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Heavy Metal Classic – Standlake Arena

With a full entry of 228 National Bangers and the first date of the season the Heavy Metal Classic at Standlake Arena near Witney in Oxfordshire attracted a full stadium of spectators and almost full overflow car park despite the promise of heavy rain and just above freezing temperatures.

MG B GT, Amie Chandler, Heavy Metal Classic, Standlake Arena

I confess my brain was so frozen I do not remember too many details of what went on though I do remember an interesting conversation regarding the machinations of Dr Jonathon Palmer’s empire based at Brands Hatch, above the #418 MG B GT was driven by Amie Chandler in the “Under 2 litre RWD Classics” class.

Ford Granada Estate, Pat McPhilimy, Heavy Metal Classic, Standlake Arena

Pat McPhilimy strikes a professional pose in his #42 Ford Granada Estate during the first race for the Unlimited Class.

Rolls Royce Corniche, Garry Webb, Heavy Metal Classic, Standlake Arena

The Unlimited Class featured 2 Rolls Royces, above the rare Rolls Royce Corniche driven by Garry Webb is seen passing the #155 Ford Zodiac Mk IV driven by Robert Philips.

Ford Ka, Paul, Quinell, Heavy Metal Classic, Standlake Arena

Paul Quinell easily won the unofficial most trashed rear axle with both wheels still attached and rotating award in his #469 Ford Ka which ran in the Micro Banger Class.

Heavy Metal Classic, Standlake Arena

Peter Dodge guides his BMC Farina, could be an Austin or Morris but is almost certainly not a Wolseley, past the wreck that comprises the #909 Triumph Toledo driven by Jamie “Mr Blobby” Duff and #183 Morris Marina Estate Jack Strudwick that has been rear ended by an unidentified competitor.

Morris Marina Van, Billy Bond, Heavy Metal Classic, Standlake Arena

Short on steering control but still making progress Billy Bond dips his #72 Morris Marina van in the infield mud above.

BMC Farina, James Dodge, Heavy Metal Classic, Standlake Arena

James Dodge like Peter pedaling a BMC Farina engages in a bit of rim riding hoping he will not get T boned by the green #632 Ford Cortina driven by Kallum Reed.

Jaguar Mark X, Steven Hart, Heavy Metal Classic, Standlake Arena

The #70 Jaguar Mark X driven by Steven Hart above in the Unlimited Class sports a deflector on the bonnet, how effective it was at either keeping the occupant dry or giving him improved vision is debatable.

Ford Granada, Randy Mulder, Heavy Metal Classic, Standlake Arena

I’m pretty sure the winning car of the unlimited class was the #88 Ford Granada driven by Randy Mulder, though looking at the entry list I see there was a second #88 entered for Billy Page so I am now not quite so sure.

Either way after an entertaining afternoon getting rather wet and cold watching 228 Bangers slip and slide through the mud I headed back to the overflow car park and was pleased to get my Golf Estate out of the parking facility without the aid of a four wheel drive pickup truck that was standing by just in case.

Thanks for joining me on this “Heavy Metal Classic” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres.” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at another Daytona 24 Hour competitor. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Bardahl Special – Kurtis Offenhauser 500G

Ole Bardahl was the embodiment of the American dream aged 20 he arrived in Seattle from Norway in 1922 with $32 in his pocket and unable to speak a word of English, by 39 he had become a millionaire building contractor and went on to found the Bardahl Oil Company in Ballard Seattle.

Kurtis Offy 500G, Concours on the Avenue, Carmel by the Sea,

From 1950 to 1959 Bardahl sponsored Offenhauser powered Kurtis cars started in every Indy 500, two third places from Sam Hanks in 1952 and 1953 were the teams best results in this period. In 1956 a Bardahl showed up with the unique Ferrari powered Kurtis for Giuseppe Farina but the car proved too slow.

Kurtis Offy 500G, Concours on the Avenue, Carmel by the Sea,

For reasons that have not been determined during the research for this blog for 1957 Bardahl had Kurtis build two left hand drive Offenhauser powered 500G’s,all the other ’57 Kurtis Indy cars were right hand drive so far as I have been able to determine the #16 was driven by Al Keller and the #19 seen here by Jack Turner. Al Keller started the ’57 Indy 500 from 8th on the grid but crashed on lap 75 and was classified 27th, while Jack Turner started 19th and classified 11th last car on the lead lap.

Kurtis Offy 500G, Concours on the Avenue, Carmel by the Sea,

The ’57 Bardahl Kurtis Offy was by no means the only left hooker Indy car the manufacturer built, regular readers will remember that the Ross Page Special I looked at a couple of weeks ago was also a left hand drive machine, but the question remains as to why so few left hookers were built at all when almost all the other vehicles that participated in the Indy 500 at the time featured either a central driving position or a right side driving position ? If you have any references for an answer please do not hesitate to chime in below.

Kurtis Offy 500G, Concours on the Avenue, Carmel by the Sea,

For the 1958 Indy 500 Al Keller, perhaps best known as the first driver of a foreign car, Jaguar, to win a NASCAR sanctioned race, Linden, in 1954, took over the car seen in today’s photographs taken by Geoffrey Horton at the Concours on the Avenue in Carmel By The Sea a couple of years ago. Renumbered #52 Al qualified 21st completed all 200 laps and was classified 11th as had the cars previous driver Jack Turner in 1957.

Kurtis Offy 500G, Concours on the Avenue, Carmel by the Sea,

For 1959 Bardahl returned to the 500 with a conventional right hand drive Kurtis for Paul Russo who finished 9th. Through the 1960’s Bardahl entered Kurtis, Watson and Eagle cars with a best result of 3rd for Bobby Unser who drove a Bardahl entered Lola in the 1969 Indy 500 which appears to have concluded the teams participation in “The greatest spectacle in racing”.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton for sharing his photographs which I have used in all of this months Indy 500 blogs, and to E.B. at The Nostalgia Forum for confirming today’s featured car was driven by Al Keller in the 1958 Indy 500.

Finally congratulations to Tony Kanaan for winning the 2013 edition of the Indy 500.

Thanks for joining me on this “Bardahl” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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