
Augie Pabst in the Comet C-3 at Road America in September 1957, where he completed in the inaugural RA 500, driving with owner Glen Glendening. Photo Glen Glendening.
By Pete Vack
VeloceToday is often about connections, for ours is a small but happy world. The recent publication of the new Dalton Watson book, Augie Pabst, Behind the Wheel reminded the Editor that a friend here in Williamsburg, Dave Rex, had a once owned a fiberglass special called the Comet. While reading Bob Birmingham’s excellent book, a photo appeared of Pabst in a fiberglass special called the Comet and activated the aging synapses. Sure enough, as a quick email to Dave confirmed, it was the same car. Concurrently, the Editor went through his photo library, and found that he also had his own minor link to Pabst, which is recounted below.
Dave’s connection

“The man in the Comet is Bill Rice and behind him is Andy Rosenberger. Bill was Augie’s first crew member from the start in a TR3, through the AC Bristol and the Ferrari Testa Rossa. Rosenberger was among the earliest top notch racers in the Mid-West.”-Bob Birmingham. Photo courtesy Bill Rice and the photo passed to Dave Rex when he purchased the Comet.
Like Augie Pabst, Dave Rex was also involved racing at Elkhart Lake. In 1966, Rex bought a 1964 Corvette from an insurance salvage company and built it into a competitive race car. In his first wheel-to-wheel race in this car Dave Rex butted heads with Tony DeLorenzo, famed for his ultra fast L-88 Vette. In 1968 Rex won the B Production Class at the Road America June Sprints.

Road America was the home track for both Dave Rex and Augie Pabst. Rex’s Corvette pictured here at the Road America Badger 200, July 1967. Photo courtesy Dave Rex.
So Rex was not only familiar with the Pabst legend but obviously very familiar with Road America. When the Comet C-3 became available, he went for it. “Ten years ago fellow vintage racer, Dennis Shoff, and I were pleased to discover the Comet at a race shop at Virginia International Raceway. We liked the idea of an American Special with a Corvette engine, 4 speed transmission, Glasspar body and lots of documented race history”
Dave Rex, however, is six foot two. “What we didn’t realize was the body had 7″ cut from the doors to shorted it enough to fit on the MG TD chassis. A tight fit for me! When we took the Comet to the Amelia Island Concours we had a crowd around the car all day including famous race drivers who where very interested in the car.”
Alain Rueede now has custody of the Comet. He sent us an update on the car. Wrote Alain, “The Comet in its actual condition (with period correct exhaust system with the old style small bomber-seat that was covered with the original leather of the Porsche seat and a reproduced but correct steering wheel.”
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BOOK SIGNING Augie Pabst: Behind the Wheel 11:00 a.m. Friday, May 13th Augie Pabst will attend a book signing 11:00 a.m. at the Elkhart Lake Road America Paddock Shop. Books will be available for purchase.
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The Editor’s connection
Dave Rex both and I are originally from the Midwest and both of us spent a good bit of time at Road America, where I too, found a connection to Augie Pabst. I was lucky enough to see Harry Heuer and Pabst race the all-conquering Meister Bräuser Scarabs at Elkhart Lake. My father took this shot of both cars next to the 18 wheel transporter, which was one of the first such to be used exclusively to transport race cars. Pabst drove number 1 to victory on that Saturday June 19th, 1960.
A similar team of Chevy engined race cars were made on a shoestring but nevertheless often gave the Scarabs a good run. John Staver was from our hometown of Virginia, Minnesota and led this team of Devin bodied Echidnas also seen at RA that year.
Dick van der Feen gave the Staver team their due in a detailed article entitled “Three Who Thought Things Through” (John Staver, Ed Grierson and Bill Larson) in Sports Cars Illustrated. There was an Italian connection as well. John’s father Byron was the lucky guy who found the Costin-designed 450s Maserati coupe and had it set up for the street.

The Costin designed Zagato built 450S Maserati shortly after being made street legal by Byron Staver. Photographer unknown.
Again making the trip to Road America in 1963, we watched a different Pabst as he struggled with the Mecom Lotus 19. His old teammate Harry Heuer, now in the Meister Bräuser Chaparral 1 easily won the main event.

In 1963 Pabst was no longer driving for Heuer but handling a Lotus 19 for Mecum. Here at RA on June 23 1963 his Lotus 19 gets ready for the track. He retired the Lotus during the event. Photo by Don Vack.
Meanwhile, his ex-teammate Harry Heuer went on to win the main the Chapparral 1 (the last stand of the front engined sports racers.) Having been too successful, audiences were getting confused about which beer company was doing the winning, Pabst or the Peter Hand Brewery. Headlines like “Pabst Wins Blue Ribbon” didn’t go down well with board at the Peter Hand Brewery who was funding the Meister Bräuser racing effort, and Augie left the team at the end of 1960.

Harry Heuer with Chaparral 1 talks to fans at RA in 1963. Heuer would win the main. Standing with Heuer in front of the transporter wearing a fedora is Harry’s dad, who was Chairman of the Peter Hand Brewery. Photo by Don Vack.
On the other side of the transporter we found another nice item. The price and parking meant that it was probably owned by someone in the team, maybe Heuer himself. I do recall seeing the painted cracked and lifted on the hood air intake, possible as a result of a carb fire. An Italian mis-connection?
I was lucky enough to be present when my friend Dave Rex purchased the Comet at VIR.
After transporting it to the engine builder in Columbia,SC .I was reunited again with the Comet at Road America and Amelia Island.
Now it is in good hands with Alain Ruede in Switzerland.
George Kater
Williamsburg,Va
Please bear in mind that this book on Augie Pabst was largely written by me. While Bob Birmingham started the project and contributed a lot to it, Dalton Watson books hired me to rewrite the copy to make it publishable. Hence, approximately 70% of the copy was written by me.
Really a good story about the Comet
In my youth, I lived in Chicago for a period of time 1960-61. I was privileged to work a corner at “Meadowdale” road track in that area. The “MeisterBrowsers” team was running with a great deal of showmanship with the second-hand Chevy powered “specials”, bought from Lance Reventlow. The beauty of these cars, with the thunderous noise was impressive to stay the least. Angie Pabst was driving the lead car. I was driving ‘hopped up’ Renault. Its good to be the heir to a beer fortune.