1938 Maserati 8C.T.F. "Boyle Special" Takes 75th Anniversary Lap at Indianapolis 500

Historic Vehicle Association and U.S. Department of the Interior to Document Historic Indy Race Car

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May 25, 2014, 01:44 ET

INDIANAPOLIS, May 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Historic Vehicle Association (HVA) www.historicvehicle.org announced today that the 1938 Maserati 8C.T.F. (serial number 3032) will become the first foreign manufactured automobile to be recorded under the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Heritage Documentation. The documentation will be part of the HVA's National Historic Vehicle Register and Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) that is permanently archived in the Library of Congress. The HVA and the U.S. Department of the Interior are collaborating to document historically significant automobiles.

1938 Maserati 8C.T.F. with Johnny Rutherford behind the wheel. Photo by: Historic Vehicle Association (PRNewsFoto/Historic Vehicle Association)

The Maserati 8C.T.F. Boyle Special was driven to victory by Wilber Shaw in the world famous Indianapolis 500 race in 1939 and 1940. Shaw's consecutive wins were the first in Indy's history and he was well on his way to yet another victory in 1941 when a wire wheel collapsed while he was leading at the three-quarter mark. The Maserati was one of the most successful race cars in the history of the Indianapolis 500 where it went on to race from 1946 to 1949 and again in 1951. Wilbur Shaw is regarded as one of the greatest American race car drivers of all time. The race car was under the professional care of Harry W. "Cotton" Henning, considered the dean of all Indianapolis race mechanics.

Michael Boyle was the owner of the Maserati 8C.T.F. 3032 and the Boyle Racing Headquarters Team when Shaw raced in the Indianapolis 500 in 1939, 1940 and 1941.

"The Maserati 8C.T.F. Boyle Special is among the most historically significant race cars in America. Its historic significance is based on its association with important events and persons; its construction and design value as one of the most competitive and successful open wheel race car designs; and informational value as one of the few race cars from the period that retains much of its original materials, components and craftsmanship," said Mark Gessler, President of the Historic Vehicle Association.

"Having the Maserati 8C.T.F. Boyle Special to be included in the permanent archives of the Library of Congress is a great honor, particularly when Maserati is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2014," said Peter Grady, Maserati's North American President and CEO. "The recognition of the 75th anniversary of its first victory at Indy pays homage to our roots as a maker of successful race cars." www.maserati.us

"The Maserati 8C.T.F. 3032 is a great example of a vehicle that epitomizes America's rich automotive heritage," said Richard O'Connor, Chief, Heritage Documentation Programs, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. "It is only fitting that the Boyle Special will be recognized at the Indianapolis 500 this year as it celebrates its 75th anniversary of winning the race in 1939."

Over the coming year, the HVA will focus its efforts on documenting additional vehicles and continue to work with the U.S. Department of the Interior to support future public submissions. The documentation process includes: (i) a fully referenced narrative and description of the vehicle; (ii) technical drawings of important elements of the vehicle; and (iii) detailed photographs and film negatives for permanent archival in the Library of Congress. These standards for documentation involve the same level of care that has been used to record the Statue of Liberty and the Space Shuttle. Both domestic and foreign vehicles are considered provided they have significant American history.

About the Historic Vehicle Association

The Historic Vehicle Association (HVA) was established in 2009 to celebrate and preserve American automotive heritage. The HVA engages with manufacturers, industry, events, academic institutions, museums and clubs, and with its over 360,000 members, the HVA is the world's largest historic (classic) vehicle owner organization. The HVA is the national representative for the United States and Canada within the Federation Internationale des Vehicules Anciens (FIVA), the international federation for historic vehicles. For more information, please visit www.historicvehicle.org and YouTube.com: ThisCarMattersFilms.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140523/90998

SOURCE Historic Vehicle Association (HVA)