Ivan's Midget Fetish: Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser intro

The words Sensible and Ivan not heard together that often and it’s just one reason we love him… I haven’t heard the phrase ‘that’s why it’s in the piss’ for ages 😂👍

When I was a little boy my father would take me to the dirt track in Haubstadt, Indiana and we would watch the midget and super-modified races. I remember the fragrance of castor oil wafting through the bleachers. They used it as a lubricant admixture, much like motorcycle engines. During the intermissions between races my dad would pick me up and I could look down and see the brass Offenhauser I.D. tag on the cam cover.There should be a serial number on there. These frames and engines were all built in California but for some reason there were many of them in this part of the country. About 100 miles northeast of here near the back entrance of Turkey Run State Park, one can find the tattered remnants of the wooden-covered grandstands of the old Jungle Park Race Track where many Indianapolis racers got started in this part of the country. There is nothing left of the track itself. It was once covered in cinders and considered one of the more dangerous tracks in this part of the country. There is an historical plaque there identifying the structure. I loved the shot of Suzie in the Caruso-Bugatti! If either of you ever travel to the United States I would love to meet you.

I can't wait to see Ivan tooling around in it around his property. You can see his excitement every time he talks about it. Love the channel.

I can't believe Ivan has only 23K subscribers. This is the best channel on YouTube.

Ivan, you really do fit you title of Shed racing, you understand 'poor mans racing', the idea of building and running your own cars, and what a nice day to be mucking around, 'you lucky people', Peter.

I'll watch anything you put up about that fierce old thing. You could do nothing but Kurtis Offy content 'til the end of time and I'd never get bored. 303-40s American dirt track is a whole different world than any other kind of motorsport. I can't get enough of it

Thanks for doing this series. I grew up in dirt track country in eastern PA and saw those machines race as a kid in the 1950's and '60's. I saw Ivan had a Caruso car and saw the Kurtis in the background so many times and wondered what Ivan's connection was. This video answered a lot of questions for me. Harry A. Miller Company is still active in Troy, Michigan. They have preserved most of the original fabrication drawings from Leo Goosen and Harry Miller's efforts on Offy engines and Miller cars. As I understand it they can make original parts for restoring the old midgets and "big" sprint cars which is part of their business today. I hope Ivan can get that car onto a proper dirt track and have a go.

Thanks to Susie with the Ice Cream, Ivan breaking into his rendition of the old Wall's Cornetto song was something to behold.😂

Midget and other classes of small open wheel cars are still very popular in some areas of the States, Pennsylvania and Ohio on the East Coast are two examples. They are raced on a packed clay oval track. They are very fast and have a reputation for being relatively dangerous for the drivers. The modern cars are equipped with a full cage, even so fatalities do occasionally occur. Not for the faint of heart !!

What a title... I have yet to watch the full video, but i already know that it would be a good one!

Blimey! That"pug" launched a bit quick , without many revs😂

The olde bugger just cracks me up. Bottomless enthusiasm. The first thing he will be doing is doughnuts. Cant wait for the next eppisode. Thanks for the visual ride. Bw from the Forest of Blackness, Mike.

What an AWESOME video. I'm an Australian Sprint Car racer, now living (and racing) in the Midwest, USA. Its amazing to think that modern Midgets and Sprint Cars haven't changed much to this day. Yes, today's engines develop much more power, suspensions are refined and way more tunable, drive lines have a little more fineness, but the overall concept remains the same. Solid live rear axle, rear spur gear quick change, beam axle front end, king pin front spindles, torque tube and ball. Its all the same stuff used today on cars that are lapping 1/4 mile tracks in 11 seconds and doing 160 mph on mile dirt tracks. Such a simple, yet pure form of racing. I absolutely love your channel. Keep up the GREAT work.

Thanks Ivan, I love Offy midgets. Can’t wait for the next episode. Cheers.

Ivan Dutton is the best entertainment on Youtube!

My old mate back in California his dad built midgets mate drove them Offy engined monsters 👍 his name was Jack Balch .

I think you will find midget racing is very popular in NZ. The greatest 2 wheel dirt track moto racer of all time... Ivan Major

Your accelerator pedal was made here in my city.. Cedar Rapids Iowa... it's a small world. Cheers from a shed in Cedar Rapids.

These Midget racers are fabulous, but I can’t help thinking that we need a video on the Fantic Chopper too ! 🇮🇹 🏍

Can't wait to see Ivan driving the midget. Very entertaining and informative, love the videos.