1963 Watson Indy Roadster

A.J. Watson was the most successful builder of front-engined race cars for the Indy 500 during the fifties. The Watson-built cars won the Indy 500 every year but one from 1959 through 1964. In 1963, the Indy grid was filled with 14 Watsons and seven copies. The following year, 12 were Watsons. The following year the cars became obsolete by the rear-engine cars.

Watson served as a navigator in the Eighty Army Air Force during World War II. After the war, he returned to California and attended Glendale College and worked at Lockheed on their assembly line assembling aircraft and parts. His entrance into the world of racing came in the late 1940s with the creation of his track roadster which he had constructed for oval-track racing. Within a year he was working at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway as a mechanic.

In 1950, at the tender age of 26, he constructed his first Indy Racer which was entered in the race. The costs were very steep and Watson was forced to return to Lockheed in an effort to make ends meet.

At the close of the 1954 racing season, Watson became chief mechanic for John Zink, Jr.'s racing team. Watson modified a roadster built by the legendary Frank Kurtis and in the capable hands of Bob Sweikert, it completed the race ahead of the competition. The following year, Watson constructed a racer of his own design. The racer was constructed to take advantage of proper weight distribution which allowed for higher speeds through the corners. During practice/qualifying, Pat Flaherty set a lap record and earned a pole position by achieving 145.596 mph. The roadster went on to win the race.

For the following years to come, the Watson race cars were in high demand and often dominated the race and provided many podium finishes for the drivers and teams.

by Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2008