Monday, March 31, 2014

Sunday, July 2, 1972, Langley Speedway





Back at it after some computer glitches. Like, I needed a new one because the old one died.


The Western Grand National Series of NASCAR made its second appearance at Langley.

 

Sunday, July 2, 1972

Western Grand National

Scheduled 150 laps.

7000 in attendance.

Fast time:

Ray Elder – 16.34

Trophy dash

1 – Jack McCoy

Slow heat

1 – Dick Bown
2 – Dick Kranzler

Fast heat

1 – Carl Adams
2 – Jim McMillan

Main event (scheduled 150 laps, ran 151)

1 – Hershel McGriff, # 04, 70 Plymouth, $1500
2 – Jack Jefferies, # 22, 70 Dodge
3 – Bill 84Butts, # 06, 72 Dodge
4 – Ray Elder, # 96, 71 Dodge
5 – Jim Danielson, # 84, 71 Mercury
6 – Jack Kuper, # 86, 69 Chevrolet
7 – Chuck Bown, # 27, 70 Plymouth
8 – Carl Adams, # 09, 71 Ford
9 – Dave Cooper, # 29, 70 Chevrolet
10 – Dick Bown, # 02, 72 Plymouth
11 – Don Noel, # 88, 71 Ford
12 – Ron Gautsche, # 82, 71 Ford
13 – Dick Kranzler, # 4, 72 Chevrolet
14 – Bob England, # 8, 70 Chevrolet
15 – Jack McCoy, # 7, 71 Dodge
16 – John Soares, Jr., # 3, 70 Dodge
17 – Kevin Terris, # 32, 70 Dodge
18 – Jack Simpson, # 24, 72 Chevrolet
19 – Ralph Arnold, # 2, 69 Ford
20 – Don Hall, # 01, 69 Ford
21 – Jim McMillan, # 21, 69 Ford

First leg of $13,000 Export A Canadian Grand National Series.

Sunday, March 30, 2014

advice via decals

With the Nervous Norvus toon from yesterday in mind.



Saturday, March 29, 2014

Saturday morning sock hop

It was Jimmy Drake's birthday recently (March 24, 1912 – July 24, 1968) aka Nervous Norvus.

With that in mind:


Friday, March 28, 2014

another couple on Ralph Monhay

One of the 33 at Langley circa 1965, from the Bob Hepper collection. And a 1965 clipping from Racing Wheels.


Thursday, March 27, 2014

more photos from Jim

Ralph Monhay had a birthday a few days back. At 79 and holding. Happy birthday.

Photos by Jim Greenwood of Ralph from both Haney and Langley Speedways.



Wednesday, March 26, 2014

even more photos from James

Jim Greenwood took photos at Haney and Langley Speedways. Here's one from each.

Langley Speedway, 1965.

Haney Speedway, circa 1962.

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

more photos by Jim

Next up some motorcycle shots from the Agrodome. Indoor motorcycle racing.



Monday, March 24, 2014

some old photos

Photos from the past by Jim Greenwood, a pin striper and promoter. First, his business card from way back. And then a couple photos from a 1961 hydroplane race at Deas Slough.


Sunday, March 23, 2014

posters

Because it was Russ Meyer's birthday a couple days ago.


Saturday, March 22, 2014

Saturday morning sock hop

A plea from a girl friend.

)

Friday, March 21, 2014

two more Haney clippings

To close out the week. (Sorry about the ad. We all need sponsors, or benefactors.)

Vancouver Sun, October 2, 1961.

Vancouver Sun, May 22, 1962.

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

some haney clippings

Some I found, some came from I can't remember where. Haney Speedway in the 1960s.

September 4, 1961 Haney Gazette

Racing Wheels May 23, 1964

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Olivier Gendebien

I don't know if I've posted this before. Found the clipping in a file and a search of the blog didn't find it already used.

Olivier Gendebien came to Westwood in the early days of the track and said it was pretty fine. One of the top three in the world at that time. High praise from a Le Mans winner.


Monday, March 17, 2014

Jim Rattenbury

Was looking at some videos of Westwood. Jim Rattenbury played an important role in the development of the racing from Abbotsford over to the new track. Here's a 1960 article about him.


Sunday, March 16, 2014

movie posters

I've heard that the Clova theatre in Cloverdale is closing at the end of the summer. Too bad. I never saw a car movie there. Saw a few other things though.

If they made a hot rod double bill, I'd go.


Friday, March 14, 2014

more Speedway motorcycles

Some information pulled from Canadian Biker.



Thursday, March 13, 2014

NASCAR Northwest Tour 1989

A clipping about Pete Harding and some info from Western Speedway's program.





Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Sunday, June 25, 1972, Langley Speedway

Rained out Saturday night, the regular classes run their races on Sunday.

Saturday, June 24, 1972

Super stocks/modified stocks/mini stocks/claimers

Rained out.





Sunday, June 25, 1972

Rain date for Saturday, June 24, 1972

Claimer dash

1 -- Ron Koenders

Mini stock dash

1 -- Pierce Isaacs

Modified stock dash

1 -- Andie Fentie

Super stock dash

1 -- unknown

Qualified: Mac Morrison, 16.21; Rollie Walker, 16.40; Dennis Lester, 16.54; Gordie Hemrich, 16.58.

No heat information.

