Chickie Hirashima remembered by Ed Pink...

[Gus Levy]

"The other one is Chickie Hirashima. Unfortunately, he’s dead now. In 1935 and ‘36, he was Rex Mays’s riding mechanic at Indianapolis. They won together at Indy in 1936. His engines won the 500 in 1946, 1955, 1956, 1959 and 1960. He was an engine builder supreme."

http://competitionplus.com/2005_10/ed_pink3.html

Gus Levy

[CamKing]

Doesn't this belong on another forum?

the New IRL doesn't have any room for men like Chickie.

[bever911]

good read

[cheeseczar]

the New IRL doesn't have any room for men like Chickie.

I can feel the irony of your post, and unfortunately I must agree.

And yes...great read!!

[tcsparky]

Great Post. I hope we can spend part of this off season talking about some the people and legends like Chickie. i'd vote for a tread on Andy Granatelli, Did anyone hear him on Windtunnel a while back? He had the answer for the open wheel split.

[aXe]

Great Post. I hope we can spend part of this off season talking about some the people and legends like Chickie. i'd vote for a tread on Andy Granatelli, Did anyone hear him on Windtunnel a while back? He had the answer for the open wheel split.

In any one does get tread on Andy please be sure to wipe off all the tire marks to avoid prosecution!
aXe

[Indyfan4ever]

Chickie was an unsung 500 hero.




Tj

[KnockOff]

Thanks for that article!

[indysteve]

"They won together at Indy in 1936."

[Gus Levy]

Riding mechanic...

Gus Levy

[indyrjc]

the New IRL doesn't have any room for men like Chickie.

Unfortunately, that's a true statement. Although Tony George and Barnhart don't recognize or understand it the Indianapolis 500 and the IRL will never be great again unless there are individual engine men (and car builders) who get a chance to try out their own ideas instead of just plugging in some leased engine from a factory that they aren't even allowed to take apart. The entire sport of American auto racing was built on individual builders developing and trying new things. Despite the recent success of NASCAR's over-regulated shows there is still a huge following who wants to see some variety in open wheeled racing. It's just part of American heritage. Leased engines and spec chassis are not what made Indianapolis racing great. Hopefully, TG will wake up one of these days.

[indysteve]

Riding mechanic...

Gus Levy

Uh, Rex Mays didn't win the 1936 500, Louie Meyer did. So how can he say Rex and Chickie "won together" when they didn't win?

[Gus Levy]

Uh, Rex Mays didn't win the 1936 500, Louie Meyer did. So how can he say Rex and Chickie "won together" when they didn't win?

Dunno. The quote is from Ed Pink. Ask 'im...

Gus Levy

[ZOOOM]

INDY STEVE, Never mind.. Some one got casual... Doesn't matter. Chickie was a MASTER. He was right up there with Herbie Horsepower... A little known fact about Chickie... He was sent to the WWII internment camps for Japanese/Americans... Could have (and did ) break many of them...

Not Chickie.... He volunteers for the HIGHLY decorated 442nd. regiment of American/ Japanese who were the guys who fought so valiantly in Sicily during WWII. They were the regament that fought their way in to save the "lost" (American... white guys... ) regiment. Took tremendous casualties...
Chickie Hirashima.... one tough som$itch...
ZOOOM

[indysteve]

Didn't intend to diminish Chickie's accomplishments in any way. I just thought Ed Pink would know that Rex Mays didn't win the 1936 500. It's usually pretty easy to remember because a) Rex never won the 500, and b) when people put together those lists of drivers who should have won the 500 but didn't, Rex is always near the top of the list!