About last week's Quiz: Bill Taylor with the '49 Rounds Rocket (upd. Great Uncle Bill!)

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Your response was massive to this most interesting early post-war american racer. As the car was auctioned last week (RM Milhous auction US$ 275,000)  there was ample information on the web. But that aside you could also find the information published at the time the car was auctioned by Christies many years ago. So with judging we were very much focussed not only at the identity of the car but especially about this particular photo. Many went wrong with naming the driver Bill Vukovich. Identity of the driver in this 1949 photo was confirmed by Indianapolis Motor Speedway historian Donald Davidson. So basically the correct answer is 1949 Rounds Rocket / driver Bill Taylor. Nine competitors were correct in this. Dale LaFolette, John Charles, Peter Brouwer, Leo Schildkamp, Tony Miller, Richard Armstrong, Geoffrey Harrison, Tom Tincher, H.J. de Groot. So how to decide?

Leigh Dorrington explains: "The image was taken at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1949. Taylor was a 'rookie' (first year driver), who practiced the car but did not qualify for the race. Pity, with such a beautifully engineered car. Reportedly, Bill Vukovich also practiced with the Rounds Rocket in his first year at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1950, as did veteran Sam Hanks. Neither were able to find enough speed in the car to qualify, although both went on to be Indianapolis 500 winners. (Vukovich 1953-54, Hanks 1957)"

In the end we thought the most precise answer was by Richard Armstrong: "The clue is indeed in plain view, since this is the beautifully-finished Rounds Rocket, one of several innovative - but unsuccessful - designs seen at Indy in the immediate post-war years. Inspired by the Auto Union and perhaps Harry Miller's RE4, which had been reborn as the Tucker Torpedo. Sadly the Rocket was a dud and this picture shows its first appearance at the Brickyard in 1949, driven by Bill Taylor, who failed to qualify. Sam Hanks and Bill Vukovich drove it in 1950, with even less success." and it slipped quietly home to California after breaking a half shaft. It slumbered there for 19 years before Bill Harrah found it ..." 

many thanks to Leigh Dorrington for research & support!

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