Thursday, December 31, 2015

Saturday, June 19, 1976, Langley Speedway

A big super stock special.


Saturday, January 19, 1976

Carling O'Keefe Opener

super stock special and claimers

$1,000 to win the 100 lap main

$4,000 total purse

fast time

Ron Eaton, 15.130, $50

claimer B dash

1 – A. Badke, Mission, '65 Chevelle

claimer A dash

1 – Buddy Lynds, White Rock, '65 Chevelle

super stock B dash

1 – Lloyd DeJong, Surrey, '67 Chevelle, $25

super stock A dash

1 – Al Tourond, '73 Plymouth Scamp, $50

claimer B main

1 – Dan Villeneuve, Abbotsford, '65 Rambler
2 – Gord Lynch, Langley, '64 Chevelle
3 – Walter Letkemain, Clearbrook, '63 Mercury

claimer A main (13 cars, 25 laps)

1 – Buddy Lynds
2 – Mark McFadyen, New Westminster
3 – Lee Thomas, Port Coquitlam

super stock B main (9 cars, 50 laps)

1 – Tom Hamilton, Campbell River, '65 Challenger
2 – Frank Fletcher, Langley, '65 Chevelle
3 – Herman Scheurman, Bow, WA, '69 Chevelle
4 – Neil Langan, Eugene, OR, '64 Chevelle
5 – Allen Prost, Kamloops, '69 Chevelle

super stock A (100 laps scheduled)

1 – Ron Eaton, Tacoma, '70 Nova
2 – Roy Haslam, Victoria, '65 Chevelle
3 – Tom Berrow, Coquitlam, '72 Chevelle
4 – Jack Cross, Langley, '66 Chevelle
5 – Randy Cheadle, Burlington, WA, '68 Mercury
6 – Cam Barnes, Surrey, '74 Nova
7 – John Rothwell, Burnaby, '72 Chevelle
8 – Gordie Hemrich, Vancouverr, '73 Nova
9 – George Doonan, Surrey, '74 Nova
10 – Al Tourond, Surrey, '72 Plymouth

Crash during time trials, delayed start of racing. Lap 68 of main rear window blew out of a car. Red flagged to clean up. Hemrich had to change a flat. Eaton lapped all but three cars. Was race shortened to 75 laps due to delays?


Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Saturday, June 12, 1976, Langley Speedway

After a week off back to racing.



Saturday, June 12, 1976

super stocks, modified sportsman, claimers

super stock times

Jim Godfrey, 15.582
Tom Berrow, 15.638
Gordie Hemrich, 15.694
Jack Cross, 15.717

claimer B dash

1 – Allan Adams

claimer A dash

1 – Allan Kennedy

modified sportsman dash

1 – Marty White

super stock dash

1 – Moe Willits

claimer C heat

1 – Bruce Langille, Port Coquitlam

claimer B heat

1 – Allan Kennedy

claimer A heat

1 – Al Badke, Mission

modified sportsman heat

1 – Marty White

super stock B heat

1 – Doc Dockendorff
2 – unknown
3 – Tom Berrow

super stock A heat

1 – Allan Prost, Kamloops

claimer B main

1 – Bruce Langille
2 – Gordon Land, Burnaby
3 – Jim Hartley, Vancouver

claimer A main

1 – Allan Adams
2 – Buddy Lynds
3 – Dave Binning

modified sportsman main

1 – Marty White
2 – Keith Whitter
3 – Bill Lawrence

super stock main

1 – Tom Berrow
2 – Jack Cross
3 – Jim Godfrey
4 – Gordie Hemrich
5 – Moe “Whirlaway” Willits

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Saturday, June 5, 1976, Langley Speedway


 Saturday, June 5, 1976

Cancelled due to shortage of cars.

A few reasons why offered in the news item.





Monday, December 28, 2015

it's the holidays

So forgive me if I repeat myself. I'm pretty sure I've posted this version of Charlie Ryan's "Hot Rod Lincoln".

I'll add some recent finds -- stories about Charlie and his hit.







Sunday, December 27, 2015

Sunday funnies

More Alley Oop.



Saturday, December 26, 2015

Saturday morning cool



I saw a slick rod that was makin' fat tracks
Souped up by eight ponies all wearin' hat racks
And a funny old geezer was flippin' his lid
He told 'em to make it and, man, like they did
They were outta the chute makin' time like a bat
Turnin' the quarter in eight seconds flat

Friday, December 25, 2015

some more Digney Speedway shots and what they were used for

The ad came from the Columbian newspaper, May 8, 1953.

Oh yeah, Merry Christmas!!





