Fun Facts
Ernie Adams was awarded champion in the Late Model Stockcar Division for 1971 at Whitehead Speedway in Nebraska City, Iowa. Ernie won every heat race, every trophy dash and every main event he drove in that year.
Ernie Adams built his first Dwarf Car Cruiser in 1965. He used the steel he acquired from old refrigerators. The first car resembled a 1928 Chevy 2 door sedan, powered by a 13hp Onan 2 cylinder motor.
Did you know a 350 Honda motorcycle engine powered the first Dwarf Race Car? The first Dwarf Racers were also kick-start and chain driven.
The first Dwarf Car race took place at the Yavapai County Fair in Prescott, Arizona in September, 1983. There were 12 cars registered.
Originally each driver of a Dwarf Race Car selected a cartoon character to carry on their car as a mascot. Fans of all ages could relate their favorite car with the cartoon character.
Early Legend Race Cars were simply a name change from Dwarf to Legend and fenders added to a Dwarf Race Car built off of Ernie’s jigs. Later in 1992, President and General Manager of Lowe’s Motor Speedway, “Humpy” Wheeler and Elliot Forbes-Robinson, designed the fiberglass version for the Legend Cars. To this day Legend Cars use the Dwarf Car specifications with a 73 in wheelbase, 60 in width and 46 in height.
Ernie has a full-sized 1939 Chevy twin to his 1939 Chevy Dwarf. People love to see the two side by side. Spectators can compare the authenticity of the '39 Chevy Dwarf when paired up with the full-sized '39 Chevy.
Ernie’s favorite restaurant is the Waffle House. He enjoys the openness of the restaurant and the friendly down home people. Ernie is always one to strike up a conversation and make new friends. He and his Dwarf Cars are known at most every Waffle House in Arizona.
Ernie’s 42 Ford Dwarf Car was used as the official pace car for the last Dwarf Car race event ever held at Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix, Arizona. Manzanita Speedway opened in 1951 and closed their doors April 11, 2009 after 58 years of racing. Forty five Dwarfs registered for the last Dwarf Car races. Ernie’s 42 Ford Dwarf Cruiser was driven by Daren Schmaltz, co-founder of the Dwarf Race Cars and passenger John Cain of the Dwarf Car Company.
Ernie has a fantastic idea for a second generation of Dwarf Race Cars. He believes the current body styles could be changed to those from 1949 through 1964. The wheel base would also change from 73” to 80” and the wheels could extend slightly outside the body if needed. These are all full-bodied car styles . Ernie does not have time to head up this next generation, however he would like to see someone pick this up and run with the idea.