Only by succeeding was it given the chance to fail.
For one point: identify this odd-looking car, its builders, and at least one of its successes.
Only a complete and specific answer will earn a point!
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1932 Catfish Special (also known as the Gilmore Lion) built by Art Sparks and finished 14th at the 1932 Indy 500, driven by Stubby Stubblefield.
I suppose that's a success, of sorts. It wan't the one I was looking for, however. I'm looking for a success with a capital S.
I'll lock this for you, so that you can have another go at it.
There are several things that might be considered Successes for the Catfish. The first is that got built at all. The second is a class C Land Speed Record at Muroc of 148.218 which secured Sponsorship from Earl Gilmore and that enabled the car to run at Indy. It didn't do too well there, finishing 22 laps down. It had been running in Sixth place when a fuel leak caused it to see a black flag and force its retirement.
But it DID Succeed with a win a 100 mile race on a dirt track a week later. It was then Sold to Fred Frame and Harry Hartz for $6500, but never accomplished much and the Indy rules for 1938 made the "riding mechanic" body style obsolete, so the body was scrapped.
I've found an article that says that Wilbur Shaw got his first Indy win in "a copy of the Catfish" but I haven't been able to verify that.
Here it is a Muroc (I hope to race very close to that fabled dry lake at the end of September if all the planets are in alignment):
Quote from: RayTheRat on July 16, 2012, 12:10:37 PM
The second is a class C Land Speed Record at Muroc of 148.218 which secured Sponsorship from Earl Gilmore and that enabled the car to run at Indy.
That's what I was after, when I wrote "Only by succeeding was it given the chance to fail".
Another vintage pic: