SAAC Forum

Cool to see a 36-year-old CS in a movie instead of just still photos.

He sure looked worn out at the end of the race.

Can't quite tell in that size of a scan, but is that a person's name and "built by" on the fender next to the Crane Cams logo?

Looks like might be "Larry" something.

If I'm reading the shoepolish on the windows correctly, that probably signifies an 11:30 dial-in on an automatic transmission car.  More clues.

Wow, very nice!  How did dad get the one with the Paxton? 

Love the license plates too.

Looks pretty accurate of a location to me. Of course, the wide angle lens will make the edges of the photo curved a bit.

I wonder what year that photo was taken?  I'd guess it's after Shelby's time there, due to what looks like a vast number of oil/grease spots on the concrete this side of the blast wall. 

Also, it looks like the area for the North Runway had already been mostly cleared of houses. I lived just about where the top of the magazine you laid over the photo would be. That runway clearing project began around 1964 and went through about 1968-69, IIRC.

Other thoughts?

Szabo, thanks for your interest and assistance.   I grew up near the S-A facilities and (although just a little kid at the time) I recall more than a few of those locations.

I've been to the Porsche and Mercedes facilities in Stuttgart, as well as to your area.  Driven a lot through Deutschland. Love it there. Especially back when the autobahns were truly no speed limits.     

Yes, great find.   Not sure I would've wanted to drive/race it back in the day, given the placement/angle of the steering wheel.

What are your plans for the car?

Yes, really nice interview. Humble guy with a lot of talent.

Funny and on-point.

True story:  In Nov 1985, I was stranded, along with a lot of other travelers, in the Reno airport, during a big snowstorm. I was trying to get to the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, but no flights were leaving for at least a day.

The guy in line in front of me, also trying to get to SEMA, was Brian Redman.  I'd known him a little bit a couple of years earlier when I got a press day ride at RIR from him in his Cooke-Woods Lola T600.  So we chatted a bit while in the non-moving line. 

Then, I spotted Rod Hall and his wife, Donna, in line behind us. I'd also known Rod a little bit, and went back to talk with him. He was also trying to get to SEMA.  As we talked, Rod made up his mind to drive to Vegas, and invited me along. I asked if he'd mind having one more passenger, and introduced the two racing legends.

So, within a half hour, we four were in Hall's Dodge Ramcharger and barreling through the snowstorm toward Las Vegas. We made it without a hitch, except for some really heavy snow.  Usually a nervous passenger, I relaxed in the back seat, because I couldn't have had better chauffeurs!

https://autoweek.com/article/car-news/desert-racer-rod-hall-1937-2019

Mr Baja.

Bill Stroppe prepared Hall's racers, including after Hall went to Dodge. 

I knew him, and he was a helluva great guy in addition to being the winningest Baja racer of all time.  50 consecutive years of racing there.

The following statement is by Edsel B. Ford II:

Rod Hall was an off-road racing icon and pioneer. From an overall win in the 1969 Baja 1000 driving a Ford Bronco to racing the Baja 1000 fifty times to raising a multi-generation racing family, he is to be honored for his tremendous grit, driving prowess and leadership. Rod holds a special place in Ford Motor Company's motorsports heritage. Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Hall family.

Tired, or just bored and wanted to get back out there and drive fast?