Friday night feature

The Blonde Comet with Barney Oldfield and racing at Southern (Ascot) Speedway, Oakland Speedway and Indianapolis.

demolition derby ad

From 1971.

Saturday, August 28, 1971, Langley Speedway

With the season drawing to a close the points for the "A" and "B" super stocks were decided. Championships and a big race or two were left.

Saturday, August 28, 1971

Super stocks and early-lates

Early-late dash:

1 -- Ken Marwood

B super stock dash:

1 -- Dave Beales

A super stock dash:

1 -- Ross Surgenor

Slow early-late heat:

1 -- Jim Fentie
2 -- Dave Jones
3 -- Jim Sneddon

Fast early-late heat:

1 -- Tom Edwards
2 -- Ken Marwood
3 -- George Irwin

Slow B super stock heat:

1 -- Duff Braun
2 -- Merv Meyer
3 -- Dennis Corfe

Fast B super stock heat:

1 -- John Thompson
2 -- Larry Lodge
3 -- Don Nickel

Slow A super stock heat:

1 -- Jim MacMillan
2 -- Don Gibson
3 -- Marty White

Fast A super stock heat:

1 -- Gordie Hemrich
2 -- Rollie Walker
3 -- John Rothwell

Early-late main:

1 -- Cliff Hague
2 -- Tom Mair
3 -- George Irwin

B super stock main (15 start, 7 finish)

1 -- Steve Dyer
2 -- Brad Baerg
3 -- Duff Braun

A super stock main (15 start, 8 finish, 35 laps)

1 -- Gordie Hemrich
2 -- Rollie Walker
3 -- John Rothwell

Lap two Bill Klugh spun to the infield. He was hit on lap four after Jim Fraley and Ken Sayers got together and Sayers made contact.

Top points for A and B super stocks were announced:

A super stocks

1 -- Gordie Hemrich, 797, $500
2 -- John Rothwell, 565, $250
3 -- Rollie Walker, 519, $200
4 -- Jim Fraley, 298, $150

B super stocks

1 -- Brad Baerg, 325, $175
2 -- Steve Dyer, 297, $125
3 -- Jack Thompson, 273, $100

Saturday, August 21, 1971, Langley Speedway

The "A" and "B" super stocks were the main draw in the early 1970s.

Saturday, August 21, 1971

Early-lates and super stocks

Early-late dash:

1 -- Ken Marwood

B super stock dash

1 -- Don Nickel

A super stock dash:

1 -- Rollie Walker

First early-late heat:

1 -- Maurice Cote
2 -- Jim Sneddon
3 -- Dave Dixon

Second early-late heat:

1 -- Tom Edwards
2 -- Ken Marwood
3 -- Jim Fentie

First B super stock heat:

1 -- Dave Beales
2 -- Del Anderson
3 -- Eric Molliet

Second B super stock heat:

1 -- Brad Baerg
2 -- Garwin Wilson
3 -- John Thompson

First A super stock heat:

1 -- Don Gibson
2 -- Jim MacMillan
3 -- Bill Klugh

Second A super stock heat:

1 -- Gordie Hemrich
2 -- Alan Mackie
3 -- Rollie Walker

Early-late main:

1 -- Bill Hamon
2 -- Jim Fentie
3 -- Tom Edwards

Eight car pile up lap nine. Last lap second and third position cars of Bob Thomas and John Kowaliuk crashed moving up Fentie and Edwards.

B super stock main:

1 -- Dave Beales
2 -- Peter Harding
3 -- Brad Baerg

A super stock main:

1 -- John Rothwell
2 -- Rollie Walker
3 -- Ross Surgenor

Saturday, August 14, 1971, Langley Speedway

Back to the regular Saturday night races.