Claimer main

1 -- Wayne Goulet
2 -- Seigilinden Berger
3 -- Norm Wold

Mini stock main

1 -- Pierce Isaacs, Datsun
2 -- Dennis Phillips, Anglia
3 -- Ron Pringle, Renault

Modified stock main

1 -- Andie Fentie
2 -- Larry Lundgren
3 -- Frank Fletcher

Super stock B main

1 -- Chuck Geska, Anacortes, WA
2 -- Don Hale, Surrey
3 -- Tom Mair, Coquitlam

Super stock A main (30 laps, 16 cars)

1 -- Gordie Hemrich
2 -- Rollie Walker
3 -- Dennis Lester

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

remembering Reg Shanks

One of the motorcycling pioneers on Vancouver Island, Reg Shanks was a big influence on Canadian Biker magazine. In 1986 they were about to celebrate his 80th birthday.




sad news

Just learning that Les "Bunny" Jeboult has passed away. Well known in the hot rod world Bunny was also a North American power boat champion in the crackerbox class back in the 1960s.

http://www.gvmps.org/inductees/bunny_jeboult.htm

1965 story.

Monday, March 10, 2014

Saturday, June 17, 1972, Langley Speedway

Big unlimited super stock race. Chuck Little comes over the mountains for a third time attempt at winning big money at Langley and wins for a third time.





Saturday, June 17, 1972

O’Keefe Opener
Unlimited super stocks

$3300 prize money

5000 plus in attendance.

Dash

1 -- Jim McMillan, White Rock, 68 Chev

C main

1 -- Chuck Geska, Anacortes, WA
2 -- Merv Meyers, Aldergrove
3 -- Joe Deseno, Surrey

B main (50 lap, 20 laps)

1 -- Harvey Brown, Royston
2 -- Bob Thomas
3 -- Lou Ferguson

Multi-car pile up took three cars out. Ed Weismiller almost hit starter Bud Morgan when he hit the front straight wall.

A main (75 laps)

1 -- Chuck Little, 66 Fairlane, Spokane, $1000
2 -- Gary Kershaw, Victoria
3 -- Ron Eaton, Tacoma

Fred Hay in Hershel McGriff car. McGriff at Riverside. Qualified 16.18, spun two times in main and finished 12th.

Number 41 Brad Baerg.

1.16 seconds between 18 car starting field based on qualifying times.

8th -- Dennis Lester
10th -- Gordie Hemrich


Sunday, March 9, 2014

Sunday comics

Some pages from those recent comics I found online. Seems to be a "relatively speaking" theme going on.




Saturday, March 8, 2014

Saturday morning cartoon

Haven't done one in a while, mainly because I haven't found one.

Droopy dog and some road racing.


Friday, March 7, 2014

Speedway motorcycle racing in the Vancouver area

There wasn't much, but in the mid-1980s a club did try to get something going at various locations. These pages were part of a promotional flyer.





Thursday, March 6, 2014

Sunday, June 11, 1972, Langley Speedway

A regular event at Langley.





Sunday, June 11, 1972

Mini stock/super stocks/modified stocks/claimers

Super stock fast time: Rollie Walker, 16.13

Claimer dash

1 -- Paul Burton, Surrey

Mini stock dash

1 -- Denis Phillips

Modified stock dash

1 -- Andie Fentie

Super stock dash

1 -- Al Tourond

No heat race information.

Claimer main (14 cars)

1 -- Wayne Smith

Mini stock main

1 -- Mike Stephens, 64 Anglia
2 -- Ron Pringle
3 -- Ron Dixson

Stephens back after two year absence.

Pierce Isaacs (Datsun) spun on turn two of last lap trying to pass Stephens.

Modified stock main
1 -- Don Fletcher
2 -- Frank Fletcher
3 -- Bob Brodoway

B super stock main

1 -- Tom Mair, Coquitlam
2 -- Mel Hamilton, Surrey
3 -- Larry Fitzgerald, Bellingham

Super stock main (35 laps)

1 -- Rollie Walker
2 -- Gordie Hemrich
3 -- Mac Morrison
4 -- John Rothwell, 316 cubic inch 1966 Comet



Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Sunday, June 4, 1972, Langley Speedway

First appearance of the super modifieds in 1972.





Sunday, June 4, 1972

Super modifieds -- Washington Racing Association and B.C. Track Racing Association

3000 in attendance.

Fast time: Bud Hoelzle, 14.33 (old record, Tom Sneva, 14.46).
Larry Sproule, rear-engined AMC, 14,63 (old local record, Barry Chamberlain, 14.84).

A dash

1 -- Don McLeod, Tacoma

B dash

1 -- Lloyd Armey, Sedro Wooley

Heat race info: poor

Cal Arnold lost a wheel in his heat.

John Tharp and Bob McLees tangled with Tharp getting wedged into the fence.

First heat

1 -- Frank Fletcher
2 -- Barry Chadwick
3 -- Bob Wills

B main

1 -- John Carroll, Stanwood, WA
2 -- Larry Rauch, Bremerton, Wa
3 -- Al Tesch

Barry Chadwick (Langley) and Ed Pearson (WA) locked wheels on front straight. Chadwick hit the fence and flilpped landing in field outside of turn one. Unhurt.

A main (40 laps)

1 -- Casey Stangel, rear-engine, Bonner’s Ferry, ID
2 -- Ray Pottinger, Nanaimo
3 -- Bob Gregg

With two laps left Gregg shunted Sproule out of the way.

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

motorcycle racing 1986

Profiles of a few road racing motorcyclists from Canadian Biker, March 1986.



Monday, March 3, 2014

a couple Roy Smith articles

From the early 80s.

Vancouver Sun December 31, 1980.
Daytona Beach Morning Herald February 4, 1982.