1922, Hastings Park

 From the August 26 and 27, 1922 Vancouver Sun.

 

1911, motorcycles, Hastings Park

 From the June 17 and 18, 1911 Vancouver Daily News Advertiser.

 

1920, Hastings Park

 From the June 5 and 14, 1920 Vancouver Daily World.

 

AAA vs. IMCA

 From the September 18, 1920 Vancouver Daily World.

Jim Parsons, Hastings Park

 Early racing by Stutz driver and dealer Jim Parsons. From the June 17, 1918 Vancouver Daily World.

motorcycles, Hastings Park, 1913

 Clippings from August 8 and 10, 1913 Vancouver Daily News Advertiser.

sad day at Hastings Park, 1923

 From the August 20, 1923 Vancouver Sun.

hype for a 1919 auto race at Hastings Park

From the May 18 and 24, 1919 Vancouver Sun.

1924 Hastings Park race

I've done some of this before, but now I have some better copies of the June 14, 1924 automobile race at Hastings Park.

a little bit more

A picture of a line-up of 1925 racers at Hastings Park. I've never seen this one before. It was reprinted in a 1954 Vancouver Sun.

a jockey on the drag strip

With Mario Gutierrez, former Hastings Park jockey, doing well winning the Kentucky Derby (with a horse under him) I came across this mention of Bill Hartack, another multiple derby winner, trying his hand at drag racing.

I'm sure there were others who did the same.

Phil Churchill, 1927

Had a request for some information on Phil Churchill, who raced in the northwest during the mid-1920s. He was listed as being from North Bend, WA.

As it happened Phil lost his life in a racing accident at Vancouver`s Hastings Park. His was the second fatal at the track.

More results of Phil Churchill at the Hastings Park track can be found by clicking this link.

I got the before and after photos of the Churchill car at Hastings Park from the pages of Racing Wheels sent to me by Dick Downes. And the death certificate came from the microfilm files at my local university.

While the photo caption says 1926 the fatal accident happened in 1927. Sorting out what happened so many years ago is a very slow process of microfilm newspapers.

early vancouver racing, part 22

Haven't found anything so far for 1928, so skip ahead to 1929. A race scheduled, given promotional space in both the Sun and Province, but no results. Rain? Probably, but it would be nice to have had some sort of confirmation of the cancellation in one of those newspapers.

Add a motorcycle hill climb to the body of knowledge.

And note the passing of promoter Con Jones in June of 1929. Jones' name came up in 1912 when he helped promote a race at Minoru Park for the Victoria Order of Nurses.

And Salt Lake City resident and promoter Ab Jenkins raced into town to promote the Studebaker President Eight automobile. 115 hp, 80 mph at only $2995. Available at Willis Kingsley Motors Ltd., Georgia at Bute.

49--May 24, 1929, Hastings Park

--no results

49a--June 2, 1929, New Westminster

--motorcycle hill climb

early vancouver, part 21

1927, and all I can find is a rain-out in May and a two day series during the Exhibition, the second day ending with the fatal accident of Seattle's Phil Churchill.

46--May 24, 1927, Hastings Park

--rained out


47--August 18, 1927, Hastings Park

--mile against time
1st, Art Hines 1:00
2nd, A.D. Smith 1:00 1-2

--6-miles
1st, Art Hines
2nd, Howard Wills
3rd, Swede Smith
time, 6:20

--free for all
1st, Swede Smith
2nd, Churchill
4th, Pradella

--5-mile special
1st, W. Bloomgren
2nd, Devon Smith
3rd, Vic Pradella


48--August 19, 1927, Hastings Park

--no results, Churchill fatality

early vancouver, part 19

Another holiday in 1926 and another visit by what I like to think of as the "dirt track kings of California".

Other northwest drivers like Jack Ross, Gus Duray and Victoria's Jack Smith were also here. And motorcycles featuring Fred Deeley, Jr.

42--July 1, 1926, Hastings Park

--mile against time
1st, Al Hopp 1:02 2-5 (?)
2nd, Gus Duray
3rd, E. Spatz

--5-miles
1st, Gus Duray
2nd, Jack Ross
3rd, Jack Smith
time, 5:23

--7-miles
1st, Jim Sharpe
2nd, Jim Miles
3rd, O.H. Benson
time, 8:54 2-5

--8-miles
1st, Al Hopp
2nd, Francis Quinn
3rd, Jim Miles
time, 8:41 3-5

--15-miles
1st, Gus Duray
2nd, Jack Ross
3rd, Jim Sharpe
time, 16:34

--5-miles, motorcycles
1st, Dick Kells
2nd, R. Sedback
3rd, H. Mowatt
time, 6:18 1-5

--8-miles, motorcycles
1st, F. Deeley
2nd, Phil Bradley
3rd, E. Brown
time, 10:16

43--July 2, 1926, Hastings Park

--mile against time
1st, Al Hopp 1:04 4-5
2nd, Bill Cooper
3rd, Jack Smith
4th, Jack Norton
Earl Evans

--5-miles, fastest cars
1st, Al Hopp
2nd, Jack Smith
3rd, Earl Evans
time, 6:33 1-5

