In 1960 alone, its second year of competition, Old Yeller II was piloted by Carroll Shelby, Dan Gurney, Bob Bondurant, and sports-car racing specialist Billy Krause.
There’s a Max and Ina Balchowsky documentary on YouTube that makes it clear Max was a certified cheapskate. Hence, much of went into his cars was from bone yards. In the film Shelby tells about the time he made a deal with Max to drive Old Yeller 2 at Road America for a particular race. First place paid 10,000 dollars, and they were to split it if they won. Naturally Shel was kicking posterior anatomy and was leading on the last lap when then tranny went out. Did Max express regret about not winning, or how well Shel did up to the last lap? Hell no. All he could do was bitch about Shel breaking the car’s tranny that he had just paid 45 bucks for.
The link with the post featured a wonderful shot of Old Yeller and the Meister Brauser Mk 2 Scarab, with Augie Pabst at the wheel.
I remember seeing and hearing (!) Old Yeller run at the Monterey Historic Weekend years ago. The Jags, Ferrari and Maseratis sounded as great as you would expect, but that big old Buick in Old Yeller just bellowed around that track. Quickly. Love everything about that machine!
There’s a Max and Ina Balchowsky documentary on YouTube that makes it clear Max was a certified cheapskate. Hence, much of went into his cars was from bone yards. In the film Shelby tells about the time he made a deal with Max to drive Old Yeller 2 at Road America for a particular race. First place paid 10,000 dollars, and they were to split it if they won. Naturally Shel was kicking posterior anatomy and was leading on the last lap when then tranny went out. Did Max express regret about not winning, or how well Shel did up to the last lap? Hell no. All he could do was bitch about Shel breaking the car’s tranny that he had just paid 45 bucks for.
ReplyDeleteThe link with the post featured a wonderful shot of Old Yeller and the Meister Brauser Mk 2 Scarab, with Augie Pabst at the wheel.
I remember seeing and hearing (!) Old Yeller run at the Monterey Historic Weekend years ago. The Jags, Ferrari and Maseratis sounded as great as you would expect, but that big old Buick in Old Yeller just bellowed around that track. Quickly.
ReplyDeleteLove everything about that machine!