The Performance Racing Industry Show is a celebration of racing history and new automotive aftermarket innovations. This year, old school historic race cars and performance vehicles featuring the latest modern technologies were joined together in the Indianapolis Convention Center to represent everything motorsports. Several historic and period race cars were on display for show-goers to learn (or reminisce) about the good ol’ days. Here are six that caught our attention:
1911 Indianapolis 500 Winner
The six-cylinder, single-seat Marmon “Wasp” that won the very first Indianapolis 500 race in 1911 was displayed proudly in a high-traffic hall at this year’s PRI Show. It was designed and built by the engineering department of the Indianapolis-based Nordyke & Marmon passenger car firm. It was raced by Ray Harroun, who quickly began receiving complaints about not having a riding mechanic. As a result, the single-seater received what is thought to be the first ever rearview mirror used on an automobile, mounted on the cowl directly in front of the driver.
1972 Datsun 510
The Brock Racing Enterprise #68 Datsun 510 was a “guest car,” added to the team’s fleet in 1972 and driven by local talent wherever the car happened to be racing. Drivers Bobby Allison, Bob Sharp, Sam Posey, Jim Fitzgerald were regulars behind the wheel, as well as Peter Gregg who won at Watkins Glen and Mid-Ohio. The original car ended up in Mexico where it was banned from racing for being “unfair” to race against and was never seen again. The example seen at this year’s PRI Show is an officially licensed tribute vehicle with livery meticulously painted on using historic photos as a reference.
1968 Ford Torino
This potent 428 cubic-inch Cobra Jet V8-powered 1968 Ford Torino was driven by David Pearson for the legendary Holman-Moody Racing team. Pearson, who ranks second all-time on NASCAR’s win list with 105 race victories, is one of five drivers that has three premier series championships under his belt. In 1968, Pearson won 16 races in 48 starts, making it the best year of his career. His success was made possible by backing from the Ford Motor Co. and Hall of Famer Waddell Wilson, who built the engines for the No. 17 Ford Torino race car.
1964 Mercury Comet A/FX Lightweight
This 1964 Mercury Comet Lightweight, first owned and raced by Rising Sun driver Ron Riley and sponsored by McCoy Mercury, was the Lincoln Mercury Division’s response to witnessing other automotive manufacturer’s success in selling cars while winning races. Mercury jumped into drag racing in the NHRA’s new A/Factory Experimental class to avoid direct competition with Ford’s Super Stock Thunderbolts and to take advantage of the reduced production requirements.
Lincoln-Mercury partnered with Dearborn Steel Tubing to customize a fleet of 22 427 Hi-Riser Comets for the A/FX class. Each car was equipped with Ford’s 427/425-horsepower high-riser engine paired with a Hurst-shifted four-speed manual transmission. To drop weight, the front bumper, hood, fenders and doors were replaced with fiberglass panels, the factory glass was replaced with a lighter option, and the interior was stripped down to the bare essentials, also adding Bostrum bucket seats and a dash-mounted tach. This example was restored to its original condition, down to its original McCoy Mercury livery.
1966 Eagle-Ford
After the introduction of rear-engine Indy cars in Indianapolis in 1963 was a game-changer. The year 1964 saw the final Indy 500 won by a front-engined race car. Robert (Bobby) Woodward Rahal’s recently restored 1966 Eagle four-cam Ford V8, originally driven by Jerry Grant, made an appearance at the 2023 PRI Show. Bobby Rahal, a former American racing driver and current owner of the Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team, is no stranger to the Indy 500. He won three championships and 24 races in the CART open-wheel series. He won the 1986 Indianapolis 500, also becoming the first driver in Indy history to complete the 500-mile race in less than three hours.
1955 MG A Coupe
This MG Coupe is a fresh build with vintage vibes inspired by the nostalgic AAM/ SP car of the 1960s. Built similarly to how hot rods were built back in the day, this 1955 MG A Coupe was found in pieces in a field. The owner notes the exact day he spotted it: February 20, 2023. “I had to have it. I drew a picture that evening of how I visualized the finished car,” was written on the info sheet near the display. He built the MG in five months alongside working a full-time job and took it for its first fuel up in July of this year. It’s currently equipped with a 289-cid. Ford topped with two Holley 600 CFM carburetors and a 671 blower, teamed with a close ratio four-speed transmission, Hays clutch, a nine-inch Ford differential, ladder bars, and coil-over shocks. All the stopping power comes from the rear.
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