--3-miles, motorcycles
1st, R. Sedbach
2nd, Phil Bradley
3rd, H. Mowatt
time, 4:55

--5-miles, open
1st, Bob Parsons
2nd, Jimmy Sharpe
time, 6:58

--5-miles, motorcycles
1st, Dick Kells
2nd, Fred Deeley Jr.
3rd, Merlyn Owens
time, 6:23 4-5

--4-miles, motorcycles
1st, Ray Deeley
2nd, E. Brown
time, 5:10

--15-miles free for all
1st, Bob Parsons
2nd, Jimmy Sharpe
time, 17:49


44--July 3, 1926, Hastings Park

--mile against time
1st, Al Hopp 1:03
2nd, Gus Duray
3rd, Jack Ross

--5-miles, open
1st, Al Hopp
2nd, Bob Parsons
time, 5:27 1-5

--7-miles, open
1st, Jimmy Sharpe
2nd, George Smythe
3rd, Elmer Spatz
time, 8:06 1-5

--5-miles, consolation
1st, Jack Smith
2nd, Elmer Spatz
3rd, George Smythe
time, 5:38

--10-mile B.C. Championship
1st, Jimmy Sharpe
2nd, Jack Smith
3rd, Elmer Spatz
time, 11:22 4-5



--5-miles, motorcycles
1st, Dick Kells
2nd, H. Mowatt
3rd, Fred Deeley, Jr.
time, 6:20

--10-miles, motorcycles
1st, Ray Deeley
2nd, R. Sedbach
3rd, Phil Bradley
time, 12:05

--5-mile motorcycle consolation
1st, H. Mowatt
2nd, Ed Lanseth
3rd, E. Brown
time, 6:31 1-5

early vancouver racing, part 18

1926 is interesting in that southern California racers came north. Ascot Speedway in the Los Angeles was in a bit of a doldrums phase before the local legion took it over. So they headed north on a barnstorming tour. Francis Quinn and Jimmy Sharpe both were to stars but, unfortunately, both lost their lives, Sharpe in a racing accident and Quinn in a road accident.

The first of a couple parts.

40--May 22, 1926, Hastings Park

--mile against time
1st, Francis Quinn 1:04 1-5

--15-miles open
1st, Francis Quinn
2nd, Al Hopp
3rd, Burr Metheny
time, 17:18 2-5

--5-miles, open
1st, Bob Parsons
2nd, Francis Quinn
3rd, Peter Lofstrom
time, 5:53 1-5

--3-miles, open
1st, Burr Metheny
2nd, J.W. Norton
3rd, E.B. Spatz
time, 3:33

--pursuit
1st, Burr Metheny


41--May 24, 1926, Hastings Park

--mile again time
1st, Al Hopp 1:04 4-5

--4-miles
1st, Al Hopp
2nd, Bob Parsons
3rd, E.B. Spatz

--6-miles
1st, Francis Quinn
2nd, Earl Evans
3rd, Jimmy Sharpe

--5-miles
1st, Elmer Spatz
2nd, J. Jamieson

--20-miles
1st, J.W. Norton
2nd, Bob Parsons

--special, 3-miles
1st, Francis Quinn
2nd, Earl Evans
3rd, Jamieson
4th, Jack Smith

early vancouver racing, part 17

Another year of racing at Hastings Park. I believe A.D. Smith is Devon Smith and George Smyth was better known as Swede Smith. Lots of guys named Smith raced back then.

38--August 14, 1925, Hastings Park

--mile against time
1st, George Lott, Pelican Special 1:03 3-5
Jack Ross, Buttera Special 1:03 3-5
3rd, Kenny Eckle, Ford Special 1:06 1-5

--small cars, 5-miles
1st, A.D. Smith, Ford Special
2nd, Phil Churchill, Churchill Special
3rd, Kenny Eckle, Ford Special
time, 5:49 2-5

--big cars, 5-miles
1st, Jack Ross, Buttera Special
2nd, Gus Duray, Romano Special
3rd, Chet Latta, Dodge Special
time, 5:34 1-5

--15-mile free for all
1st, George Smyth, Hayes Special
2nd, Gus Duray, Romano
3rd, Chet Latta, Dodge Special
time, 16:27 1-5




39--August 15, 1925, Hastings Park

--mile against time
1st, Jack Ross, Buttera Special 1:02 3-5
2nd, Gus Duray, Romano 1:03

--small cars, 5-miles
1st, George Lott, Pelican Special
2nd, Kenny Eakle, Ford Special
3rd, Phil Churchill, Churchill Special
4th, A.D. Smith, Wilcox Special

--large cars, 5-miles
1st, Jack Ross
2nd, Gus Duray
3rd, Fred Hirsch, Romano Sturdvent Special
time, 5:26 4-5

--25-miles
1st, Jack Ross
2nd, Phil Churchill
3rd, George Lott
time, 29:00 1-5

early vancouver racing, part 16

Some interesting names: Jack Smith of Victoria, Happy Horstman (I believe that's the proper spelling), Jack Ross and a guy with a Hispano Suiza.

