1949 Rounds Rocket Indy Car

If at first glance the Rounds Rocket resembles a blue Auto Union, it is not accidental. Those icons of prewar German racing were indeed the inspiration for Nathan Rounds of Los Angeles, whom various sources cited as a sportsman and mechanic. An admirer of the Auto Union’s design, Rounds wanted to bring the first mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive car to Indianapolis, entrusting constructor Lujie Lesovsky and metal craftsman Emil Diedt with bringing his vision to life.

With power coming from a Harry Miller-designed Meyer & Drake Offenhauser engine, Lesovsky and Diedt worked around the clock to have the car ready in time for the race. The project was tested briefly at Bonneville, where it clocked a remarkable 140 mph, before making its way to Indy. There, the pilot was Bill Taylor (later competition director of Mobil Oil), who did all he could to qualify, but the car achieved a test speed of only 124 mph on the track, just short of the 125.8 mph bar.

Rounds returned to Indy the following year, where the Rocket was driven by Sam Hanks and rookie Billy Vukovich. However, once again, the Round Rocket’s competitive performance eluded them on the track, compounded by a broken half shaft.

Though the car’s racing career came to an end after its second outing at Indy, the subsequent history of this Round Rocket is compelling. From 1950 to 1969, the retired Rocket remained on the trailer that had carried it home from Indy, stored away in the Beverly Hills garage of Rounds’s mother, until it was discovered by Bill Harrah’s extensive car-sourcing network. Recognizing that the car represented an interesting chapter in Indy history and American racing car construction, Mr. Harrah acquired it for his collection.

During the dispersal sales of the sprawling Harrah Collection in 1986, the Rocket was sold to Texas collector John Ridings Lee. When Mr. Lee researched Rounds and the Rocket, he discovered a claim that Howard Hughes had been Rounds’ backer for the car – a claim which remains unconfirmed, but adds an intriguing layer of possibility to the car’s origins.

Mr. Lee had the car restored at Bob Smith Coachworks Inc. and subsequently displayed it at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® in 1993. The Rounds Rocket was last offered by Christie’s in 1998, at which time it passed into the hands of the Milhous brothers. The Rocket resided with the brothers for the next 14 years, before the Price Museum of Speed acquired it, alongside the 1948 Automobile Shippers Special Indy Roadster and 1984 March 84C Single Seater. With a roster of discerning collectors that demonstrates its significant appeal over the last 76 years, this unique Rounds Rocket is sure to command attention in any future collection.

Please note that this vehicle is sold on a Bill of Sale.