1960 Watson Indy Roadster

The years that followed World War II began the 'Roadster Era' at Indianapolis, characterized by lower, wider, offset-driveline cars. It was both exciting and dangerous, with drivers earning driving duties by demonstrating bravery, skill, and tenacity while driving their spring and midget cars on tracks from coast to coast. The chassis designs were unique, and varied from builder to builder, demonstrating creativity, talent, and ingenuity. Among the most famous of these were powered by Offenhauser's four-cylinder engines.

Immediately following World War II, A.J. Watson built his first track car for CRA Hot Rod races, but ultimately became disinterested in driving. He visited Indianapolis over the years as both a builder and mechanic, until 1954, when he was hired as the chief mechanic for John Zink Jr. Bob Swiekert drove Zink's Kurtis KK500C Roadster modified by Watson to victory in the 1955 Indy 500, securing Watson's place on the team. For the 1956 Indy 500, Watson built the first true Watson Indianapolis Roadster for Zink. It shed the conventional Kurtis-derived design, in favor of a more lightweight approach, with a narrower chassis and devoid of any unnecessary steel or bracing. Copious amounts of lightweight 4130 Chromoly tubing were used, and the driveline parts were formed from magnesium, with sheet magnesium used for body panels. Rather than placing the Offy powerplant 36 degrees to the right, he mounted it upright, which allowed for increased left-side weight bias and easier maintenance. The entire package weighed a mere 1,640 pounds, a full 220 pounds less than the winning Kurtis of the previous year.

With Pat Flaherty assigned driving duties, the car handily won the 500. Watson would continue to build another 22 roadsters, with some refinements and design work being performed by Larry Shinoda, of Corvette fame. Watson Roadsters would win the Indianapolis 500 six times in just nine years.

by Dan Vaughan

Roadster

A.J. Watson's roadster designs dominated the Indianapolis 500, winning four times between 1956 and 1962. This was an era of transition, as rear-engined cars with sleeker aerodynamics emerged, epitomized in 1963 by the battle between the race's eventual winner, the 1960 Agajanian Willard Battery Watson Special driven by Parnelli Jones, and the rear-engined Lotus-Ford of Jim Clark. After being the first-ever driver to officially lap the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in excess of 150 mph in 1962, Parnelli led the race for the first 300 miles until brake failure caused him to finish seventh. Starting from the pole position again in 1963, he led for almost the entire race and won at a then-record average speed of 143.137 mph.

This roadster, an exercise in elegant simplicity, was built for team owner J.C. Agajanian in 1960. It features a simple ladder frame powered by a Meyer-Drake-Offenhauser double-overhead-cam 4-cylinder engine with Hilborn fuel injection.

Roadster
Engine number: 255-220

A.J. Watson built the first true Watson Indianapolis Roadster in 1956. Recognizing that saving weight would translate into higher speeds, he departed from the usual Kurtis-derived design, narrowing the chassis slightly and removing any steel or bracing that he considered unnecessary. Rather than placing the Offy powerplant 36 degrees to the right, he mounted it upright, which allowed for increased left-side weight bias and easier maintenance. Lightweight 4130 chromoly tubing was used and the driveline parts were made of magnesium, with sheet magnesium used for body panels. At 1,640 pounds, the finished car was 220 pounds less than the winning Kurtis of the previous year.

Entered by Ken Rich and Paul Lacy, Jim Rathmann won the 1960 Indy '500' in this Watson Roadster based 'Special' in one of the most spectacular battles for the lead in '500' history. He qualified at a new track record of 146.4 mph, which was soon broken by Eddie Sachs, and started the race from the middle of the first row.

Although other drivers led early, it was Rathmann and 1959 winner Rodger Ward who dueled for the lead from lap 96 to the end. Rathmann, who already had three 2nd place finishes, dueled for the lead with Ward 14 times during the last 105 laps, the final pass coming on lap 197 when Rathmann recorded the fastest lap of the race at 146.1 mph, then winning by 12.7 seconds.

Rathmann continued to race the Ken Paul Special for the following two years in Simoniz Special livery. It did not qualify in 1963 and finished in eighth in 1964, as the Wally Weir Mobil car.

by AACA Museum

Roadster

Indy Car builder Wayne 'Fat Boy' Ewing was one of the great characters and metal artists of Indy's Roadster era. His metal-shaping skills were legendary. The #76 Joe Hunt Magneto Special is one of just two cars he created on AJ Watson's roadster theme. It raced at Indy only one year – 1960 – but made the annual trek to the Brickyard through 1964 when the rear engine 'funny car' revolution was in full bloom.

This 1960 Joe Hunt Magneto Special is completely original. It retains its original striking paint job designed by Tommy Hunt (14 years old), the son of Joe Hunt. The first race was at the 1960 Indy 500 where it was piloted by 33-year-old Al Herman, former rookie of the year at Indy. This low-budget team was able to qualify the vehicle at a speed of 141.838 mph. (Eddie Sachs drove the other 'Watson Copy' to the pole position with a qualifying speed of 146.592.) Herman maneuvered the Hunt car into 16th place by the first pit stop at 34 laps, but the clutch blew as he exited the pits and was classified as 32nd for the day.

In the 1961 Indy race, the car did not qualify, driven in three separate attempts by Danny Jones, Don Freeland, and Paul Russo. In 1962, three more unsuccessful qualifying attempts were made by Keith Rachewitz, Chuck Arnold and Jim Hurtubise. In 1963, Jimmy Daywalt and Chuck Rodee were unsuccessful in qualifying the car, and Chuck Rodee was again unsuccessful at qualifying for the Indy in 1964. This car also raced at Milwaukee, Hanford, and Phoenix with such drivers as George Snider, Carl Williams, and Bob Hunt. It also raced at Oswego as a Chevy-powered super-modified racer.

The car was restored by Roger Beck/Reilly Restoration and is maintained by Reilly Restoration. The #76 now sports its proper Indy 500 livery as designed by sponsor Joe Hunt's 14-year-old son. In 1961 the other Ewing roadster made history finishing second with Eddie Sachs – the 'Clown Prince of auto racing' -- in his monumental duel with AJ Foyt who scored the first of his four Indy 500 wins.

Roadster

Reversing the finish of the previous year, Jim Rathmann managed to outlast defending winner Rodger Ward on tire wear to avoid becoming history's only four-time runner-up. He had placed second in 1952, 1957 and 1959. The lead changed hands a record 29 times, of which 14 were during the last half alone between Rathmann and Ward as they staged the greatest sustained two-man battle the track has ever witnessed. It was only when telltale white cords began to show through on Ward's right front tire that he slowed at lap 197 to salvage second as Rathmann won at a record 138.767 mph. The winning Offenhauser-powered Ken-Paul Special (named for co-owners Kenny Rich and Paul Lacy) was a brand-new A.J. Watson-built 'roadster,' which was towed back to Indianapolis from Los Angeles personally by Rathmann and his chief mechanic, Takeo 'Chickie' Hirashima.