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<\/a>Jim Kimberly in the OSCA coming down the hill into turn five.<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n
Text by Robert Birmingham Road America June Sprints, 23-24, 1956<\/strong><\/p>\n After an exuberant late 1955, an abbreviated time to sit back and smell the roses was shortened even more when the Chicago Region SCCA received approval to hold two race weekends at Road America, the first on June 23 \u2013 24, 1956 and another on September 8 \u2013 9. If that wasn\u2019t ambitious enough, the National Association for Stock Car Racing\u2019s (NASCAR) Grand National Series secured a race date in August. Clearly all involved, Clif Tufte and his extended team, local merchants and SCCA officials, had their winter hours spoken for to assure competing drivers and their respective teams, area merchants and attending fans from across the Midwest and beyond had safe, enjoyable and profitable summer.<\/p>\n Chicago Region officials were quick to review and address the previous year\u2019s inaugural event as it pertained to driver and fan safety and the important role needed to be played by volunteers, mostly inexperienced corner workers. SCCA had yet to have a corner worker\u2019s manual and therefore workers and marshals performed at risk to themselves and to hard charging racers.<\/p>\n In this article we will only cover the 1956 June Sprints.<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n Upon presentation to Clif Tufte and his lead staff, it was clear both organizations were on the same page. Tufte and crew addressed the need to make improvements to the overall physical plant \u2013 muddy paddock and other grassy areas needed to be seeded, haybale and snow fence placement moved, clearly crowd control and spectator comfort were paramount. Based on 1956 concession sales, coupled with an expected increase, a need to review and plan was imminent. There was a lot to do.<\/p>\n The June weekend program consisted of six races, three on Saturday June 23 and three on Sunday. Friday\u2019s practice was not without perilous moments. Walt Hansgen had an off-road, twice roll-over excursion after Corner 6 in the Cunningham entered D Jag that ended with little more than aches, pains and paint scrapes on his helmet. Sunday\u2019s 150-mile feature race was very competitive but in the end it was Carroll Shelby\u2019s Ferrari 121LM taking checkered flag.<\/p>\n James Orr, Devin Panhard, placed 10th in race 6.<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n D Jag, Sherwood Johnston, DNF in Race 7.<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n Allard, Walt Grey, finished 14th, race 7.<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n Allard of Tim McGrade would finish 17th in race 7.<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n D Jag, Lou Brero, placed second to Shelby in race 7.<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n Walt Hansgen in the Cunningham D Jag DNF\u2019d in race 7.<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n Major R.J. Wyllie in the Lotus during practice.<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n Bill Kimberly, Jim\u2019s nephew, in a TR3 would place last in race 2.<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n Bill Lloyd, Maserati, placed 7th in race 7.<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n Phil Stewart, Maserati, came in 6th ahead of Bill Lloyd in race 7.<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n Jim Kimberly in OSCA number 5 getting even with Briggs Cunningham in OSCA #61.<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n
\nPhotos by Glen Glendenning<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>