Mention the name Max Balchowsky to a racing enthusiast and most will immediately recognize him as one of the most innovative and successful builders of race car "specials" during the late 1950's and early 1960's. Balchowsky learned his trade racing hot rods on the dry lakes of El Mirage, Bonneville and the streets of Southern California before turning to road racing against sports cars imported from Europe and England.

Beginning in 1957 Balchowsky and his wife, Ina, designed, built and raced a limited number of these specials named "Old Yeller" due to their pale yellow paint scheme. His early chassis were literally drawn up on the shop floor, the cars assembled from junkyard parts, equipped with powerful Buick V8 engines and then driven to and from the races. Either racing the cars himself or enlisting noted drivers including Dan Gurney, Bob Drake, Chuck Daigh, Billy Krause, Carroll Shelby and Ronnie Bucknum, the Old Yellers won many races against much more expensive cars.