The Offy midget that American legend Bob Tattersall drove to victory in the 1969 United States Auto Club (USAC) National Speedcar Championship will be displayed at Lismore Speedway's Australian Vintage Speedway Festival, March 20-22, 2009.

The car, which was judged the 2002 Vintage Classic Restoration of the Year by the NSW Vintage Speedcar Association, is owned by club member Graham Gallagher.

Known as the “Honker II” Offy, the #3 car was owned by Jack Stroud of St Louis, Missouri and was built in 1967 at the Don Edmunds Auto Research factory in California.

Great overhead shot of the Honker II in action with Graham Gallagher driving at the Brisbane Exhibition Ground.

It assumed the “BIG HONKER” race number (35) for the 1967 and 1968 seasons.

It was painted blue for the 1967 season then the championship colours of yellow and red for 1968.

Bob Tattersall drove this midget in USAC competition in 1967 and 1968 for Jack Stroud, finishing fourth in 1967 and third in 1968.

There was also a 1969 version of the “HONKER 11” which was also built at the Don Edmunds Auto Research workshops in California. It was similar to the 1967 model, with the exception that it incorporated parallel as well as cross rear torsion bars. It was also fitted with the latest 120 cubic inch Offenhauser engine, No 445.

The 1967 and 1969 versions of the “HONKER 11” had a very similar external appearance while for the 1969 season, were both painted yellow and red with racing number 3 allocated to Jack Stroud from the results of the 1968 season.

The Honker II pictured last July at Sydney's Bankstown Paceway during a demonstration run.

In 1969 Stroud won the car owners USAC championship and Bob Tattersall the USAC drivers championship with the 1969 version of the “HONKER 11” though the original 1967 Honker II played its part in the USAC Championship success in 1969.

Bob Tattersall used the backup midget (1967 version) for four meetings in 1969, at Jackson, Lansing, Davenport and Madison.

The midget was constructed to the specific requirements of Stroud and Tattersall. The modifications to the normal Edmunds built speedcar obviously had an affect as Tattersall enjoyed his best-ever season in American speedcar racing!

After consideration to the makeup of the 1969 USAC championship rounds with the number of ¼- mile dirt, ½- mile dirt, ¼- mile pavement, ½- mile pavement tracks on the schedule, Stroud decided to build a midget with the shortest permitted wheel base, space frame chassis, cross leaf front spring and cross ½ rear torsion bars.

The “Honker II” followed in the wake of the first “Big Honker” which also will be displayed at the Lismore Festival. Jack Stroud sold the “Big Honker” to newspaper publisher Hank Hansen in 1967 before many years later Gallagher secured the car and brought it back to Australia for a complete restoration to when it was here in 1966.

The 1969 design of the original 1967 Honker II (the car owned by Gallagher) was actually the third of the Offy midgets owned by Jack Stroud in this mid-to-late 'sixties era.

The other midget was formerly the Marquette Offy and under Stroud's ownership was raced as #25 until 1967.

This #25 midget was brought to Australia in 1967 and carried #2 on the tail. The car, known here as the Valvoline Offy, was sold by Bob TattersaIl. It is restored and currently owned by Rod McMahon in Brisbane.

THE HONKER 11:

USA 3:

SPECIFICATIONS:

Chassis: Edmunds – chrome molly space frame – incorporating Jack Stroud’s special requirements.

Chassis No: XLM048.

Engine: 110 Cubic inch Offenhauser: Serial No. 390.

Suspension: Front - Solid chrome molly axle with cross leaf spring.

Rear - Solid chrome molly axle with cross ½ torsion bars & external *****pit lever adjustable weight- jacker.

Brakes: 4 wheel magnesium Airheart hydraulic disc brakes with brake balance valve.

Fuel system: Methanol – Hilbourn direct mechanical injection.

Drive: Offenhauser dog – box, enclosed chrome molly drive shaft.

Differential: Halibrand aluminium midget quick change.

