Ray and others,
There were multiple reasons why Carl Kiekhaefer stopped
racing.
1. His ongoing fights with NASCAR officials, much of
which was instigated by his own personality. I say CK's fault here
because no CK sponsored car or boat in any race was EVER found to have broken a
rule.
2. The death of another team's driver where the
mistaken perception was that a CK driver had intentionally caused it or been
instructed to "take him out'.
3. The public had become tired of CK's huge money
and expensive Chryslers dominating the small cars and small teams. We used
to like to see the little guy win once in a while.
4. The IRS had told Kiekhaefer that he could not
continue to write off auto racing expenses as advertising for boating outboard
motors.
5. Those expenses were escalating as well as auto
racing being a drain on time and talent and monetary resources of Mercury
Outboards.
6. The '57 NASCAR ruling outlawing multiple
carburetion - those hemis like to breathe!
7. The '57 Chrysler and Dodge could not be fitted
with large enough rear wheels and tires within the wheel wells and under NASCAR
rules.
Wayne
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