Studebakers at Indy (Andrew Beckman)

BREAK/FIX the Motorsports & Vehicle Enthusiast Variety Show

While “Studebaker” is rarely the first name one thinks of when discussing motorsports, the company had a strong yet brief presence at the Indianapolis 500 in the early 1930s. Studebaker laid the groundwork with the introduction of the President’s inline eight-cylinder engine in early 1928. The advent of the Indianapolis 500’s 1930 rule changes opened the door for production-based entries, and the President’s rugged eight powered a pair of private entries. These Studebaker-engined specials showed promise and led to the development of Studebaker’s corporate team.
This program will detail the origins and evolution of Studebaker-powered racers beginning in 1930 with a special emphasis on the company’s factory-backed campaigns in 1932 and 1933. Additional focus will also be placed on the technical development of the Studebaker racers as well as the post-Studebaker disposition of the team cars and their present-day status.

Sources include Studebaker’s corporate archives and image collection at the Studebaker National Museum plus period publications and race accounts. Additional data is drawn from secondary sources profiling the Studebaker team plus owner research compiled during their stewardship of the cars.

Andrew Beckman has been with the Studebaker National Museum since 1999 and currently serves as Archivist. He previously worked at the Sheboygan County Historical Society in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, and the Wade House State Historic Site in Greenbush, Wisconsin. Mr. Beckman hails from Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and holds a BA in History from the University of Wisconsin- Green Bay. In 2004, he completed the Modern Archives Institute at the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C. In 2009, he earned his mid-level certificate in Collections Preservation from the Campbell Center for Historic Preservation Studies in Mount Carroll, Illinois. Mr. Beckman is the author of The Studebaker National Museum: Over a Century on Wheels, and Studebaker’s Last Dance: The Avanti, and is a columnist for the Studebaker Drivers Club magazine, Turning Wheels. In addition to his duties at the Studebaker National Museum, Mr. Beckman is a member and Past President of the Society of Automotive Historians. He also serves as a commentator for The Henry Ford Museum’s Motor Muster and Old Car Fest.

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00:00 Studebaker's Early Motorsports Involvement 01:27 Andrew Beckman's Background 02:51 Studebaker's Racing Philosophy 04:32 Studebaker's Early Racing History 09:50 The President 8 and Racing Innovations 13:19 Studebaker at the Indianapolis 500 17:00 The 1932 and 1933 Racing Campaigns 20:50 The Elusive Studebaker Straight 8 Block 21:01 Studebaker's Racing Legacy 22:29 The 1933 Indianapolis 500 23:14 Privateers and Unique Entries 25:14 Studebaker's Financial Struggles 25:30 The End of Factory-Backed Racing 26:16 Studebaker's Continued Influence 27:03 The Last of the Studebaker Racers 28:55 Restoration and Legacy 32:05 Q&A Session 35:54 Sponsors and Closing Remarks

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This episode is part of our HISTORY OF MOTORSPORTS SERIES and is sponsored in part by: The International Motor Racing Research Center (IMRRC), The Society of Automotive Historians (SAH), The Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Argetsinger Family - and was recorded in front of a live studio audience.