Team story
Origins
The Russo-Nichels Special was built in the basement of Paul Russo’s house in Hammond in the winter of 1949–50. Russo and mechanic Ray Nichels built it together and had to partially dismantle it to get it out. That operation gave it the nickname Basement Bessie.
It was a single-seater for the American championship, not a European Formula 1 workshop transplanted to Indianapolis.
The Formula 1 journey
Russo took it to ninth place in the 1950 Indianapolis 500. That season the car also won on dirt tracks with Russo and Bill Schindler, and at Darlington with Johnnie Parsons. In the World Championship, the Nichels name reappeared at Indianapolis in 1954 with other drivers: the two editions therefore do not encompass the full racing careers of the cars or their preparer.
Historical timeline
Three chapters in the story of Nichels
Three episodes to revisit the people, cars and races that shaped this journey.
First appearance · Indianapolis 500
Paul Russo · Indianapolis 500 1950. The recorded position is P9; this number alone does not show whether the driver completed the race distance. This is the first recorded race start, or the first entry if the team never started a race.
Sporting landmark · Indianapolis 500
Paul Russo · Indianapolis 500 1950. The recorded position is P9; this number alone does not show whether the driver completed the race distance. This marks the first win or podium where one exists, otherwise the highest recorded placing for this constructor.
Latest recorded appearance · Indianapolis 500
Bill Homeier · Indianapolis 500 1954. The recorded position is P24; this number alone does not show whether the driver completed the race distance. This is the last race start attributed to this constructor in the archive, not necessarily the end of the organisation behind it.
A distinctive way of racing
The Special used the 270-cubic-inch Offenhauser, following the tradition of the great American ovals. The chassis could pass between owners and drivers, remaining useful away from the Indianapolis 500 too. Indianapolis counted towards the Drivers’ World Championship from 1950 to 1960, but Basement Bessie’s national victories are not Formula 1 victories.
What remains
Basement Bessie continued racing in national events until 1965, well beyond its first appearance. Nichels subsequently developed an important stock-car career, with USAC titles for Paul Goldsmith and Don White. The preserved car and the preparer’s reputation tell two stories of longevity: that of a chassis built at home, and that of expertise applied to increasingly large programmes.