Nomex hood worn by Indy car driver John Mahler during the 1979-1980 season

Nomex hood worn by Indy car driver John Mahler during the 1979-1980 season

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Description (Brief)
Nomex hood worn by Indy car driver John Mahler during the 1979-1980 season. The nomex hood is white with a face opening with reinforced stitching and is to be worn under the driver's helmet. Mahler was a driver for Leonard W. Miller's Vanguard Racing, Inc. in 1972 and a team mate to Vanguard's African American driver, Benny Scott. Mahler, a white driver, competed in the 1972 Indianapolis 500 as the driver for Vanguard Inc. making Vanguard the first African American owned team to enter a car in the Indianapolis 500. Vanguard Racing Inc. would reorganize as Black American Racers Inc., an African American auto racing team founded in 1973 by Leonard W. Miller, Wendell Scott, Ron Hines and Malcolm Durham, who were members of the Black American Racers Association (BARA). The goal of BARA was to organize African-American drivers, mechanics, engineers, crew members and owners in stock car, open wheel and drag racing, and pave the way for greater success for African Americans in motor sports.
Location
Currently not on view
Object Name
nomex hood
user
Mahler, John
Physical Description
fabric, cotton (overall material)
fabric, nomex (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 16 1/2 in x 8 in; 41.91 cm x 20.32 cm
ID Number
2016.0353.04.1
accession number
2016.0353
catalog number
2016.0353.04.1
subject
auto racing
Professional
African American
See more items in
Culture and the Arts: Sport and Leisure
Sports & Leisure
Data Source
National Museum of American History
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