This ’57 Ford was driven by Fireball when it was owned by Depaolo Engineering. The last race Fireball ran for the factory team was at Lancaster, Pa., June 1, 1957. In this race, he qualified 2nd and had a 14th place finish. Pete Depaolo gave each of his drivers their own race car and a truck to haul it, after their last race as a team. 

TOP FINISHES IN ’57 FOR DEPAOLO ENGINEERING:

      15 starts

       5 wins

       3 pose positions

       5 top 5 finishes

       7 top 10 finishes 

TOP FINISHES IN ’57 WITH FIREBALL LISTED AS CAR OWNER: 

      June 15, Newport, Tenn., won race, started in 5th position 

      August 4, Watkins Glen, N.Y., 2nd place finish, started in 6th position 

      October 5, Charlotte, N.C., 2nd place finish, started in 6th position 

      October 20, N. Wilkesboro, N.C., qualified on the pole, came in 22nd

      after crash in the north turn on lap 61. He led every lap prior. 

Tom Kitchen, of Wesley Chapel, Florida, was working on this replica when I met him in Dawsonville, Ga., while we were at the Moonshine Festival there in October, 2004. Tom has taken the car to many events since then that we have attended. He is like a member of our family now.