August 7, 2025 • 33 mins
In this episode of “The Logbook” - John Yasenko recounts the discovery and historical significance of a unique 1935 front-wheel-drive speedster created by Benjamin F. Harris III. Initially found in a neglected state in 1987, the vehicle's unusual design and Harris’s innovative contributions to automotive history intrigued John and his Brother, leading to an extensive pre-internet research endeavor. Ben Harris, an early industrial designer and motorsport architect, was deeply involved in the development of American road racing and SCCA's national organization. He collaborated with notable figures like Harley Earl and Jim Kimberly, and played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Road America race track. John presents us with rich with historical insights, personal anecdotes, and acknowledges the extensive research and supportive collaborations that uncovered Harris's legacy, culminating in his posthumous induction into the SCCA Walk of Fame in 2020.
John Yasenko’s purchase of the remains of the 1935 Harris FWD Speedster decades ago led him into conducting 36 years of research into the car and its creator, Benjamin F. Harris. John’s objective has been to document how Harris was a key figure in postwar racetrack design and development, and in transforming the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) into a national organization. John is a lifelong car enthusiast, business owner, restorer and historian, automotive show host, and all-around jack of all trades.
===== (Oo---x---oO) =====
00:00 Discovery of the Harris Speedster 01:15 Ben Harris: The Man Behind the Machine 02:54 Innovative Design Elements of the Harris Speedster 03:33 Harris's Collaborations and Achievements 05:27 Racing Legacy and Contributions to Motorsport 09:36 Involvement in SCCA and Road America 17:29 Advocacy for Safety in Motorsport 24:29 Legacy and Induction into the Walk of Fame 29:15 Conclusion and Acknowledgements====================
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This episode is part of our HISTORY OF MOTORSPORTS SERIES and is sponsored in part by: The International Motor Racing Research Center (IMRRC), The Society of Automotive Historians (SAH), The Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Argetsinger Family - and was recorded in front of a live studio audience.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Break Fix's History of Motorsportsseries is brought to you in part
by the International Motor RacingResearch Center, as well as the
Society of Automotive Historians,the Watkins Glen Area Chamber of
Commerce, and the Arge Singer family.
In this episode of the log book, JohnYako recounts the discovery and historical
(00:21):
significance of a unique 1935 front wheeldrive speedster, created by Benjamin F.
Harris iii.
Initially found in a neglectedstate in 1987, the vehicle's unusual
design and Harris's innovativecontributions to automotive history,
intrigued John and his brother.
This led to an extensive pre-internetresearch endeavor where they discovered
(00:42):
Ben Harris was an early industrialdesigner and motorsports architect,
and was deeply involved in thedevelopment of American Road Racing
and CCAs national organization.
He collaborated with notable figureslike Harley Earl and Jim Kimberly, and
played a pivotal role in the establishmentof the Road America racetrack.
John presents us with rich historicalinsights, personal anecdotes, and
(01:04):
acknowledges the extensive researchand supportive collaborations that
uncovered Harris's legacy, culminatingin his posthumous induction into
the SECA Walk of Fame in 2020.
My introduction to Ben Harrisas a story past occurred in 1987
while touring a property forpurchase in Clarksville, Missouri.
The property was a time capsule ofpartially buried pedigree automobiles
(01:27):
and of their components I was drawn toand later purchased the Harris Front
wheel drive speed because of its uniqueappearance and the fact that a tree had
gone through the center of its cockpit.
And it just amazed me.
I began researching the purchasepre-internet with a little more than
this rendering by my brother Dan Yanko.
(01:48):
John, what initially intrigued you aboutBen Harris and his work in automotive
design as Ben f Harris III built?
An anomaly in time in 1935.
We wanted to just touch upon itbecause he kind of built what was
to come in the fifties in racecar designs and exotic designs.
(02:09):
Always wore his hat,usually flight glasses.
He was a pilot.
He was a very politically involvedperson, and he usually had a
dress code on, or he was dressedin the SCCA efficient material.
This picture is from an SCCA magazine,Indiana Race, July, August, 1954.
(02:31):
Can you elaborate on the significance ofHarris's association with the AAA in the
early days, Ben, apparently all the wayback when this picture was taken was 1936,
was highly involved with the a, a AAA.
You'll notice there's AAA licenseplate on the back of the speedster.
That license plate says AAA official card.
(02:54):
What are some of the design elementsof the Harris Speedster that were
ahead of their time compared tothe later race cars of the 1950s?
Remarkably, in 1935, the speedster was thesize of an AC cobra and a D type jaguar.
The motors was a two cam.
Two distributor dual rated Veight, built in 1933 and 34.
(03:16):
We could see that it had friction shockabsorbers, which I knew was something
from the twenties and thirties.
Ben's car started silkchr, Metallica paint.
DuPont's first.
Actually, the color of thatis their patent formular.
For chr, Metallica Paint, duke Lacquerwas put onto the Harris Speedster.
How did GM executivesreact to Harris's work?
(03:37):
And was there any notablecollaboration between them?
My favorite picture to illustratethe size of the futuristic exotic
design, the speedster photo from52 Chicago Invitational event.
There are some GMexecutives in this picture.
Here we have some other ones.
GM was participating with Ben inthis booth, and we do believe this
(03:57):
is the one that another friend ofBen's, Chrissy Kaki, put a picture and
featured Ben's car on the front coverof his magazine for a special edition.
We believe it was for thisshowing, but we're truly not sure.
It mentions Ben's car won anIndianapolis custom car show in 1951.
The reason for this was Wally Parks,and I can't think of the owner's
(04:19):
name of Hot Rod Magazine, ran a fullpage ad looking for Ben and his car.
They wanted to send him an invitation tothe second annual indie rod custom show.
Ironically, at the end, 17 years of ageand design, it won a first place trophy.
Can you even imagine that?
It was still state-of-the-art futuristic.
(04:40):
This picture here is actuallyclipped from the Hot Rod Magazine
from 1951 where they were lookingfor Ben to send him an invitation.
The car, at this point in time.
Was still the chromeMetallica as DuPont called it.
Ben never really named the car that'stalked about in auto puzzles, which
(05:03):
some may enjoy reading that story'cause it brings back forth many,
many more facts about Ben and the car.
This is a speedster stretchingout its legs on the racetrack.
This is a boardwalk.
The speedster is on, and again,we think this is 46 to 48.
The vehicle did do some racing.
(05:24):
Very limited, but it did.
The more I learned about thecar, the more I became intrigued
about the man behind the car.
Harris's interest in performance.
Cars wasn't limited to industrial design.
He was also an enthusiast whoraced in and officiated numerous
AAA SCCA and FI events in three.
Countries.
Yes.
