Curtis Turner - The USAC years

[curt raitz]

Curtis Turner was banned from racing in NASCAR from 1962 through 1964. Bill France did not approve of him trying to unionize the drivers in NASCAR, so banned him. Due to dwindling numbers of people coming to watch the NASCAR guys, Bill France invited the popular Curtis Turner to return to NASCAR.

Being banned from NASCAR did not keep Curtis from racing though. He  competed in a number of USAC Stock Car and even a couple of Indy Car races.

Following are a couple models of the cars he raced in USAC in 1963 and 1964.

First is the 1963 Ford Galaxie he drove to a 3rd place finish for Holman-Moody at the Indianapolis Speedway on April 28, 1963.

 

Second is the 1964 Ford Galaxy he drove to 20th place finish for Holman-Moody at the Indianapolis Speedway on May 3, 1964.

Both models will be sent to the Curtis Turner Wing in the Virginia Museum of Transportation for display.

Thanx for lookin'

[Joe Nunes]

Two nice looking models!  Thanks for sharing the photos with us and the background information. Well done!  ?  

Joe

 

[cobraman]

They both look excellent.

[casassa]

nice looking models. I dot believe there were ever any USAC stock car races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in those years. They did race on the 1 mile dirt track at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, but usually in the fall. My research show Turner competed in the USAC Yankee 300 held on the 2.5 mile road course at Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP,  now Lucas Oil Raceway) in the spring of the year in nearby Brownsburg. 

[TonyK]

Those are real nice!

[TarheelRick]

Those are two really nice builds.  Curtis was a class act.  Is that '64 the Craftsman series Ford?

[bbowser]

Up to your usual standards, Curt.  Nice that they are going to the museum.

[Horrorshow]

Excellent builds!

[Danno]

Excellent builds, Curt!  Always a pleasure to see one of your Curtis creations! 

[curt raitz]

On 1/11/2023 at 5:30 AM, TarheelRick said:

Those are two really nice builds.  Curtis was a class act.  Is that '64 the Craftsman series Ford?

This was the kit I used.

 

[curt raitz]

On 1/10/2023 at 3:33 PM, casassa said:

nice looking models. I dot believe there were ever any USAC stock car races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in those years. They did race on the 1 mile dirt track at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, but usually in the fall. My research show Turner competed in the USAC Yankee 300 held on the 2.5 mile road course at Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP,  now Lucas Oil Raceway) in the spring of the year in nearby Brownsburg. 

You are correct, they did not race at the Speedway, but at the Indianapolis Raceway. Somehow in my typing my brain said Raceway, but my fingers said Speedway.

[PappyD340]

Very nice pair, well done!

[slusher]

Great pair!

[Phildaupho]

Two great looking Galaxie racecars.

[ChrisR]

Very nice!!