Lot 745: Al Keller Indy 500 Racing Suit, Konstant Hot Special, c. 1961

Al Keller (American, 1920-1961) owned and worn Phillipp – Offenhauser Konstant Hot Special yellow and black racing suit by Hinchman Uniforms, Indianapolis. With embroidered “Konstant Hot Spl.” name and logo on the back and personalized “Al” to left breast. See lots 744 and 746 in this auction for other Al Keller-related items. Note: “Out of the six times Keller competed at the Brickyard [Indy 500] his best result was achieved in 1961, when he finished the race in fifth place with his Philipp – Offenhauser ‘Konstant Hot.’ That was, in fact, Keller’s best season in the USAC National Championship, as he scored two top-fives and was pole-positioned two times in that series. The last race of the 1961 USAC National Championship calendar was the Bobby Ball Memorial, which took place at the Arizona State Fairgrounds in Phoenix on 19 November…The USAC race in Phoenix was to be a 100-lap event over a one-mile dirt oval; it was the twelfth time that a USAC National Championship event would be held at that track. Keller went to it holding the fifth position in the series’ standings – and his weekend started very well, as he scored the pole position to the race. In fact, Keller set a new track record, with a time of 34.74 seconds…Sadly, though, veteran Al Keller would not be able to collect his prize for that feat.” (Source: MotorsportMemorial.org) Biographical note: “Keller raced in the NASCAR Strictly Stock and Grand National series from 1949 to 1956 making 29 career starts. He won two races during the 1954 season and is notable as the only driver in the history of NASCAR’s Grand National series to have won a race in a foreign-built car [this distinction stood for 54 years, until a Toyota won in 2007], winning the 1954 road-race at Linden Airport in New Jersey, driving a Jaguar XK120. In 1954 Keller also started racing champ cars, racing in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series. He made 32 starts between 1954 and 1959 and also in 1961. He finished in the top ten 13 times, with a best finish of 2nd in 1956 at Atlanta and in 1961 at Milwaukee. He raced in the Indy 500 five times from 1955 to 1959 and was involved in the crash that took the life of Bill Vukovich Sr. His best finish at the Brickyard was 5th in his last appearance in 1961.” (Source: HistoricRacing.com)

PROVENANCE: By descent through the family of Al Keller.

CONDITION: Overall very good condition, with minor soiling especially to upper thigh and neck areas plus three spots to right arm and discoloration to right abdominal area.