In 1949, Lindley Bothwell entered the two-time Indy winning 1913 Peugoet and attempted to qualify. While he failed to qualify, he did achieve a flying lap speed of over 100 mph, faster than the car had ever gone in its pre-'20s heyday. Photo: Lindley Bothwell collection
Fabulous Fifties

Bothwell & the “Old Crocks”

Some of our California sports car races during the fabulous ‘50s were not just for current vehicles. At some SCCA events, there were races for pre-WWI racecars! We called them the “old crocks.” Just one man owned all of the cars: Lindley Bothwell. Lindley was one of the most interesting, if not dominating, personalities of the period.

Art Evans

The Old Crocks Race often took place during the lunch hour. I never paid much attention because I wasn’t, at the time, interested in auto racing history. It was my loss; now I realize that I missed out on an exceptional experience. Bothwell not only brought out cars from his large collection, but also had some famous drivers at the wheels. Among them were Walter Rosenthal and Ralph DePalma plus more current stars including Indy winners Mauri Rose, Sam Hanks and Jimmy Bryan. Others were Duke Nalon, Paul Russo, Henry Banks, Jack McGrath, Duane Carter and Danny Oakes. I think Danny is the only one still among us as I write this.

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Steve Natale has been playing with cars ever since he was old enough to first hold a matchbox car in his hand. A lifelong enthusiast of anything old with an engine in it or wheels on it, Steve has been active in the hobby for over 35 years. Currently he owns a successful marketing company with his wife Mary, is an automotive photographer, blogger and writer for several automotive magazines and regular contributor to various automotive websites. Steve has attended vintage car events and visited car museums and collections around the world.
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