1977 EDMUNDS VW AUTOCRAFT MIDGET SPRINT CAR

FROM THE ROSS KIEHNE MIDGET COLLECTION

One of the most successful pairings of the modern era in midget racing has been the tried-and-tested combination of an Autocraft Volkswagen engine and Edmunds chassis with this combination being de rigueur to gain a podium finish from the 1960s right through to the ‘90s.

Don Edmunds was a racer and race car engineer who was the ‘go to’ man for motorsport chassis and custom work, with his business Autoresearch delivering cars which graced race tracks around the world – in classes including midget and sprint cars, Formula Super Vee, and with Edmunds even crafting Evel Knievel’s radical rocket/motorbike X-1 ‘Skycycle’.

The engine in this car, a 2276cc Volkswagen-based motor as uprated by legendary air-cooled VW masters, Autocraft, is period correct – with this and engines like it powering the likes of Larry Rice, Hank Butcher and Buster Venard just to name a few of the drivers who have piloted this car to victory.

Running on methanol and featuring race modifications, this engine produces somewhere in the vicinity of 220-250hp. When paired with an astounding dry weight of only 825lb (375kg), it’s easy to see why this race-winning combination was so popular in period.

The history of this car includes drivers of great repute, and being the Autocraft-sponsored car, only the best drivers of the time were invited to drive it. This included the following great racing names:

• Larry Rice – National Midget Hall of Fame, 1973 USAC champ
• Hank Butcher – National Midget Hall of Fame, four BCRA championships
• Buster Venard – 1976 CRA rookie of the year
• Doug Wolfgang – two USAC Silver Crown wins, 140 World of Outlaws wins
• Ron Rae 
• Ron Shuman – National Sprint Car Hall of Fame, Triple Crown winner
• Bobby Olivero – 1979 USAC Silver Crown Series champ, 1975 CRA champ
• Danny McKnight – 1971 USAC win
• Gary Patterson – CRA wins 1977-79
• Jeff Haywood – three CRA wins
• Wally Pankratz – five series championships inc. USAC Western
• Tommy Astone – National Midget Hall of Fame, seven USAC National Series winner
• Tommy White – 1984 USAC Western champ
• Lealand McSpadden – National Sprint Car Hall of Fame, 1992 CRA champ

With the drives above all part of its history, this particular car’s provenance also includes a 1st place in the Ascot Park Championship 1979-1980, 1st at the Jimmy Caruthers memorial, Manzanita, as well as holding several records at Ascot and a one-lap record at Chula Vista.

This car is from the most prolific era of midget racing and has a well-known history. It has been owned for the better part of two decades by a well-known midget racer and restorer, but he is now selling his cars.

This Edmunds Autocraft is an irreplaceable example of the golden period of midget racing and would be the centrepiece of any collection. This car is from the most prolific era of midget racing and has been subject to a cost-no-object restoration by the seller. It is a wonderful custom vehicle simply to admire in your garage, but of course it deserves to be driven again, where it will continue to thrill.

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