Hi Andy,
Many of those Stewart-Warner gauges were made here in Springfield, IL at John
Hobbs, a division of Stewart-Warner. The father of one of my best friends
was the president. He used to get free tickets to the Indy 500 and sit with
the driver's wives and families. Foyt, Jones, Clark, Unsers, Hurtibise, etc.
He quit going when one was killed in 65 or 66. I can't remember his name,
but it was very early in the race.
A friend of mine in college used to baby-sit for Jim Hurtibise (North
Tonawanda, NY) and told the story of how badly he was burned in a race. The
doctors said he would not be able to move his left hand and how did he want
the fingers positioned? "Just so I can grip a steering wheel!" was the
reply. As it turns out, I was at the race he was burned. 1965 Illinois State
Fair 100 mile/lap on a dirt track. The caution flag was out until the final
lap-Hurtibise, Foyt, and Roger Ward went three abreast around the track until
the final turn. Hurtibise lost it and went end over end in one of those old
Offenhausers right over the fence into a vacated picnic area. I slowed down
for about a week in my 53 Chevy with 3 on the tree.
Bill Brockschmidt
Springfield, IL
7 Spits
1 Jag
2 Buicks
and a Voyager
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