Bob's Duesenberg '18 Special'
(UPDATE II )

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Second Update by David Greenlees (Joe Freeman): "I checked with Duesey Racing Historian Joe Freeman and owner of the 16-V that was featured and his thoughts confirm my earlier update. Joe has seen the photo before but has not been able to identify the driver or car. He does know that this car was one of 5-6 specials with (N.Y.) Rochester-Duesenberg engines , 8-valves that raced the New York Fairgrounds and dirt track circuit 1920-30's era. Two of the other drivers with similar cars were Otto Schnabbl and Joe Bastian. The Batavia track was at the Genesse County Fairgrounds 1920-29 and was a half mile dirt oval. One other note is that it appears that the car has a round gas tank that they apparently cut and fitted the tail around and it appears to have double laced racing wheels."

David Greenlees reacts:"...It looks like it is a special made up of various parts in the early to mid 20's judging by the passenger cars in the back- ground. The frame rails look like early Essex which were popular for race car frames back then, much heavier than Duesenberg. The hubs and wheels look like Rudge or Buffalo. The engine could be either a 16-V or 8-V Duesenberg or a Rochester-Duesenberg which Duesenberg sold the rights to in 1919."
EARLIER: Remember the Duesenberg 'Walking Beam' from whatizzit #111 ? Bob Swanson found this photo of the somewhat similar #18 SPECIAL that probably also has a walking beam under the hood. Wow, that must have been a job to weld together this highly experimental exhaust contraption... Bob found the photo some 30 years back. "It was at the Batavia, New York race track." He would like to learn more about car and driver(s). Bob Knows this materials as good David Greenlees, but hopefully somebody else will jump in to tell us more. Was this an 'ordinary' eight or one of the happy few 16 V's ? (click photo for different perspective) The story behind this photo could well add a little to New York Auto Racing History( NewJerseyDirtRacing.com), where you can find it all started there in the late twenties with a 1/2 mile Dirt Oval.

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