Steering Box: Schroeder cast aluminium.

Wheels: Halibrand magnesium alloy. Front 12 x 4.5, Rear 13 x 8.

Body: Edmunds – fibre glass nose, hood & tail.

Aluminium side & belly panels.

Colour: Yellow & red.

Racing No  35 – 1967/68, No. 3 – 1969.

The car American speedcar legend the late Bob Tattersall drove to victory in the 1966 Australian Speedcar Grand Prix and World's Championship at the Sydney Showground will be one of the prominent exhibits at the Australian Vintage Speedway Festival at Lismore Speedway on March 20-22, 2009.

The #35 Jack Stroud “Big Honker” Offy, which is owned by NSW Speedcar Association member Graham Gallagher, is one of the most famous midgets Tattersall ever brought to Australia.

Graham Gallagher runs the famous #35 Jack Stroud-Bob Tattersall Offy.

Proud owner Gallagher has had a close affinity with the Illinois-based Stroud family for almost two decades and he will also bring to Lismore another famous Stroud Offy nicknamed “The Honker II” that Tattersall raced successfully in America.

This is the car in which Tattersall used to win the coveted United States Auto Club (USAC) National Midget Championship in 1969.

Both cars are absolute showpieces and will certainly be very popular attractions at the Festival.

Tattersall made a clean sweep of the major events at the world famous Sydney Showground in 1966 driving the #35 “Big Honker.”

He started the campaign in January 1966 with a feature race victory and then followed up with the AGP and World's Speedcar Championship successes.

Tattersall also won major events in the #35 car at the Brisbane Exhibition Ground including the Golden Helmet title and the Australian ¼-mile Speedcar Championship.

The hallowed, lost and still much lamented Sydney Showground is the perfect backdrop for this great photo taken shortly after completed restoration of the #35 Big Honker. Tattersall raced this car to some great victories at the Sydney Showground in 1966.

Major wins also followed at Adelaide's Rowley Park Speedway and Claremont Speedway, Perth.

The #35 car was almost unbeatable in Australia with Tattersall at the wheel and the 1966 Down Under campaign represented one of the most successful visits by Tattersall in his 13 year association with Australia.

The “Big Honker Offy" was built in 1949 in the USA by Al Hendrix, chief Kurtis Kraft factory midget builder. It's interesting to note the car was constructed to Jack Stroud’s specific requirements from a basic Kurtis Kraft Kit.

The midget was raced extensively in the US Midwest for over 30 years.

In addition to Tattersall, some other famous US drivers who drove the "Big Honker" were Danny Frye, Bob Wente, Jimmy Davies, Aussie Billy Humphreys, Carl Williams, Bud Tinglestead, Eddie Johnson, Jud Larson, Mel Kenyon,Gary Byers, Shannon Finley, Danny Frye Jnr.,Chuck Weyant, Tommy Copp, Arnie Knepper, Dick Gaines and many more.

“The “Big Honker” was one of three midgets brought to Australia by Bob Tattersall that went back to the USA,” Graham explained.

“The midget was air freighted back to Jack Stroud at the conclusion of Tattersall’s 1966 Australian tour in late March 1966 and was raced in Bob’s USAC campaign with Jack Stroud until season end, December 1966. Tattersall finished fourth in the 1966 USAC midget championship,” he added.

The heritage of the car is as interesting and as colourful as some of the drivers who raced the #35 machine.

“The “Big Honker” was sold to a local automotive newspaper publisher named Hank Hansen.

Hank ran the midget for several years in the Midwest with Gary Byers and Billy Humphreys doing most of the driving,” Graham said.

“Hank sold the midget to long time car owner Joe Finley, who also ran the car for several years, winning several local championships. His drivers were Danny Frye Junior and Shannon Finley.

"Joe sold the car to Illinois interests who changed the power plant to a Sesco. It was then later sold to Garry Corley in St.Louis, Missouri who then sold it to me. Six owners in over 50 years is not bad for a race car,” he proudly stated.

