Bryant Tucker Anecdote
by Craig and Todd Miller

            In this era of million dollar tractor trailer transporters and multi-million dollar sponsorship packages, it is often curious to reflect on days gone by when things were more simple, especially racing and race cars.

            Since opening in 1924, Chicago’s Soldier Field has hosted a wide variety of events over the years.  By the late 1930’s midget auto racing was a frequent attraction in the mammoth lakefront edifice and continued as a mainstay following World War II.  Stock car racing became a popular draw in the 1950’s and into the 60’s with crowds often numbering in the tens of thousands.  Bryant Tucker in his Buick No. 25 was one of the front-runners in the stock car fields that included the likes of Fred Lorenzen, Sal Tovella, Bill Lutz, Bob Chapman and Harry Simonsen.

            Just a couple miles up Lake Shore Drive from Soldier Field is the Prudential Building.  Surprisingly, when completed in 1955, it was the first new building erected in downtown Chicago since 1934 and remained the tallest building in Chicago for more than a decade.  At 41 stories and 601 feet, it is less than half the size of the famous Sears Tower.

            One of the office workers in that impressive new skyscraper was Bryant’s wife, Helen.  Being the “Gentleman” he was, Tucker planned to chauffeur his bride to the race track when she left work, but he was already at Soldier Field and had no other transportation.  The obvious solution – hop in the race car, cruise up the Outer Drive past Grant Park and meet her at the curb.

            All went well, until the bright red and yellow, lettered and numbered Buick drew the attention of an elderly woman seeking a taxi.  When the securely welded doors failed to yield, she began berating the “Bad Cat” himself.  Although Helen soon arrived and joined in explaining that the eye-catching vehicle was a proud race car rather than a humble cab, the woman continued to demand her ride.  Finally, when Helen climbed through the window and perched against the roll bars, the woman decided to hail a more accessible taxi and the Tuckers headed back down the “Drive” to the races.

Editor’s Note:  Craig and Todd Miller are the sons of the late Marvin Miller, who was a long-time supporter of “Gentleman” Bryant Tucker’s racing efforts.  Tucker’s No. 25 Buick carried the sponsorship of Miller’s Century Motors during the “Bad Cat’s” championships-winning years at Soldier Field in the early 1960’s.