Remembering A.J. Watson

The 1955 John Zink crew shot with winner “500” Bob Sweikert. [Photo courtesy of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway]

A.J. Watson passed away today at the age 90. In fact he had just passed the 90 threshold four days ago. Born in Mansfield, Ohio, Watson later relocated to southern California after World War II and got his start in racing on the the popular hot rod circuit. Watson was one of the most respected car builder and chief mechanic on the AAA/USAC/CART circuit from 1949 through 1984, his innovative front-engine “roadsters” won the prestigious Indianapolis 500 race six times. After his first win at the “Speedway” in 1955 with driver Bob Sweikert he purchased a house located a little over a mile away on Crawfordsville Road, a home he lived in until he passed.

It was his time with car owner John Zink (1955-1958) where A.J.’s stock really started to rise, winning the “500” the following year with Pat Flaherty. However Zink wasn’t too happy when Watson started to sell his “roadsters” to other teams. Splitting with Zink after the ’58 season, he teamed with Milwaukee businessman Bob Wilke and his new Leader Card Racers team. The Leader Card team was later known as the “Three W’s” (Wilke, Ward and Watson) and was the dominate race team from 1959-1963. Watson’s cars dominated the “500” and the USAC circuit through 1964 winning the “500” twice with Rodger Ward and his built cars winning the race with Jim Rathmann, Parnelli Jones and A.J. Foyt as well as several National Championships.

He continued to work with Leader Card Racers in the CART-era into the early 1990’s. Soft-spoken and not one to seek the limelight, Watson had a humorous side and would love to tease friends. When I see that sly smile, I think of the time he stuck the huge four-cam Ford engine in one of his roadsters. Probably because someone said he couldn’t? And of course because A.J. did it, it looked damn good too. He built 23 of his “roadsters” those vintage race cars are some of the most sought and valuable cars when they’re available.

Legendary A.J. Foyt remembered Watson, “I was very good friends with A.J. Watson and his wife Joyce. He picked me up to drive his sprint car years back. We worked right there at his house, took the 220 Offy and built the Chevrolet. He was a pioneer. He came out against Kurtis and built the Watson roadster and I was lucky enough to win with it. In his day right here at the Indy 500, there was nobody that was going to beat the three W’s: Watson, Wilke and Ward. “It’s hard to believe he’s gone. I’m just glad I was able to go see him on his 90th birthday [May 8]. We did talk about old times. He had a picture of me and him with his sprint car on the wall and I teased him, ‘A.J. were we ever that young?’ He said, ‘It’s hard to believe, isn’t it?’”

I remember walking through the pits before one of the last CART races at Milwaukee with the Leader Card team participating and chatting with A.J. before the race. As a neophyte writer I was thrilled being on the ‘other side of the fence’ and chatting with a legend.

About eight years ago (thanks to Mike O’Leary) we arranged a tour of A.J. Watson’s garages. The group met at A.J.’s on Crawfordville Road and gathered in his garage gazing at his memorabilia and our course some intriguing bench racing commenced. We then went to our cars and surprisingly A.J. went to mine, so next thing I know I’m driving around A.J. in Speedway, IN. A.J. was having some foot problems and had received a brace to aid him with his walking. It wasn’t working as well as he liked, so he showed me the modifications he made to it, including some serious metal work. A true mechanic and craftsman. Had a nice morning chatting with him as well as the small but knowledgeable group that was with us. One morning I’ll never forget. My dad had mentioned that almost forty years prior, he had gathered in the same garage (on Crawfordsville Road) and was chatting with A.J., Herk, Mel Kenyon and several others. It was always a pleasure seeing A.J. at the annual Miller Vintage Indy Car Meet at the Milwaukee Mile too. A true member of IndyCar royalty, A.J. will be missed.

Watson is a inductee in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1993, Motorsports Hall of Fame of America and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame.

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