1962 Milwaukee Mile Video

[ancrdave]

Check out this old program featuring the 1962 USAC stock car race at Milwaukee... Note how close the officials are to the cars on the track and how the cars pit just feet from the cars that are racing... the good 'ol days...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSwJdsflsuA

[flvideo]

That's pretty cool Dave. I wonder if that was shot on film or video tape. I don't remember color TV back then. But film was color.

[Groundpounder]

Nice video.

Having lived in the Chicago area back then as a kid, My family attended many races, Big cars, stock cars and midgets at Milwaukee. Many during the state fair, just like in the movies! It was just known as Milwaukee back then, not the Milwaukee mile as CART named it.

USAC stock cars back then were in their heyday and were just as good as the NASCAR brothers down south. Foyt, Jones, White, Hurtubise, Musgrave, Darnell and others always put on an enjoyable show for me...but what did I know as I was just a young boy back then. There was very little big time racing to be seen back then so when you got a chance to see some stars, it was great.

TV never did Milwaukee justice...you had to be there.

[Frasson118]

When mentioning the USAC Stock greats.... I just HAVE to throw in an Honorable Mention for Butch Hartman. He was tough everywhere from the Dirt tracks, to the Pocono 2-1/2.

[egspeedway]

Nice video.

Having lived in the Chicago area back then as a kid, My family attended many races, Big cars, stock cars and midgets at Milwaukee. Many during the state fair, just like in the movies! It was just known as Milwaukee back then, not the Milwaukee mile as CART named it.

USAC stock cars back then were in their heyday and were just as good as the NASCAR brothers down south. Foyt, Jones, White, Hurtubise, Musgrave, Darnell and others always put on an enjoyable show for me...but what did I know as I was just a young boy back then. There was very little big time racing to be seen back then so when you got a chance to see some stars, it was great.

TV never did Milwaukee justice...you had to be there.

I wonder how many of todays fans know what a "big car" was. It is not a term you see very often I admire your memories. I have some programs from the Chicago area fro the late thirties.

[Groundpounder]

I don't mean to steal Dave's thread but my tracks were Raceway Park, Illiana, Joliet Memorial Stadium, and a few at Soldiers Field! PM me if you have some of those oldies. That was a big time for midgets.

[Frasson118]

I'm from a younger generation than the term 'Big Car' was used, but I understand the evolution.
It's the modern day equivalent of a Silver Crown car vs a Sprint car.

It's a period of time in racing that I never lived, but the history was outstandin.

How about the Board Track era.... some VERY cool stories associated with that era.

[Groundpounder]

Actually, Big Cars were the Indy Cars of the day...they weren't known and marketed as Indy Cars back then. Many of the Big Cars ran on dirt as well as pavement as many of the races were run on both...which Milwaukee was a dirt track for many years.
Big Cars turned into Champ Cars and turned into Indy Cars and then to whatever they are today.

Life was easier then... you had big cars or midgets! Today the politically correct folks would have a fit about that!