When I was growing up regular American sports were not of
big interest to me. While my friends could spout batting averages of the New
York baseball times, the latest statistics of the hockey teams or basketball
teams. I knew next to nothing of this.
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| 1954 Brooklyn Dodgers picture from Getty Images |
Now, I could quote the cubic inch
displacement of just about all American cars, and the displacement in cubic
centimeters of the European cars, and the various power outputs of these cars.
Formula One and the results of the latest LeMans 24 Hour race were what I just
loved.
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| 1954 24 Hours of Le Mans |
While my friends knew it all about sports, they were not
necessarily the best athletes. I was not sports-oriented, but I worked hard
and always was able to pass the Police Athletic League tests.
In order to
support my love of cars I decided to get a job after school. From the age of
fourteen on I worked after schoolto earn money for my passion. This left no time for sports, other than
riding my bicycle.
In my high school a course in “safe driving” was offered to
those who had their learner’s permit. It was taught by Coach Grecco, a
wonderful teacher and role model. His good friend was Roger Ward* of
Indianapolis fame.
* - Years later I met Roger at Lime Rock, CT. while he was being
honored for winning a professional Formula Libre event opened to all classes of
cars. Roger won that race driving an Offy-powered (Offenhauser) Midget race car. He raced
against the fastest of sport cars, and came out on top! I was at that race and
remembered seeing Roger's crew changing the rear axle gear ratios between the
two heats that made up the race.
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| Roger Ward racing at Lime Rock Park circa 1959 |
Roger drove his Midget just like the road
circuit was an oval track with long straightaways. It was wonderful to see him
beat much larger cars with his little Midget. - *
Near the end of the school year the “Junior Chamber of
Commerce” sponsored a safe driving Road-E-O competition. This test involved
both a written test and a precision driving test.
The driving section was made up of a course laid out in a parking lot. I had to drive between traffic cones, park, and do various maneuvers. It was the first automobile competition that I
participated.
Fette Ford of Clifton, New Jersey provided the cars used in
our school course as well as the cars we would use in competition.
As I
remember the day of competition, it was a warm June day and I was assigned to a brand new Ford
convertible. I was one of the last to perform that day and perform I did! I
took home the first place award, and even made the local newspaper!
This was the beginning of a lifetime devoted to auto sport.
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