Latest news with #Chaparrals
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Where legends idle: The Chaparral cars that changed racing, still live in Midland
MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- Just a few miles from the hum of oilfield operations sits one of the most important collections in motorsports history. The cars inside the Petroleum Museum's Chaparral Gallery don't just tell a story about speed, they tell a story about innovation that started right here in West Texas. In the 1960s, Jim Hall, a Midland-based engineer and racer, decided to do something few others had the courage or skill to attempt. He didn't just drive race cars. He built them. Hall, along with racing partner Hap Sharp, created the Chaparral series, a collection of radically advanced vehicles that redefined what was possible on a racetrack. 'Mr. Hall wanted to start from scratch, build a car, not buy one from anybody else,' said Keith Doucet, who now maintains the Chaparrals at the museum. 'He came out with this monocoque chassis that made it stiffer and lighter. It was a mid-engine car, and you didn't see that at the time.' Hall's innovations didn't stop at chassis design. He pioneered the use of aerodynamic downforce, designing cars that used air pressure to hug corners tighter and boost handling. That same concept would eventually influence modern passenger vehicles, sports cars, and nearly every class of professional racing. 'He figured out how to use air to help push the car to the ground so it handled better,' said Doucet. The Chaparral cars didn't just turn heads. They won races. The 2D model claimed victory at Nürburgring in 1966. The 2F took home a win at Brands Hatch in 1967. But many of Hall's ideas were considered too revolutionary, and several were banned from competition. 'One car had a high wing that you could adjust while driving,' Doucet said. 'It gave the car downforce in corners, but you could flatten it on the straightaway so it wouldn't slow you down. And they banned it.' The most extreme example was the Chaparral 2J, better known as the 'sucker car.' It had two engines, one for driving the car and another to power fans that created a vacuum under the car, essentially sucking it to the track for superior grip. It only competed in four races before it too was outlawed. 'When they banned it, Mr. Hall said, 'Every time I build a better mousetrap, they outlaw it,'' Doucet recalled. Although Doucet maintains the cars, very few people are allowed to drive them. Among that small group is Jim Edwards, who has been described as someone who 'brings them to life' during special live drives at the museum. Another is Hall's grandson, who continues the family's racing legacy and occasionally gets behind the wheel to carry on the tradition. For fans of the Chaparrals, these rare moments offer more than just noise and motion, they offer a direct link to history. Doucet began working with the Chaparrals in 2011 after Hall personally selected him for the job. There's no manual, no instruction book, and no spare parts. Each car is one of a kind. 'They're one-off, hand-built cars,' Doucet said. 'You can't change them. Mr. Hall didn't want them modified. He wanted them kept the way they were.' With his background in aircraft mechanics, Doucet treats the cars with the same level of precision and respect. 'I told Mr. Hall I'd treat these cars like airplanes. You don't mess with them. You just make sure they're safe and solid. And he said, that's what I want.' He's been working on them ever since. 'I can't make him look any better than what he is, because he's already the best that I know,' Doucet said. 'But I could make it look worse. And I don't want to do that.' Despite their significance, the Chaparrals are still something of a hidden gem in their hometown. Doucet said many people in Midland don't realize the cars are even here. Meanwhile, fans from around the world, especially from Europe, where the cars raced, make special trips just to visit the museum and see them. 'There are people who've lived in Midland their whole lives who don't know these cars are here,' Doucet said. 'And there are people who fly in from other countries because they've followed these cars for decades.' Doucet said the museum is constantly evolving, with new exhibits, educational programs, and technology. But for him, the magic is still in the machines and the way they make people feel. 'You get to know each one of the cars,' he said. 'They're like old friends. Each one has its own personality.' And when they start up, he said, everything else fades away. 'There's nothing else that sounds like it,' Doucet said. 'When a young person hears that, they're hooked. That's what happened to me.' He hopes to pass that feeling on. For now, he plans to keep the Chaparrals running as long as he can. When the time comes, he'll train someone else to take the wheel. 'As long as I'm able to do it, I'll do it,' he said. 'And when the next person comes behind me, I just want them to know how important it is to keep the cars the way they were built.' From a Midland garage to racetracks across the globe, the Chaparral cars represent a legacy of innovation, craftsmanship, and homegrown genius, a legacy that still has fuel in the tank. While the museum preserves the cars, it's the community that helps keep them running. Through the Chaparral Pit Crew Fan Club, supporters can play a direct role in maintaining these legendary vehicles. Membership fees go toward restoration efforts and, more importantly, help inspire future generations of engineers and innovators by sharing the groundbreaking history of Jim Hall's creations. Chaparral Pit Crew Members also get an exclusive invite to one of the museum's most anticipated events of the year: the 13th Annual Party on the Patio, taking place Saturday, June 7, from 6 to 8 p.m. The evening includes a live drive of the Chaparral 2F, dinner, and a Q&A with Hall himself. To RSVP, contact Luanne Thornton at lthornton@ or call 432-683-4403. The museum also hosts live drives of the Chaparrals approximately every other month, when one of the cars is started and driven in the circle outside the building. These runs are more than just a spectacle; they're part of the cars' routine maintenance and give visitors a rare glimpse of living history. To receive email alerts for upcoming live drives, you can contact the museum directly or sign up for notifications at For more information or to join the Pit Crew, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Midland College wins the 2025 NJCAA Division 1 Men's Golf Championship
MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – The Midland College men's golf team won the 2025 NJCAA Division 1 Championship at Sand Creek Station in Newton, Kansas. The Chaparrals finished in first shooting +6, and in second place was Odessa College, shooting +13. Harrison Sewell led the way for Midland, finishing in third place overall at one under. In Sewell's four rounds, he shot 71-69-72-75 for a total of 287. As a team, MC shot 1,158 strokes over the four rounds. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