Thursday, December 24, 2015

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

some photos from Digney Speedway

These showed up a few years back. I looked and can't believe I haven't posted any of these before now.

Track builder and owner A.C. "Andy" Digney and driver Carmen Parton.




Monday, December 21, 2015

mishmash, rain is to blame

Not the recent rains, but the rain of late May, 1976. Washed out the drag races at Mission but the formula race at Westwood carried on.



Sunday, December 20, 2015

Sunday funnies

More Alley Oop.



Saturday, December 19, 2015

Westwood, 1969 Pepsi Pro Invitational

Looks to be the Group 7 and Formula races at Westwood, June 29, 1969. OLK Productions made this VHS video. Long out of print from what I can tell.


Friday, December 18, 2015

Grant King, from Victoria and his entries for the 1976 Indy 500

Grant King was making headlines with the number of entries he had on the grid for the 1976 Indianapolis 500.


Thursday, December 17, 2015

Reg Kennedy, NASCAR star

Story on Reg Kennedy, defending 1975 champion of the NASCAR West Canadian series.


Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Ed Crombie, from "Willie's Puddle"

Column about Williams Lake racer Ed Crombie. He attempted to qualify for the Indy 500 in 1976. He didn't make it. Also some info on sprint car driver Jan Opperman who had made an impact at Skagit Speedway.


Tuesday, December 15, 2015

some 1976 stuff

Ad for Westwood. Apparently there was some problems with getting the results out. Mission drag racing results were offered up.



Monday, December 14, 2015

Sunday, May 30, 1976, Langley Speedway

A couple more track records. This time for the modified sportsman and claimer classes.


Sunday, May 30, 1976

super stock, modified sportsman, claimers

super stock times:

Al Tourond, 15.653
Tom Berrow, 15.733

modified sportsman:

Marty White, 15.486 (NTR?)

claimers

Buddy Lynds, 17.780, NTR (old record by Lynds, 18.00 in 1975)

claimer B dash

1 – unknown

claimer A dash

1 – unknown

modified sportsman dash

1 – Keith Whitter

super stock dash

1 – Gordie Hemrich

Only heat information is for modified sportsman:

1 – Marty White

claimer B main

1 – Wayne Baber

claimer A main

1 – Dan Villeneuve

modified sportsman main

1 – Marty White
2 – Keith Whitter
3 – Ted Mill

super stock main

1 – Tom Berrow
2 – Frank Fletcher
3 – Dan Noble, Kettle Falls, WA
4 – Jim Godfrey
5 – Jim Mairs

Al Tourond out in accident with Hemrich and Godfrey.

Points

modified sportsman

Marty White, 175
Bill Lawrence, 89
Keith Whitter, 89

super stocks

Tom Berrow, 249

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Saturday, December 12, 2015

Saturday morning sock hop

Sonny Boy Williamson, "Pontiac Blues".


Friday, December 11, 2015

Sunday, May 23, 1976, Langley Speedway

A new super stock track record is set. (Bonus coverage of the Knox Mountain Hill Climb.)


Sunday, May 23, 1976

super stocks, modified sportsman, claimers

super stock times:

Cam Barnes, Surrey, 15.534 NTR (old record, Jack Cross, 15.567, from 1975)

claimer B dash

1 – Allan Adams, Burnaby

claimer A dash

1 – Bjorn Illingby

modified sportsman dash

1 – Keith Whitter

super stock dash

1 – Jim Godfrey

claimer B heat

1 – Lee Thomas
2 – Allan Adams
3 – Wes Chevelday

claimer A heat

1 – Chuck Swanson
2 – Bjorn Illingby
3 – Buddy Lynds

modified sportsman heat

1 – Marty White
2 – Keith Whitter
3 – Joe Pottie

super stock B heat

1 – Tom Mairs, Vancouver
2 – Herman Scheurman
3 – Frank Fletcher

super stock A heat

1 – Gordie Hemrich
2 – Jim Godfrey
3 – Tom Berrow

claimer B main

1 – Gordon Land
2 – unknown
3 – unknown

claimer A main

1 – Lee Thomas
2 – unknown
3 – unknown

modified sportsman main

1 – Marty White
2 – Keith Whitter
3 – Ted Mill

super stock main (50 laps)

1 – Tom Berrow
2 – Randy Cheadle
3 – Jack Cross
4 – Gordie Hemrich
5 – Cam Barnes

Berrow lapped all but the second place car.

Points

super stock

Tom Berrow, 181
Al Tourond, 129
Jack Cross, 125

modified sportsman

Marty White, 128
Bill Lawrence, 86

claimers

Buddy Lynds, 47
Dave Binning, 46

Big racing weekend over the Victoria Day long weekend at Quesnel and Prince George. Those races covered in a previous post.

