History needed

[hdolan]

Do any of you know of a good history about Hulman's purchase of IMS...

[2wheelshortacar]

http://my.brickyard.com/usgp/press/1998/ims-120298.html

[hdolan]

Thanx...looking for a more detailed account of parties involved etc...

[RichR]

Don't know if this is the detail you were looking for but I heard that Firestone hired Wilbur Shaw to do a tire test at the Speedway after WWII ended. Shaw was appalled at the poor state of the track. He contacted Rickenbacker and asked if he was going to refurbish the facility. Rickenbacker was now president of Eastern Airlines and told Shaw that he was going to sell instead and had some offers from developers.

Shaw frantically looked around for a buyer who would save the track. Somehow he got to Tony Hulman. Hulman contacted Rickenbacker and together they hammered out the final deal at a hunt club in Indianapolis in November 1945 for $750,000. I'd also heard from somewhere that Hulman than turned around and sold the speedway's concession rights to a Chicago company for the same amount, not sure if true or not.

[aXe]

Howard if you are looking for some very creditable information on the speedway purchase.
I recommend you get the book
Gentlemen Start yout Engines,
By Wilbur Shaw
In the book he goes into pretty good detail how the sale To Anton Hulman came to pass.
aXe

[ January 14, 2002: Message edited by: aXe ]

[hdolan]

Thanx axe...

[aXe]

Howard
Just finished reading
"American Scene" By Dave Argabright.
In one of the chapeters he touches on
Anton hulman and his buying of the speedway. If you dont have this book and have some racing history feelings from not so far back I highly recommend Dave's book.
aXe