Saturday, August 14, 1971

Modified stocks and super stocks

Fast time for super stocks:

Gordie Hemrich, 15.91

Modified stock dash:

1 -- Larry Lundgren

B super stock dash:

1 -- Brad Baerg

A super stock dash:

1 -- Rollie Walker

First modified stock dash:

1 -- Bob Brodoway
2 -- Sieg Krickemeyer
3 -- Scott Mooney

Second modified stock dash:

1 -- Don Fletcher
2 -- Larry Lundgren
3 -- Al Tourond

First B super stock dash:

1 -- Lou Ferguson
2 -- Crawford McLennan
3 -- Duff Braun

Second B super stock dash:

1 -- Steve Dyer
2 -- Larry Lodge
3 -- John Thompson

First A super stock dash:

1 -- Jim Fraley
2 -- Rick Adsit
3 -- Rich Godwin

Ken Sayers leaked oil for two laps.

Second A super stock dash:

1 -- John Rothwell
2 -- Gordie Hemrich
3 -- Don Gibson

Modified stock main

1 -- Bob Brodoway
2 -- Frank Fletcher
3 -- Al Tourond

B super stock main

1 -- Brad Baerg
2 -- Crawford McLennan
3 -- Steve Dyer

Very close finish.

A super stock main

1 -- Rollie Walker
2 -- Alan Mackie
3 -- John Rothwell

Jim Fraley, Rick Adsit and Rich Atchison running 1-2-3 when Adsit clipped Atchison who spun inton Fraley. Atchison and Fraley out.

Sunday funnies

Don't know much about this one-panel cartoon. Some automotive humour in it.

Saturday morning sock hop

Bruce Johnston and Terry Melcher. A minor hit early in 1964 on CFUN. I was looking for The Beatles and noticed this title.

Thursday, August 12, 1971, Langley Speedway

The open wheel version of the International Drivers Challenge. A Thursday night race.

Thursday, August 12, 1971

International Driver’s Challenge

Open Wheel

Fast time: Roy Smith, 14.35, 2nd fast, Ed Hopper, 14.59

C main

1 -- Earl Fritts, Seattle

Fritts was disqualified because the car had been timed in by owner Gerry McLees and the officials were not notified of a different driver.

B main (50 laps)

1 -- John Tharp
2 -- Dave Craver, Seattle
3 -- Leroy Van Connett, Galt, CA

Tharp lapped the field.

A main (100 laps, 16 started, 11 finished)

1 -- Rick Henderson, Concord, CA, $1000
2 -- Ed Hopper, San Jose, CA
3 -- Roy Smith, Victoria
4 -- Norm Ellefson

Ellefson was knocked into the wall by Henderson on lap 65 while Ellefson was passing Gary Patterson for the lead.

Described as “one of the finest races ever seen at the three eighths mile oval with only five seconds between first and last until the 85th lap.”

Tom Sneva had steering and differential problems and could not qualify for the A main.

Ken Hamilton, Ontario, OR, blew an engine turn three, lap three, during the A main. His third blown engine in two days.

Saturday, August 7, 1971, Langley Speedway

Back to the 1971 season at Langley Speedway.

Or maybe that's "Gordie still best man at speedway".

Saturday, August 7, 1971

Super stocks and early-lates.

Early-late dash

1 -- Ken Marwood

B super stock dash

1 -- Dave Beales

A super stock dash

1 -- Ross Surgenor, Victoria

First early-late heat

1 -- Jim Foreman
2 -- Dave Jones
3 -- Jim Braem

Second early-late heat

1 -- Bob Thomas
2 -- Tom Mair
3 -- Earl Wutke

First B super stock heat

1 -- Peter Harding
2 -- Eric Molliet
3 -- Duff Braun

Second B super stock heat

1 -- Brad Baerg
2 -- John Thompson
3 -- Garwin Wilson

First A super stock heat

1 -- Don Gibson, Aldergrove
2 -- Al Mullet, Bellingham
3 -- no other finishers

Nine started but by lap six only two were left running so the race was flagged.

Second A super stock heat

1 -- Gordie Hemrich
2 -- Alan Mackie
3 -- John Rothwell

Early-late main

1 -- Jim Fentie
2 -- Bob Thomas
3 -- Tom Mair

B super stock main

1 -- Eric Molliet
2 -- Garwin Wilson
3 -- Duff Braun

Lap 16 John Thompson (#16) lost a wheel. Lap 17 Tom Berrow, Del Anderson and Pete Harding crashed.

