e11.03.08_041_ELL_VIN_0056S

Photo ID #	e11.03.08_041_ELL_VIN_0056S_1
Car #:	#41
Driver (s) :	Tommie Elliott
Location:	Vineland
Date:	1956
Photographer:	William Curley
Photo provided by:	Russ Dodge
Comments:	Come-On-In, the Door’s Open! Once again, William Curley provides the source of another Senior Moment with this photo of Joe Racz’s 41 at Vineland Speedway in 1956. It shows that even the best cars evolved with time in regards to driver safety. Most notably the addition of a cage, the replacement of the free standing seat and the widely used surplus seat belt, hanging out of the door after Tommie Elliott exited the car! My first memory of a Joe Racz 41, was seeing Pete Frazee at the wheel of one of the cleanest (and fastest) modifieds at Vineland Speedway on asphalt. I still remember the look of the car with a fuel injected Ford, hardly visible under the hood. It is what I remember as one of the first true appearing race cars I saw, rather than an old stock car body with a big engine installed. Coincidentally, at a recent Old Bridge reunion Pete reflected on Joe Racz’s cars with me. Pete said the flathead motor in the car pictured was the strongest flathead motor he had ever driven. The power stayed consistent the entire race, not lessening near the end, which was common at the time. He also reflected that Joe Racz had a separate room in the back of his garage where he built his own motors. Of interest was, Pete was not allowed in that room! Senior Moment by Russ Dodge Photo by William Curley Vineland Speedway 1956

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Date:	Visitor's Name:	Comment:
11/05/08	Charlie Miller	What a great picture of a really nice looking RACE car. Neat hood scoop and fenders. Not sure what the cow catcher on the front was for, or the catch can ?
11/06/08	A fan.	The catch can I believe is for radiator expansion.
11/11/08	Dottie Seubert	Nice pic my Uncle Pete Frazee has hundred of photos of the cars he drove as well as My Dad's car's.