(05:45):
Three countries at Cuba, Nassau, Bahama,and 12 states that we have him at with
pictures and magazine articles and stuff.
Harris needs to say, was very activein the SCZA as it transitional lies
into a unified national organization.
Benjamin F. Harris was among thevanguards of industrial designers,
(06:07):
engineers, and Motorsportarchitects as early as the 1930s.
A small sampling of his associatesinclude Gordon Bing, Harley Earl,
ed Cole, Zora Doff, James Kimberly,wacky Arno, and many, many others.
You'll see pictures of Ben talkingwith Carol Shelby and his Maserati.
(06:33):
You'll see a lot of differentpictures coming up, uh, including
with Wacky and everybody else.
He was good friends with FredDusenberg, August son, Fritz.
He was Best man at Gordon Bings weddingin Auburn, Indiana to Betty Whitten.
Can you describe the significance ofHarris' relationship with automotive
icons like Harley Earl and Zora Donoff?
(06:54):
Uh, knowing Harley Earl when he firstwent to GM 56 Harley, and I guess
Zora built him a special car vet anddelivered it to him right out of the
styling building at General Motors.
Ben took his plate, flew there, pickedit up, and while I was there, they
also had a real nice luncheon for him.
With most of the GM hierarchy.
(07:15):
They're at the meeting Benbrings in Harley Earl, which
is a lot to be said there.
I have talked to Richard Earl.
We've coordinated just a little bit.
I gave him some documentsthat he'd never seen before.
There's another way that Ben Harris foundtogether with his friends, Harley Earl.
And others, um, concept CARNA HarrisSpeech for Marketing Techniques.
(07:38):
Benjamin Harris used to draw crowds atmany racing events throughout the us.
1952 to 60 we'll mention, we alsotalked about the loss history
of the car, John Hendricks thatowns, uh, discovery channels and
a lot the 30 year loss history.
And I told him what I thought,how that happened, but at the
(07:59):
same point in time, he showed methat he'd done a YouTube on that.
That's a whole nother story.
There's a lot of sub stories off this.
We moved out past that.
We run into the name Teeter.
Teeter is the one that actually wasPerfect Circle Corporation, and also he's
the one that sued pretty much everybodyfor stealing his cruise control patent.
(08:19):
Yeah.
He's the one that designed it and made it.
He brings in his friendships withPop Meyers, Jimmy Snyder, Peter
Collins, Rodriguez Brothers,Phil Hill, Alfred Momo, Alex
Allman, and the great gentleman.
Start your engines, WilShaw, Wil Behar another.
A few others are pitching in a film thatBen did at one of the races, many races.
(08:42):
That he was associated with inofficiating and sanctioning.
We have not ran into anybody thatcontributed more to building the
national level in rules, booksand presentations than Ben Harris.
That's a bold statement, but yetwe've been at this for 35 years.
(09:02):
Then he talks about Colonel Harringtonof the contest board, the AA and
American representative of FIA.
I wonder if that's perhaps whyBen was thrown an international
flag at Nassau Bahamas.
Speedway talks about him holding SCCASenior Competition license, AAA license,
and FIA licenses, having served as an SCCAregional executive member of the National
(09:27):
Activities Committee in a former nationalVice president and publications director.
Driven to different tracks.
Stockholder of Road America.
What role did Ben play in theearly development of Road America?
David Biggs's son told me he hasrecords of them driving around and
David Biggs's, uh, Mercedes 500 cabfilming the Road America before.
(09:51):
It had any surface put onto it.
They were making sure the trackwas just as they wanted it.
And this same book also hasrules and regulations that they
were talking about adding in.
This was 52 or 53 when this is filmed.
I've tried to get that 'cause it wouldbe great to go with this, especially
for Road America, to show the realbeginnings of shaking the track down
(10:14):
at the inaugural race at Road America.
Preston Tucker did have one of histuckers at that too, promoting the
concept car and everything else.
And by the way.
I find this entertaining and not totake away from anybody, but this is 52.
Ben's car is 17 years old.
It seems like it's still drawinglots of people around it, and right
(10:36):
in front of it is the four lac.
Yes.
Ben was also good friendswith the Granite Teles.
This is ones that theyactually built for him.
Cut the body.
Put in the different rearend knock off wheels.
He used it as a tool.
Ben had just driven it two weeks prior toa big Indy race where ironically, many,
(10:59):
many of the people that were there weregonna be president coming at the Chino
race that had almost 80,000 people there.
But the point is, is Ben usedevery tool that he could get.
There's also rally events, which involvessometimes 30 mile drives, but he wanted
to draw as many as possible, and I'm sure.
Everybody around him agreed andthey all participated in their
(11:21):
plot that they were unleashing.
Harris recognized the cart racing,provided an incubator for tomorrow's
motor sports champions, which it did.
This is from the collection ofthe Henry Ford Museum archives.
There's a lot more to besaid about this picture, too.
If you look in the background, you'llsee all the stands are full of people.
He must have been bouncing everywhereover that whole 10 days for this event.
(11:44):
Road America Big Bo event is what itwas turned Harris could be spotted
wearing a signature English flatcap and an SCCA official shirt
with a hands-on car number one 19.
This photo is one of many SCCAevents officiated by Harris.
This number 60 Jag.
(12:04):
I think this is the 60 Jag that wonthe inaugural race at Road America.
Sorry to learn that.
The one archivist that I'd spokenwith, really a nice guy, passed away.
Looking forward to working with him, togiving him a bunch of information that
they don't have about the beginnings ofRoad America and how it all happened.
Finn Harris was a pilot.
He owned an airport andhe was constantly flying.
(12:27):
People like Harley Earl, wacky ArnoldJames, Kimberly around to the different
tracks, and in the meetings theywere having in making the national
SCC and also Building Road America.
How did Harris's involvementin SCCA and other organizations
influence Motorsport regulations?
Now we're getting intothe actual racing part.
(12:47):
We did wanna bring insome about the speedster.
Is the 65-year-old mystery ofCCAs early development solved.
The question was initiallyposed in this edition of SCCA
magazine by executive director.
Uh, last name was Bird of the SCCA.
This is the front cover.
(13:08):
Ironically, I'm not sure whatmodel or makeup vehicle it
is going over the tracks.
There's a picture of Ben going over thesame tracks, airborne in one of his mgs.
That erased this SCCA articlewritten by the executive director
acknowledges that SCCA recordswere sketchy and very incomplete.
(13:29):
Unfortunately, this voids severelylimited the ability to identify and
recognize the individuals who madecertificate contributions to the
transformation of the SCA from aregional to a national organization.
This was published inSCCA publication 1959.
I do believe it was.
February and what the executive directorsays is, when after the war, the ARCA
(13:53):
was not reactivated to any great extent.
