Comments on: Allison’s Behind the Fences: Maserati

By: JEFF ALLISON

JEFF ALLISON — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 02:36:08 +0000

Denton,

Thank you for your compliments and glad you enjoyed the photos. If you have some photos yourself, please consider submitting them for a “Behind the Fences” article.

Regarding the question about the 1000 Kilometer USAC/FIA International Sports Car Race at Daytona International Speedway on April 5, 1959: “Does anyone know what’s just on the outside of the Armco behind someone with one foot on the Armco and to the left of a white station wagon – looks like an umbrella on a long pole?” I sent a query to the Daytona International Speedway some time ago and asked them what it was but never received a reply. Could it have been “station” where SCCA workers could see cars coming down and off the banking and transitioning onto the infield. Look closely at the photo as there’s a person sitting atop the pole, and apparently an umbrella to shade those sitting up there. Anybody else have a guess?

By: Willem N. Oosthoek

Willem N. Oosthoek — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 00:19:46 +0000

As for which of the two Rodriguez brothers tried out the Tec-Mec for that $10,000 prize, both were there. Pedro drove a Volvo in the compact car race, while Ricardo drove a Chevy Corvair. O’Shea raced a Chrysler Valiant, so all were present. Jeff mentions that Pedro tried out the Tec-Mec, but I have Ricardo as the driver. Can’t say who is right without going back into my old dusty files. Incidentally, Elmer George also tried in one of the Indy roadsters but decided that the weather conditions [strong wind gusts] were not right for a record attempt. No record was set that weekend, until the Mad Dog Call roadster of Art Malone finally nailed the 180-mph record at daytona much later.

By: Willem N. Oosthoek

Willem N. Oosthoek — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 23:05:43 +0000

There was another owner of the Tec-Mec after Gordon Pennington. The entry list for the March 1962 Pipeline 200 at Bossier City, Louisiana, a USAC Formule Libre event, had Newt Davis and the Tex-Mec on the entry list. The entry never showed, but I remember a photo of Newt racing the car at least once in the Northeast in 1962 [Lime Rock perhaps?].

Glad that Jeff brought up the attempt during the January 1960 Speed Week Road Races, sanctioned by Bill France. Yes, both Rodriguez and Paul O’Shea [not Chuck Daigh] tried their best for the $10,000 award, but the best the Tec-Mec could do was 136 mph, a far cry from the 180 mph.