Chapter 132

8/9/2006

Ch 132 Connecticut's Fastest Indian

89 and still racing

Here, Playboy Editor gives us some insight into our Auto Museum's current exhibit honoring a World Champion racer, the incredible John Fitch. Unfortunately, to capture the nature-bike ride last week, I had to pass up driving a new Mercedes for the Grand Opening Gala to shuttle VIP's between Lake George's premier Sagamore Resort - train station- Saratoga Racetrack.

John was a WW2 Mustang pilot who was shot down in Germany and served the last couple months of the war as a POW. He said he might have been at Uncle Nelson's Stalag Luft 7 briefly but wasn't sure as Himmler moved him around, including to Austria, to keep for a hostage swap. John also designed the Fitch Inertial Crash barriers (plastic yellow barrels filled with sand) that we installed on the bridges on I-787 during my construction phase at DOT. Those were inspired from sand-filled petrol cans he used to protect his tent from strafing German aircraft in the North African desert. [Another recent book paralleling Uncle's saga here.]

John's main reputation was established racing and winning with the ironically German '55 Mercedes Benz 300SL. This summer at 89 years old he is going to take to Bonneville Salt Flats (top and bot center pic) one of those cars on display here, to again attempt a land speed record.

Car shown is the 1953 Briggs Cunningham C4 that he won with at the Sebring 12 hour race, yeah, it's a Hemi.

Meeting with another world champion this week , the Heavy Weight Boxing Champion was a real thrill in Ch 132B.