A group of enthusiasts in Bostonfounded a Sports Card Club of
America in February of 1944.
This is in direct contradiction toCalifornia, claiming it in 1948.
The club's growth from then onis a matter of pride and common
knowledge to the membership.
This account, it is well realizedis sketchy and very incomplete, and
(14:19):
through inadvertence of poor memory,many names having been omitted,
that should have been set down.
The records have almost without exception,disappeared, are been destroyed and this
brief fragmentary switch has set down.
But to hope that it may prove of someinterest to present day enthusiasts
despite its very incomplete nature.
(14:41):
So if the thought from littleacorns, et cetera, we set the time
machine back to the present, takeour somewhat creaking departure.
Jim Kimberly and Ben Harris, they wererecognized in the first edition of
Sports Illustrated in August, 1954.
How did they ever get that done?
Why wasn't Pebble Beach Indy orWatkins Glen use and why were Jim,
(15:03):
Kimberly and Ben Harris featured?
Could it be because ofthe title, new Herty?
Bringing in new vision, dress codes,racing rules and regulations, safety
aspects and formulas for drivers andrace teams to follow, which ironically,
it seems like all the teams to this veryday were inspired that still going on
(15:25):
with team colors and team wardrobes.
There was a wealthy that was reallyinto this and of some of the other
common people as is today, whichmostly constitutes the SCCA membership.
Records were lost unfortunately,when they removed from back east.
I think to Indiana, maybe one ortwo dumpster loads were thrown away.
(15:47):
Not doing any fault of the person doingit, you just didn't have enough help.
It was something that happened thatmade life very difficult for us.
I did go to Indy one time, AAA early.
They concentrated more so on.
Indy, researched a lot of their races.
Harris served is A-S-E-C-A National VP,public, and other leadership positions for
(16:09):
the national SEC, which we have discussed.
Ben was a rally official at this.
He was already digging in to statuses ofthe SCCA at the regional levels and such.
He is wearing his rallyevent official jacket.
This is one of the three mgs thatBen raced through the 12 years.
Always had white walls on it andalways had BFH on his license plate.
(16:33):
Ben was wealthy and he also had.
On all of his cars.
This kind of neat silver mascot foropening up the hood of the speedster
and on the radiator of this MG ofa character called Adolf, and it
was a Jacques Cartier original.
That's kind of way he was.
It's noted that Watkins Glen isa turning point for Motorsport
(16:55):
safety, but what role did Ben playin rebuilding after the tragedy?
In 1952, Harris worked closely withWacky Anot, Jim, Kimberly, Harley
Earl, amongst others to rebuild.
After the tragedy at Watkins Glen, Benwas on the front row of the one race.
But it wasn't a race in which Fred Wackerslid and unfortunately hit the one child.
(17:17):
Together.
They tackled design and constructionof Road America advocating the
use of airports for future events,and an emphasis on safety measures
for both drivers and spectators.
Let's talk about Ben's advocacy for safetymeasures such as seat belts and roll bars,
and how these innovations changed racing.
I know that Ben, which they'rein his car's seat belts.
(17:39):
And a built-in rule bar, Ben wasconstantly pushing that, that to
become the law in SCCA racing and inhopes that even Formula One would pick
it up for the safety of the drivers.
Few things that people didn't realize.
But yeah, Ben had seat beltsin his car, quite amazing.
Everything had to change at this time.
(18:00):
Racing in Europe, it changed Mercedes,it just had a horrible wreck and I
think 40 or 50 people were killedand they actually pulled out a
racing in entirety for decades.
It went to future events.
Ended up being a Boeing SCCAtrophy and officiated at SCCA
base racing for racing planes.
(18:22):
This has been 1954 ChinoAir Force Base event.
Our estimated attendance was 80,000over the three day event, race car
bill and legend, wacky on Noll as awhimsical point, and his wife were
film checking race cars into the event.
If you can imagine.
Even back then a multimillionaire, evenowning one of the towers at Sebring, where
(18:48):
the crews and Ben and everybody else wouldget to go on top and watch the races.
All of this, the two years that theyheld, this was all in the plot, let's
say, of what they were doing in building.
Road America and to take it further wasthrowing the international flag at the
first cart, SCCA competition in the world.
(19:11):
I think we have about 95 SCCA SportsCar America, um, magazines shows Ben
as the SCCA publications director.
I think Ben moved around through thegroups here, more or less, to accomplish
things that they wanted to get done.
His association with Kimberly wasreally not known that well, but at the
(19:34):
same point in time was very strong,along with other, let's say, powerful
known individuals have, I think fiveof the different proposed rules,
changes and formula changes and stuff.
As I mentioned, some of these ruleswere probably being written up, either
driving on Road Road America while it wasstill in dirt, shaking the track down.
(19:55):
Does show Ben Harris down here asa director of publication and these
other names that come up through here.
We have pictures of Ben with them.
So many more documents wehad to limit ourselves.
There's a lot to this.
Let's just say that it changes thingsfrom the way many people thought it was.
(20:17):
How did Harris's work influencethe trajectory of SECA and
International Motorsport standards?
Ben was, I guess, nominated again,or, or maybe because there's probably
shortages of people that were allowedto throw the FIA flag that were FIA
licensed here in the United States.
I pose that as a question to historians.
This race 59 was being covered by NBC.
(20:40):
I truly would like to find someonethat can get into the NBC archives
'cause we're sure it's gonnashow Ben all over the place.
'cause he flagged, I mentionedthe first cart competition and uh,
a speed week and showing Ben asthe flagman of the whole thing.
This brings forth that Ben, I guess,had enough power where he stopped wide
(21:02):
broadcast and it caused a heated debatebetween Team Roosevelt and the A Bars.
Uh, they were not allowed back on thetrack, but think of the power he carried
to stop the whole international race.
In here, you see a lot of the namesof the people, the Scare Up Cars.
You see Paps in there, yousee Donald Healy in there, you
see Duncan, see Shelby's name.
(21:23):
All of these people arethe ones that Ben ran with.
I guess they all wanted to be friendswith Ben too, when you think about it.
But this is the televised event.
We know Ben was there in 1958 too.
You would've thought that thekidnapping of Juan Fangio would've
maybe scared the person off for1959 for other possible events.
(21:44):
But needless to say, Ben stood up.
He took it and it all turned out well.
Ben is throwing a flag.
We believe this was the 59 Nassau BahamasSpeedway in his group of cars, or the
most famous legend and race driversever recorded in the history books.
This image raises a question.
How many FIF race officialswere active in the US in 1959?
(22:07):
As I mentioned prior, I'dsure like to find that out.
And again, Ben, his cap on cigarette,he always had cigarettes and his
official shirt always wanting tobe efficient and put on a show and
have all the drivers and teams.
Do the same.
