Race Cars as Art

Phoenix Art Museum's "Legends of Speed"

Well for those keeping track I didn't make my annual post from the Barrett Jackson this year (although this is the first year I actually went twice 😀).  Instead I thought I'd share some photos from the Legends of Speed Exhibit at the Phoenix Art Museum.

This is the first celebration of automotive art at the Museum since its groundbreaking "Curves of Steel" exhibit in 2007. Legends of Speed presents 22 of the most emblematic and rare race cars on earth. These are cars presented as much as examples of art as history. And there is real history here, many of these cars were driven by icons like A.J. Foyt, Dan Gurney, Hellé Nice and Stirling Moss. It is improbable that there will ever be another chance to view these cars all together in one place again.

Legends of Speed has been extended through March 22, so get a move on!

1911 Franklin

This 1911 Franklin is the only vehicle presented in original condition. On his third attempt Ralph Hamlin won the grueling "Cactus Derby" from Los Angeles to Phoenix in this car in 1912.  The race was conceived in 1908 as a way to advocate for better roads in the Arizona Territory.

 Art Equals Speed

1967 Gurney Eagle
(Built and Driven by American Icon Dan Gurney)

The 1913 Duesenberg 
(Raced at Indy by WWI Pilot Eddie Rickenbacker)

1964 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe

Peter Brock's unorthodox design led to development of this Cobra. And, when driven by Ken Miles, it smashed all previous lap records at Daytona's Riverside Raceway on its very first outing. Six weeks later the car set the lap record at Daytona giving the car its name. The cars stunning race performance brought Shelby to the attention of Henry Ford II who recruited him to help develop the Ford GT40.

Hellé Nice's 1927 Bugatti Type 35B

This rarely displayed Bugatti is the car Nice (known at the time as the fastest woman alive) raced in the 24 hour LeMans. Throughout her career Nice competed against and claimed victory over many of racing's best male drivers.

 Parisian Model, Actress and Racer Mariette Helene Delange
Known as Hellé Nice 
Behind the Wheel of Her Bugatti

 

1952 Mercedes 300 SL (Sport Light)

Just seven years after the end of World War II Rudolf Uhlenhaut's aluminum aerodynamic and featherlight gullwing took home the first ever Le Mans victory for a closed car.

1953 Jaguar C-Type

One of only three 1953 C-Type L (light) models made for racing. Jaguar enlisted an aerodynamicistin the design. This is Jaguars' first race car to incorporates rack and pinon steering and Dunlop's radical new disc brakes. Stirling Moss and Peter Walker raced the car to s second place finish at the 24 hour Le Mans with Moss going on to repeat that performance at the Circuito de Monsanto in Lisbon in the same year. 

Bentley's Celebrated 1929 Racer

(Winner of 24 hours of Le Mans Two Years in a Row) 

 1927 Miller 91

Meticulously built by Henry A. Miller in his factory in Los Angeles, the quality, design and technical advancements of Miller's were often compared to the racers built by Duesenberg.

This example (courtesy of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum) was rebuilt from various parts (as no complete original Miller 1927 Miller 91 exists). The reason is partly because when news of Miller's racing successes reached Ettore Bugatti, he traded three new Bugattis for the only two existing Miller 91's in existence. He used them to copy design elements and then cast the original Miller's aside.

Each of the carefully selected race cars on display present an exceptional story to be discovered.


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