Early Days - Tom Burnside Collection - Motorsports Photography Fine Art Prints, Books & Collectibles

Tom Burnside Collection > Early Days (12)

For much of the 1950s in rural America, racing was just plain fun. The family car was driven to the local circuit, hung with a number and entered in a weekend of racing. It was a time for Americans to test out their home-made Specials and European imports on blocked-off road circuits, improvised airport courses and finally, tracks purposely built for racing. Many of Tom’s photographs from this period convey an elegance and solitude that bespeak an amateur sport, qualities we no longer associate with racing. Serious racing did exist – the Maserati team’s self-destruction in Venezuela in 1957 gave Ferrari the world championship – but the early days are most beloved in retrospect for the sheer joy that has been lost. Here are twelve signed 16”x20” black and white Ultrachrome prints from that special time.

Two Ferraris

Two Ferraris (Carroll Shelby on the right), Porsches and MGs compete on a closed-off road at Brynfan Tyddyn, the Welch-named private estate of a Pennsylvania senator. Shelby called it “a little Nurburgring.” 1956. #0106

16”x20” Ultrachrome print, signed. $300
MGs All

MGs all. The beautiful setting of Brynfan Tyddyn, a Pennsylvania senator’s private estate with its closed-off roads, was a magnet for family outings. Safety, clearly, was not an issue. 1956. #0662

16”x20” Ultrachrome print, signed. $300
Nassau Speed Week, 1955

Sherwood Johnston watches his D-type Jaguar arrive at the docks in early December for Nassau Speed Week, 1955. #0298

16”x20” Ultrachrome print, signed. $300
The Queen Catherine Cup Race

The Queen Catherine Cup Race, 11 laps for F Production Porsches and Modified cars under 1500 cc. Among the Porsches are an Alfa Romeo Giulietta and 2 MG TDs. Watkins Glen Grand Prix, September 1955. #0046

16”x20” Ultrachrome print, signed. $300
Jaguars and Ferraris

Jaguars and Ferraris on the vast expanse of this airport track borrowed from the Eagle Mountain National Guard near Fort Worth for this 1956 race meet. #0011

16”x20” Ultrachrome print, signed. $300
Twelve hours of Sebring in the rain. 1959

The Harry Entwistle-Robert Hanna Lotus 15 acknowledging a pit sign. Twelve hours of Sebring in the rain. 1959. #1598

16”x20” Ultrachrome print, signed. $300
Hay Bale Chicanes

Hay bale chicanes were a staple of airport courses and Montgomery, an old Air Force field, had several. Here a D-type Jaguar is followed by a C-type, a brace of Austin-Healey Ss and an Austin-Healey Special. 1956. #0526

16”x20” Ultrachrome print, signed. $300
Carroll Shelby, Ferrari 121 LM

Carroll Shelby, Ferrari 121 LM, wore his “Texas Tuxedo” (the striped bib overalls and bandanna) to lap all but two in the 28-car field. Elkhart Lake, 1956. #0512

16”x20” Ultrachrome print, signed. $300
Edgar’s 410 Sport Scaglietti Spyder

Carroll Shelby in John Edgar’s 410 Sport Scaglietti Spyder just nosed out Fon de Portago for the Governor’s Cup. Nassau Speed Week, 1956. #0498

16”x20” Ultrachrome print, signed. $300
Jaguars

Jaguars, C-type and D-type, crest a hill at the year-old, purpose-built course amidst the sand dunes of eastern Long Island, NY. Bridgehampton, 1958. #1059

16”x20” Ultrachrome print, signed. $300
Phil Hill

Phil Hill in the winning Ferrari 250 TR. 12 Hours of Sebring, 1958. #1322

16”x20” Ultrachrome print, signed. $300
Jean Behra, Maserati 450S

Jean Behra, Maserati 450S, leads the Crawford-Hugus Porsche 550 Spyder through the streets of Caracas lined with bags filled with rock-hard dirt. Grand Prix of Venezuela, 1957. #1063

16”x20” Ultrachrome print, signed. $300

Photographs presented on the Wheels On Walls web site are sold for personal use only. These images may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical or electronic, including but not limited to print, video and the Internet, without written permission from the individual artist. While you are welcome to view and enjoy all aspects of our web site, please remember, all information, including, but not limited to, graphics, conceptual design, and elements of "look and feel," is the property of CREATIVE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP and is protected by applicable copyright law(s).Images are presented for your viewing pleasure. They may not be downloaded or used elsewhere. Use of images without authorization will be legally pursued. Copyright © 2005, ~ All rights reserved.

| Privacy Policy |