1935 Adams-Pearson Sta-Lube Special

TGR Staff - Photos by RM Sothebys - 07/25/2023

During the Great Depression, America’s amateur and professional racing, like everything else, suffered. So instead of touring the racing circuit, racers stuck to their local tracks. The stay-at-home champions ruled their regions, collecting all the prize money and becoming local celebrities.  

The racecar owner and constructor Gil Pearson of Ocean Park, California was one of these such small lords of the stay-at-home type, and between 1935 and 1940 his Sta-Lube Special, offered here, reigned supreme across California’s Bay Area. Comprehensively restored to its 1930s racing specifications under previous ownership, the Sta-Lube Special is undoubtedly among the most successful and significant stay-at-home ARA “Big Car” racers of America’s pre-war period.

By the latter part of 1934, Pearson had already solidified his reputation as one of the most prominent racecar constructors in the Bay Area. At this juncture, his skilled team embarked on assembling the legendary Sta-Lube Special. The chassis and body paneling were crafted respectively by Clyde Adams and Frank Kurtis, both esteemed members of the Sprint Car Hall of Fame. At the heart of this formidable machine lay the revered Miller-Schofield/DO Cragar engine—an automotive gem coveted as the "holy grail." This powerplant, a rare breed with only five believed to exist, boasted a 215-cubic-inch capacity, a special crankshaft, five main bearings, and a dual-overhead-cam configuration, all complemented by a dry-sump unit.

From 1935 onwards, the Sta-Lube Special showcased its dominion over numerous tracks in the Bay Area, reigning supreme at Oakland Speedway, where its dominance was unmatched. Over a five-year span, the car celebrated more than eight victories and clinched five additional podium finishes, all under the skilled guidance of notable drivers such as Bud Rose, Tex Petersen, Hal Cole, and Louie Webb. In a time where races were often decided by mere feet or seconds, Pearson's creation shattered expectations by consistently securing triumphs with multiple laps—and minutes—ahead of its closest competitor.

Legend has it that when Pearson and the formidable car rolled into an event, fellow drivers would instinctively form impromptu alliances to devise strategies, both legitimate and otherwise, to outsmart and challenge the Sta-Lube Special's supremacy. Such was the awe-inspiring aura of this racing marvel.

After remaining in Pearson's possession for many years, the car underwent a comprehensive restoration in 1990, meticulously returning it to its late-1930s racing specifications and livery. Pete Eastwood and Steve Huntsinger skillfully carried out the restoration, with invaluable insights and documentation provided by Pearson himself. In the early 1990s, this lovingly restored masterpiece graced prestigious events such as the Santa Barbara and Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, as well as the celebrated Monterey Historics at Laguna Seca.

An exquisite relic from an audacious era in American motorsport, the Sta-Lube Special boasts not only its captivating construction and restoration but also its rare and formidable powerplant and a winning track record that only adds to its allure.

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