Cape hotrod took home first-place trophy

I'll admit, the sport of auto racing doesn't do much for me. I can't remember a time when I've voluntarily sat in front of a television watching speeding cars making continuous left turns around a track.

But even I enjoy looking at hotrods when they line the downtown's Main Street or Capaha Park. I admire the skills it took to assemble the cars and trucks.

In 1959, four Cape Girardeau youths -- Tom Miesner, Dave Dougan David "Peewee" Erlbacher and Bob Windisch -- pooled their talents and pocketbooks to assemble a hot rod. Cecelia "Skeets" Sonderman brought their story to the readers of the Southeast Missourian in this Aug. 29, 1959, feature.

I was curious to see whether this hot rod ever raced. I was able to locate only one other mention of it in the pages of the Southeast Missourian:

For those of you who have missed the Missourian's old photos gallery that formerly appeared on this website every Tuesday, it's been moved to Thursday.

In addition, the old "Pictures of the Past" gallery has been retired, and we are now featuring photographs taken by Missourian staffers and stringers before the digital age. Check back on Thursday for "Captured on Film."