. Connecticut Dragway. An awesome reproduction poster print. This poster measures 13 inches wide x 20 inches tall.

1961 Connecticut Dragway Poster Print

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1946 Dooling Brothers Tether Car Poster Print

1946 Dooling Brothers Tether Car Poster Print. A great print from 1946. This reproduction ad measures 22 inches wide x 17 inches tall.

Wikipedia: Tether cars were developed beginning in the 1920s-30s and still are built, raced and collected today. First made by hobby craftsmen, tether cars were later produced in small numbers by commercial manufacturers such as Dooling Brothers (California), Dick McCoy (Duro-Matic Products), Garold Frymire (Fryco Engineering) BB Korn, and many others. Original examples of the early cars, made from 1930s-60s, are avidly collected today and command prices in the thousands of dollars.

The cars are about 12-24 inches long, 3-4 inches wide, run on rubber tires 3-4 inches in diameter, have a cast metal body (usually magnesium and aluminum, but also fiberglass and wood bodies), and have robust gear drives. Engines are nitro or methanol fueled, with displacements from 0.09-0.61 cubic inches (1.5-10 cubic centimeters). Early engines (prior to 1960s) had spark ignition systems. Later engines use glow plug ignition. The cars are tethered to a central post hitch by a steel cable and run around a circular track of 19.9 meters in diameter.

Current racing activity in the U.S. is governed by the American Miniature Racing Car Association with three racetracks in NY, CA and IN. Contemporary cars run at speeds of up to 200+ miles per hour giving them the reputation as fastest model cars in the world. After push-starting the car the driver decides when to take the speed measurement. As soon as he presses a button the time for 8 laps, which equal to 500 meters, is accurately measured by 1/1000s.

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1966 Oakland Indoor Midget Racing Poster Print

1966 Oakland Midget Racing Poster Print.  Measures 17 inches wide x 22 inches tall. This reproduction poster is from 1966 Oakland , California. Bob Barkhimer Associates Inc. presents 1966 Pacific Coast Indoor Championships Midget Auto Races. Sanctioned by BCRA. Oakland Exposition Building.

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1963 Minnesota Dragway Drag Racing Program Poster Print

Minnesota Dragways , 3 miles east of Anoka on Highway #242. 1963 Minnesota Dragway Drag Racing Program Poster Print. A great poster to hang in the garage.Strip Records Fuel: 169 MPH, 8.98 ET, Gas: 162 MPH  ,9.54 ET.

Racers at the event

• Tommy Ivo
• Chris Karemisines
• Bob Langley
• Rod Stuckey
• Al Williams

May 29-30, 1963. Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota. This reproduction poster measures 14 inches wide x 22 inches tall.

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The front engine dragster is a is a race car purpose built for drag racing.

Now considered obsolete, the “rail”, “digger”, or “slingshot” dragster is now used mainly in nostalgia drag racing. Models range in length from 160–225 in (4,064–5,715 mm) in wheelbase. They were originally used in the highest class of drag racing, Top Fuel. The front engine dragster naturally came about due to engines for the most part, being in front of the driver. However they used and still do not use any form of suspension, so the top fuel and alcohol cars became very unstable. This due in part to their making 2,000–3,000 hp (1,491–2,237 kW), plus having poor tire technology, short wheelbases, and very light weight. (This was demonstrated to extremes in the Fuel Altereds.) The driver sits angled backward, over the top of the differential in a cockpit that is situated between the two rear tires, a design originating with Mickey Thompson in 1954, as a way of improving traction. This position led to many drivers being maimed when catastrophic clutch failures occurred.[citation needed]

Introduced with the start of organized drag racing, they were limited by the availability of traction from their rear slicks. A number of with four rear drive wheels were attempted, as well, including cars by Art Chrisman (along with his brother, Lloyd, and partner Frank Cannon), Bill Coburn, and Eddie Hill. (Coburn and the Chrisman brothers used twin engines, also.)

The rail was supplanted by the rear-engined car now standard when Don Garlits introduced Swap Rat XIV in 1971. He designed the car designed while in the hospital, himself suffering from severe injuries caused by an exploding clutch.

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1946 Dooling Brothers Tether Car Poster Print. A great print from 1946. This reproduction ad measures 22 inches wide x 17 inches tall.

Wikipedia: Tether cars were developed beginning in the 1920s-30s and still are built, raced and collected today. First made by hobby craftsmen, tether cars were later produced in small numbers by commercial manufacturers such as Dooling Brothers (California), Dick McCoy (Duro-Matic Products), Garold Frymire (Fryco Engineering) BB Korn, and many others. Original examples of the early cars, made from 1930s-60s, are avidly collected today and command prices in the thousands of dollars.

The cars are about 12-24 inches long, 3-4 inches wide, run on rubber tires 3-4 inches in diameter, have a cast metal body (usually magnesium and aluminum, but also fiberglass and wood bodies), and have robust gear drives. Engines are nitro or methanol fueled, with displacements from 0.09-0.61 cubic inches (1.5-10 cubic centimeters). Early engines (prior to 1960s) had spark ignition systems. Later engines use glow plug ignition. The cars are tethered to a central post hitch by a steel cable and run around a circular track of 19.9 meters in diameter.

Current racing activity in the U.S. is governed by the American Miniature Racing Car Association with three racetracks in NY, CA and IN. Contemporary cars run at speeds of up to 200+ miles per hour giving them the reputation as fastest model cars in the world. After push-starting the car the driver decides when to take the speed measurement. As soon as he presses a button the time for 8 laps, which equal to 500 meters, is accurately measured by 1/1000s.

1946 Dooling Brothers Tether Car Poster Print

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     Sprint Car racing prints are going pretty well these days. The Midget Racing ones are going faster than most other types or program posters I have. This Ascot Program poster is pretty cool,  An awesome action shot for cover art work. “Johnnie Parsons Presents …..” California racing Association Big Car Races.

     The 50′s and 60s’ was a great era for racing. 

1964 Ascot Sprint Car / Big Car Racing Program Poster Print. Measures 22 inches wide x 17 inches tall. Set your clock back, ….back to July 29, 1964. Now the setting is Ascot in  Gardena, California. The Big Car races, this is an awesome program print. A retro reproduction poster from the 60′s. 

1964 Ascot Sprint Car / Big Car Racing Program Poster Print

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