hopeful news, Travis Rutz

Travis Rutz, second generation driver from Langley, BC, had a serious accident during a sprint car race at Terre Haute, IN. More info can be had (with updates happening constantly) at NWRaceTalk.com.

sad news re. Dennis Wooden

Learned that former modified driver Dennis Wooden passed away recently.

He's famous for one spectacular fire at Langley (pictured above, thanks to Barry Youngston for the image).

More info as I get some.

Langley Speedway, Saturday, July 29, 1967

BCTRA. Actually looks more like an Inter-City meet with Nanaimo and Washington State cars in the finishes.

early-late dash:
1 -- Garry Greenaway

super stock dash:
1 -- Jim McMillan

B modified dash:
1 -- Ken Klatt

A modified dash:
1 -- Larry Sproule

trophy queens were: Miss Lina Shaw and Miss Rose Sinclair.

1st early-late heat:
1 -- John Bettles
2 -- Dinni Hue
3 -- Ron Gaucher

2nd early-late heat:
1 -- Brian Thompson
2 -- Earl Thomas
3 -- Garry Greenaway

super stock heat:
1 -- Jim McMillan
2 -- Bob Keam
3 -- Tyce Rogerson

1st B modified heat:
1 -- Ron Nielson
2 -- Jack Cross
3 -- John Phillipson

2nd B modified heat:
1 -- Reinhard Unruh
2 -- Fred Hewitt (Nanaimo)
3 -- John Wassell (Nanaimo)

1st A modified heat:
1 -- John McIntire (Olympia, WA)
2 -- Barry Chamberlain
3 -- Stan Cork (Campbell River)

2nd A modified heat:
1 -- Larry Sproule
2 -- John McPherson (Bremerton, WA)
3 -- Glen Parsons

early-late main:
1 -- Garry Greenaway

super stock main:
1 -- Jim McMillan

B modified main:
1 -- Fred Hewitt
2 -- Jack Cross
3 -- Reinhard Unruh

A modified main:
1 -- Larry Sproule
2 -- Barry Chamberlain
3 -- Cal Arnold

Langley Speedway, Sunday, July 23, 1967

ELRA and LARA featured as per usual on a Sunday.

62 cars in the pits for the three classes: early-lates; super stocks; and, modified stocks.

early-late dash:
1 -- Chris Palm
(Palm, Frank McMullen and Bert Delisle crashed at the finish line with Palm crossing first.)

modified stock dash:
1 -- Jack Graham

super stock dash:
1 -- Gordie Hemrich (driving Ken Sayers' car)

1st early-late heat:
1 -- Bill Godfrey
2 -- Bob Stockbrue
3 -- Brian Mould

2nd early-late heat:
1 -- Lockie Hay
2 -- Ray Mackie
3 -- Chas. Christianson

3rd early-late heat:
1 -- Dennis Corfe
2 -- Rick Adsit
3 -- Frank Fletcher

1st modified stock heat:
1 -- Dave Angus
2 -- Ric Lester
3 -- Bill Goodstone

2nd modified stock heat:
1 -- Jim Dinsmore
2 -- Doug Rutherford
3 -- Charlie Brown

1st super stock heat:
1 -- Ralph Widdess
2 -- Bill Quarry
3 -- Bob Morran
(Rollie Walker flipped car in "far turn" and landed on Bill Straken's and Mark McFadyen's cars. All were okay.)

2nd super stock heat:
1 -- John Rothwell
2 -- Don Latting (USA)
3 -- Clare Walsh

early-late consolation main:
1 -- Bill Godfrey
2 -- Locky Hay
3 -- Bill Flockeley
(Ray Skivinski rolled lap three, land on his wheels and carries on.)

early-late main:
1 -- Ray Mackie
2 -- Dennis Corfe
3 -- Frank Fletcher
(Rick Adsit rolled lap two.)

modified stock main:
1 -- Doug Rutherford
2 -- Charlie (Ha Ha) Brown
3 -- Harry Van Dieman

super stock main:
1 -- John Rothwell
2 -- Don Latting
3 -- Les Spratt

mechanics' race:
1 -- Larry De Valera (in Bert Delisle's early-late)
(25 started. On lap one there was a six car crash. 20 restarted. Lap four two cars crashed into the fence. Lap five three cars crashed. Lap 6, two more cars crashed. Lap 7, there were 17 cars still running!)

