Here's a little more comment from Wikipedia about Kiekaefer buying 300-C's
to race in the first "Road America" road race segment of NASCAR in
Wisconsin:
1957
Kiekhaefer quit NASCAR in January of 1957 after battling Bill France, over
accusations of cheating by the other competitors (though no rules
infractions were found under NASCAR's close scrutiny), NASCAR changed the
rules to Kiekhaefer's disadvantage, and he didn't want a backlash to affect
Mercury sales after fans booed the team.
However, being the ever-changing personality he was, he then purchased three
1957 Chrysler 300Cs with the intent of entering the road race segment of
NASCAR which only existed in 1956 and early 1957. The first "Road America
competition model" he purchased (a white 300C hardtop) was resold without
modification but two further cars began preparation for the June race
scheduled for the Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, near Mercury
Marine's home plant in Fond du Lac. The race and the series were cancelled.
The two cars, a black 300C hardtop and a special order Charcoal Gray 300C
hardtop were reinstated for street use and became Carl's personal car and
that of his Chief Engineer, Charles Strang, respectively.
----- Original Message -----
From: "eastern sierra Adj Services" <esierraadj@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2007 8:29 PM
Subject: Re: [FWDLK] '57, '58 Dodge production
I PM'ed Paul, to apologize about saying anything definitive about 300's,
but, Paul, can you give us any info on the AAA sanctioned racing, for
1957?
As far as NASCAR is concerned Kiekaefer had a bit of a feud with Bill
France, ostensibly regarding carburetion, IIRC.
K. DID order a D501, and took delivery of it around 4/8/57 (iirc); it
was a Coro hardtop, but built on a convertible frame. The car was never
campaigned, & its whereabouts/disposition is unknown to me.
Meanwhile, the car companies agreed, during a
NASCAR meeting on 6/6/57 (WAY after the racing season began, in JAN/FEB
'57) to terminate their official sponsorship- participation of stock
car racing.
So, K.'s non-involvement in NASCAR racing, early-on in the racing season
may have been due to his having become tired of the hassle and/or
expenses involved in funding his racing teams, in relation to the
advertising benefits which would have accrued therefrom, and he might
have liked the idea of having a "feud" with NASCAR, in order to have an
excuse to end his association with organised racing events.
In other words, if he had really wanted-to, K. would have had at least 5
months to have participated in NASCAR racing before the "factories"
officially agreed to terminate their above-the-table sponsorship of
organised racing.
Neil Vedder
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