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Sunday, May 16, 1976, Langley Speedway

The infamous day that Al Airlie was pictured flying through the air.


Sunday, May 16, 1976

super stocks, modified sportsman, claimers

super stock times:

Larry Lodge, 15.658
Randy Cheadle, 15.777
Jim Godfrey, 15.799
Jack Cross, 15.836
Cam Barnes, 15.908

Moe “Whirlaway” Willits lost a dry sump belt and an engine in practice.

Claimers dash

1 – Ollie Oliver, Surrey

modified sportsman dash

1 – Keith Whitter

super stock dash

1 – Larry Lodge, Surrey

No heat information.

Claimer B main

1 – Bruce Landgille, Port Coquitlam
2 – Atom Villeneuve, Mission
3 – Allan Adams, Burnaby

claimer A main

1 – Buddy Lynds
2 – Doran Rickey
3 – Dan Villeneuve, Abbotsford

modified sportsman main

1 – Marty White
2 – Bill Lawrence
3 – Keith Whitter

Either in the main or a heat race Al Airlie went over Ted Mill's wheel and rolled twice.

Super stocks (50 laps)

1 – Jack Cross
2 – Tom Berrow
3 – Al Tourond

Tom Berrow in first until the last 100 yards. Had led from lap ten.

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Sunday, May 9, 1976, Langley Speedway

These 1976 season gets started. Some are ready, some aren't.


Sunday, May 9, 1976

super stocks, modified sportsman, claimers

Only sixteen super stocks qualify. Not there (still getting cars ready): Gordie Hemrich, Nickel brothers, John Rothwell and Rollie Walker.

Times:

Al Tourond, 15.736, in a new 112 inch wheelbase car built by Brad Baerg. Engine by Carl Blomfeldt.
George Doonan, 15.825
Tom Berrow, fast time but not given in story, in George Stuart's Chevelle from 1975.
Al Mullet, 16.241
Jim Godfrey, 16.026
Frank Fletcher, 16.030

modified sportsman

Marty White, 15.815

claimer B dash

1 – Allan Adams, Burnaby

claimer A dash

1 – Buddy Lynds, White Rock

modified sportsman dash

1 – Bill Lawrence, Aldergrove

super stock dash

1 – Jim Godfrey, Langley

claimer C heat

1 – Doran Rickey
2 – Terry McGillivery
3 – Wayne Bader (Baber?)

claimer B heat

1 – Allan Adams
2 – Chuck Swanson
3 – Allan Kennedy

claimer A heat

1 – Dave Binning
2 – Buddy Lynds
3 – Vern Keith

modified sportsman heat

1 – Bill Lawrence
2 – Marty White
3 – unknown

super stock B heat

1 – Darrell Dockendorf
2 – David Dalby
3 – Herman Scheurman

super stock A heat

1 – Al Mullet
2 – Jim Godfrey
3 – Jack Cross

claimer B main

1 – Doran Rickey
2 – Allan Adams
3 – Atom Villeneuve

claimer A main

1 – Dave Binning
2 – Gordon Land
3 – Barry Emmott

modified sportsman main

1 – Bill Lawrence
2 – Marty White
3 – Al Prendergast

super stock main

1 – Al Tourond
2 – Al Mullet
3 – Tom Berrow
4 – Jim Godfrey
5 – Frank Fletcher

Notes: Jack Cross waiting on gears to clear customs. Herman Scheurman used the Sumas crossing to avoid the $100 bond at the Douglas crossing. Tom Berrow was trying to pass for the lead but made contact with Jim Godfrey who had slid wide. 


Tuesday, December 8, 2015

while I get some stuff ready

Working on the 1976 Langley Speedway season. Need to get notes digitized and some clippings scanned. Then I can start the posts.

In the meantime two clippings from further north: PGARA Speedway and Quesnel Speedway. A NASCAR West series of races over the Victoria Day long weekend.



Monday, December 7, 2015

some more about Ed Patterson

Some more information about Ed Patterson's racing at Prince George in the 1960s. He carried on into the 1970s as well.

from 1967.

from 1968

Sunday, December 6, 2015

Sunday funnies

More Alley Oop.



Saturday, December 5, 2015

Saturday morning sock hop

"Red Hot Car" by Bobby Verne.


Friday, December 4, 2015

some old clippings

Art Pollard from the early 1960s. He raced around the northwest before joining the Indy circuit.



Thursday, December 3, 2015

Westwood opener 1961

Just to stay way back in the past. Some good photos here from the June 1961 issue of Canada Track & Traffic.




Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Terry Nilsson profile, from 1962

Canada Track & Traffic, January 1962.