And you'll notice too, he has his SCCAstopwatch on his belt that comes into
(22:30):
a lot of pictures that we have of him.
Shelby was driving his MaseratiBird Cage Works card note.
The Harris front wheel drive speedsterBird Cage design was produced
24 years prior to the Maserati.
We have pictures of Ben with Gurney,Juan Fangio Moss, the Generals, and
we have donated money to use thepictures from the Henry Ford Museum
(22:53):
for the purpose of student and historicknowledge for records and such.
It ends here is to work.
Needed to create anational and united SCCA.
Was finished.
Tracy Bird, executive Director, SCCA 1959.
There's several articles, but what it allboils down to is the fact that there were
(23:17):
five different racing organizations tryingto rule the race, which was not working.
They all had different formulas.
They had this, they had that.
And it wasn't working anymore.
Names like Jack McAfee never cut.
Jim Kimberly and even Ken Miles come upin this where they're all arguing over.
(23:40):
Apparently there was a lot ofarguing when it all settled down.
The SCCA was the national organizationthat they were gonna be racing under.
From then on, they had their other races,but they were not sanctioned, nor could
they use the SCCA logoing for anything.
Tracy Bird seemed to think atthe end of it all, that this was
(24:02):
the big merger that came out of adesert deal between four people.
It was a good one forSCCA and yes, it was.
We could go on with Ben in the racing,but the last picture we have, was it a
Michigan race track and he was lookingat the gas cap of an AC Cobra doing
(24:24):
a post race inspection of a winningcar that won the race, the AC Cobra.
What's the significance of the inductionof Ben Harris into the walk of fame
and how does it preserve his legacy?
Benjamin F. Harris, I third NationalInternational Race Organization,
track official and originalstockholder in Road America.
(24:45):
Three author of National SCCApositions 1952 Front Roof, the
Glen's Last Queen Catherine Cup Race.
This was used for Ben'sinduction into the walk of fame.
Thank you again, Mr. BillGreen for helping me out.
There again in ceremony, Ben and JimKimberly World Award Special Metal
Lifetime, SCCA membership cards.
(25:07):
I have yet to find anything of aceremony whenever they retired after 10
and 12 years of building the nationallevel at their own expenses too.
The first 10 years of Road America,Harris was active in the development
of racing throughout the thirtiesthrough the fifties, Harris was
nominated and selected as a trackofficial for the inaugural event.
(25:29):
Harris was an original stockholderand designer of the track,
as we previously mentioned.
The records of this are at the ChicagoSCCA archival department where it
shows they took a vote and theynominated Van to be, I guess the track
official and the official flagman.
That is a picture of, I believeit's Phil Hill and Sherwood Johnson.
(25:53):
Gone past Ben at 130 miles an hour.
Benjamin F. Harris third is inducted inthe DSCC walk of Fame September, 2020.
The recognition was accepted onbehalf of Harris by John Yanko.
A sincere thank you to Mr. Bill Green.
Again, this is on the courthousesteps at Watkins Glen.
(26:14):
Bill was very kind and let usput on a nice display of posters,
which people really seem to enjoy.
Which was part of Ben's racinghistory and organization.
I'd like to point out that, uh,for additional information on Ben,
there's a site called Auto Puzzles.
I believe it is the largestsite for archival automobiles
(26:36):
from around the world.
Last year I looked ahead over 9 million.
Reads and getting back to theHarris Speedster, can you tell us
more about the significance of thefire in 1964 and the impact that
it had on the Harris collection?
Remember, this car was built in 1935.
This pencil sketch herefrom my brother Dan.
This is when we first foundthe car and brought it in.
(26:59):
And we were trying to make sense ofwhat we found owned by David Biggs II
and owner, proprietor of a selectedmuseum for automobiles of pedigree
in Louisiana, Missouri, a fire in1964 damaged 13 to 18 vehicles.
In his collection, the HarrisFront Wheel Drive speedster in a
newspaper article was consideredthe most valuable of these vehicles.
(27:22):
Other vintage cars damageincluded a 58 Ferrari tester.
Known well through theFerrari people is big red.
A factory alloy bodied going withknockoffs, which he raced a pre-war
Mercedes 500 Clee, a horse Clee.
It was a really rare alpha Roadster,which actually Ralph Lauren owns one of
(27:46):
the four, I believe it was four or fivecars that was built that was special.
What's next for theHarris Beat Reservation?
John, how do you hope tocontribute to automotive history?
We figured everybody would wanna know.
Uh, I'm always asked, whatcondition is the car in right now?
We're blatantly showing you thepicture of it sitting there.
It is real as the day is long.
There are panels right nowbeing restored and the motor is
(28:09):
being finished off right now.
And also, if you wanna get in and lookat this, the American Pickers came
here to History Channel and filmedan episode, gave 'em about maybe.
30 seconds, 40 seconds on the car.
It was their focus and my focus,the episode is called Tough Texas.
I guess it turned into a favorite there.
(28:30):
Unfortunately, they still make itpay to watch the episode even though
it's seven years old and they wannacome back and do an update on the
car in the story in the future.
This whole story and the documents thatare shown to you are actual documents.
That are backed up.
A lot of the things that we've readabout race tracks and this person
and that person, we've never seen anounce of documentation to back it up.
(28:55):
We, on the other hand, have becometotally overwhelmed with what we have.
We actually maybe can seea few of the posters here.
We have 48 posters made.
The story got to be so unbelievablethat it was hard to even rationalize
what had went on that gotmissed all through the decades.
(29:15):
All right, John.
Well, we've reached that part of theepisode where we'd like to invite
our guests to share any shout outs,thank yous, promotions, or anything
else we haven't covered thus far.
Uh, again, we have to thankthe ER symposium, the Society
of Automotive Historians.
I am RRC, Mr. Robert Barr, Ruben Verde,my brother Dan Yankel, my son John Yankel,
(29:41):
and probably hundreds more that willcome out later in another presentation
when we do one more so on Ben himselfand really lay down the documents on the
Harris Fester and the other 25 documents.
On his racing, which were being heldback, we just can't give it all away.
Not 35 years of workis deserving of a book.
(30:03):
I want to thank everyone again fortheir time, and I hope that this, um,
this knowledge that we've passed on isbeneficial to some in their research
and in their museums and archives.
One other thing, RichardTaylor, thank you so much.
Richard Taylor did this foralmost nothing and he also made
blueprints of the car while makingthis computer generated image.
(30:27):
Uh, so we can turn it into theLibrary of Congress and some other
halls of fame as we go along.
If anybody finds anything on Ben,I'd sure like to know about it.
An email address to contactme is is capital B, capital
J, capital H, capital S.
P-E-E-D-S-T-E r@outlook.com.
(30:49):
Feel free to send.
