1950 Kurtis Kraft – Offy midget Faulkner

The diecast brand GMP (Georgia Marketing and Products) in the beginning of 2000s have produced the “Gilmore Stadium Midget Series” set of models in 1/43 scale to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of the Stadium demolishing. The set included a stadium diorama and 5 midget cars of Roger Ward, Danny Oakes, Perry Grimm, Bill Vukovich, and Walt Faulkner, all were sold separately.

Faulkner’s Offy midget is 5^th in the series. Faulkner, nicknamed a “Little Dynamo” because of his energy and relatively short stature, raced mainly in big cars, including National Championship, and in stock car, including NASCAR. Born in 1918, he started racing motorcycles in 1936 before switching to midgets in 1938. In 1941 he won California based UMA (United Midget Association) Championship. In 1948 Faulkner was 2nd in Turkey Night Midget Grand Prix at Gilmore Stadium. In 1950 he won AAA Midget race at Carrell Speedway in Gardena (CA) on March 5, was 10th in National points, and 13th in Pacific Coast Midget Championship.  Faulkner continued racing midgets sporadically in parallel with big cars until his death in 1956. His career in AAA Championship Cars started with pole position in 1951 Indy-500, his debut champ car race. Faulkner won 3 races (Milwaukee in 1950 and 1951 and Darlington 1951) in AAA Championship Cars and was placed 2^nd in 1950 ad 3^rd in 1951 Championship standings. He died in 1956 after a qualifying crash at a USAC Stock Car event in Vallejo, California. The GMP model represents Faulkner Kurtis Kraft – Offy midget of 1950 at Gilmore. Faulkner  was absent at 1950 Turkey Night Grand Prix  because he was in the lead of AAA “big car” Championship and decided to skip midget race to avoid the risk of injuries. However earlier that season he took 4^th place in the 100-lap midget race held at Gilmore Stadium on January 1^st, 1950. Faulkner was also entered for Gilmore Stadium Gold Cup held on May 4th 1950, but alternate driver Hal Minyard raced the car.

See more details about midget racing and GMP Gilmore Stadium set here.

Season	Series	Event
1950	AAA Midget Nat’l Champiomship	Gilmore Stadium
Driver	No.	Entrant
Walt Faulkner	15	Leonard Faas
Chassis	Engine	Car Name
Kurtis Kraft	Offenhauser V8-60	Faas Offie
Scale	Manufacturer	Collection
1:43	GMP	Gilmore Stadium Midget Series
Cat. No.	Quality	Rarity
1257 / 7685G