Lockhart V16 ran and ran

Sir,

Congratulations on the great Frank Lockhart article in a recent issue of Motor Sport (Genius versus Destiny, January 2004).

It is worth recording that the 3-litre V16 engine from Lockhart’s record car was used in a locally made frame to compete in US oval racing in 1938. And in ’39, Bob Swanson’s Sampson Special was the third-fastest qualifier (129.471mph) for the Indianapolis 500. He failed to finish, but he was sixth the following year, while Deacon Litz recorded a DNF in ’41. The car ran again at the Brickyard, in ’46Sam Hanks qualifying on the outside of the front row but it did not finish once again.

By the way, Harry Hartz in a Miller was the 1926 AAA champion despite Lockhart’s success at Indy. And Lockhart was born in 1903, not ’08.

Simon Moore, London