It's truly appreciated.
Thank you so much.
This episode is brought to youin part by the International
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Its charter is to collect,share, and preserve the history
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The Center's collection embodiesthe speed, drama and camaraderie
(31:13):
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The center welcomes serious researchersand casual fans alike to share stories
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In this episode of the log book, JohnYako recounts the discovery and historical
(00:21):
significance of a unique 1935 front wheeldrive speedster, created by Benjamin F.
Harris iii.
Initially found in a neglectedstate in 1987, the vehicle's unusual
design and Harris's innovativecontributions to automotive history,
intrigued John and his brother.
This led to an extensive pre-internetresearch endeavor where they discovered
(00:42):
Ben Harris was an early industrialdesigner and motorsports architect,
and was deeply involved in thedevelopment of American Road Racing
and CCAs national organization.
He collaborated with notable figureslike Harley Earl and Jim Kimberly, and
played a pivotal role in the establishmentof the Road America racetrack.
John presents us with rich historicalinsights, personal anecdotes, and
(01:04):
acknowledges the extensive researchand supportive collaborations that
uncovered Harris's legacy, culminatingin his posthumous induction into
the SECA Walk of Fame in 2020.
My introduction to Ben Harrisas a story past occurred in 1987
while touring a property forpurchase in Clarksville, Missouri.
The property was a time capsule ofpartially buried pedigree automobiles
(01:27):
and of their components I was drawn toand later purchased the Harris Front
wheel drive speed because of its uniqueappearance and the fact that a tree had
gone through the center of its cockpit.
And it just amazed me.
I began researching the purchasepre-internet with a little more than
this rendering by my brother Dan Yanko.
(01:48):
John, what initially intrigued you aboutBen Harris and his work in automotive
design as Ben f Harris III built?
An anomaly in time in 1935.
We wanted to just touch upon itbecause he kind of built what was
to come in the fifties in racecar designs and exotic designs.
(02:09):
Always wore his hat,usually flight glasses.
He was a pilot.
He was a very politically involvedperson, and he usually had a
dress code on, or he was dressedin the SCCA efficient material.
This picture is from an SCCA magazine,Indiana Race, July, August, 1954.
(02:31):
Can you elaborate on the significance ofHarris's association with the AAA in the
early days, Ben, apparently all the wayback when this picture was taken was 1936,
was highly involved with the a, a AAA.
You'll notice there's AAA licenseplate on the back of the speedster.
That license plate says AAA official card.
(02:54):
What are some of the design elementsof the Harris Speedster that were
ahead of their time compared tothe later race cars of the 1950s?
Remarkably, in 1935, the speedster was thesize of an AC cobra and a D type jaguar.
The motors was a two cam.
Two distributor dual rated Veight, built in 1933 and 34.
(03:16):
We could see that it had friction shockabsorbers, which I knew was something
from the twenties and thirties.
Ben's car started silkchr, Metallica paint.
DuPont's first.
Actually, the color of thatis their patent formular.
For chr, Metallica Paint, duke Lacquerwas put onto the Harris Speedster.
How did GM executivesreact to Harris's work?
(03:37):
And was there any notablecollaboration between them?
My favorite picture to illustratethe size of the futuristic exotic
design, the speedster photo from52 Chicago Invitational event.
There are some GMexecutives in this picture.
Here we have some other ones.
GM was participating with Ben inthis booth, and we do believe this
(03:57):
is the one that another friend ofBen's, Chrissy Kaki, put a picture and
featured Ben's car on the front coverof his magazine for a special edition.
We believe it was for thisshowing, but we're truly not sure.
It mentions Ben's car won anIndianapolis custom car show in 1951.
The reason for this was Wally Parks,and I can't think of the owner's
(04:19):
name of Hot Rod Magazine, ran a fullpage ad looking for Ben and his car.
They wanted to send him an invitation tothe second annual indie rod custom show.
Ironically, at the end, 17 years of ageand design, it won a first place trophy.
Can you even imagine that?
It was still state-of-the-art futuristic.
(04:40):
This picture here is actuallyclipped from the Hot Rod Magazine
from 1951 where they were lookingfor Ben to send him an invitation.
The car, at this point in time.
Was still the chromeMetallica as DuPont called it.
Ben never really named the car that'stalked about in auto puzzles, which
(05:03):
some may enjoy reading that story'cause it brings back forth many,
many more facts about Ben and the car.
This is a speedster stretchingout its legs on the racetrack.
This is a boardwalk.
The speedster is on, and again,we think this is 46 to 48.
The vehicle did do some racing.
(05:24):
Very limited, but it did.
The more I learned about thecar, the more I became intrigued
about the man behind the car.
Harris's interest in performance.
Cars wasn't limited to industrial design.
He was also an enthusiast whoraced in and officiated numerous
AAA SCCA and FI events in three.
Countries.
Yes.
(05:45):
Three countries at Cuba, Nassau, Bahama,and 12 states that we have him at with
pictures and magazine articles and stuff.
Harris needs to say, was very activein the SCZA as it transitional lies
into a unified national organization.
Benjamin F. Harris was among thevanguards of industrial designers,
(06:07):
engineers, and Motorsportarchitects as early as the 1930s.
A small sampling of his associatesinclude Gordon Bing, Harley Earl,
ed Cole, Zora Doff, James Kimberly,wacky Arno, and many, many others.
You'll see pictures of Ben talkingwith Carol Shelby and his Maserati.
(06:33):
You'll see a lot of differentpictures coming up, uh, including
with Wacky and everybody else.
He was good friends with FredDusenberg, August son, Fritz.
He was Best man at Gordon Bings weddingin Auburn, Indiana to Betty Whitten.
Can you describe the significance ofHarris' relationship with automotive
icons like Harley Earl and Zora Donoff?
(06:54):
Uh, knowing Harley Earl when he firstwent to GM 56 Harley, and I guess
Zora built him a special car vet anddelivered it to him right out of the
styling building at General Motors.
Ben took his plate, flew there, pickedit up, and while I was there, they
also had a real nice luncheon for him.
With most of the GM hierarchy.
(07:15):
They're at the meeting Benbrings in Harley Earl, which
is a lot to be said there.
I have talked to Richard Earl.
We've coordinated just a little bit.
I gave him some documentsthat he'd never seen before.
There's another way that Ben Harris foundtogether with his friends, Harley Earl.
And others, um, concept CARNA HarrisSpeech for Marketing Techniques.
(07:38):
Benjamin Harris used to draw crowds atmany racing events throughout the us.
1952 to 60 we'll mention, we alsotalked about the loss history
of the car, John Hendricks thatowns, uh, discovery channels and
a lot the 30 year loss history.
