July 1, 1951, Chilliwack

 Ad from the June 30, 1951 Vancouver Province. Results from the July 11, 1951 Chilliwack Progress.

       

Kustom Kings, Chilliwack

 From the December 18, 1957 Chilliwack Progress.

 

Slalom, Chilliwack

From the August 13, 1986 Chilliwack Progress.

1965, motorcycles, Chilliwack

 A mention of motorcycles at the Chilliwack Fair in yesterday's post. Photo from the August 25, 1965 Chilliwack Progress.

motorcycles at Chilliwack airport

A flyer for one of a few CMA races held at Chilliwack airport. Not sure of the years and results are not easily found. At least not online. I might have them buried here in my archives. But I'm not looking too hard for them at the moment. Other things to clean up first.

1956 Chilliwack, motorcycle race

Here's the race, promoted by now retired Trev Deeley, won by Oregon's Eugene Thiessen.

chilliwack 1955, part four

There was a report of an air race, a relay race, at Chilliwack airport in 1954. Here's an ad for another race in 1955.

(Santa probably used a relay team of reindeer this evening. My way of saying "seasonal greasings".)

chilliwack 1955, part two

The results of the 1955 BC Motorcycle Championships at the Chilliwack fairgrounds. Big action. Big report.

chilliwack 1955, part one

Continuing with some more Chilliwack stuff from the 1950s. AMA motorcycle races being promoted at the fairgrounds for Dominion Day.

1954 Chilliwack, part four

And now for something completely different: air races. A relay race held at the Chilliwack airport by a local flying club as part of a show. Probably not the first race like this held in B.C. but they were never well advertised, or part of another show as this one was.

1954 Chilliwack, part three

The second motorcycle race at the Chilliwack fairgrounds on Labour Day of 1954. All the big names from the U.S. and Canada, including Trev Deeley and Eugene Thiessen.

1954 Chilliwack, part two

Hydroplanes being built in the Chilliwack area. With Cultus, Harrison, Hatzic and other bodies of water nearby it was a natural for the locals.

1954 Chilliwack, part one

Moving onto 1954 in Chilliwack, the first of two known motorcycle races held on the fairgrounds' half mile horse track. This one from the July 1st Cherry Festival event.

1953 Chilliwack, part two

Another interesting find from Chilliwack in 1953. I hadn't heard of this guy's name before: Charlie Kobus. A quick look at the web finds a little more.

Found at this site is the following:

Art Maynard, Long Beach, Calif., won the Limited Class hydroplane race yesterday afernoon while he was unconscious from the waters of Lake Washington by another racing driver who sacrificed his own chances of winning to make the rescue. Eddie Meyer, Hollywood,Calif. driver of the Avenger IV, was the hero who rescued Maynard. Maynard was not seriously hurt, but was taken by ambulance to a hospital for a checkup. He was thrown into the lake when his speeding boat, the Dollar Bill, event out of control and flipped over. Meyer held him up until a Coast Guard patrol boat pulled him out Maynard torn to shreds in the crash. Maynard won the Seattle Seafair Trophy on the basis of his victory in the first of the two heats. He had tied with Charles Kobus, Vancouver, B. C., at 400 points for a heat victory apiece, but his speed of 83 miles an hour bettered Kobus' second heat-winning time of about 75 miles per hour for the 7 miles. Maynard was going at high speed near the front of the field, when his craft's prow apparently lifted too high off the water and wavered to disaster. The Dollar Bill was wrecked.

John D. Beverly of Spokane Seed third in his Lettuce Go with 320 points.

Although Boat Exploded Maynard Won Seafair Race

Despite an explosion which destroyed his speedboat, Art Maynard of Hollywood, Calif., won the Seafair Trophy limited- class race yesterday on the Gold Cup course. Maynard' s 266-cubic-inch speedboat $ Bill won the first heat of the limited-class free-for-all and earned 400 points. In the first turn of the second heat, $ Bill exploded, tossing Maynard into the water. Charles Kobus piloted his Mercury VII to victory in that second heat, also earning 400 points. Maynard was awarded the $4,000 Trophy, originally offered for Gold Cup class boats, by virtue of his faster time. Maynard's time for the first heat was 5 minutes 27.19 seconds. Kobus did 6:03.21 in the second heat. Results (boat, cubic-inch class, driver, time): FIRST HEAT 1. $ Bill, 266, Art Maynard, 5:27.19 2. Vivo, 225. Floyd Sather, 5:55.11 3. Rooster Tail, 225, Ralph Mars, 6:05.89 4. Cyrano, 266, H. D. Gill, 6:07.58 5. Candy Too, 225, Marry Ammon, 6:25.77 6. Lettuce Go, 266, John D. Beverly, 6:28.54; 7. Restless III, 225, Tom McLaughlin, 6:34.71; 8. Kay Gee, 225, Bob Bagdon, 6:42.08 9. Baby Trimmer, 225. Bud Wheelock, 7:13.38, 10. Avenger IV, 135. Eddie _Beyer, 7:18.31 11. Nonchalant II, 136, Allen Ford. 8:04.47 SECOND HEAT 1. Mercury VII, 266, Charles Kobus, 6:03.21 2. Flying Saucer, 225, Mich Hallett, 6:28.67 3. Lettuce Go, 266, John D. Beverly. 6:29.11 4. Cherokee, 266. Harold Ceelho, 6:38.46 5. Candy Too, 225, Barry Ammon, 6:54.64 6. Restless III 225, Tom McLaughlin, 6:58.95 7. III Ball, 225, Port Alameda, 8:05.21 SUMMARY 1. $ Bill 2. Mercury VII 3. Lettuce Go

