1940 Kurtis Kraft Midget

The advent of the automobile inspired racing: Tinkerers stripped down cars to lighten weight, raided junkyards for parts, and 'hopped up' engines for more power. From the early Ascot racers of California to the bob-tail Fords of the T-Model era throughout the mid-West, to all sorts of low-buck home-builds using motorcycle engines and available 4-cylinder auto engines powering small, affordable racers rarely weighing more than a thousand pounds. Such cars powered by the 1930s Model B Ford 'flathead' engine with 60 horsepower launched dirt track and board track racing into spectator sports of arena racing. Advances to over 100 horsepower made thrilling spectacles in speed and daring, for the cars ran no safety equipment.

During the 1930s, 'junk formula' racing on dirt tracks throughout America grew to vast proportions of weekday small car racing followed by weekend features that made drivers skilled and famous. The small cars became known as Midgets, which proved to be training for drivers aspiring to race championship cars. Frank Kurtis made a name for himself as a driver who built complete cars and kits for home-builders. His Kurtis Kraft cars powered by the small 97 CID Offenhauser, originally Harry Miller's inline 4-cylinder designed in the 1920s and refined in the 1930s, especially for Midget racing, rose to dominate Midget racing for decades.

This Kurtis Kraft Midget, number 41, raced for many years with great success; its first driver racked up 78 victories.