And I told him what I thought,how that happened, but at the
(07:59):
same point in time, he showed methat he'd done a YouTube on that.
That's a whole nother story.
There's a lot of sub stories off this.
We moved out past that.
We run into the name Teeter.
Teeter is the one that actually wasPerfect Circle Corporation, and also he's
the one that sued pretty much everybodyfor stealing his cruise control patent.
(08:19):
Yeah.
He's the one that designed it and made it.
He brings in his friendships withPop Meyers, Jimmy Snyder, Peter
Collins, Rodriguez Brothers,Phil Hill, Alfred Momo, Alex
Allman, and the great gentleman.
Start your engines, WilShaw, Wil Behar another.
A few others are pitching in a film thatBen did at one of the races, many races.
(08:42):
That he was associated with inofficiating and sanctioning.
We have not ran into anybody thatcontributed more to building the
national level in rules, booksand presentations than Ben Harris.
That's a bold statement, but yetwe've been at this for 35 years.
(09:02):
Then he talks about Colonel Harringtonof the contest board, the AA and
American representative of FIA.
I wonder if that's perhaps whyBen was thrown an international
flag at Nassau Bahamas.
Speedway talks about him holding SCCASenior Competition license, AAA license,
and FIA licenses, having served as an SCCAregional executive member of the National
(09:27):
Activities Committee in a former nationalVice president and publications director.
Driven to different tracks.
Stockholder of Road America.
What role did Ben play in theearly development of Road America?
David Biggs's son told me he hasrecords of them driving around and
David Biggs's, uh, Mercedes 500 cabfilming the Road America before.
(09:51):
It had any surface put onto it.
They were making sure the trackwas just as they wanted it.
And this same book also hasrules and regulations that they
were talking about adding in.
This was 52 or 53 when this is filmed.
I've tried to get that 'cause it wouldbe great to go with this, especially
for Road America, to show the realbeginnings of shaking the track down
(10:14):
at the inaugural race at Road America.
Preston Tucker did have one of histuckers at that too, promoting the
concept car and everything else.
And by the way.
I find this entertaining and not totake away from anybody, but this is 52.
Ben's car is 17 years old.
It seems like it's still drawinglots of people around it, and right
(10:36):
in front of it is the four lac.
Yes.
Ben was also good friendswith the Granite Teles.
This is ones that theyactually built for him.
Cut the body.
Put in the different rearend knock off wheels.
He used it as a tool.
Ben had just driven it two weeks prior toa big Indy race where ironically, many,
(10:59):
many of the people that were there weregonna be president coming at the Chino
race that had almost 80,000 people there.
But the point is, is Ben usedevery tool that he could get.
There's also rally events, which involvessometimes 30 mile drives, but he wanted
to draw as many as possible, and I'm sure.
Everybody around him agreed andthey all participated in their
(11:21):
plot that they were unleashing.
Harris recognized the cart racing,provided an incubator for tomorrow's
motor sports champions, which it did.
This is from the collection ofthe Henry Ford Museum archives.
There's a lot more to besaid about this picture, too.
If you look in the background, you'llsee all the stands are full of people.
He must have been bouncing everywhereover that whole 10 days for this event.
(11:44):
Road America Big Bo event is what itwas turned Harris could be spotted
wearing a signature English flatcap and an SCCA official shirt
with a hands-on car number one 19.
This photo is one of many SCCAevents officiated by Harris.
This number 60 Jag.
(12:04):
I think this is the 60 Jag that wonthe inaugural race at Road America.
Sorry to learn that.
The one archivist that I'd spokenwith, really a nice guy, passed away.
Looking forward to working with him, togiving him a bunch of information that
they don't have about the beginnings ofRoad America and how it all happened.
Finn Harris was a pilot.
He owned an airport andhe was constantly flying.
(12:27):
People like Harley Earl, wacky ArnoldJames, Kimberly around to the different
tracks, and in the meetings theywere having in making the national
SCC and also Building Road America.
How did Harris's involvementin SCCA and other organizations
influence Motorsport regulations?
Now we're getting intothe actual racing part.
(12:47):
We did wanna bring insome about the speedster.
Is the 65-year-old mystery ofCCAs early development solved.
The question was initiallyposed in this edition of SCCA
magazine by executive director.
Uh, last name was Bird of the SCCA.
This is the front cover.
(13:08):
Ironically, I'm not sure whatmodel or makeup vehicle it
is going over the tracks.
There's a picture of Ben going over thesame tracks, airborne in one of his mgs.
That erased this SCCA articlewritten by the executive director
acknowledges that SCCA recordswere sketchy and very incomplete.
(13:29):
Unfortunately, this voids severelylimited the ability to identify and
recognize the individuals who madecertificate contributions to the
transformation of the SCA from aregional to a national organization.
This was published inSCCA publication 1959.
I do believe it was.
February and what the executive directorsays is, when after the war, the ARCA
(13:53):
was not reactivated to any great extent.
A group of enthusiasts in Bostonfounded a Sports Card Club of
America in February of 1944.
This is in direct contradiction toCalifornia, claiming it in 1948.
The club's growth from then onis a matter of pride and common
knowledge to the membership.
This account, it is well realizedis sketchy and very incomplete, and
(14:19):
through inadvertence of poor memory,many names having been omitted,
that should have been set down.
The records have almost without exception,disappeared, are been destroyed and this
brief fragmentary switch has set down.
But to hope that it may prove of someinterest to present day enthusiasts
despite its very incomplete nature.
(14:41):
So if the thought from littleacorns, et cetera, we set the time
machine back to the present, takeour somewhat creaking departure.
Jim Kimberly and Ben Harris, they wererecognized in the first edition of
Sports Illustrated in August, 1954.
How did they ever get that done?
Why wasn't Pebble Beach Indy orWatkins Glen use and why were Jim,
(15:03):
Kimberly and Ben Harris featured?
Could it be because ofthe title, new Herty?
Bringing in new vision, dress codes,racing rules and regulations, safety
aspects and formulas for drivers andrace teams to follow, which ironically,
it seems like all the teams to this veryday were inspired that still going on
(15:25):
with team colors and team wardrobes.
There was a wealthy that was reallyinto this and of some of the other
common people as is today, whichmostly constitutes the SCCA membership.
Records were lost unfortunately,when they removed from back east.
I think to Indiana, maybe one ortwo dumpster loads were thrown away.
(15:47):
Not doing any fault of the person doingit, you just didn't have enough help.
It was something that happened thatmade life very difficult for us.
I did go to Indy one time, AAA early.
They concentrated more so on.
Indy, researched a lot of their races.
Harris served is A-S-E-C-A National VP,public, and other leadership positions for
(16:09):
the national SEC, which we have discussed.
Ben was a rally official at this.
He was already digging in to statuses ofthe SCCA at the regional levels and such.
