History
 
The Chenowth Championship Car was the first Chevy V8 to attempt to qualify for the Indianapolis 500. While it was at the track in 1960, it arrived too late to attempt a qualifying run. Returning in 1961 with East coast standout Mike Magill driving, qualifying laps were run, but the engine succumbed to an overdose of nitro. Even though the car failed to complete the run, it served notice to the champ car world of the popularity of Chevy’s small block V8 and it would only be a couple more years until Mickey Thompson would have two Chevy powered cars in the lineup. The Chenowth Championship car, also known as the “San Diego Steel Products 500 Roadster,” was built in 1960. Chuck Chenowth crafted the chassis himself and Eddie Kuzma did the bodywork. Chenowth’s plan was to use the popular Chevy V8 to challenge the dominance of the Offenhauser. While the Chevy engine produced less horsepower, it was significantly lighter and the hope was that the power-to-weight ratio would favor the Chevy. While the idea was sound, it would still take a couple more years along with the “rear-engine revolution” for it to prove out. When the Chenowth roadster arrived at Indianapolis Speedway, it turned many heads and received a lot of press for two reasons: 1) it was powered by a Chevy V8, and 2) it had masterful craftsmanship. The latter was probably best expressed by the car’s second owner, Greg Weld, who said, “it was the most immaculate race car I ever saw. It was absolutely a work of art. There wasn’t one weld on the car that wasn’t flawless and perfect.” Along with the impeccable workmanship in the chassis, the overall styling of the car leads many people to conclude that the San Diego Steel Products Roadster was the most beautiful roadster ever built. Its low, sleek profile and graceful lines represent the pinnacle of the roadster era design and often causes observers to mistake it for a lay-down Offy roadster. Like many of the Indy roadsters, the Chenowth roadster saw several owners during its racing career. The car went from Chenowth to Weld and then on to Ray Smith of Eaton, Ohio. From Smith it went to Gary Congdon for a brief time. After Congdon’s death, the roadster went to Jack Steck in Huber Heights, Ohio were it had the distinction of being the first car to make an “official” qualifying run at the inaugural race at Michigan International Speedway in 1968. In 1973 Lyle Roberts from Kalamazoo, Michigan, bought the car and, with the able help of Glen “Woody” Woods as mechanic, raced the car until its retirement in 1983. This car is credited in some circles with starting the “roadster revolution” in sprint car racing. Because of Greg Weld’s love affair with the roadster-style car, he convinced Don Brown to build him a roadster-sprint that was designed exclusively for half-mile tracks. This gave rise to Brown’s “Mechanical Rabbits” and Max Dowker’s roadsters which, along with the Chenowth roadster (now known as the “Roberts Steel Erection Roadster”), raced extensively in Outlaw, TRI-SAC, and USAC sprint car races throughout the Midwest. While the car seemed to become more competitive with age, perhaps its greatest win came in 1977 when Jeff Bloom won the “Little 500” in Anderson, Indiana, for his second time. Over the years many prominent drivers have had the opportunity to pilot this Chenowth roadster both as a champ car and as a sprint car. Drivers like Mike Magill, Greg Weld, Bob Hurt, Bob Pratt, Al Smith, Cy Fairchild, Tom Sneva, Duke Cook, Ray Wright, Johnny Logan, Marv Carman, and Jeff Bloom have all spent time behind the wheel. The car has been faithfully restored to its 1961 configuration by Dave Schleppi.