6 replies to this topic

[Cheater]

This 1997 IMAX documentary racing film chronicles one man's quest to get his new Champ Car Lola chassis up to speed, and another's goal of rebuilding an old 1964 roadster once driven by Mario Andretti. Super Speedway took four years to film and it is nice that it is now available online.

I'd never seen the whole film before, only a short segment showing wind tunnel testing when the film was being shown in the television display room of an electronics store... on about fifty different TVs.

The main narrator is a rather famous racer, among other things. Anyone recognize the voice?

[garyvmachines]

Good movie!!!

 

The voice??? Paul Newman, Michael's boss at the time...

 

GAV 

[John Miller]

Don Lyons is very dear friend of mine and was a large part of this film. He and his father restored the 1964 roadster and up until a few years ago it was garaged in Dowagiac, Michigan, along with many other historic cars.

The roadster was beautiful along with Mario's car from 1985. Don sold all his cars as he cannot keep up with the appearance demands those cars require.

Here is pic of Don on the day we raced this little buggy around.

[Cheater]

Thanks, John.

I was planning to search the web to see if I could ID the restorer of the roadster.

[John Miller]

It's a great story, and I'll share it the next time I see you. They found the car in a barn, and had no idea of the historic significance until they started doing some research.
 
Actually, Mario was not well known at that time and they put him in the race after he ran some fast laps while tire testing with that car. Back then many cars simply went to the scrap pile as technology changed so rapidly. Hence, the car was disassembled and tucked in the corner of a barn.
 

 
SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA (May 26, 2009) – Gooding & Company is delighted to announce the additional consignment of The Don Lyons Collection, for its annual Pebble Beach Auctions on August 15 and 16, 2009. Consisting of seven automobiles, the rare collection primarily focuses on Indy racing and spans nearly 80 years of motorsport history. The latest entries are in addition to Ettore Bugatti’s personal car - the 1936 Bugatti Type 57C Coupe - which will also be sold without reserve at Gooding & Company’s upcoming auction.

“This significant group of cars is one of the most comprehensive collections of Indy race cars ever to come to auction,” said David Gooding, founder and president of Gooding & Company. “The legacy of each of these cars is extraordinary and their sale is sure to be a thrilling complement to any racing enthusiast’s collection.”

For more than two decades, Don Lyons has worked to assemble one of the finest collections of American race cars in private hands. Demonstrating the rapid pace of innovation and social change that has defined motor racing in America, each car in the collection represents a specific milestone in racing history. From the earliest car, a 1909 Stoddard-Dayton Model K re-creation to the most modern, Mario Andretti’s famous 1985 Lola T900, The Don Lyons Collection traces the history of Indy 500 race cars. Highlights from the collection include pioneering cars that circled the track in the teens and the 200 mph ground-effects race cars which led the way for the current crop of open wheel race cars. Each automobile has been exquisitely restored to its original specifications and is fully operational – a rarity for such advanced racing machinery.

The collection features a 1967 Gurney Eagle that was piloted to fourth place in the 1967 Indianapolis 500, the Dean Van Lines Roadster in which Mario Andretti competed during his rookie season and the Blue Crown Spark Plug Special – one of the most successful race cars in the history of Indy racing. The only automobile in the collection that is not associated with Indy racing is the Ford Super Mustang – an experimental, factory-backed dragster that was one of the most radical racing cars of the 1960s. Every car in the collection is one of the finest examples of its kind and Don Lyons has thoroughly researched the history of each. In a few cases, he was even able to track down the original builders of the cars to help restore them as accurately as possible.

[garyvmachines]

To be able to go out to the garage and see those cars... man!!!

 

GAV  

[John Miller]

It was pretty awesome.