[tubut]

Since there were other posts about Alfa Romeos at Indy races, I believe the auction text deserves to be copied here (as it spells out all the details on the badge):

Quote:

A VERY RARE UNIQUE PIECE OF EARLY INDY 500 AND PIKES PEAK INTERNATIONAL HILL CLIMB RACING MEMORABILIA. THE ORIGINAL BRASS CAR TAG OR PLATE ISSUED BY THE AMERICAN AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION IN 1938 FOR THE "WOESTMAN SPECIAL". OWNED BY RACING WRITER AND ENTREPRENEUR, WALT WOESTMAN OF LOS ANGELES, CA. THE ALFA ROMEO TIPO 308 8 CYLINDER INLINE WAS ONE OF ONLY 4 BUILT THAT YEAR FOR THE 3 LITRE CLASS. THE RACER WAS FIRST DRIVEN BY BUS HAMMOND IN 1938, DESIGNATED #59 AT INDY AND RACED BY LOUIE WEBB IN 1939 AND FRED WINNAT IN 1940, BUT DID NOT QUALIFY. LATER OWNED AND DRIVEN BY HERB BRYERS AT PIKES PEAK IN 1949, 1950 AND 1952. IT WAS THEN PURCHASED BY P&J KLEIN-SCHMIDT AND RACED AGAIN IN 1953, ALSO RACED AT SPA-FRANCOR CHAMPS. (ALL INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON GOOGLE). THE METAL PLATE WAS OBTAINED FROM THE ESTATE OF A WOESTMAN HEIR AND IS OFFERED HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME AT NO RESERVE! MEASURES3" x 3.25" AT WIDEST POINTS. INSCRIPTION READS "1938-CAR NAME - 'WOESTMAN SPECIAL' - NAME OF OWNER - 'WALT WOESTMAN' - REGISTRATION NUMBER - '208'-PROGRAM NUMBER - '8'- CUBIC INCH DISPLACEMENT - '213' - WEIGHT - '1435' - SUPERCHARGED - 'NO'-CONTEST BOARD - 'AAA' LOGO AT BOTTOM". RED ENAMELED BACKGROUND IS BRIGHT AND WITHOUT FADE - LIGHT OVERALL WEAR, EXPECTED FOR AN ITEM OF THIS AGE AND USE. WE SUSPECT THAT THIS WAS REMOVED BY WOESTMAN WHEN HE SOLD THE AUTOMOBILE. A ONE-IN-A-LIFETIME CHANCE TO OWN AN EXCEPTIONAL PIECE OF RACING HISTORY!