Chuck Daigh, voted ‘Fastest U.S. race driver of 1960” by Road & Track, always considered himself a mechanic first and foremost, but invitations to race were welcome. (Bob D’Olivo)
Story by Willem Oosthoek
In the annals of motor racing history, the name Chuck Daigh will always be linked to that of the Scarab, the first U.S. built sportsracer to beat the best that Europe had to offer. Multi-talented, Daigh excelled as a race driver, an engine builder and all-round chief mechanic. In fact, he saw himself more as a race mechanic than a driver. In a 2000 interview Chuck mentioned: “I always got a lot more thrill out of working on a car, putting it together and seeing it work. I used to get bored sometimes during a race. I’d much rather chase somebody, but I would get in front and just fiddle around.”