VINTAGE: When A Spectator's Car Won Sebring

Le Mans / ALMS

VINTAGE: When A Spectator’s Car Won Sebring

The precursor of the 12-hour classic, and the first race ever held at Sebring, took place on Dec. 31, 1950...

SPEED Staff | Posted February 05, 2012

Victor Sharpe drove his little Crosley Hot Shot over to Sebring to deliver spare parts, but wound up entering the car and taking victory. (Photo: Sebring Intl Raceway)

By Ken Breslauer

Sebring celebrates the 60th Anniversary of America’s oldest sports car endurance race on Saturday, March 17th. But the precursor of the 12-hour classic, and the first race ever held at Sebring, took place on Dec. 31, 1950.

The race was officially called the Sam Collier Memorial Grand Prix, in honor of the sports car racing pioneer killed at Watkins Glen earlier that year. Sanctioned by the SCCA and promoted by Alec Ulmann, the race was to be six hours in length, run over portions of the old Hendricks Field air base near Sebring.

Victor Sharpe, a young man from Tampa Florida, drove his little Crosley Hot Shot over to Sebring delivering some spare parts for Tommy Cole (Sharpe’s family owned the local Cadillac dealership). Cole was fascinated by a little Crosley, and thought it could contend for the victory because the complicated handicapping formula that would determine the winner seemed to favor smaller displacement cars that could run a consistent pace.

Cole took the Crosley out for a spin, timed himself, and did a few calculations with a slide rule. His conclusion was it could contend for the win. But Cole already had a ride and Sharpe could not drive in the race since he was not an SCCA-licensed driver.

And… there was this small matter of convincing Sharpe to loan the car out for six hours … Cole introduced Sharpe to Fritz Koster and Ralph “Bobby” Deshon. They asked to barrow Sharpe’s Crosley for the six-hour race. He agreed, and even allowed a few minor modifications (bumpers removed, a smaller windshield installed). A crude #19 was applied by hand, and the Crosley was ready to race!

The cars were lined up for the start according to engine displacement, with the lone American entry at the back of the line.

The rest, as they say, is history. The race saw a Cadillac Allard cover the most distance, but that wasn’t how the race was run. The Crosley claimed victory on the handicap formula, edging out the Ferrari 166 driven by Jim Kimberly and Marshall Lewis. Of the 28 starters, 23 had finished, but the Crosley accomplished the most. The 724cc terror did all Koster and Deshon asked of it.

After the race, Deshon wrote to Sharpe:
“Just wanted to thank you for the wonderful afternoon at the expense of your Crosley. I can’t remember when I ever had a better time. Except for the laughing I did during the race, I can’t think of ever having a more relaxing ride. I hope the Hot Shot is none the worse for wear. I learn now that Fritz was using the gearshift hoping to speed up a bit. I’m afraid the Crosley was content to maintain whatever speed it had decided to maintain, and that was that…”

With all due respect to Crosley enthusiasts, they weren’t much of a car. Crosley made better radios and appliances than cars. But the Hot Shot driven to Sebring by a spectator made history on that day and set the stage for six incredible decades of racing at Sebring.

Editor’s note: Ralph Deshon, who drove the Crosley to victory in 1950, will be at Sebring this year along with over 30 other former Sebring winning drivers. A special autograph session for them will be held Friday, March 16 at Sebring’s Gallery of Legends building (admission will be a $10 donation to the Sebring Hall of Fame Museum fund).