From the Collection of Mike Lehet

This collection of photos started out with a simple request to identify a photo of a Willys at the 1967 Indy Nationals.  Not only did the photo get identified, we heard from most of the principals involved.  You can read about that here.  After that, I received some pretty cool photos from Mike Lehet.  Mike wanted me to be sure to thank Sam & Carol Gellner for contributing some of the photos, too.

Thank you all...Mike, Sam & Carol.

Here's some comments I received on 28 April 2002 from Ralph Meiser.  Thanks Ralph...Byron.

The 56 Chevy was The Rodriguez Bros., Jarosz and Plona E/gas record holder. Always a strong Runner. Jim Rodriguez drove. He also worked at the Myles/Gellner shop on Cleveland's West side. 

The 51 Chevy Hardtop was Gene Schwartz's. It was a really beautiful car. This version was destroyed in a towing accident and replaced with a sedan. Gene thrashed and built the sedan in about 3 weeks so he could make the Indy Nationals. It was a real POS body wise so he had it lettered up and called it the Roach. Car ran as good as the hardtop and I believe he won the nat in his class, which by that time was reshuffled to F/Gas 

The last picture is Gene at 42. He's running Dave Koffel in his 265 powered 49 Packard, The F/Gas record holder at that time.
That Packard was the original Flintstone Flyer. Dave went on to run Super Stocks and head Chrysler Racing. Now owns his own shop.

I believe at the time these pictures were taken Joe and Tom Hrudka held the D/ Gas record and Ronnie Hassel held C/Gas

These were ALL Cleveland area cars. Believe Sam Gellner did all the engines but Koffel's.Poor Sam was so busy he had little time for his own cars. The Gitter was one of several he put together, but he never had time to run. He was always supporting the engines he built for these and other gassers in the area.

Further down state in Dayton, Freddy Hurst held A/gas and of course there was "Ohio" George

There were probably 50 Gas cars in Ohio that were competitive at the time. Weekends were humbling no matter were you ran. Holding a record sure didn't insure a win in class, much less street eliminator.

Loved the Gellner story about the rear end. Sam could tell it and have everyone rolling on the floor.

Ralph Meiser
Monroe, Mi
For a larger image, click on the thumbnail Comments below are Mike Lehet's
Unknown 48 Anglia taken at Indy in 1965.
Byron, Sorry about the condition of this photo. Taken at Dragway 42.
This was taken at Dragway 42, circa 1964
This was my only attempt to built a race car. A good friend of mine and myself traded a 62 409 cu.in. engine to a guy from Brookpark, Ohio. He wanted to go circle racing and wanted our engine. Of course Ernie and I never finished this gem LOL, but we did go as far as to lowering the roll cage and purchsing a Kellison fiberglass chute pack body. We wanted to be Parma's answer to John Bradley who ran a flathead on fuel, do you remember that guy?
Byron, This is a photo taken of me at Indy in 1965. I had gone there with the Hrudka Brothers. I can't remember who's car this was.  Must of thought I was some kind of big shot LOL . Mike
Byron, This is me in Chicago last summer. Mike

Mike, You need to be careful what you send...you never know what pix I'll use!  LOL
This is a photo of Hrudka Brothers & Meal 40 Willys, I think this photo was taken at York, Pa around 1964. This is also how this car run at the Indy National in 1964. M&H Engineering was the company before Joe&Tom Founded Mr. Gasket Company. Dave Meal was a great craftsman, their business was tuned and or spaghetti headers. But Dave built all of Joe and Toms race cars.
Dennis Furmanchik's car, taken around 1967 at Dragway 42
Dennis Furmanchik's 40 Willy at Indy in 1967
Byron, Hope you enjoy this one, notice Hrudka Brothers 33 Willys in the back ground. This pictuce was taken at Dragway 42 in West Salem, Ohio. When I was a teenager going there on a Sunday was like you died and went to heaven, sure that anyone that lived such a golden era would know this.  Mike Lehet
Sam Gellner at Dragway 42
This is a great starting line shot of Sam Gellner at Dragway 42 in 1966
This photo was taken at Speed Specialties on Denison Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio. This was a neat place to hang back then. The shop was equipped with a dyno. Sam tuned a lot of cars in this place.
This was the Speed Specialties Willys. I think this photo may have been taken at Thompson Raceway. Notice the plate, DG 283. Circa 1965.
Hrudka Brothers' 33 Willys Panel
Another one of those strong running gas coupes from the Cleveland area. This car was a super clean piece, I mean this car was flawless.
This is Gene Schwartz's record holding E/G Chevy. Gene was from the Euclid, Ohio area. This car really flew. Looks like this was taken at Indy, maybe around 1964.
This was taken around 1963-4 at Dragway 42.