Great Oregon Racers

Joe, I remember when your Dad, Steve and Dale brought the Bantam to my Brother Jerry's shop out in Gaston to get the Hemi engine mounted. Didn't that car belong to Wendell White at one time ?

 

Isn't this the car Lou Sgro had.

 

I am very sorry to report the passing of a really great Oregon racer. Jamie Fox passed recently after becoming aware of his cancer. This friend-of-all worked tirelessly on many overpowered vehicles over the years. When I first met him, he and Randy Shroyer were helping Doug Beatty, on Wayne Harry's Equipment Roundup Willys. They were hard to beat. Last year, Jamie restored Jack Coonrod's '33 for a gasser legend ceremony at Woodburn. He will be missed!!!
Vancouver, yea, I know.

 

Jamie was a nice guy, he lived for the drags, helping out many race teams over the years. He spent the last few years working with Lonnie Gilbertson, on all kinds of projects. He was highly involved with the building of Lonnie's 55, and a pleasure to work with. That's him leaning on the hood.

 

We lost another one a couple of weeks ago, I mentioned him in an earlier post. Marion Hoff was the top "Hardtop Driver" in our local racing Association, Sunset Auto Racing Association. His first race car was the #2, that he raced in '54-'55. For the '56 season he got the ride in the 19JR, owned by local tire re-capper Jake Roth, a flamed 32 3W, with his Brother in Law, Bob Mead Sr. as mechanic. The " Valley Tire" Deuce coupe won the Championship in '56 and '57, I have the '56 Championship trophy. One time at the St. Helens track, Marion crashed the car in a trophy dash, ripping the front axle loose. Bob got it back in place, and welded the pitman with a cutting torch (yes, he used the cutting head, as that was all that was available). The Flagman gave him 5 practice laps, to see if it would hold. Marion went on the win the A-Main. On certain Sundays they would run 100 laps on a rough, dusty, 5/8 dirt track, he said blisters inside his gloves were common. You had to be tough to go the distance. RIP Marion

 

Here are a couple more pic's I found. They're from White City Drag Strip in Oregon. The racing pic is from the book Lost Dragstrips II.

 

Let's GO Oregon guys! I'm sure there is more out there! Thanks to Marty Strode and everyone else for keeping this thread going.
NOW GET ON IT BEAVER STATE RACERS!

 

Bob Bogan, These shots are
from around 1952/3 in Grants Pass, Oregon.

Later years, Grants Pass
(Caveman Speed Bowl) and Roseburg.

Bogan moved to California and ran at Ascot, among other tracks, and then the Ventura track. He became a car builder, know for fine craftsmanship and detail,leaving the driving to others.

 

Does anybody have any info on this car it was the old kenney goodell cuda that later became the crusader raced by springer & price then eventually got turned into this blue car.
I'd greatly appreciate any help since I would like to get some pictures & info to possibly restore it.

 

Mine isn't very earth-shattering but in the early 70s I worked with George Eberly who was a regular at the new Portland strip, {P.I.R.?] with his street driven '54 Hudson Jet 4 door. It was maroon with a white top and ran a '69 Camaro 302 engine/Muncie 4 speed and a Hudson hornet dana 44 posi rear axle Maybe some of you guys saw him run.

 

Marty
I see that Len Grateri passed recently, do you know if he actually did much racing himself?

 

Doug, I hadn't heard that. Len and his younger Brother Ken, ran a '51 Chevy 2 dr. with a McGurk equipped 6, in F/MP, as I remember. They had a big picture of it running at the Winternationals, on the wall of their Hillsboro tire store. Not sure, but I would bet Lenny did the driving. All three of the Brothers were State Champion Wrestlers! Lenny owned serial # 13, Shelby Cobra, as I remember, he replaced the 260 engine, with a HI-Po 289, with Webers, I had it here for some welding once.

 

Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I care for a car collection and this summer the owner asks me to deliver a blown flathead to one of his friends for assembly. I was disappointed, thought I'd be doing it. Owner tells me "don't worry this guy knows what he's doing". Enter Wayne Harry. Wayne said this was the last engine he'd be building due to having advanced macular degeneration and donated his personal engine stand to the collection.

After noticing a t-shirt he's wearing, I discover his racing history. Cool guy with great stories. He's on the list of "All-Time Quickest Supercharged Gassers" at #10 with a 6.925 et at 202 mph in a BBC Chev powered 41 Willys.

Wayne in his record setting car. Location unknown.
He gave me the "return road" tow harness used for this car.


Willys pickup probably around 1963-4? McMinnville?



The engine Wayne assembled for us.


8BA, Merc crank, NOS Kong heads, Latham blower, Edelbrock intake, Drache carb adapters.
Still have more parts to swap, install or find but the long block is done.


Wayne was co-owner of Columbia Racing Engines in Portland along with Jim Albrich and Earl Floyd. They teamed with and built the engine for Ed McCulloch's "Northwind" dragster in 1965. Shown below at Famoso, probably March '66. Not my picture but I was there at 12 years old. Lived in Bakersfield.

 

I dug this out of my photo box. Early 80's at Seattle I think.

 

Wayne Harry and Mel Bryson - Woodburn

 

Was this the car that was wrecked?

 

Come on guys! MORE MORE!!!!

 

It's been a long while, a friend of mine lives near Ken Beebe, who was a highly innovative drag racer in Oregon in the 60's. I first saw Ken in about '61 when he was racing a model A Roadster with with ARDUN power. He steered from the "rumble seat", and the car did wheelstands that scared the Flagman, and was the one to beat ! Ken followed that car with this X/Dragster, powered by a Menasco aircraft engine from the 20's, that was mounted upside down and backwards, and connected to a '39 Ford trans. It was the quickest "Banger" in the Northwest, with a best E.T. of 12.26. I remember the car running in 1963. A '27 modified roadster on a dragster chassis powered by his ARDUN was the next one out of his stable. Ken gave my friend the Menasco engine to display !

 

Wow! That looks interesting, I love aircraft engines. Maybe you could shoot some more pictures sometime?

 

I will see what I can do.

 

The Orange Crate makes a pass at Billetproof 2016
http://billetproof.com/index.php/the-orange-crate-makes-a-pass-at-billetproof/

 

Pretty cool, sounds good.
MORE PICS GUYS! I KNOW YOU ARE OUT THERE!!! COME ON!!

 

Direct Youtube links to 2 Orange Crate Billetproof Eruption Drags vids.


and one from the 2016 California Hot Rod Reunion

 

No image !

 

Currently or recently owned by Frank (Burt) Richards. Gresham, OR
http://richiesdragmaster.com/
Found by Googling 'Richies Scoops'.

 

Gary, I don't really remember a car like that, in my travels.

 

Thanks