December 23, 2019

Land O'Lakes Region SCCA 1954 Winter Carnival Ice Race

A cold blast from Minnesota's ice racing past, February 7, 1954 to be exact. This quaint clip has actually been floating in the YouTube-sphere for a few years.

Film of the Winter Carnival Ice Race on Lake Phalen in Saint Paul, Minnesota, was made 66 years ago, written and directed by SCCA club race driver, Thomas C. Countryman. Hosted by Land O' Lakes Region SCCA, the event was "the third annual running of the sports car race on ice." It was also covered by the NBC network and noted news commentator and Timex watch pitchman, John Cameron Swayze. His tag line for Timex was, "It takes a licking and keeps on ticking."

The 5-lap Pennzoil Trophy Dash was held on frozen Lake Phalen in Saint Paul. However, the 1.25 mile ice course was lightly covered with gravel. Obviously studded tires were not too plentiful in the earlier days of auto ice racing. There was also no Environmental Protect ion Agency around until the Nixon administration either. A fun fact, Richard Nixon was the second President in U.S. history to face impeachment, but to his credit he actually started the EPA and did give a hoot not to pollute.

Meanwhile as a pre-race ritual, to reduce the loss of finish on cars from the constant barrage of flak by gravel, drivers taped off their chrome and paint on what are now highly collectible and ridiculously expensive sports cars. Also, one can imagine at least a few minor body parts are stuck in the muck at the bottom of Lake Phalen. (Perhaps a Timex watch with the initials J.C.S. is also submerged.) As far as I know, no one has mapped the lake bed with Ultra-HD side-scan sonar.

The first two minutes in this clip are old shots from Watkins Glen and airports once used by the Strategic Air Command. It is advanced to the Land O'Lakes Region ice race which begins at 1:40.

Saint Paul Winter Carnival ice race on Lake Phalen, Feb. 7, 1954. Presented by Land O'Lakes Region SCCA.  
Film by Thomas C. Countryman. (Posted by Porsche356Registry.)

Starting lineup for 5 lap "Pennzoil Trophy Dash" as told by narrator

1. Jaguar #27 Cecil R. Behringer
2. Jaguar  #4, Dr. Daniel "Doc" Halvorson
3. 1953 Chevy Corvette #20, Russ Lee
4. Oldsmobile Special #6, Bill Peters
5. Supercharged MG #12, Chuck Huntington
6. Jaguar  #21, Chris Tanida
7. Jaguar  #7, Bud Stahel
8. Ford Special #17, Johnny Crea
9. Chrysler Allard #3, Don Skogmo
10. Jaguar Coupe #26, Ted Hotchkiss

All led by a "beautiful Studebaker" as the pace car.

Tom Countryman #10 Porsche is shown in film but not mentioned along with a few other drivers in the 15-car field. In this film Doc Halvorson won race, followed by Chris Tanida in 2nd and Johnny Crea in 3rd position.