1960 Patriotic Racer
Bob Sorrell was an automotive designer and builder of the 1950s. His work includes building land speed racers, show cars, drag racers, hot rods, customs, and tether cars. His fiberglass creations were outrageous and memorable, the earliest being the SR-100 roadster. It was a Sorrell original design that was unique and creative with its unified fender-to-body expression and envelope-design.
The Sorrell-Larkin SR-200 began life as a Lister-Chevrolet. In 1960 it was involved in a tragic accident at the Los Angeles Times Grand Prix at Riverside. The wreckage was acquired by Bob Sorrell and had it brought back to his shop, where he and Jim Larkin shared space. The car required extensive modifications to the frame and many other mechanical components. A fiberglass body finished in patriotic colors was carefully and expertly crafted, and based on past Sorrell designs (the SR-100).
It was involved in another crash at Riverside in 1962, close to where the Lister had come to a rest in 1960. This time, an extensive fire transformed the wreckage into ash. The car was totally destroyed. The blaze was so intense that track workers had to use a skid loader to cover the flaming wreckage in dirt. This SR-200 was reincarnated by the original builders, Mike and Jim Larkin, who used the original models and technology they developed back in the late 1950s. After the original designer, Bob Sorrell, passed in 2003, they replicated a car that no longer existed. The original SR-200 raced twice at the Riverside Raceway, once in 1961, then again at a Cal Club race in 1962, where it was destroyed by fire in a crash. Unable to extinguish the fire, which has spread to the magnesium wheels, a skip-loader was brought in and the car was buried where it sat, at Turn 1. Everyone, including the Larkin brothers, believed to this day that the car still lie buried under what is now condos.
Since it took almost ten years for the Larkin brothers to finish this project, advancing age and health issues evolved which prevented the brothers from going racing with their SR-200. In late 2013, Mike Larkin sold the project to Wes Abendroth. Wes has been racing and restoring specials for over twenty years and, after working on the Sorrell for three months, he was able to put it in the proper livery for vintage racing.
This car was accepted to the 2014 Monterey Historic Races and The Coronado Speed Festival with the driving duties given to Wes' good friend, Bill Sadler, then 83 years of age: he was one of the oldest living drivers currently competing in sanctioned events.
AS ALWAYS....COMMENTS & INVITATIONS with AWARD BANNERS will be respectfully DELETED!
1960 Patriotic Racer
Bob Sorrell was an automotive designer and builder of the 1950s. His work includes building land speed racers, show cars, drag racers, hot rods, customs, and tether cars. His fiberglass creations were outrageous and memorable, the earliest being the SR-100 roadster. It was a Sorrell original design that was unique and creative with its unified fender-to-body expression and envelope-design.
The Sorrell-Larkin SR-200 began life as a Lister-Chevrolet. In 1960 it was involved in a tragic accident at the Los Angeles Times Grand Prix at Riverside. The wreckage was acquired by Bob Sorrell and had it brought back to his shop, where he and Jim Larkin shared space. The car required extensive modifications to the frame and many other mechanical components. A fiberglass body finished in patriotic colors was carefully and expertly crafted, and based on past Sorrell designs (the SR-100).
It was involved in another crash at Riverside in 1962, close to where the Lister had come to a rest in 1960. This time, an extensive fire transformed the wreckage into ash. The car was totally destroyed. The blaze was so intense that track workers had to use a skid loader to cover the flaming wreckage in dirt. This SR-200 was reincarnated by the original builders, Mike and Jim Larkin, who used the original models and technology they developed back in the late 1950s. After the original designer, Bob Sorrell, passed in 2003, they replicated a car that no longer existed. The original SR-200 raced twice at the Riverside Raceway, once in 1961, then again at a Cal Club race in 1962, where it was destroyed by fire in a crash. Unable to extinguish the fire, which has spread to the magnesium wheels, a skip-loader was brought in and the car was buried where it sat, at Turn 1. Everyone, including the Larkin brothers, believed to this day that the car still lie buried under what is now condos.
Since it took almost ten years for the Larkin brothers to finish this project, advancing age and health issues evolved which prevented the brothers from going racing with their SR-200. In late 2013, Mike Larkin sold the project to Wes Abendroth. Wes has been racing and restoring specials for over twenty years and, after working on the Sorrell for three months, he was able to put it in the proper livery for vintage racing.
This car was accepted to the 2014 Monterey Historic Races and The Coronado Speed Festival with the driving duties given to Wes' good friend, Bill Sadler, then 83 years of age: he was one of the oldest living drivers currently competing in sanctioned events.
AS ALWAYS....COMMENTS & INVITATIONS with AWARD BANNERS will be respectfully DELETED!