35--June 14, 1924, Hastings Park

--5-mile City Championship
1st, Jack Smith, Victoria
2nd, Dave Grant, Vancouver
3rd, Frank Martin, Vancouver
time, 6:43

--mile against time
1st, Jack Ross 1:07 1/2
2nd, C.A. Latta 1:10
3rd, Jack Smith 1:11

--3-miles, open
1st, Jack Ross
2nd, C.A. Latta
3rd, Harry Schuck

--5-miles, open
1st, Jack Ross
2nd, C.A. Latta
3rd, Kenny Eakle
time, 6:32

--3-miles, small cars
1st, Jack Smith
2nd, Kenny Eakle
3rd, Dave Grant
time, 4:45

--15-miles, open
1st, Jack Ross
2nd, Jack Smith
3rd, Harry Schuck
time, 22:15 2-5


36--August 15, 1924, Hastings Park

--mile against time
1st, Philip Smith's Dodge Special 1:05 2-5
2nd, Horsman's Motordrome Special 1:06 3-5
3rd, Harry Schuck's Special 1:07
4th, Pat Reed's Marmon 1:08 3-5
5th, Chet Latta's Romano 1:11
Jack Smith's Chevrolet 1:11
7th, Don McKinnon's Hispano Suza 1:14
8th, Jack Ross' Buttera Special 1:21


--5-miles
1st, Jack Smith
2nd, W. Bernston
3rd, McKinnon

--3-miles
1st, Horsman
2nd, Chet Latta
3rd, Jack Ross

--10-miles
1st, Horsman
2nd, Jack Ross
3rd, Smith
time, 11:55


37--August 16, 1924, Hastings Park

--no results

early vancouver, part 15

Tragedy finally struck the local scene when Dudley Lamberton Smith died as the result of injuries suffered in an accident at Hastings Park, August 18, 1923.

The result was to limit the entry of racers to only so-called "professionals" from the U.S.

When I spoke with Gordon Reelie many years ago he said that he was at Hastings Park when Smith was killed. At that time Reelie lived in North Burnaby, within hearing distance of the horse track, especially if there were cars racing. The incident ultimately didn't deter him from getting involved with the sport.

And, in one of those eerie coincidences, I bought a paperback book called "The Complete Book of Auto Racing" by Lyle Kenyon Engel and the staff of Auto Racing Magazine.

Inside the book had passages underlined and some comments made in the margin. A bit frustrating except that I already had a cleaner copy of the book. What made me buy it was a comment written by this unknown owner of the book previous to me:

"My first contact with car racing -- when working at 'Standard Motors' -- Ford -- 8th and Kingsway. A mechanic 'Dud' Smith -- killed at Hastings Park -- 1923 -- driving a Model T Ford -- with Rajah head -- went thru outside board fence at full speed."

Then this unknown writer added, beneath a line drawn beneath the above passage:

"Drove this track several years later in a touring Ford and was chased off by speed cop Charles Palmer -- 'for my own protection'."

33--August 17, 1923, Hastings Park

--mile against time
1st, Bloom, Stutz, No. 6
2nd, Butler, Butler Special
3rd, Bloom, Special

--5-miles, 3 heats
heat no. 1--1st, "Tip Bloom", Stutz
time, 7:10

heat no. 2--1st, Dud Smith, Crescent Special
2nd, Robins, Ford
3rd, Dave Grant, Carmichael Garage
time, 7:20

heat no. 3--1st, George Smith, Frontenac Ford
2nd, Black, Ford No. 1
3rd, Barnett, Maxwell No. 5
time, 6:53

--25-miles
1st, George Smith, Frontenac Ford
2nd, Bloom, Stutz
3rd, Grupp, Stevens Special
time, 29:15


34--August 18, 1923, Hastings Park

--30-miles
1st, Tip Bloom, Stutz, No. 6
2nd, Pat Reed, Stevens Special
3rd, C. Latta, Baby Romano

early vancouver racing, part fourteen

Big ad for the big races during the Vancouver Exhibition.

The first race noted below is from Victoria. The Foster is Phil Foster, one of a handful of Foster brothers who helped develop racing in the Victoria area. Phil's nephew was Billy Foster.

30--July 1, 1922, The Willows

--one mile Ford race
1st, Olson
2nd, Flesh
3rd, Foster

--5-mile Ford race
1st, Olson
2nd, Foster
3rd, Newman
4th, Flesh

--5-mile Ford race
1st, Olson
2nd, Foster
3rd, Newman

--many motorcycle races that day


31--August 26, 1922, Hastings Park

--25-miles
1st, Jack Ross, Stutz, No. 8
2nd, George Smith, Kimbro
3rd, Walter Bloom, Dodge, No. 4

--light cars
1st, ???
2nd, Bloom

--mile against time
1st, Jack Ross

--2-miles
1st, Jack Ross


32--August 27, 1922, Hastings Park

--2-miles
1st, Jack Ross, Stutz
2nd, George Lott

--6-miles
1st, Walter Bloom, Dodge
time, 7:26 7/8


--6-miles
1st, Jack Ross, Stutz
time, 7:46 1/4

--25-miles
1st, Jack Ross, Stutz
time, 29:06