The 8CTF used a straight 8 double overhead cam motor and its claim to fame was the fact that it won the Indy 500 two years in a row - 1939 and 1940 with Wilbur Shaw.
A privateer (Babe Stapp) entered the 1937 Indy race, starting in 31st and lasting 36 laps before the clutch failed. The 1938 race saw possibly the same car being driven by Mauri Rose who started in 9th and was classified as 13th, 35 laps down on the winner with a broken supercharger.
2 cars were entered for the 1939 race - one privateer (Shaw) and one works car. Whilst Shaw took the win, the works car driven by Deacon Litz came in 33rd and last after completing just 7 laps before a valve dropped.
3 Maserati's competed in the 1940 race with Shaw taking another win and a works car driven by Raul Rigante failing to finish after an accident on lap 24. The other privateer car driven by Rene LeBegue came in 10th after starting in 31st spot.
Click here to see Maserati's history at the Indy 500 race.
Several other cars were built in 1950 for privateers to campaign. This is a clip/photo montage of one of these cars in New Zealand during 2010:
