If you love a good racing story that takes interesting people, a weird car, and a big payoff, this is the one for you. This is the story of Bob Osiecki and Art Malone taking on the scariest speed record in the world circa 1961. The world’s close course speed record was 177mph and Bill France had a problem. He had built Daytona in 1959 to be the fastest racetrack in the world. At the time of our story it was considered the most dangerous race track in the world after two prominent racers were killed on its high bankings while making relentless speed.

France tackled this problem in the same way he tackled all others. He got creative. France decided that someone needed to go 180mph around Daytona and when they did it he would pay $10,000 which is about $90,000 in today’s money. The allure of the fame and the money was not lost on the world.

Bon Osiecki decided to tackle this challenge. The drag strip owner, drag racing sanctioning body operator, and semi-trained engineer got his hands on an old Indy car, had Isky build him a blower engine, and then went through some drivers before he hit pay dirt.

This is the story of balls, smarts, aerodynamics, and glory. This is the story about how the wrong guys with the wrong car made history in 1961.

(Here’s a couple options to listen…you can hit the first like to hear it on iTunes or watch the YouTube version right below it on this page!)

Hit the image below to listen to the Dork-O-Motive podcast on this wild story!