A super stock heat

1 -- Gordie Hemrich
2 -- Rollie Walker
3 -- John Rothwell

even the older magazines were looking back at history

A story about the BC Custom Car Association by one of the originals, Ron Farmer.

another story, drag boats

Great stuff.

another story, motorcycle racing

From that glossy Bevlin magazine of the 1980s.

Sunday funnies

Been staring at microfilm again. Never noticed this strip before.

Saturday morning sock hop

I think this group was actually a Saturday morning band, The Hudson Brothers.

another story, sand drags

Between the asphalt drag strips there was a sand drag strip out in Mission.

some stories

Nice colour in this and other stories.

a couple older magazines

The Bevlin Automotive Profile seems to have lasted two years, but with only four issues. I could be wrong about that. It was a nice magazine while it was around. Great colour.

I only have one copy of the rally magazine. It says Volume Five and might still be going.

Gordie Hemrich story

Hemrich had already established himself as the driver to beat at Langley by 1971. Here's a story on him from the Columbian newspaper.

drag racing 1971

Story from the summer of 1971. Mission. The headline is about Twig Ziegler. He sometimes makes it up to Abbotsford for the Tradex show. And to the new Mission for the nostalgia funny car meet.

a couple motorcycle ads

To follow up that Charlie Ryan tune from yesterday.

Saturday morning sock hop

Charlie Ryan found a riff and worked it. Side Car Cycle sounds a lot like other songs he did. It's a good sound so I'll listen and tap my toe along to it.

story that includes G.B.

Good ole G.B. Sterne.

Saturday, July 31, 1971, Langley Speedway

A regular super stock and early-late club race. (Also some Westwood results as a bonus.)

Saturday, July 31, 1971

Super stocks and early-lates.

Over 60 cars.

Early-late dash

1 -- Bill Hamon, Fort Langley

B super stock dash

1 -- Lee Thomas, Coquitlam

A super stock dash

1 -- Rollie Walker, Richmond

First early-late heat

1 -- Earl Wutke, Surrey
2 -- Dave Dixon, Delta
3 -- Robert Smaill, Surrey

Second early-late heat

1 -- Ken Marwood, Surrey
2 -- George Irwin, Surrey
3 -- Bill Hamon

First B super stock heat

1 -- Garwin Wilson, Burnaby
2 -- Don Hale, Surrey
3 -- John Thompson, Burnaby

Second B super stock heat

1 -- Brad Baerg, Surrey
2 -- Merv Meyers, Aldergrove
3 -- Dave Beales, Langley

Lee Thomas hit front wall bruising his legs and causing right front damage to car.

First A super stock heat

1 -- Al Baldwin, Surrey
2 -- Butch McCormack, Vancouver
3 -- Jim Fraley, Vancouver

Second A super stock heat

1 -- Rick Adsit, Surrey
2 -- Mac Morrison, Vancouver
3 -- Ross Surgenor, Victoria

Early-late main (19 started)

1 -- Tom Edwards
2 -- Cliff Hague
3 -- Tom Mair

Hollie Tupper and Dave Dixon crashed putting them out.

B super stock main

1 -- Garwin Wilson
2 -- John Thomas, Burnaby
3 -- Larry Lodge, Vancouver

A super stock main

1 -- Rollie Walker
2 -- Gordie Hemrich, Vancouver
3 -- Ross Surgenor

Al Baldwin, 69 Olds, caught fire in the pits during the main.

Miss BCTRA chosen: Darcy Bond, Delta.

Saturday, July 24, 1971, Langley Speedway

A clean sweep for Cal Arnold.

Saturday, July 24, 1971

A modifieds, early-lates, modified stocks.

Memorial race for Earl Stein, Vernon, who was killed at Tillicum Speedway July 3rd. Ken Marwood drove a lap with the black flag and a moment of silence was observed. All monies from the early-late and modified stock races went to the widow and children.

