Was A Tucker EVer Raced?

[CFobbe]

I know the Tucker was ran on a race track, but around the time the Tucker Corporation was dying, NASCAR was being born, was there ever a Tucker ever raced competitively?

[fsgwmann]

I believe that a Tucker did race in NASCAR. According to the book, Forty Years of Stock Car Racing (Vol #1) by Greg Fielden on May 30, 1950 at the Canfield (Ohio) Motor Speedway, Joe Merola did enter a Tucker in the Grand National race. It was reported that the car did not complete a full lap. I do not know if it was ever raced again. It would be interesting to see a picture of the car at the track and to find out the serial number of the car.

[plancor 792]

Yes, a Tucker was entered in a race however before it made the first lap I am told it broke the right rear axle so that finished it. I believe that car was 1023 and when I had the car there was damage inside the right rear fender indicating the axle had been broken. As far as actual proof of its racing days and if it entered other races I do not know. I have a photo that I think Bernie Weiss sent me showing a Tucker sitting on the race track with its broken right axle. If I can find the photo I will send more information.
Richard

[plancor 792]

Found the photo I was looking for. It shows a Tucker lifted in the rear end by a wrecker. Right rear fender is curled out as the axle broke. The car has 12 painted on the right rear door. Right front door has an ad that says among other things PA. This ad is covered over by another ad that says in part, Stock Car Race Rochester July 9. There is more print on this ad or poster but it cannot be read. On the right front fender is painted Dealer in------- Used Cars. There is a state inspection sticker in the lower right side of the windshiels. Cannot tell what state. There is also some writting on the right rear fender that says Used Car Dealer. The back of the wrecker says Larry Cox Garage. Also Garage is on the left rear of the wrecker but cannot see if it says Larry Cox.
That's about all I know of this photo. However I do know that a previous owner was involved in race cars and Tucker 1023 was tied up in a law suite in New York State years ago. The owner sanded the paint off of it and brought it to the car museum in Ocala, FL where he stored it in one of their out buildings. The museum was sold and the new owner wanted it removed. He tried several times to contact the owner in Ohio and received no response. When I saw the car I took down the license tag of the trailer the car was sitting on and through some research located the owner and told him they were about to auction it off if he didn't respond. I wanted to purchase it and he came down, removed the car and brought it to me. I He would not supply any proof of ownership and after a law suite he hauled it off to a storage warehouse in DeLand, FL where about 2 years later I learned it had burned and was destroyed along with about 5 or 6 cars that belonged to others.

Richard

[48tuckerfan]

plancor, could you post the photo? or e-mail it to me i would love to see it.

b.lawalin@insightbb.com

[plancor 792]

Sorry, no can do at this time.

Richard

[Billy Kingsley]

Oh my God! I need to see that photo. I can scan it for you if need be, and or host it (I have unlimited space).

I would gladly pay shipping costs, including signature conformation, and 2 way overnight shipping...if nothing else to prove I won't run off with it...(I would never do that anyway, but you guys on this board don't know me well enough to know that, I presume) I would not even be adverse to paying photo rental fees!!

I found this board via my search for refrence to build a model of a Tucker, and I was recently challenged to build a NASCAR version (I'm primarily a NASCAR builder these days) and I was planning on a total fantasy version...But I must build the real car...

That is my new "Holy Grail" of NASCAR based photos. (replacing the Edsel that ran at the 59 Daytona 500)

PS....New York is the only state in this area that has inspection stickers in the lower right side of the front windsheild (in front of the driver) but I was only born in the mid-80s, so I can only remember in the late 80s-current.
I know Vermont had them in the bottom in front of the passenger in the 1950s, I recently spotted an old International pickup that had it's last inspection sticker, from 1970, still intact, but had remains of earlier ones.

[MatheusC20XE]

hummm..that´s awesome! I want see pictures too!

Somebody know about the engine specs of this Nascar Tucker? Because the street version was have only 150hp of power, then, was need some power modifications for can compete at NASCAR(And maybe, this modification was made the engine so strong at point to broke the rear axle, that is made for lower power).


Cheers,


Matheus S. Almeida

[Billy Kingsley]

In the 40s and early 50s, they were truly pretty stock...Back then, they often drove their cars to the track, ran the race, then drove the cars back home!

About all you had to do was tape up the lights (usually using Duct Tape), put in a rudimentary roll cage (if that) and chain or belt the doors shut...

Here's a photo of Gwyn Staley's Caddilac next to a street version. The huge screen tells me that the race was on dirt...

[Tuckeroo]

The photo to prove it!:

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2008/12/24/seeing-really-is-believing-a-tucker-did-indeed-race-in-nascar-and-we-found-the-photo-to-prove-it/

Discuss?

[TuckerCar]

WOW! About time someone scraped up that photo!

[Billy Kingsley]

Sorry to bring up an old thread, but a photo has been found!
Does any one have solid proof of the color of the car? I believe it to be red with white markings. It also does not appear to have chrome bumpers, is that true or a trick of the photo?

Does anyone know the liscence plate info? It looks like X1258, but what state?


Thanks!

[bigmike312]

I believe that's a 1950 Pennsylvania dealer plate. Here's an example of a 1951 dealer's plate. All the PA dealer plates I can find pictures of start with an "X".



Big Mike

[XmD1134]

Obviously the car was sold by a dealer in Pittsburgh, PA. It says it right on the side of the car.

[dixgomez]

But now? how is tucker now? do they still having some thing in the field??




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