(Keep watching Lismore Speedway's Australian Speedway Vintage Festival in the next few days for an in-depth story of Graham Gallagher's magnificent second Stroud car the “Honker II.”)

Graham Gallagher gives the Honker II a run.

BIG HONKER OFFY USA #35 TECH TORQUE:

Chassis: Kurtis Kraft: chrome molly single main tube .

Chassis No. 350

Engine: 110 Cubic inch. Offenhauser. (Serial No. 138.)

Suspension: Front. Solid chrome molly axle with cross-spring.

Rear. Solid chrome molly axle with parallel torsion bars.

Brakes: *****pit selectable 2/4 wheel Halibrand magnesium caliper hydraulic

disc brakes with foot and external hand operation.

Fuel System: Methanol – Hilbourn direct mechanical injection.

Drive: Offenhauser dog-box, enclosed chrome molly drive shaft.

Differential: Halibrand aluminium midget quick change rear end.

Steering: Nordon cast aluminium.

Wheels: Halibrand small slot- six pit – knock on type magnesium alloy. Front

12x4.5, Rear 12x6.

Body: Kurtis Kraft aluminium tail,side and belly panels.

Fibreglass nose and Hood.

Colour: White / Gold / Red.

Racing No. 35.

Local NSW north coast businessman Brian King has a collection of cars that represent genuine American auto racing history that have been entered for the upcoming Australian Vintage Speedway Festival at Lismore Speedway, March 20-22, 2009.

Walt Adler Drove this car at the 1950 Indy 500

There are in fact very few people in Australia that are aware of the great cars Brian owns – a pristine 1948 Kurtis Offy midget, a fully restored Offy Dirt Car that raced in the 1950 Indy 500 and a 1975-model Edmunds VW midget that was driven by Larry Patton.

Brian's “secret” has been a revelation to the Australian vintage movement and these cars will certainly prove a major attraction at the Festival.

Sixty five year-old Brian King from Alstonville near Lismore, has been involved with engineering all his working life and is an avid collector of vintage cars.

The 225ci Offy Dirt Car that Brian owns was part and parcel of the tough Indy racing scene in the great era of the late 'forties-mid 'fifties.

The sleek white #27 machine was owned by Alden Samson and was driven in the rain-shortened 1950 Indianapolis 500 (won by Johnny Parsons) by Walt Adler.

Adler, from New Jersey, qualified the car at 129.940 mph and started out of position 29 in the 33-car Indy field.

The car at one point of the Indy 500 was placed as high as sixth before it was ultimately credited with a twenty-second finishing position when the race was flagged at the 123 lap mark of the 200 lap race.

It was the one and only appearance by Adler in the Indianapolis 500.

Meanwhile, the magnificent yellow #22 Kurtis Offy midget is a show-stopper.

1956 & 1957 URA championship winning car

The midget was built in 1947 by Californian Tom Sparks from a Kurtis Kraft kit and was raced initially with a V8/60 engine. The car's greatest achievement came in later years under Offy power when Don Cameron drove the midget to the 1956 and '57 United Racing Association Championships on the “red” circuit.

The car was owned by Doug Carruthers whose status in American midget racing has been well do*****ented over the years. His son Jimmy Carruthers took out the 1970 United States Auto Club (USAC) National Midget Championship.

The Carruthers family were hit by tragedy in 1971 after Doug's other son, Danny, was killed in a Californian speedcar accident.

The car was rebuilt in 1980 by Chuck Porter and was later purchased by another Californian, Joe McPherson, in 1995.

Brian King bought the car off Joe McPherson earlier this year, and along with the other two purchased cars, freighted the three machines to Australia.

The beautiful #35 Don Edmunds VW midget was raced in west coast and USAC events in the 'seventies by Larry Patton.

The car was one of the first that came off the production line from the Don Edmunds workshop in Anaheim, California.