Over 20 A modifieds.

Larry Sproule and Jim Marchant couldn’t get their rear-engined super modified ready for the race.

Early-late dash

1 -- Ken Marwood, Surrey

Modified stock dash

1 -- Dave Angus, Surrey

A modified dash

1 -- Cal Arnold, Surrey

Early-late slow heat

1 -- Maurice Cote, New Westminster
2 -- George Irwin, Surrey
3 -- Rick Homan, New Westminster

Early-late fast heat

1 -- Tom Mair, Vancouver
2 -- Tom Edwards, Vancouver
3 -- Ken Marwood

Grev Jewell injured after he and Jim Sneddon crashed lap nine. In good condition with dislocated shoulder.

Modified stock slow heat

1 -- Len Horvat, Delta
2 -- Fred Goodrum, Surrey
3 -- Keith Whitter, Burnaby

Modified stock fast heat

1 -- Don Fletcher, Delta
2 -- Larry Lundgren, Surrey
3 -- Dave Angus

A modified slow heat

1 -- Ron Lamont, Coquitlam
2 -- Terry (Jerry?) Day, Oak Bay, WA
3 -- Tom Longhurst, Burnaby (?)

A modified fast heat

1 -- Cal Arnold
2 -- Len Barcelo
3 -- Barry Chamberlain, Coquitlam

Early-late main (20 started)

1 -- Earl Wutke, Surrey
2 -- Bill Hamon, Fort Langley
3 -- Jim Fentie, Coquitlam

Modified stock main

1 -- Brian Bishop, Vancouver
2 -- Larry Lundgren
3 -- Dave Angus

A modified main

1 -- Cal Arnold
2 -- Len Barcelo
3 -- Len Jones, Surrey

Saturday, July 17, 1971, Langley Speedway

Back at the 1971 Langley Speedway season.

Saturday, July 17, 1971

2nd International Unlimited Stock Car Drivers Challenge

4th of 5 races.

60 cars in the pits.

Only 48 raced.

Fast time: Rick O’Dell -- 16.21

B dash

1 -- Rollie Walker

A dash

1 -- Doug McGriff

1st heat

1 -- Mac Morrison
2 -- Clare Walsh

No other heat race information.

C main

1 -- Rick Adsit, Surrey
2 -- Allan Mackie
3 -- Dennis Lester, Burnaby

B main

1 -- Harold Hardesty, 64 Chevelle
2 -- Harvey Brown, Royston, Vancouver Island
3 -- unknown
4 -- Rollie Walker

A main (75 laps)

1 -- Rick O’Dell
2 -- Doug McGriff
3 -- unknown
4 -- Gordie Hemrich

Gary Kershaw broke axle with five laps to go while leading.

Bill Klugh, in Clare Walsh’s car, caught fire.

Final points

1 -- Gary Kershaw, 420, $750
2 -- Doug McGriff, 405
3 -- Harold Hardesty, 375
4 -- Butch Brockmier, Portland
5 -- Gordie Hemrich
6 -- Dave Cooper, 275
7 -- Larry Walker, 230
8 -- Rick O’Dell, 225

the Oakland Mile

A story from the March 1955 issue of Speed Age. The by line says Les Radbruch but I believe Don Radbruch wrote it and then credited his brother Les. That's the way he told it to me.

some artwork

Found at the http://prova275.tumblr.com/ site. And another tumblr site I can't recall. (I'm not going tumblr, I'm not going tumblr, I'm not going tumblr...yet.)

Saturday morning sock hop

A follow up to Hot Rod Lincoln, which was a follow up to Hot Rod Race. A theme was developing.

Allen Heath, 1918-1981

Just remembering the late great Allen Heath, born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, January 3, 1918. A cover story from Speed Age in 1955. If the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame was looking for colourful history, this is a guy who fits that bill.

Jim Dilamarter

Here's a guy who should be considered for the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame. He's from back east (Ontario) originally and has been associated with Parnelli Jones for decades.

another sports car race team forms in the early 1970s