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Veteran
Posts: 256
 
Location: Chicago | In the April 15, 1958 issue of "Chrysler Times" there is an article about Dr. Herbert Magee winning the Standing Start Mile at 87.485 mph, with a photo of him, the car, and the trophy in front of the selling dealership. An article in the "Chrysler 300 Club News" vol. 32 no. 2 reprinted this photo, and the author also interviewed Mrs. Magee.
However, printed results from Daytona show Brewster Shaw as the winner with the same 87.485 mph. A story in "Sports Illustrated" March 3, 1958 also says Shaw was winner, and prints a table of results.
Anybody have any thoughts or further documentation on this?
Thanks for any input.
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| Greetings! Brewster Shaw hit 87.485 in the standing start. I'll attach a scan I have of the Daytona report.  
Edited by Hyfire 2014-09-25 4:10 PM
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| The Chrysler article might be a little loose with facts. It claimed a 141.06 MPH Flying Mile record. That would be an great time. Here is what Burt B detailed about Daytona 1958: CUT & PASTE ::::: 1958 DAYTONA FLYING MILE RESULTS POSITION SPEED CAR/DRIVER 1 137.7 PONTIAC 2 136.8 PONTIAC 3 135.1 PONTIAC 4 134.6 PONTIAC 5 134.3 PONTIAC 6 128.1 PONTIAC 7 127.9 CHRYSLER 300/LARRY ROUSE 8 126.7 CHRYSLER 300/HERB WISEMAN Burt CUT AND PASTE :::::: As you can see the times don't match. Link to original post The Shaw car didn't complete the Flying Mile. Chrylser figured none of it's dealers would know, but Shaw's car only completed half of the Flying Mile by mechanically failing during the mandatory return run. Don't forget, the Flying Mile isn't about just speed... it's about mechanical endurance as well. I'd say that Chrysler played with the facts on the Flying Mile info, so I'd take this document with a grain of salt.
Edited by Hyfire 2014-09-25 3:59 PM
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Veteran
Posts: 256
Location: Chicago | I don't have the Chrysler Times text, but Magee's 141.066 mph was a Century Club one-way run on Feb. 17, not Flying Mile. He received a "no time" in Class 7 Flying Mile on Feb. 18. He did not complete the two-way run (looks like he did not complete one run.) His wife remembered something about the distributor cap coming loose.
The only other Brewster Shaw reference in the results is Prestige Class Flying Mile on Feb. 13 in a '58 Imperial, 2nd Place avg. 111.930 mph. He does not appear to have competed in Class 7 Flying Mile. Why would Shaw not run Flying Mile or (anything else) if he had a 300D there.
Still doesn't explain the photo with trophy. Maybe Magee lent Shaw the car since Shaw set the '57 record? That would not be unheard of. Then Magee kept the trophy since it was his car(?)
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Veteran
Posts: 256
Location: Chicago | Thanks for adding the Chrysler Newsletter text! |
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I'm not familiar with the Century club racing. I was told by Burt it was open racing, but I'm not too clear on the sanctioning and rules.
The Daytona 300D is a VERY cool car. I have only seen a little info on it. I talked to the owner and the gentleman who restored it. Both seem like gentleman. The owner really didn't want to share any info with me, which is a shame since I was researching the same kind of leads anyway and would have helped him a lot. The restorer was awesome and offered everything he knew. Both are good guys. It's a great car and looks great in the photos I've seen. I hope the owner warms-up to me one day so I can see it in person and help him out. I know where a huge archive of 1958 Daytona negatives are and bet I could find that car running. |
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I'm completely speaking out of my ###... but I bet you that the car was only built for Ely with the condition that Brewster Shaw had access to it for SpeedWeek's Flying Mile. I don't believe for a second that Chrysler only made 2 racecars in 1958.... one just so happens to show up with Ed Quinn's personal friend and veteran land speed racer at Bonneville and the other just so happens to show up at Daytona Beach Speed Week and is driven by Brewster Shaw.
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Veteran
Posts: 256
Location: Chicago | You know, this agreement with condition scenario has to be it. If you think about it, the "One-Way Acceleration Run" aka Standing Mile/Standing Start Mile must require some serious driving talent and familiarity with launching on the beach surface. This records the average speed over a mile from a dead stop. So, Magee gets a practice run of sorts in the Century Club, then tries the Flying Mile, both of which you have a lot of time to run up to speed before you get timed. In comparison you just have to mash the gas, keep it going straight, and don't lift. Then he hands it off to Shaw the next day, the local, experienced, previous record holder. There's no way Magee could have been expected to be as fast in the standing mile. This was also the first time he engaged in competitive driving as far as we know.
And it has to be the same car. Shaw's 1957 record was in a 300C with Optional Chassis Package at 86.873 mph. It has to be the "equivalent" stick D, not some standard one. The next 300D finisher was Dick Dice's driven by Gregg Ziegler at 83.295 mph in 10th place. Then Herbert Wiseman in 17th at 80.268. We are fairly certain - per Burt - these two were regular 380-hp automatic 300Ds.
What have we learned? The Chrysler Times is not a reliable historical document.
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Discrepancy regarding Chrysler 300D at Daytona in 1958
