Who is Carousel 1?
In 1996, model car collector
Frank Dalton was frustrated at the limited selection of models of historic
American racing cars. Experienced in architecture and furniture, Dalton
became determined to start a model business. Searching for a name, he
discovered that carousel originally meant chariot racing, and
Carousel 1 was born. Dalton decided that the first project should be a 1:18
scale (about 9-1/2" long) model of the Watson Roadsters that dominated
the Indy 500 between 1956 and 1964.
Dalton contacted the Indianapolis
Motor Speedway. The licensing director for IMS Properties encouraged Dalton
to investigate the field, and subsequently the IMS Hall of Fame Museum and
IMS Properites licensed Carousel 1 models. Indy 500 winning drivers
A.J. Foyt,
Jr., Rodger Ward, Parnelli
Jones,
Bobby Unser and Jim Rathmann have endorsed the models, along with car
builder A.J. Watson, Jr.
Carousel 1 introduced its first
model, a replica of the car in which A.J. Foyt, Jr., won the 1961 Indy 500, to
the trade at the October, 1998 National Model and Hobby Show. The model
went on sale in November 1998 and has sold out. Since then,
several other models have sold out and become significant
collector's items.
Future Carousel 1 releases will include:
Watson Roadsters and
Kurtis
Kraft Roadsters are licensed by IMS Hall of Fame Museum and IMS Properties.
Eagles are licensed by Dan Gurney's All American Racers.
Carousel 1 continues to develop models that celebrate great cars and brave drivers
from American auto racing's first 100 years.
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