Salt Walther Video Documentary in the Works

We are working on a video documentary that will detail Salt's racing career. It includes a very candid video interview produced by local Dayton station WHIO in the 1970's. Our goal is to have it ready before the running of the 100th Indianapolis 500.

If you like 1970s Indycar or are a Salt Walther fan this video is for you.

More to come....

Salt Walther Stories ~ Salt Goes Evil Knievel on the Banks of the GreatMiami River

As you may know Salt had a personality bigger than life. He sometimes did wild things just to fill his adrenalin needs. Salt and his best friend Chuck were driving a rented Mustang one night and Salt got the idea of jumping the flood levy on the Great Miami River down by The Boathouse which was the headquarters for Dayton Walther Racing.

He had been rehearsing this stunt in his mind for some time and had worked with a few Hollywood stuntmen during his California days and new basically how to do it. Unbeknownst to Chuck, Salt says hang on Ace! That was his nickname for Chuck and away they went accelerating towards the levy. Salt hit the levy at an angle just as the stuntmen had told and now they were airborne.

To get the rest of the story and more get Salt's new book at www.etsy.com/indybooknook 

Salt Walther GT 40 Found

As posted by Road and Track Magazine in February. A rare Ford GT 40 was discovered in a garage in California with Salt's name on the side of it. This is a really cool discovery, to bad the reporter didn't know much facts about Salt claiming he had little success in his racing career. And then went on to discuss his incarceration period finally claiming that Salt died shortly after being apprehended by the police. Not true... Wow, it appears anybody can be a writer/reporter now days.

Salt was the only racer to have raced champ cars, NASCAR and Unlimited Hydroplanes. He was the 1968 Calvert Cup Unlimited Hydroplane winner, 64 champ car starts, 16 top ten finishes, 3rd row qualifier at Indy and a 9th place finish at Indy in 1976.

To find out more about Salt get his book "For the race of Your Life" at www.etsy.com/shop/indybooknook.

40th Anniversary of Salt Walther's Crash at the Indianapolis 500

This year will be 40 years since the fiery crash of the No. 77 car of Salt Walther at the start of the race. May 28th 1973 crash would mar what was to be fire and rain of Indy that May. Art Pollard was killed on May 12th running hot laps after already qualifying for the race in turn 1, dying from flame inhalation. After the race was eventually restarted days later after Salt's crash ended the attempt on Monday, Swede Savage hit the inside wall in turn 4 during the race and the car came apart with Swede sitting in the cockpit on the track and on fire, he passed in July from medical complications.

Salt told us that he was very anxious to get the race started and hadn't eat'n in 2 days. At the start cars were swerving wildly jockeying for position. Salt to the day he passed in 2012 maintained he was bumped from behind and that caused the accident.   

We took Salt's daughter Brittney who just turned 18 to the track on pole day this year and was able to put her in touch with the track and even people from the IMS Safety Team who had assisted her father after the accident. We walked by the infield hospital and explained what the process was and showed her the helicopter that would have rushed her dad to Methodist Hospital. 

Most people remember the crash, but forget that after giving only a 5% chance to live and massive injuries to his body, Salt Walther returned to the track in 1974 and put his new No. 77 McLaren in the field at the 14th position with a speed of 180.920 and finished in 17th when a piston failed on lap 141.

With the race this Sunday, lets hope it's a safe one. This will be the first Indianapolis 500 since the early 60's that Salt Walther will not be around for. We will have more details on this and more in the new book coming later this year "For the Race of Your Life".
   

Brittany Walther Goes to Indy

We had the good fortune and good weather to take Salt's youngest daughter to the track for her very first time this past weekend. She was very excited to see where her dad and grandfather spent most of their time in the 1970's. I got to talk with long time track historian Donald Davidson via phone while trying to set up some special stuff for Brittany.

Brittany Walther in Turn 1 Site of her father's accident

 

Chuck Little w/Dayton Walther Team Jacket [Salt's good friend] and Brittany

While visiting turn 1 we happened to notice some older gentleman in Safety Crew shirts sitting in a golf cart. We walked over and introduced Brittany to them and they were members of the IMS Safety Crew that worked the accident in 1973. They were very excited to meet her and share the experience of that day with her. 

Brittany then drove the Firestone simulator, which was an eye opening experience for her. She told us the steering was too sensitive. 

Brittany Walther heading into turn 1

Brittany got to visit the garage area later in the day and she got a case of the goo, goo's with A.J. Foyt's young rookie driver Conner Daly who is the son of long time F1 and Champ care driver Derek Daly. She got a picture on her camera with him and an autographed poster. It was more than likely the poster was going on her bedroom wall Saturday night.

Conner Daly Garage with A.J. in the back

We also, briefly met A.J. and long time crew member Lew Parks who had crewed for Dayton Walther Racing back in 1978 before leaving for A.J. Foyt Racing. Lew shared some stories with Brittany about here dad and was in the middle of a story about her grandfather when A.J. summoned him to help find a flat cart as they were going to try a qualifying attempt late on Saturday afternoon.

It was a long day, but she had a great time getting to see and experience something her dad and grandpa had so much passion for.

Chip Ganassi George Walther Agreement Found

Going through some old race programs, we came across an Agreement drawn up between Chip Ganassi car owner and George Walther car owner. Is it typed up and notarized as would a contract to buy a race car be? No... it was hand written on a plain white piece of paper. You could envision George or Chip writing this out on the hood of a car or truck or at a restaurant.

Agreement is dated 4 April 1991 for Performers Inc. to buy 2 Penske PC18 race cars less engines sold as is with no warranty for $140K including spare parts. What does an IndyCar chassis cost these days. Found on the web that in 2011 a 2012 Dallara chassis would cost $385K, so $140K for 2 IndyCar chassis was a deal in 1991.

Two payments in April and May with balance due in July.  Up for collateral was George Walther's pride and joy a 1932 Duesenberg. If George couldn't come up with the balance Chip would be the proud owner. Obviously it was paid, because that car was up for auction at Mr. Walther's estate auction in 2002. 

These are the cars used by Todd Walther Racing, Salt's cousin to replace the PC17 they had qualified and were bumped at Indianapolis in 1990. 

If you have a story to share, send us a comment.

Salt Walther Racing Blog

This blog is here to share racing driver Salt Walther and Indianapolis 500 style racing stories. We will share information, stories and more on the late racing driver. We will also be updating you on a DVD and book that will be coming out in the future and where you can purchase a  copy. 

You are welcome to share you stories and memories about Salt or Indy in general. Please be respectful (I will take down any negative comments).

About me -- I grew up just outside of Indianapolis and my first trip to the track was 1968. It was an eventful first time as driver Chuck Rodee hit the wall in front of us in turn 1 and was killed. My father took us to pole day as they used to call from then until I left for the Air Force in 1975. Mr. Rodee was not the only fatality I witness as Art Pollard hit  the wall in front us, Jim Malloy was killed in turn 3 and Gordon Smiley accident occurred while we were in attendance. I have been a life long Indy 500 fan and still listen to it on the radio instead of watching it on TV. Remember we didn't get to see the race on TV until after it was over with, so radio was it. 

I met Salt's long time friend here in Dayton who introduced me to Salt in 2012. We discussed Indy for over an hour.  We are collaborating on Salt's memorabilia and future items of interest.   The book to which Salt was involved with until his unexpected passing in December will discuss racing, his life while racing and after racing. A lot of chapters are written by Salt in his own words.

Keep you posted...