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This is an article written by Doug Schiller in 2008 after his visit to the Caruso Racing Museum
titled: THE WICKEY OFFYETTES"
After I ceased quarter midget racing in Mineola, NY, across the street from the court house -- I was primarily involved in the production end of the racing. I eventually left for college and fell out of touch with the racing that continued at the original venue in Mineola and later at Roosevelt Field. It was during these years that a fellow by the name of Bob Wickey purchased an Offyette for his young son, Bob Jr. It was a Model 61 with torsion bar rear suspension and hydraulic brakes. However, the tail cone reflects an earlier Model 400E, so I assume it was during the transition from that earlier model. It so happens, I found the original receipt for the sale of the car to Bob Sr. amidst the boxes of “stuff” my mother sent me. I need to dig it out to see if the car was a complete one or sold as a kit.
I need to acknowledge that I never saw the Offyette that Bob Wickey had created. In fact he bought a second Offyette, a later Model 400C with the “A” arm front suspension. He eventually had Bob Jr. drive that car and his younger sister, Mary Ellen, drove the original one. I never saw either of them. It wasn’t until the late 1980’s that I became aware of them and that was through pictures.
In the pictures, the cars were mounted on a tandem trailer and were probably at Roosevelt field. Both cars were painted a robin’s egg blue with the #1 on the original car and #2 on the later model. Both the numbers and the “Wickey Special” across the hood had been done in gold leaf. The result was two very beautiful cars. But what made these two cars special, was the degree of detail and modifications that Bob Sr. used to enhance the cars. Custom roll bars were added, hand crafted wood rimmed steering wheels replaced the original cast aluminum ones. Front radius rods were added for show as was an outside hand brake lever, ala the full size midgets. Over the years more details were added including a windshield and faux exhaust shield over the non functional cosmetic exhaust pipe. In the final years of competition Firestone quarter midget racing slicks were fitted on all four wheels of both cars. They were immaculately turned out and were true show pieces. But, they were not “all show and no go.” Bob Jr. was obviously an accomplished driver and won several regional and club championships and trophies too numerous to list.
It seemed whenever I returned to Long Island in recent years and met with folks associated with quarter midgets, back in the 50’s, 60’s or 70’s almost without exception, the subject of the Wickey Offyettes came up. I don’t know if it was because of the quality of the cars or the success they had on the track . . . people always wanted to talk about them. They were indeed famous.
While visiting Long Island about 6 years ago I had the opportunity to share a day with the late Sean Vesely, who, you can probably figure out, knew about the Wickey Offyettes. But, he knew more than most. He told me that Bob Sr. was still alive and worked in the agriculture business as he had most of his life. (I believe he was a potato farmer ~ way back when). Sean took me to Hicks Nursery where Bob had a small shop. We were in hopes that Bob would be there and rumor had it that the cars were there as well.
It was dusk when we arrived at Hicks which was closed for the day. We found Bob’s shop at the rear of the facility. Alas, no one home. We looked through the aged glass and sitting at the far side of the room, back lit by a window on the far side, was the trailer with both cars aboard. The golden light from the setting sun made viewing the cars through the dust motes floating about, poor at best. But at least I was able to catch a glimpse of the Wickey Offyettes! I left a business car jammed in a crack in the door in hopes that Bob might give me a call. He never did.
During the next several years rumors about the two cars kept cropping up. I don’t recall if it was via an e-mail or phone call, but someone passed on information that the cars were no longer on Long Island, but were in a museum in . . . you guessed it, Las Vegas. This rumor gained credibility as I kept hearing it from different sources. Being a regular in Las Vegas, I knew of only one auto related museum in Las Vegas. That was on the top floor of the Imperial Palace Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. I had been to the museum years before and was impressed with the size of the collection. One of the features of the Palace’s automobile museum is that all the cars on display are for sale . . . if the price is right. I figured this must assuredly be the place to look. Several trips to Vegas did not find me taking the time to visit the strip from our place at the Rio. I hate venturing the 1/2 mile to the Strip. Too much hustle and bustle. Just not my kind of place.