He is wearing his rallyevent official jacket.
This is one of the three mgs thatBen raced through the 12 years.
Always had white walls on it andalways had BFH on his license plate.
(16:33):
Ben was wealthy and he also had.
On all of his cars.
This kind of neat silver mascot foropening up the hood of the speedster
and on the radiator of this MG ofa character called Adolf, and it
was a Jacques Cartier original.
That's kind of way he was.
It's noted that Watkins Glen isa turning point for Motorsport
(16:55):
safety, but what role did Ben playin rebuilding after the tragedy?
In 1952, Harris worked closely withWacky Anot, Jim, Kimberly, Harley
Earl, amongst others to rebuild.
After the tragedy at Watkins Glen, Benwas on the front row of the one race.
But it wasn't a race in which Fred Wackerslid and unfortunately hit the one child.
(17:17):
Together.
They tackled design and constructionof Road America advocating the
use of airports for future events,and an emphasis on safety measures
for both drivers and spectators.
Let's talk about Ben's advocacy for safetymeasures such as seat belts and roll bars,
and how these innovations changed racing.
I know that Ben, which they'rein his car's seat belts.
(17:39):
And a built-in rule bar, Ben wasconstantly pushing that, that to
become the law in SCCA racing and inhopes that even Formula One would pick
it up for the safety of the drivers.
Few things that people didn't realize.
But yeah, Ben had seat beltsin his car, quite amazing.
Everything had to change at this time.
(18:00):
Racing in Europe, it changed Mercedes,it just had a horrible wreck and I
think 40 or 50 people were killedand they actually pulled out a
racing in entirety for decades.
It went to future events.
Ended up being a Boeing SCCAtrophy and officiated at SCCA
base racing for racing planes.
(18:22):
This has been 1954 ChinoAir Force Base event.
Our estimated attendance was 80,000over the three day event, race car
bill and legend, wacky on Noll as awhimsical point, and his wife were
film checking race cars into the event.
If you can imagine.
Even back then a multimillionaire, evenowning one of the towers at Sebring, where
(18:48):
the crews and Ben and everybody else wouldget to go on top and watch the races.
All of this, the two years that theyheld, this was all in the plot, let's
say, of what they were doing in building.
Road America and to take it further wasthrowing the international flag at the
first cart, SCCA competition in the world.
(19:11):
I think we have about 95 SCCA SportsCar America, um, magazines shows Ben
as the SCCA publications director.
I think Ben moved around through thegroups here, more or less, to accomplish
things that they wanted to get done.
His association with Kimberly wasreally not known that well, but at the
(19:34):
same point in time was very strong,along with other, let's say, powerful
known individuals have, I think fiveof the different proposed rules,
changes and formula changes and stuff.
As I mentioned, some of these ruleswere probably being written up, either
driving on Road Road America while it wasstill in dirt, shaking the track down.
(19:55):
Does show Ben Harris down here asa director of publication and these
other names that come up through here.
We have pictures of Ben with them.
So many more documents wehad to limit ourselves.
There's a lot to this.
Let's just say that it changes thingsfrom the way many people thought it was.
(20:17):
How did Harris's work influencethe trajectory of SECA and
International Motorsport standards?
Ben was, I guess, nominated again,or, or maybe because there's probably
shortages of people that were allowedto throw the FIA flag that were FIA
licensed here in the United States.
I pose that as a question to historians.
This race 59 was being covered by NBC.
(20:40):
I truly would like to find someonethat can get into the NBC archives
'cause we're sure it's gonnashow Ben all over the place.
'cause he flagged, I mentionedthe first cart competition and uh,
a speed week and showing Ben asthe flagman of the whole thing.
This brings forth that Ben, I guess,had enough power where he stopped wide
(21:02):
broadcast and it caused a heated debatebetween Team Roosevelt and the A Bars.
Uh, they were not allowed back on thetrack, but think of the power he carried
to stop the whole international race.
In here, you see a lot of the namesof the people, the Scare Up Cars.
You see Paps in there, yousee Donald Healy in there, you
see Duncan, see Shelby's name.
(21:23):
All of these people arethe ones that Ben ran with.
I guess they all wanted to be friendswith Ben too, when you think about it.
But this is the televised event.
We know Ben was there in 1958 too.
You would've thought that thekidnapping of Juan Fangio would've
maybe scared the person off for1959 for other possible events.
(21:44):
But needless to say, Ben stood up.
He took it and it all turned out well.
Ben is throwing a flag.
We believe this was the 59 Nassau BahamasSpeedway in his group of cars, or the
most famous legend and race driversever recorded in the history books.
This image raises a question.
How many FIF race officialswere active in the US in 1959?
(22:07):
As I mentioned prior, I'dsure like to find that out.
And again, Ben, his cap on cigarette,he always had cigarettes and his
official shirt always wanting tobe efficient and put on a show and
have all the drivers and teams.
Do the same.
And you'll notice too, he has his SCCAstopwatch on his belt that comes into
(22:30):
a lot of pictures that we have of him.
Shelby was driving his MaseratiBird Cage Works card note.
The Harris front wheel drive speedsterBird Cage design was produced
24 years prior to the Maserati.
We have pictures of Ben with Gurney,Juan Fangio Moss, the Generals, and
we have donated money to use thepictures from the Henry Ford Museum
(22:53):
for the purpose of student and historicknowledge for records and such.
It ends here is to work.
Needed to create anational and united SCCA.
Was finished.
Tracy Bird, executive Director, SCCA 1959.
There's several articles, but what it allboils down to is the fact that there were
(23:17):
five different racing organizations tryingto rule the race, which was not working.
They all had different formulas.
They had this, they had that.
And it wasn't working anymore.
Names like Jack McAfee never cut.
Jim Kimberly and even Ken Miles come upin this where they're all arguing over.
(23:40):
Apparently there was a lot ofarguing when it all settled down.
The SCCA was the national organizationthat they were gonna be racing under.
From then on, they had their other races,but they were not sanctioned, nor could
they use the SCCA logoing for anything.
Tracy Bird seemed to think atthe end of it all, that this was
(24:02):
the big merger that came out of adesert deal between four people.
It was a good one forSCCA and yes, it was.
We could go on with Ben in the racing,but the last picture we have, was it a
Michigan race track and he was lookingat the gas cap of an AC Cobra doing
(24:24):
a post race inspection of a winningcar that won the race, the AC Cobra.
What's the significance of the inductionof Ben Harris into the walk of fame
and how does it preserve his legacy?
Benjamin F. Harris, I third NationalInternational Race Organization,
track official and originalstockholder in Road America.
(24:45):
Three author of National SCCApositions 1952 Front Roof, the
Glen's Last Queen Catherine Cup Race.