These cars are a magnificent addition to the Australian Vintage Speedway Festival at Lismore Speedway on March 20-22, 2009.

They will certainly be a major attraction at the Festival.

The Australian Vintage Speedway Festival at Lismore Speedway on March 20-22 has received a tremendous boost after Californian midget driver from the 'sixties era Don Meacham announced his intention to attend.

David Lander , from DML Holdings, promoters of the event, said today he was delighted to have such a distinguished American speedcar star from the golden era on hand for the Festival.

“That's great news,” David Lander beamed.

“Don is a name well known to long serving Australian speedway fans. He brought to Australia what I have always considered to be one of the best looking Offy midgets ever to come out of America.

“The iridescent blue number three car with the wrap-around windshield was a showpiece,” he said.

Meacham, who raced with the United States Auto Club midgets at the height of their popularity in the 'sixties, will be participate in demonstration runs during the Festival.

Meacham visited Australia in the 1967-68 season as tourning partner to the legendary Bob Tattersall (Stroud Valvoline Offy) and Billy Mehner (Richardson Offy).

Meacham's debut at the Sydney Showground in February, 1967 was on a night that saw one of the most dramatic incidents in the long and illustrious history of the world famous “Royale.”

New Zealander Barry Butterworth almost incited a riot when he was disqualified from the feature race, ultimately won by Tattersall with Meacham in the runner-up spot.

Meanwhile, the Lismore Australian Vintage Speedway Festival promises to be one of the biggest nostalgic events ever attempted.

Two great days of exhibitions, static displays and demonstration runs featuring cars and bikes will be conducted.

David Lander wants as many vintage clubs to support his event which will be heavy promoted in the weeks leading up to the Festival with a strong media advertising campaign.

Lander is keen to have representation from Associations throughout Australia and welcomes participation from as many car and bike vintage clubs as possible.

For More information on the Australian Vintage Speedway Festival, phone David Lander on 0408-222908.

The latest nomination for the Australian Vintage Speedway Festival at Lismore Speedway next March is from former Sydney sidecar rider Ray Andrieux.

Ray will present his fully restored 1000cc Vincent machine for demonstration sessions and static display.

The HRD Vincent – the workhorse of Australian sidecar racing throughout the 'forties, 'fifties and 'sixties – has left a legacy of history and tradition.

It's very significant that one of the well known bikes from the great era of sidecar racing at the former Sydney Showground speedway will be present for Lismore Speedway's Australian Vintage Speedway Festival which promises to be the most ambitious nostalgic trip down memory lane ever attempted in this country.

Ray is delighted to have the bike back in his possession after he last raced the sidecar thirty years ago.

“I got most of it back after selling it thirty years ago,” he explained.

“I have spent the past two years finding parts and restoring it back to the way it was when I last raced it at the Sydney Showground in 1978,” he added.

The Andrieux Vincent was built by 1972 Australian Sidecar Champion Geoff Grocott in the 'sixties.

Grocott rode the machine for a time before in later years he changed the face of Australian sidecar racing when he won the National Championship riding a 750cc Kawasaki powered outfit.

The now well do*****ented Japanese invasion, which changed the face of Australian sidecar racing as Vincents ultimately disappeared off the radar, became reality courtesy of Grocott's sensational victory.

However, there will always be a very special nostalgic place in Australian speedway for the tried and proven HRD Vincent.

The Andrieux Vincent was also ridden by former National Champion, the late Garry Innis and Lee Fieldsend.

The HRD Vincent Andrieux that will be seen at Lismore was fitted with McGee fuel-injection and was one of the most competitive bikes of the era.

Ray throttled out many victories on the Vincent in both scratch and handicap competition where he rode off the 80 metre mark.

The Australian Vintage Speedway Festival welcomes former Sydney sidecar rider Ray Andrieux – a member of the Veteran Speedway Riders Association of Australia – to the 2009 Australian Vintage Speedway Festival at Lismore Speedway.