Bob Harris

drove the Campbell Special in 1961-62.  This was one of the first successful Chevy V8 powered mid-engined sports/racing cars.  Harris qualified for the 1961 Riverside GP, drove conservatively, and finished the race.

On September 3rd, 1962, Harris crashed at the modified Santa Barbara airport circuit.  As today's kids would say -- he got "major air" in a spectacular flying, spinning rollover.

The car was rebuilt by Campbell and raced in 1963 by Jim Parkinson.  Where is this very significant car today?

8-22-05:  The Campbell Special, owned, restored, and driven, by Tom Mittler re-appeared at the 2005 Monterey Historics!
 

Harris at Riverside.  Judging from subsequent performance, he could have challenged the leaders.

Note "long tail" configuration in this photo and below.  When the car appeared for the 1962 season the tail was chopped short.


 
Stirling Moss in the Lotus Mk.19 passes Harris in Turn 6 during the 1961 L.A. Times Grand Prix" at Riverside.

 
Bill Campbell (leaning on roll bar) talks to Harris (sunglasses) and another at Riverside in March, 1962.  The big man in the blue hat could be Dan Blocker, "Hoss" on TV's "Bonanza" series.

Blocker was a sponsor and crew member with the Campbell effort.  He later created the "Vinegaroon" team that first raced the ex-Bill Krause Elva Mk.6-Maserati and then a very potent Genie-Chevy.

Can anyone identify any others here?

Website visitor Jim Hawes identifies the man in the blue shirt as Santee creator Fred Puhn.

At this legendary Riverside event Harris dueled Dave MacDonald in his  "00" Special for the lead in one of Riverside's most famous battles.  The two traded the lead frequently and lapped quickly enough to have been competitive in the 1961 Riverside GP a few months earlier.

MacDonald won when Harris lost fuel pressure.

Below is a description of Harris's hairy flying Santa Barbara accident:
 

(10-19-08)  From website visitor Doug Lashley:

"I was 15 years old in September of 1962 at the Santa Barbara Road Races with my 14 year old brother. We were sitting at the edge of the picket/crowd control fence just north of the Turn One grandstands. 

I was looking down towards Turn Two when I heard this loud screeching of tires.  I turned to look and saw the Campbell Special sliding sideways into the ditch that ran out from under the culvert just past turn one. The car went airborne and there was so much dust and dirt flying..............I was looking up and could see the driver hanging by his seat belts and his arms seemed to be grabbing for the steering wheel. The car landed with a loud thud not more then 8 feet in front of us. The driver was trapped underneath and struggling to get out. The car's radiator was hissing and steaming. 

Course workers were at the crash scene in no time and it seemed like it was about six guys that turned the car over and got the driver out. The event was so startling that to this day, 46 years later, I remember it as if it happened yesterday. 

I have some fond memories of the Santa Barbara Road Races; Dave McDonald and Ken Miles driving their Cobras; the Washburn Cheverolet #614 Corvettes; the first XKE Jag and the Lance Reventlow Scarab and Old Yeller. Dangerous times to race but exciting for a kid."

New!   (1-14-09)   Photos From Bob Harris's Personal Collection!

Link!  Harris leading at Stockton in April, 1962.

New! More Campbell Special photos!

Video!  See the Campbell Special in action at Santa Barbara in May, 1962.
 

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All photographs and text are the property of Tam McPartland and are protected under United States and international copyright laws.  All rights are reserved and the images and/or text may not be digitized, reproduced, stored, manipulated, and/or incorporated into other works without the written permission of the photographer, Tam McPartland