Tony Bush George Greig stock car crash Long Island NY 1950s - Himes Estate Photo For Sale

An original 7x5" vintage photo from the Marty Himes estate.

Provenance: This photograph comes directly from the Marty Himes Racing Museum Collection, assembled over decades by Marty Himes - racer, restorer, and lifelong archivist of American racing. Every piece he preserved tells part of the story of motorsport’s rise from dirt tracks to the spectacle of the Indy 500. We acquired the majority of his photo collection after his passing. Many of his photos are extremely rare or even one of a kind. Professionally packaged in a rigid mailer for safe delivery.

Photo Overview

Nighttime stock car action photo showing Tony Bush in car 134 climbing up over the left front of George Greig’s sedan no. 318 as the two collide in front of a packed grandstand at a paved oval short track, likely on Long Island, New York, in the early 1950s, captured during a rough-and-tumble early era of American jalopy racing from the Marty Himes Racing Museum collection.

Tony Bush and George Greig were part of the tough local short track scene that flourished around New York area ovals after World War II, when cut-down coupes and sedans became the backbone of grassroots stock car racing and helped inspire the later rise of NASCAR and modern modifieds. Images of these weekly-warrior drivers are far scarcer than shots of national stars, and original action photos from the Himes collection have become highly sought after by vintage racing fans and historians - add this one to your collection today before another serious collector claims it.

Text Present

Front - on car at left: "134" with an "A" above it
Front - on car at right: "318" with an "A" above it
Front - partially visible billboard at far right: "SIGNS"
Front - partially visible billboard at far left: "...SUPLUS" "...CARS"
Back - upper left in pencil: "134 - Tony Bush ?"
Back - below first line in pencil: "318 - George Greig ?"

Print analysis:
The photo is a matte-finish black and white silver gelatin print with period wear and no modern barcodes or resin-coated sheen, consistent with mid 20th century darkroom prints. The handwritten pencil IDs on the back appear old and in line with the era of the cars (early postwar coupes and sedans, likely late 1940s to early 1950s). There are no modern lab markings or publisher stamps, suggesting a privately made print rather than a later mass-produced copy. Based on the paper toning and image style, this is most consistent with a Type 1 original photographic print made from the original negative within a few years of exposure, likely printed c1950s.

Condition: Please see scans of the image we have provided for the most accurate and complete state of the photo. Many of the photos in this collection are very old and have age related wear, chips, creases, curling, etc. Others are remarkably well maintained.