Don Edmunds was a
racer with many talents who parlayed a midget driving career
into an Indianapolis 500 ride. His one appearance at
Indianapolis earned him the 1957 “Rookie of the Year” against
such drivers as Eddie Sachs, Bill Cheesbourg, Elmer George and
Mike Magill; however, it was midget racing that gave him a
life-time career in auto racing.
Edmunds was known
for his body work after replacing the Kurtis nose on his first
midget with one of his own design. Hired by Indy car builder,
Eddie Kuzma, one of his first jobs was to pound out the dent
in Jimmy Bryan’s car after the 500 champion had showed his
displeasure in the car’s failure with a swift kick.
Edmunds became a car builder specializing in midgets and
sprint cars with his Don Edmunds Autoresearch shop in Anaheim,
California. Edmunds chassis won several National Championships
in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Don also became a collector and restorer of old race cars,
helping preserve the history of the great sport.
