by Jeff Caldwell
In the first half of auto racing’s first century,the race car’s were almost as well known as the driver’s themselves. Locally,here in the Lakehead during the 1920 & 30’s the "Kings Special" was the “star“ car of the CLE and Murillo track’s. Built by brother’s Arthur and Arnold King in a chicken coup at their home on Algonquin St. in Port Arthur ,it was a true state of the art speed machine in its day. Based on a Ford Model T frame ,the car was narrowed to a width of 14”, sported a trick set of Dayton race wheel's ,featured an overhead camshaft cylinder head built by Robert Roof of Indiana. Roof head’s were affordable and worked very well. The car also featured twin Winfield carburetors ,a Scintilla high tension magneto ,full pressure lubrication ,worm gear steering , a geared water pump ,and a counter balanced crankshaft.
Art King started and ended his racing career the same day at Murillo in 1924,a rough rollover introduction convinced Art that he really didn't want to be a race driver and he could be content as an owner and mechanic. King replaced himself first with Ernie Boffa and Pat Bryan spending time behind the wheel, before settling on Frank Colosimo as the permanent driver. Colosimo was already an established winner, winning race’s at the CLE and Murillo ,as well as in Winnipeg in George Dolcetti’s Essex. The legend of the Kings Special and driver Frank Colosimo would grow with each race win. A colorful figure ,Colosimo would drive in front of the grandstand waving money at the crowd daring them to bet against him, Colosimo would usually disappoint those that did bet against him and please those that betted on him to win. The 1920’s racing would often feature “match races” to answer a challenge, each driver would put up the money with the local sports editor usually holding the bet. Sometimes these bet’s were anything but small change ,usually $50 or $100 but also as high as $500 and $1000,that is how much today? Race’s were usually on holiday weekend’s though the 1921 match race for $1000 between Colosimo in the Essex and Cunningham in his Ford was run on November 12 with snow flurries threatening the race. After winning that race Colosimo planned to retire from the local track's ,and venture out east to race though those plans didn’t fall into place. Colosimo, would win the lion's share of races he'd run ,but also had some bad race’s too ,such as the day he charged the corner too hard and took out the ticket office. Art King would claim Colosimo only lost two race’s in seven year’s ,from 1925 to 1931 behind the wheel of the “Kings Special“. Upon retiring as a driver in 1931 ,Colosimo became the flagman ,then coming out of retirement for one race in October 1933 and year's later played host to the founding meeting in August 1952 of the Lakehead Stock Car Club at Uncle Frank’s Supper Club on Hwy 61.
The racing career of the Kings Special speedster ended in the mid/late 1930’s. The Kings Special was traded in on a new car then sold and passed through several hands.Red Marsonet owned the car after WWII, dismantling it, keeping the motor and speed parts. He sold the body/chassis to someone in Murillo,then it moved on to someone in Rosslyn. The car was last known to be owned by local racing legend Barry Kettering in a different form, powered by a regular T Ford motor, in 1950 he would informally race it against another 1920’s race car, “The Hudson“, then owned by Tom Dow. While the fate of the “Kings Special” remain’s a mystery,an important piece of it has survived the years. The motor and transmission were obtained in trade for a Model T touring car in running condition ,by Alan Cronk of Wyoming ON. A “T” frame was obtained from Russ Wanzuk in Murillo ,and a re-creation of the Kings Special has been completed. Meticulous research to ensure accuracy was conducted, and the result’s are beautiful and a piece of the Lakehead’s racing history has been resurrected. The new “Kings Special” was on display in the Paipoonge museum located at the former Rosslyn Village school for the summer,and has now been moved to Thunder Bay International Airport,where it will be over the winter. It is well worth the short drive to see this unique gem from our past.
Art King started and ended his racing career the same day at Murillo in 1924,a rough rollover introduction convinced Art that he really didn't want to be a race driver and he could be content as an owner and mechanic. King replaced himself first with Ernie Boffa and Pat Bryan spending time behind the wheel, before settling on Frank Colosimo as the permanent driver. Colosimo was already an established winner, winning race’s at the CLE and Murillo ,as well as in Winnipeg in George Dolcetti’s Essex. The legend of the Kings Special and driver Frank Colosimo would grow with each race win. A colorful figure ,Colosimo would drive in front of the grandstand waving money at the crowd daring them to bet against him, Colosimo would usually disappoint those that did bet against him and please those that betted on him to win. The 1920’s racing would often feature “match races” to answer a challenge, each driver would put up the money with the local sports editor usually holding the bet. Sometimes these bet’s were anything but small change ,usually $50 or $100 but also as high as $500 and $1000,that is how much today? Race’s were usually on holiday weekend’s though the 1921 match race for $1000 between Colosimo in the Essex and Cunningham in his Ford was run on November 12 with snow flurries threatening the race. After winning that race Colosimo planned to retire from the local track's ,and venture out east to race though those plans didn’t fall into place. Colosimo, would win the lion's share of races he'd run ,but also had some bad race’s too ,such as the day he charged the corner too hard and took out the ticket office. Art King would claim Colosimo only lost two race’s in seven year’s ,from 1925 to 1931 behind the wheel of the “Kings Special“. Upon retiring as a driver in 1931 ,Colosimo became the flagman ,then coming out of retirement for one race in October 1933 and year's later played host to the founding meeting in August 1952 of the Lakehead Stock Car Club at Uncle Frank’s Supper Club on Hwy 61.
The racing career of the Kings Special speedster ended in the mid/late 1930’s. The Kings Special was traded in on a new car then sold and passed through several hands.Red Marsonet owned the car after WWII, dismantling it, keeping the motor and speed parts. He sold the body/chassis to someone in Murillo,then it moved on to someone in Rosslyn. The car was last known to be owned by local racing legend Barry Kettering in a different form, powered by a regular T Ford motor, in 1950 he would informally race it against another 1920’s race car, “The Hudson“, then owned by Tom Dow. While the fate of the “Kings Special” remain’s a mystery,an important piece of it has survived the years. The motor and transmission were obtained in trade for a Model T touring car in running condition ,by Alan Cronk of Wyoming ON. A “T” frame was obtained from Russ Wanzuk in Murillo ,and a re-creation of the Kings Special has been completed. Meticulous research to ensure accuracy was conducted, and the result’s are beautiful and a piece of the Lakehead’s racing history has been resurrected. The new “Kings Special” was on display in the Paipoonge museum located at the former Rosslyn Village school for the summer,and has now been moved to Thunder Bay International Airport,where it will be over the winter. It is well worth the short drive to see this unique gem from our past.
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