Wednesday 8th October 1919

Born on this day, Jack McGrath, an American racecar driver. A major player in the “mighty midgets” at Los Angeles’ Gilmore Speedway in the late 1940s, McGrath won the first CRA (California Roadster Association) championship in 1946 and was dubbed “King of the Hot Rods.” His efforts, along with those of friend and teammate Manuel Ayulo, helped establish track roadsters as viable race cars. The west coast roadsters evolved into sprint cars in the early 1950s.