1953 Chilliwack, part one

While looking for something else I found a few things that happened in Chilliwack I didn't know happened. That's usually the way with my research. This one a thrill show, always a crowd drawing event.

some more motorcycle stuff

Back at this post there is a comment about motorcycle racing in Chilliwack from Rod Hudson. His father, Vic, was an oldtime Westwood racer, as well as all the things described at the aforementioned link.

Here's a Chilliwack Progress story on Vic Hudson from 1973.

early Vancouver racing, part thirteen

1921 stuff at Hastings Park:

26--June 11, 1921, Hastings Park

--rained out

27--June 15, 1921, Hastings Park

--mile against time
1st, Jack Ross, Stutz 1:05 1/2
2nd, Mario Bianchi, Romano 1:06 1/4
3rd, Gus Duray, Lott Special 1:09

--5-miles
1st, Charlie Latta, Peugeot
2nd, Chet Latta, Baby Romano
3rd, Jim Healey, Kimbro
time, 6:40

--10-miles
1st, Jack Ross
2nd, Gus Duray
3rd, George House, Erickson Special

--7-miles
1st, Chet Latta
2nd, Healey
3rd, Taylor, Taylor Special
time, 9:00

--15-mile free for all
1st, Jack Ross, Stutz, No. 8
2nd, Gus Duray, Lott Special
3rd, Charlie/Chet Latta, Peugeot
time, 17:49 1-2


27a--July 1, 1921, Chilliwack Fairgrounds

a Ford auto race scheduled as part of a Dominion Day sports day, no results


28--August 12, 1921, Hastings Park

--15-mile free for all
1st, George Lott
2nd, Jim Healy, Studebaker Special
time, 19:35

--heavy cars, 10-miles
1st, Erickson, Curtiss Special
2nd, Lott
time, 12:30

--light cars, 8-miles
1st, Healey
2nd, Kimbro
time, 10:55


29--August 20, 1921, Hastings Park

--15-miles
1st, George Lott
time, 18:00 1-5

Chilliwack's Fraserview scrambles course, 1966

The Chilliwack Motorcycle Club seems to come into existance around 1964. Various activities, but the major one was the Fraserview scrambles course used in 1966.

I suppose with Totem Raceways in Aldergrove operating about the same time, one track had to fold. It appears Fraserview was the one. But if that's not the case, let me know.

Anyway, a couple 1966 clippings from the Chilliwack Progress.

more recent microfilm morgue findings

All over the map these last couple days.

Looking at the Chilliwack Progress from 1965 and 1966 (not completed yet). The Chilliwack Motorcycle Club definitely is the most active as far as the newspaper is concerned. Names like Vic and Rod Hudson, and Bob Nitschke. I had known about Totem Raceways being in operation by 1966 and that is covered by the paper but I hadn't known about local scrambles being held at "River View" on Vedder Mountain.

Also went out on a chilly sunny day to Point Grey and looked at the Prince George Citizen of 1969. Most of the coverage was for PGARA Speedway, but there were scrambles and drag races either advertised for or results given for. Names in the oval world like Brian Green and Cliff Hucul (who would go on to start a few Indy 500s).

And, finally (well it's never final), I looked at the Seattle P-I during 1916. Just trying to finish off something started years ago. It didn't get finished but that's okay too. Reports of racing in Spokane and Tacoma. One interesting item on Rae Lentz winning the first Pike's Peak hill climb in the Romano Special. Both raced at Vancouver's Hastings Park. Interesting listings of future events to be held across the U.S.

Also noted that Charles Latta was part of the 1916 AAA at Tacoma. Also Pete Henderson, the first Canadian (from Fernie, BC) to start the Indy 500, finished fifth. Funny, can't find a mention of Pete's Canadian heritage yet in the coverage. Oh well, more research.

Lots to sort out.