OLD YELLER II

The History of Max and Ina Balchowsky and Old Yeller II (Part 5)

The super active Sports Car Racing community in Southern California would hang out at the Grand Prix Restaurant (8204 Beverly Blvd.) in Hollywood that was owned by the beautiful Mary Davis (top contender in the Ladies Races). Bobby Drake was the gracious host and Bar Tender at the Grand Prix Restaurant and he would race one of the very first Birdcage Maseratis for Joe Lubin in the first half of 1960. Blarney’s Castle (6th and Western Ave.) was another “watering hole” for drivers and “would be drivers” and the restaurant was owned by Rudy Cleye (300 SL race car driver and one of the initial investors of the Riverside International Raceway).

The press and media were anxiously awaiting the new Old Yeller II and many had expected the race-car to be ready for the late fall Grand Prix race in Southern California. There was disappointment in the missing of the Grand Prix and the first few races with the New Old Yeller II, also caused disappointments as well. The “teething problems” included a leaking radiator at Hour Glass Road Races November 7-8, 1959 in November to shredded tires at Riverside International Raceway December 5-6, 1959. The November 21-12, 1959 Tucson road Races brought the first success (Max and Fred Vogel drove the car to Arizona) with a 2nd Place in the Modified class. At the January 23-24, 1960, Palm Springs Road Races resulted in a push rod and blistering of the tires after qualifying the car in the front row. The January 31 - February 1, 1960 Pomona Sports Car Races again was a disappointment with a cracked valve following a lead in the race. The March 5-6, 1960 at the Pomona Road Races was a DNF as the mighty Buick had a cracked head and blown head gasket… after leading the race.

The incredible potential of the new Old Yeller II was evident, but racing success was elusive. The Vaca Valley Road Races in March brought a second place for Max. One of the two greatest and exciting racing events that would attract world wide factory teams and the best international drivers was the Los Angeles Times Examiner-Herald Examiner International Grand Prix (April 2-3, 1960) USSAC Professional Race. Dan Gurney was on a break from European racing and did not have a “seat” for the Riverside GP. Max offered the Old Yeller II to Dan Gurney and he proceeded to establish the 3rd fastest qualifying time. In the main event on Sunday, Dan established a new racing track- lap record at 2:08.2 as he held a big 18 second lead and lead for 39 laps before a problem with the harmonic balancer resulted in a cracked crank and blown piston. The winner was Carroll Shelby in a Maserati Tipo 61.

Dan stated following the race…”This is as good as the finest car I have driven, and as comfortable as a baby buggy”. Max drove the Old Yeller II to Arizona for the Valley of the Sun Races and placed 1st in the modified class. The Santa Barbara Road Races (May 28-29, 1960) always had great competitive race-cars as Max placed 3rd and ahead of Morgensen in his Testa Rossa Ferrari in the Main event.

With gathering momentum and confidence, Max won the Saturday Races and Max also won the Sunday Main event, which was a 40 mile- 20-lap race. A writer for the Los Angeles Times wrote…”Balchowsky wallops Europe’s famed Maseratis at Pomona…A Hollywood ‘Backyard Bomb’ ran away and hid from the best of Europe’s expensive road racing sports cars”.

Bobby Drake had just lost a ride in the Lubin Birdcage Tipo 61 and he was asked by his good friend Max to race the Old Yeller II at Santa Maria Road Races as he placed 1st in the preliminary and Sunday Main Event races (July 2-3, 1960). Bob Bondurant who was racing Corvettes raced the Old Yeller II at Vaca Valley Road Races (July 9-10, 1960). The very first professional Grand Prix at Road America was held on July 30-31, 1960 and Carroll Shelby raced the Old Yeller II. Carroll Shelby qualified in second following the new track record holding Scarab raced by Augie Pabst. Carroll jumped into the lead and he and the Old Yeller II lead for 30 of the 50 scheduled laps as he lead by over 51 seconds over the rest of the world class field. There were factory teams from Europe and the best international drivers and cars. The transmission broke and Carroll had at least collected money for leading 30 laps. Carroll Shelby commented after the race…”That old ‘sonafabitch’ (Old Yeller II) would absolutely fly…every good car in the U.S. and Europe was there at Elkhart Lake… and we ran away from em”. The Old Yeller II placed 1st on Saturday and 2nd on Sunday for the Main event at the Santa Barbara Regional Road Races (August 29-30, 1960) with Max racing the car. The Annual Labor Day Santa Barbara Road Races were on September 14, 1960 and Carroll Shelby would again race the Old Yeller II.