Published: September 27, 2006 09:46 pm         

Racing enthusiast opens private collection to raise money for Breast Cancer Foundation

TERRE HAUTE — Donald E. Smith has a passion for racing and hopes his private collection of racing machines, automobiles and memorabilia can help raise money to find a cure for breast cancer.

The lifelong racing enthusiast is opening his private collection for viewing Oct. 7 to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

It is the first time his collection of open-wheeled race cars, sprint cars and champion cars has been opened to the public.

The collection also contains several cars Smith has owned through the years, including Corvettes, Lincolns, E type Jaguars, Volkswagen Beetles and even a 1994 Mustang Cobra. “That’s never been driven,” Smith said, pointing to the plastic wrap still around the car’s windows.

Race cars include a 1982 Indy car driven by Roberto Guerrero, as well as Rick Mears’ Penske Indy car and a car driven by Jim McElreath. There’s also a car driven by Johnny Rutherford.

“I hope people will enjoy it and know that it is for a worthwhile cause,” Smith said, as money raised will go to fund breast cancer research and provide financial assistance for those who need mammograms and treatments. The Wabash Valley’s 10th annual Race for the Cure is Oct. 14 at St. Mary-of-the-Woods College.

The collection is a lifelong endeavor for Smith.

“I have cars mainly because of the drivers that drove them and of course, at the Action Track where I started. We had many of the Indy 500 drivers that drove at Terre Haute’s Action Track, such as A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti and Jim Hurtubise,” Smith said.

Smith’s collection also includes a few unique cars such as a Delorean, a car built from 1981 to 1983 with a brushed stainless steel body and gull-wing doors. Between 8,500 and 9,000 of the cars were built.

Also, a Weitz X600, a prototype automobile built in 1980 by Derry Mallaieu for John Weitz, an American intelligence officer during World War II, as well as writer, historian and fashion designer. There’s also a Bricklin, based on a Camaro body, built in Canada from 1974 to 1976. About 2,875 of those cars were built.

“The problem with that Bricklin car is the doors – which open out like the Delorean – but were all electric, so if your battery went out, you couldn’t open the doors,” Smith said.

Smith’s first car purchase was a 1927 Ford Model T.

“I bought it for $100 and had it refurbished,” he said. His collection also includes a Model T fire engine and a Studebaker coupe. He even owns a horse-drawn sleigh.

Smith, chairman of the board of First Financial Corp., also has an extensive collection from a former racing team he co-founded.

Smith and Chapman S. Root started Sumar racing, which raced from 1953 to 1960. The name Sumar is a combination of the first name of Root’s wife, Sue, and Smith’s wife, Mary.

Nearly every nook and space of each of five buildings on Smith’s property is filled with sports memorabilia and racing machines.

There’s also racing banners, models of racing cars, life-size cardboard cutouts of famous racers and some famous sports stars, such as former Indiana State University and Boston Celtic star Larry Bird. Other items include a helmet worn by Sam Hornish Jr., winner of the 2006 Indianapolis 500, and a complete Offenhauser engine.

The buildings also contain thousands of photographs, both small and large. One photo shows Anton “Tony” Hulman Sr., son of Herman Hulman who started Hulman & Co., standing next to Clark Gable, Jack Benny and Barbara Stanwyck. Cable and Stanwyck were at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to make the 1950 film, “To Please a Lady.”

There’s also the last photograph taken of Tony Hulman Jr. on May 28, 1978 in a corvette at the 62nd Annual Indianapolis 500. “Tony died about several weeks after that was taken,” Smith said.

Smith and Hulman are related. Tony Hulman’s mother was Smith’s great-aunt. “She’s my grandfather’s sister,” he said.

Smith’s collecting is not finished.

A museum for open-wheel racing is being planned along Ohio Street in the former Loeser building, possibly opening within a year. “My grandsons are doing that. It is shaping up and we have some nice cars. That will be a museum on a donation deal, where if you want to pay, the money would go to a charity. We can change the cars out from the collection” that are on the farm in southern Vigo County, Smith said.

Howard Greninger can be reached at (812) 231-4204 or howard.greninger@tribstar.com.