During the resent HSR Fall Historics at Road Atlanta, the 1956 Crown school bus you see in the lead image above completely rewrote the record books at the historic road course and we have the video to prove it. Ok, maybe these aren’t the records you were expecting but the 6:01 minute lap is a new bus record for the facility and the fact that there were nearly 30 hearty souls aboard for the adventure is also the largest number of people ever taken around the place in a single vehicle! History, baby! The bus is owned by Lucky Dog Racing and it was driven by Jerry Peters.
If we have to critique one thing it is the fact that Peters may have missed the apex on turn five in the bus, but we suspect he could clean up his line when he came around the track the next time. The iconic Crown school bus line went into production in 1949 after the company began to adapt their coach bus for schools to use. In 1954 diesel engines became an option and we’re not sure what model of oil burner this one has but we’re guessing a Cummins NHH or a Detroit Deisel 4 or 6/53. They actually made a version of this thing that fit 97 kids on it! That was the biggest capacity school bus ever built but this is not one of those.
Using unibody construction and the awesome rounded shape, you can still find these things (with modernized engine combos) running around. Their look did not really change for decades so a 1978 model kind of looks like a 1948 model. We’re actually good with that.
Sometimes racing is about fun and this is one of those times. Check out the classic bus on the road course at Road Atlanta. These people got one heck of a fun tour!
Watch vintage bus trundle through turn 5 at Road Atlanta
Driver needs to get his hand off the horn, and foot on the gas. Damn, hardly any exciting body roll.
Actually the horn button is on the floor and I was afraid to up shift going up turn five for fear of not making it , the one that we drove back from California had an Allison gearbox and was much easier
I keep telling myself , I’ve raced cars for 30 years surely I can shift this bus , some little old lady did it for 40 years
Definitely a Detroit diesel in there. Most likely a 6-71…
Yes a Detroit 671 , we rebuilt the other one including the turbo AND supercharger
California has outlawed these buses and has crushed thousands , we rescued some , I hate to tell you how much Rotella we used from California to Road Atlanta
But loved Rt 66 for awhile