1938 FORD ‘TUDOR’ SPORTSMAN STOCK CAR
As driven by NASCAR Legend,
Neil ‘Soapy’ Castles
American
stock car racing as a sport developed out of the need for fast and efficient
delivery of illegal alcohol. The pride associated with
turning out fast cars needed to outrun the Police developed from rivalry
between gangs to organised races in fields or on horse tracks. The early Stock
Cars were practically standard road cars, and drivers competed in hard,
rough-and-tumble action. During the early years of the sport – the professional
drivers would tow their ‘Sportsman’ class cars from town to town, racing up to
five times a week. All the rural track surfaces were dirt – as mostly these
provincial circuits doubled as horse racing venues. Whilst the cars appeared
‘stock’, outwardly running full bodywork, a black art quickly emerged that
produced faster cars from the clever manipulation of standard parts. From these
early racers, more sophisticated tuning techniques were developed and
after-market tuning parts in the form of twin-carburettor set-ups, aluminium
cylinder heads, and quick-change rear axles were to be seen on the more
professional ‘team’ cars. As there was a severe shortage of new cars in
post-war America, such race cars were built from pre-war cars. Weapons of
choice were coupes and two-door (Tudor) saloons. Carrying less superfluous
tinwork than their four-door sedan counterparts, these smaller bodied models
were in great demand by racers – and the casualty rate for such cars was
atrociously high – and true survivors are very rare. Many of the great stars of
NASCAR started out in these self-built cars: Lee Petty, Curtis ‘Crawfish’
Crider, Fonty Flock, Wendell Scott – as did hard man of NASCAR Neil “Soapy”
Castles.
Neil
"Soapy" Castles was born 1st October 1934 in Charlotte,
NC. Castles competed in the Grand National and Winston Cup ranks for 19 years
before retiring from the sport in l976. He was nicknamed "Soapy" from
his boyhood competition in soap-box derbies. A true ‘Redneck’, it was said that
if you wanted somebody whacked, “Soapy” would do it
for $300, and if you wanted flowers, it was $5 more. His NASCAR Grand National
Division debut came on 20th June 1957 on the half-mile Columbia
Speedway dirt track, driving Bill Champion’s No: 5 Ford. Castles was to start
17th and survive the race to finish 18th – and unharmed.
He returned at Darlington Raceway, driving his own No: 68 Ford in which he was
to make a further three appearances for a total of five professional major
league races that year. Throughout the ’60s "Soapy" was highly
competitive, spending four seasons in Buck Baker's cars and finishing eighth in
the point standings in 1965 and ninth in the final standings in 1966. Other
than those years, Castles fielded his own cars and was considered one of the
leading "independents" -those without a factory-backed program. He
was eighth in the standings in his own cars in l967 and then 12th in 1968. His
best seasons came in 1969 and 1970 when he was fourth and fifth in the final
point standings. During his long career he made 498 starts and although he
never scored a victory, he had 51 top-five finishes and 178 top-10 placings. He
also performed stunt driver duties in the Warner Brothers film "Greased
Lightning" alongside Wendell Scott.
Proudly
wearing the later Castles No: 06, the 1938 Ford Tudor ‘Sportsman’ stock car
offered today comes from the now defunct Rod Long Museum of NASCAR. Restored
several years ago at a cost of over $30,000, this original warhorse was
prepared especially for Neil “Soapy” Castles to demonstrate at NASCAR events. A
high specification ‘Sportsman’ class racer – it features period Edelbrock
aluminium race heads on its flathead V-8 engine, fuelled by twin Stromberg 97
carburettors via a rare Edmonds dual intake. A massive roll cage protects the
driver, while safety hubs ensure that he will not lose a wheel during contact
with another racer. Wide ‘dirt’ race wheels are employed, which give the car a
menacing stance and straight through pipes emit a thunderous presence. With all
this ‘go’ on tap – it’s reassuring to know that the brakes on this racer use
’40 ‘juice’ (hydraulic) brakes rather than the earlier rod type. This is no
‘Jalopy racer’ but a professionally restored survivor. Specialist maintained to
a high standard and ‘on the button’ here is an evocative NASCAR racer that has
already been seen and much admired at both the 2009 and 2013 Goodwood Festival
of Speed.
Eligible for
both Spedeworth’s THORA vintage stock car series and BRISCA’s Heritage series,
this potent piece of Stock Car history is ‘ready to rumble!’ However, earlier
this year (2013) the car’s ‘staggered’ suspension set up was converted for
track use and this car was taken to Goodwood for a full track test. Unlikely as
it may sound, the car behaved perfectly on Goodwood’s fast and sweeping circuit
– much to the amazement of the other drivers on track! So whether you want to
race this as a vintage Stock Car, Drag Race it in the ‘Flathead Meltdown’,
participate in the Pendine Sands event or simply Rod it – there’s no question
that you will ever find another quite like it (or with such history) in the
U.K. This car has been imported into the U.K and is duty paid. It comes with a
DVLA approved dating certificate and does not need an MOT!
Car is viewable at
High Hurstwood,
East Sussex, TN22 4AE
CALL: 07850 361159
No comments:
Post a Comment