The Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) has announced it will present a trophy to the vintage racer who best lives the values of legendary sports car racer Otto Linton at Watkins Glen’s U.S. Vintage Grand Prix in September. Linton is already commemorated on the famous Watkins Glen Village’s “Walk of Fame” at the start-finish of the original public roads race course. Linton, the last living driver entered in the first Watkins Glen Grand Prix in 1948, passed away on January 3 at the age of 100.
“Otto Linton was an outstanding racer and a fine human being,” said Tony Parella, SVRA president and CEO. “Our hearts go out to his family and many friends. With this award we not only want to remember Otto, but also encourage and recognize those who live, as he did, the vintage racing values of friendly competition, camaraderie and respect which is paramount to everyone at SVRA.”
Austrian-born Linton was captivated by the display of driving skill by Italian Champion Tazio Nuvolari at the 1937 Czechoslovakian Grand Prix. The impression was so strong it set his mind to ponder how he could take up racing too. He immigrated to the United States in 1938 after studying engineering at the University of Vienna. During World War II he worked as an engineer in a program to convert manufacturing facilities to military production in Philadelphia.
It was during this period that Linton established himself in automotive circles, becoming one of the first members of the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA). Some of the membership soon became interested in forming an organization to support sports car racing, and in 1944 Linton joined fellow AACA members to help build the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) by working to establish the Philadelphia Region.
From 1948 to 1967, Linton competed at 30 different race courses, including Sebring, Road America, Virginia International Raceway, Bridgehampton, and Lime Rock. He raced at both the original Watkins Glen public road course and the Watkins Glen International Raceway road course after its construction in 1956. He mastered street courses, airfields and purpose-built road courses
As the owner of Philadelphia’s Speedcraft Enterprises, Inc. car dealership, the list of street and race cars Linton drove included a Duesenberg that competed in the Indianapolis 500. Other marques he raced were Stutz, Amilcar, MG, Siata, OSCA, Abarth, Mercedes and Elva. He even crewed for one of Augie Duesenberg’s last race entries at the 1948 Indianapolis 500.
Linton’s competition career centered on endurance racing where he scored several class victories, including the “Index of Performance” at the 12 Hours of Sebring. After he sold his business interests in 1984, he became active in, and an advocate for, vintage racing.
Linton was a supporter of early women racers, including Isabelle Haskell, Suzy Dietrich and Canadian Alice Ferguson. Such efforts earned him a reputation as a caring racer who loved the camaraderie of vintage racing and appreciated those who shared his passion regardless of social status or fame.
Otto Linton ….. one of my very special friends and heroes. When racing each year at the Glen, Otto, and his wonderfully supportive family, would make a beeline for my pit and cars, usually comprising of an Alfa or two, and perhaps a Lancia or Bugatti.
Otto was then in his element. I mean who else in the world could talk to me about the greatest of them all …. Tazio Nuvolari behind the wheel of an Alfa Romeo Tipo C 8c-35 in the Czechoslovakian Grand Prix: the same identical model that I wrestle with today …. so precious!
Race on, Otto, if only in my happy dreams.
Peter Giddings