The Shannon Brothers owned a very
successful Buick dealership in Dayton, Ohio and both possessed
a love for auto racing.
In 1956 they sponsored and owned the Indianapolis 500
Mile Race car which was driven to 17th place by Duke Dinsmore.
With the high cost of
Championship racing, they decided that midget racing might be
more economical as well as more rewarding.
The team hired Bob Higman to maintain and tow the race car and
they became two of the most victorious car owners in USAC
history. The Shannon Brothers midgets have won 45 USAC Midget
feature races and set many track records with an assortment of
drivers. They were runners-up in the Owner Points on three
occasions before capturing the crown in 1972 with Larry Rice
at the wheel.
Sam Sessions drove their car to victory in the prestigious
“Turkey Night” race in 1968 (the last year it was 150 laps).
Other top drivers who wore the Shannon colors include Gene
Force, Bob Wente, and Pancho Carter.