Westwood, 1967 season coming to a close

I was fortunate enough to sit at the same table as Dr. Ledgerwood and his wife at the Westwood50 banquet.

Sunday comics

One lifted from the net (where? I can't remember) and the other from those endless rolls of microfilm.

Haney Speedway video!

Now here's something you don't see every day, some footage from Haney Speedway, circa 1965.

Totem Raceway, Aldergrove, BC

Canadian Motorcycle champions held in Aldergrove, BC, of all places.

Langley Speedway, Saturday, July 22, 1967

Missed a week, apologies.

Saturday, July 22, 1967

BCTRA/Inter-City. Looking at the lack of out of town cars in the finishes it might have been called Inter-City just because two big trophies were up for grabs: the Bardahl Trophy for the B modifieds; and, the Emprie Trophy for the A modifieds.

4000 in attendance.

Two new track records set:

early-late track record --
Brian Thompson, 18.85

super stock track record --
Jim McMillan, 17.33

early-late dash:
1 -- Brian Thompson

super stock:
1 -- Jim McMillan

B modified dash:
1 -- Walt McKitka

A modified dash:
1 -- Cal Arnold

1st early-late heat:
1 -- Harry Robertson (Roberts, as per Harry Roberts)
2 -- Clarence Regenwetter
3 -- Ken McCaley

2nd early-late heat:
1 -- Ken Horner
2 -- Ron Morrison
3 -- Earl Jergens

super stock heat:
1 -- Jim McMillan
2 -- George Cook
3 -- Bob Keam

1st B modified heat:
1 -- Walt McKitka
2 -- Ron Lamont
3 -- Doug Thompson

2nd B modified heat:
1 -- Jack Cross
2 -- Ron Nielson
3 -- Cal Hough

A modified heat:
1 -- Cal Arnold
2 -- Barry Chamberlain
3 -- Larry Sproule

early-late main:
1 -- Brian Thompson
2 -- Ken Horner
3 -- Ron Morrison
(Earl Jergens rolled his '49 Ford five times)

combined early-late and super stock main:
11 cars, 12 laps:
1 -- Brian Thompson ('51 Hudson)
2 -- George Cook ('55 Chev)
3 -- Bob Keam ('55 Meteor)

B modified main, Bardahl Trophy:
1 -- Walt McKitka
2 -- Doug Thompson
3 -- Ron Nielson

A modified main, Empire Trophy:
1 -- Cal Arnold
2 -- Barry Chamberlain
3 -- Len Jones

Mention was made that DCI Dick Newell from the USS King (US ships were in Vancouver). Newell, at that time, was the official timer of the San Diego Racing Association and the El Cajon Stock Car Association.

Interesting follow-up to an earlier blog post on Lloyd Saunders.

(And a Westwood bonus that buys me some time to get back into the swing of things.)

when in doubt, have a reunion

Some links to a couple (three) reunions coming up:

Langley Speedway Reunion, September 13th at the old track south, south end of 208th Street in Langley.

The 6th Annual Arlington Drag Strip Reunion, September 12th at the Arlington Airport, WA.

Some photos from the first Arlington reunion, 6 pages worth in fact!

And, of course, the Greater Vancouver Motorsport Pioneers Society is having their ceremony October 18th.

Arlington Travel-Ons Fuel and Gas Championships

The big race of the season at Arlington. I mean, "83 confirmed dragsters"! Only wish I'd been old enough to go. Or talk my Dad into going (if I'd known about it then).

And that reunion is just about to happen.

just buying time by wasting time: more comics

From: http://goldenagecomics.co.uk//

Good hunting. Lots of Golden Age stuff, the hot rod racing stuff is buried in there.

a life wasted reading comics

Again, from http://goldenagecomics.co.uk//

more comics

From the same source: http://goldenagecomics.co.uk//

when in doubt, read some comics

Ah, I see I'm behind again. Been reading stuff. Juvenile stuff.

(Comes from http://goldenagecomics.co.uk//)