| Photo ID # | 05.14.03_064_TAS_FLM_0059_1 |
| Car #: | #64 & #1 |
| Driver (s) : | Al Tasnady and Jackie McLaughlin |
| Location: | Flemington, NJ |
| Date: | 1959 |
| Photographer: | William Curley |
| Photo provided by: | Russ Dodge |
| Comments: | Comments provided by Russ: In 1959 a strong running sportsman appeared at Alcyon, Flemington and Nazareth. The car was sponsored by Tiona Motor Oil and was affectionately referred to as the "oil can". The car was owned buy Barry Alrich of Pitman, and ran out of the Dornberger garage. Bill Wark, of Barrington, was the first driver. Les Farley followed Wark as a steady driver but the seat was often open as a backup ride for a good driver in need of a ride for the night. This picture was taken at Flemington on July 11th, 1959 , when Al Tasnady nipped Jackie McLaughlin by half a car at the checkered! I asked Al one day what was the hardest race he remembered driving. He told me it was that win in the # 64. He said the car steered so hard that when he won he climbed out and laid on the ground because his arms ached so bad! Barry in recalling the car recently said the car always steered hard and didn't know what had always caused it to do so. Tiona decals with the Tiopet Indian were on just about every stock car at that time. The car was sold near the end of the 59 season and ended up being an Ambrosia # 026 driven by Jackie McLaughlin. This is an Ace Lane photo. |
| Visitor's Comments | To add your comments about THIS PHOTO - Click Here | |
| Date: | Visitor's Name: | Comment: |
| 05/15/03 | Jim Murrow | Great Picture, Russ! The #1 car, that Jackie McLaughlin is driving is also a Sportsman. Ironically, it was owned by Pete Ambrosia, who later bought the 64 car. |
| 05/15/03 | Russ Dodge | The # 1 car first appeared at Alcyon the same night the as the # 1 Chevy coupe of Augie Weil, both with the same white and maroon paint scheme Not carrying the familiar Ambrosia # 026, the car was a "Natural" Meaning it ran well and always worked right out of the box. When the # 026 Modified would act-up, they would bring out the reliable # 1 Sportsman. Thanks, Russ Dodge |
| 05/29/03 | Jim Murrow | Russ, I was just looking at this picture again, and I rememberd a dark blue sportsman car at Alcyon, that was jointly owned by "some other guy", and Britt Batty, who later opened a motorcycle shop. I think he was from Sewell, and the son of the Batty of Batty's Nursery. I believe Britt drove the car at Alcyon a couple times. Now I'm thinking that this looks like the car. I know you said that the car was owned buy Barry Alrich of Pitman, so I'm thinking maybe that this might be the car, and Britt may have been Barry's partner. Any info on that? |
| 05/31/03 | Russ Dodge | Brittner was in partners with Barry Alrich in 1958 for a car with the same paint and a slightly different shaped # 64. That car was driven by Herby Schoch. The car ran mainly at Vineland Speedway and was just starting to click when the car was parked and sold. The car in the photo was built at Dornberger's. The cross member was moved back to allow enough setback for the radiator to be in place and still allow the hood and side panels to be used. The 1958 version of the # 64 was the former Eddie Robinson # 202 driven by Carl Grinar and others. Britt Batty can be remember by some for purchasing the last Kenny Weld car which he garaged at Sonny's and drove himself. If I recall correctly, Sonny's # 99 pictured with Billy O, was a copy of that car with Dornberger's interpretations. Thanks, Russ Dodge |
| 07/20/03 | Jim Murrow | This picture has been posted here for two
months, and I have commented on it before. A couple of days ago, however, I suffered from
a bit of memory UN-fade. In what I suppose you could call a "Junior moment", (as opposed to the senior ones to which I am prone), I suddenly remembered that the # 1 car, pictured here, is the first car that Leon Manchester drove. When Leon retired from rodeo riding, he bought one of these # 1 sportsman cars from Pete Ambrosia, and headed for Flemington. Leon had no experience in racing, but, one thing he didn't lack was guts. Manchester was a member of the "Thorofare-Paulsboro gang", being related, by marriage, to Jackie McLaughlin, and Budd Olsen. Leon elected to bypass the novice devision, and start right out with the modifieds and sportsman. Those first few weeks at Flemington proved Leon's intestinal fortitude, and the strenth of the welding on the # 1 car. I remember Leon, in warm ups, trying to follow in-laws McLaughlin, and Olsen, and flying into the turn right behind them. As soon as the wrecker brought the #1 car back to the pits, and the fence was repaired, the warm ups would continue. |
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