Four years passed from that initial viewing of the cars at Hicks Nursery to when I first heard the rumors connecting the cars to a museum in Vegas. Then a curious thing happened. While on one of my visits to Mom I had the opportunity to visit with a childhood friend from the days back in Valley Stream and Franklin Square. Dennis Manfredo is a true gearhead and avid collector and builder of street rods. It was during one of my visits with Dennis at a parking lot street rod show that I mentioned the Wickey Offyettes and my suspicion of their possible relocation to Las Vegas and the Imperial Palace Museum.
This now gets really bizarre. Soon as I mentioned The Imperial Palace, Dennis said he knew the fellow who was in charge of the Palace’s auto museum. He pulled out his wallet and withdrew a business card with the Imperial Palace logo prominently displayed. The name on the card was Richie Cline. Dennis said he knew Richie from high school, MY high school, Valley Stream North High. In fact he had recently met with Richie involving the sale of a 1956 Ford Thunderbird removable hard top with the round opera windows. Dennis suggested I give him a call and be sure to mention his name. Then came the big surprise! Dennis said, “You know that Richie lived on Dutch Broadway between Corona Avenue and Franklin Avenue.” My gawd! That’s about 500 feet from where I grew up!! I never met him since he was 4 years behind me in school.
Months later I was in Las Vegas again. I called Richie’s office and got his receptionist. She said he wasn’t in. I had called once before, but ceased pursuing the call when I learned he was not there. This time I was determined to contact him. I told her who I was and why I was calling and I even dropped Dennis name to boot. Just like Bob Wickey -- I never heard from him. At this point you may ask, why not simply go to the museum and look. The reason is manifold. Cars are rotated through the display floor, some taking years to get their spot on the floor. Since the Wickey cars were recent acquisitions -- not likely to be shown. How about asking at the museum? The staff at the museum are simply ticket takers and know precious little about the cars on the floor or in storage. And besides, there was no guarantee the cars were there.
Another year passes and it is early fall of 2008. I am at the MICAR Museum speaking with Mike Caruso Jr. I have been there several hours. My main focus has been the photos I brought and the Colombo replica. To visualize this more fully you need to understand the compact layout of this museum. It is shaped like the letter “L”. I have spent almost the entire time in the lower horizontal part of the “L” = “_.” I had know idea that there was more to be seen to the right of the vertical “I”. During our conversation I brought up my search for the Wickey Offyettes and Richie Cline and the Imperial Palace Auto Museum. I think you can see where this is going. When I finished relating my plight in trying to find the cars . . . Mike simply said, “Look around the corner”. Sure enough, there sat the two robins egg blue cars on their tandem trailer. They had not been driven in almost 20 years, but looked like they could be off-loaded and put on the track at that very moment. What a surprise!! My six year search for the two cars had come to an amazing and unexpected conclusion. Not only were the cars housed at MICAR, but an amazing array of memorabilia as well.
Two distinctly different events, both very satisfying ~ brought about by a few words in an esoteric publication. Kind of like a piece of yarn that you keep pulling . . . never knowing what will be at the other end.
From a personal perspective ~ this was a most satisfying experience. I met a couple of great people in Mike and Brian Caruso, saw some great racing history, and solved a mystery while getting to see the Wickey Offyettes in person. What a deal! Maybe I should have played the tables back at the casino since I was on a roll!!
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Bobby & Mary Ellen Wickey 1959
Bobby Wickey 1959 age 4 with his first trophy win
Bob Wickey Sr Poses in front of his cars and trophy's in 1966 after the NYC car show / Quarter Midgets took first and second in their class (#2 won and #1 was second)
Bob's El Camino took first in its class
Official year end Line up of winners in each class - 1973 / Mary Ellen age 15 2nd place
The Wickey Offyette Quarter Midgets displayed at the Caruso Racing Museum in Las Vegas. Bob Wickey bought the cars in the 1950's as Offyette kits from the Larc-Douglas Company and built the cars. Buyers at the time had the option to buy the cars complete or in kit form and build themselves.
Mary Ellen Wickey Niessing poses in front of her Offyette Quarter Midget she drove 35 years ago with friend Cathy Riccardo October 2009
Mary Ellen Wickey Niessing & Cathy Riccardo visit to the Caruso Racing Museum October 2009
When Robert Wickey Sr passed away on July, 18, 2007, Bobby Kammerer drove the restored 1966 Wickey El Camino and carried the flowers in the funeral procession in memory and tribute to his lifelong friend Robert (Duke) Wickey.