This was used for Ben'sinduction into the walk of fame.
Thank you again, Mr. BillGreen for helping me out.
There again in ceremony, Ben and JimKimberly World Award Special Metal
Lifetime, SCCA membership cards.
(25:07):
I have yet to find anything of aceremony whenever they retired after 10
and 12 years of building the nationallevel at their own expenses too.
The first 10 years of Road America,Harris was active in the development
of racing throughout the thirtiesthrough the fifties, Harris was
nominated and selected as a trackofficial for the inaugural event.
(25:29):
Harris was an original stockholderand designer of the track,
as we previously mentioned.
The records of this are at the ChicagoSCCA archival department where it
shows they took a vote and theynominated Van to be, I guess the track
official and the official flagman.
That is a picture of, I believeit's Phil Hill and Sherwood Johnson.
(25:53):
Gone past Ben at 130 miles an hour.
Benjamin F. Harris third is inducted inthe DSCC walk of Fame September, 2020.
The recognition was accepted onbehalf of Harris by John Yanko.
A sincere thank you to Mr. Bill Green.
Again, this is on the courthousesteps at Watkins Glen.
(26:14):
Bill was very kind and let usput on a nice display of posters,
which people really seem to enjoy.
Which was part of Ben's racinghistory and organization.
I'd like to point out that, uh,for additional information on Ben,
there's a site called Auto Puzzles.
I believe it is the largestsite for archival automobiles
(26:36):
from around the world.
Last year I looked ahead over 9 million.
Reads and getting back to theHarris Speedster, can you tell us
more about the significance of thefire in 1964 and the impact that
it had on the Harris collection?
Remember, this car was built in 1935.
This pencil sketch herefrom my brother Dan.
This is when we first foundthe car and brought it in.
(26:59):
And we were trying to make sense ofwhat we found owned by David Biggs II
and owner, proprietor of a selectedmuseum for automobiles of pedigree
in Louisiana, Missouri, a fire in1964 damaged 13 to 18 vehicles.
In his collection, the HarrisFront Wheel Drive speedster in a
newspaper article was consideredthe most valuable of these vehicles.
(27:22):
Other vintage cars damageincluded a 58 Ferrari tester.
Known well through theFerrari people is big red.
A factory alloy bodied going withknockoffs, which he raced a pre-war
Mercedes 500 Clee, a horse Clee.
It was a really rare alpha Roadster,which actually Ralph Lauren owns one of
(27:46):
the four, I believe it was four or fivecars that was built that was special.
What's next for theHarris Beat Reservation?
John, how do you hope tocontribute to automotive history?
We figured everybody would wanna know.
Uh, I'm always asked, whatcondition is the car in right now?
We're blatantly showing you thepicture of it sitting there.
It is real as the day is long.
There are panels right nowbeing restored and the motor is
(28:09):
being finished off right now.
And also, if you wanna get in and lookat this, the American Pickers came
here to History Channel and filmedan episode, gave 'em about maybe.
30 seconds, 40 seconds on the car.
It was their focus and my focus,the episode is called Tough Texas.
I guess it turned into a favorite there.
(28:30):
Unfortunately, they still make itpay to watch the episode even though
it's seven years old and they wannacome back and do an update on the
car in the story in the future.
This whole story and the documents thatare shown to you are actual documents.
That are backed up.
A lot of the things that we've readabout race tracks and this person
and that person, we've never seen anounce of documentation to back it up.
(28:55):
We, on the other hand, have becometotally overwhelmed with what we have.
We actually maybe can seea few of the posters here.
We have 48 posters made.
The story got to be so unbelievablethat it was hard to even rationalize
what had went on that gotmissed all through the decades.
(29:15):
All right, John.
Well, we've reached that part of theepisode where we'd like to invite
our guests to share any shout outs,thank yous, promotions, or anything
else we haven't covered thus far.
Uh, again, we have to thankthe ER symposium, the Society
of Automotive Historians.
I am RRC, Mr. Robert Barr, Ruben Verde,my brother Dan Yankel, my son John Yankel,
(29:41):
and probably hundreds more that willcome out later in another presentation
when we do one more so on Ben himselfand really lay down the documents on the
Harris Fester and the other 25 documents.
On his racing, which were being heldback, we just can't give it all away.
Not 35 years of workis deserving of a book.
(30:03):
I want to thank everyone again fortheir time, and I hope that this, um,
this knowledge that we've passed on isbeneficial to some in their research
and in their museums and archives.
One other thing, RichardTaylor, thank you so much.
Richard Taylor did this foralmost nothing and he also made
blueprints of the car while makingthis computer generated image.
(30:27):
Uh, so we can turn it into theLibrary of Congress and some other
halls of fame as we go along.
If anybody finds anything on Ben,I'd sure like to know about it.
An email address to contactme is is capital B, capital
J, capital H, capital S.
P-E-E-D-S-T-E r@outlook.com.
(30:49):
Feel free to send.
It's truly appreciated.
Thank you so much.
This episode is brought to youin part by the International
Motor Racing Research Center.
Its charter is to collect,share, and preserve the history
of motor sports spanningcontinents, eras, and race series.
The Center's collection embodiesthe speed, drama and camaraderie
(31:13):
of amateur and professional motorracing throughout the world.
The center welcomes serious researchersand casual fans alike to share stories
of race drivers race series, and racecars captured on their shelves and walls,
and brought to life through a regularcalendar of public lectures and special
(31:33):
events to learn more about the center.
Visit www.racing archives.org.
This episode is also brought to you bythe Society of Automotive Historians.
They encourage research into anyaspect of automotive history.
The SAH actively supports thecompilation and preservation of
(31:56):
papers, organizational records.
Print ephemera and images to safeguard,as well as to broaden and deepen
the understanding of motorizedwheeled land transportation through
the modern age and into the future.
For more information about theSAH, visit www.auto history.org.
(32:23):
We hope you enjoyed another awesomeepisode of Break Fix Podcast, brought
to you by Grand Tour Motorsports.
If you'd like to be a guest onthe show or get involved, be sure
to follow us on all social mediaplatforms at Grand Touring Motorsports.
And if you'd like to learn moreabout the content of this episode,
be sure to check out the followon article@gtmotorsports.org.
(32:44):
We remain a commercial free and noannual fees organization through
our sponsors, but also throughthe generous support of our fans,
families, and friends through Patreon.
For as little as $2 and 50 cents amonth, you can get access to more
behind the scenes action, additionalpit Stop, mini SOS and other VIP
goodies, as well as keeping our teamof creators fed on their strict diet of
(33:08):
Fig Newton's, Gumby bears, and Monster.
So consider signing up for Patreontoday at www.patreon.com/gt motorsports.
And remember, without you.
None of this would be possible.
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