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- 1960 Buck & Thompson Slingshot Dragster - Sam Buck and Bob Thompson built this car in 1960. They bought the chassis as a kit, and the 1948 Ford engine was highly modified with special cylinder heads, crank, pistons, magneto, camshaft, and fuel injectors. In this style of dragster, popular from the mid-1950s through the early 1970s, the driver sat behind the rear wheels "like a rock in a slingshot."
- 1960
- Collections - Artifact
1960 Buck & Thompson Slingshot Dragster
Sam Buck and Bob Thompson built this car in 1960. They bought the chassis as a kit, and the 1948 Ford engine was highly modified with special cylinder heads, crank, pistons, magneto, camshaft, and fuel injectors. In this style of dragster, popular from the mid-1950s through the early 1970s, the driver sat behind the rear wheels "like a rock in a slingshot."
- Group of Four Craftsman Trucks, Dodge California 250, Mesa Marin Raceway, Bakersfield, California, March 26, 2000 - NASCAR launched its nationwide truck series in 1995. Instead of automobiles, drivers competed in racing vehicles based on production pickups. Craftsman, the popular brand of tools established by Sears, was the title sponsor from 1995 through 2008. Many young drivers got their start in the truck series before moving up to NASCAR's top-level Cup Series.
- March 26, 2000
- Collections - Artifact
Group of Four Craftsman Trucks, Dodge California 250, Mesa Marin Raceway, Bakersfield, California, March 26, 2000
NASCAR launched its nationwide truck series in 1995. Instead of automobiles, drivers competed in racing vehicles based on production pickups. Craftsman, the popular brand of tools established by Sears, was the title sponsor from 1995 through 2008. Many young drivers got their start in the truck series before moving up to NASCAR's top-level Cup Series.
- Terrace Drive-In Theater, Bakersfield, California, 1987 - In the mid-1970s, John Margolies began to assemble a visual record of America's built roadside landscape. Over the following three decades, he traveled thousands of miles to photograph the overlooked and often quickly vanishing structures that had grown out of American automobile culture and main street commerce. His photographs of hotels, motels, diners, service stations, drive-ins and attractions celebrate and capture a unique chapter of American history.
- 1987
- Collections - Artifact
Terrace Drive-In Theater, Bakersfield, California, 1987
In the mid-1970s, John Margolies began to assemble a visual record of America's built roadside landscape. Over the following three decades, he traveled thousands of miles to photograph the overlooked and often quickly vanishing structures that had grown out of American automobile culture and main street commerce. His photographs of hotels, motels, diners, service stations, drive-ins and attractions celebrate and capture a unique chapter of American history.
- Crash Helmet Worn by Drag Racers Bob Thompson and Sam Buck, circa 1960 - Sam Buck and/or Bob Thompson wore this helmet in the Slingshot Dragster they raced in the early 1960s. Their Bell 500-TX helmet was top of the line at the time, used by professional drivers in stock cars and Indy cars. But its open-face design and relatively thin interior padding would make it unacceptable in any form of organized motorsport today.
- circa 1960
- Collections - Artifact
Crash Helmet Worn by Drag Racers Bob Thompson and Sam Buck, circa 1960
Sam Buck and/or Bob Thompson wore this helmet in the Slingshot Dragster they raced in the early 1960s. Their Bell 500-TX helmet was top of the line at the time, used by professional drivers in stock cars and Indy cars. But its open-face design and relatively thin interior padding would make it unacceptable in any form of organized motorsport today.
- Visor Worn by Drag Racers Bob Thompson and Sam Buck, circa 1960 - The face shield illustrates the state of driver safety in drag racing during the early 1960s. The plastic face shield protected drivers from wind and debris, but would have provided only marginal protection in the event of an engine explosion.
- circa 1960
- Collections - Artifact
Visor Worn by Drag Racers Bob Thompson and Sam Buck, circa 1960
The face shield illustrates the state of driver safety in drag racing during the early 1960s. The plastic face shield protected drivers from wind and debris, but would have provided only marginal protection in the event of an engine explosion.
- The Thomas Flyer leaving Bakersfield, California, New York to Paris Race, 1908 - In 1908, six automobiles raced around the globe from New York City to Paris, France. The contest took 169 days, covered 22,000 miles and spanned three continents. By mid-March, the American team, driving a Thomas Flyer, had entered California ahead of the remaining three vehicles. Their goal was San Francisco. From there they would transport the car to Alaska and continue the race.
- 1908
- Collections - Artifact
The Thomas Flyer leaving Bakersfield, California, New York to Paris Race, 1908
In 1908, six automobiles raced around the globe from New York City to Paris, France. The contest took 169 days, covered 22,000 miles and spanned three continents. By mid-March, the American team, driving a Thomas Flyer, had entered California ahead of the remaining three vehicles. Their goal was San Francisco. From there they would transport the car to Alaska and continue the race.
- Driver Harold Brinker Standing in the Thomas Flyer, Bakersfield, California, New York to Paris Race, 1908 - In 1908, six automobiles raced around the globe from New York City to Paris, France. The contest took 169 days, covered 22,000 miles and spanned three continents. Most towns throughout the United States enthusiastically greeted the cars as they passed through. Where the cars stopped, townspeople crowded around -- or sometimes into -- the vehicles to take part in history in the making.
- 1908
- Collections - Artifact
Driver Harold Brinker Standing in the Thomas Flyer, Bakersfield, California, New York to Paris Race, 1908
In 1908, six automobiles raced around the globe from New York City to Paris, France. The contest took 169 days, covered 22,000 miles and spanned three continents. Most towns throughout the United States enthusiastically greeted the cars as they passed through. Where the cars stopped, townspeople crowded around -- or sometimes into -- the vehicles to take part in history in the making.
- Jacket Worn by Drag Racers Bob Thompson and Sam Buck, circa 1960 - This jacket illustrates the state of driver safety in drag racing during the early 1960s. It was regarded as fire-resistant at the time, but no other fire-resistant clothing was required. Drivers typically wore blue jeans, tee-shirts, and no gloves, or perhaps leather work gloves.
- circa 1960
- Collections - Artifact
Jacket Worn by Drag Racers Bob Thompson and Sam Buck, circa 1960
This jacket illustrates the state of driver safety in drag racing during the early 1960s. It was regarded as fire-resistant at the time, but no other fire-resistant clothing was required. Drivers typically wore blue jeans, tee-shirts, and no gloves, or perhaps leather work gloves.