Great Oregon Racers

Sorry to post that Jim Rockstad has passed.

https://darik.news/oregon/jim-rocks...rack-promoter-operator-dies-at-79/613496.html

https://obits.oregonlive.com/us/obituaries/oregon/name/james-rockstad-obituary?id=35594631

 

For those in the other parts of the country, Jim was a racer ( had one of the nicest/fastest Anglias around) and went on to manage race tracks at Portland, Yakima, Fremont, and ran Seattle for 25 years. He was a no nonsense track manager, and wasn't very wild about me running my Jeep at PIR. In all reality, I was a squirrel, and needed to be kept in line. You should have seen the look on his face when I showed up at Seattle driving the Ron Bizio A/GS truck. R.I.P. Mr. Rockstad.

 

Another loss this Spring was Jack Gillis, who was one of the first members of the Oregon Roadster Racing Assn in 1946, at 17 years old. He learned how to build racecars hanging around Clarence Smith's shop in Vancouver. I wrote an article about Jack in HRD back in 2014. Here are some of my favorite pictures of Jack, along with the link to the piece. https://www.motortrend.com/news/the-first-gmc-blown-roadster-jack-gillis/R.I.P. old friend.

 

I know his name was mentioned on the first page of this thread, I have not read through all 56 pages so excuse me if I make a repeat post.

Paul Smith of Eugene, I consider him a friend of mine. I visit him from time to time at his home in Eugene. I have learned some things from him, his stories are AMAZING!

He still owns his famous '50 Olds that used to be candycane striped, but its black, has been for years and he regrets it.

He still owns his famous '55 Chev 4dr long roof wagon. The original 265ci Grant Springer built race engine is in storage, but he has a running mocked up SB in the car to look like the original race setup. It was featured in Traditional Rod and Kustoms a few years back. I met him at a local car show in Eugene. Shortly after, the article about his '55 came out, my best friend took me to Paul's house to see him again, and I had him autograph my magazine. Since then, I visit him when I can, when I am in town, I message him online.

Remember the Vette in Animal House?? Yeah, that was Paul's Vette, and he just recently sold it.

 

Paul and I have been friends for nearly 40 years, as we shared the love of 50 Oldsmobile Coupes, and Drag Racing in general. When he was driving truck for an auto parts chain, we would visit often at his deliveries close to me. My first encounter with him was at the McMinnville Dragstrip in 1965 when he outran my Oldest Brother in I/Stock, as I remember, we didn't meet for some time after that. Paul is as good as they come, always been generous to me, and liked by all.

 

Gordy Youngstrom was a maintenance mechanic at a company I once worked at. Helluva nice guy and talented mechanic that could fix anything you threw his way.

 

I never got to meet Gordy, heard a lot about him, and saw his 38 Richter Midget with on of the first 110 Offenhauser engines.

 

Marty, Any chance of a pic. Of the Jeep You mentioned?
I've had a Acapulco pink 2wd. I've been wanting to put a blown/ hat injected SBC. ,Mild build, with a 10" forward axle..
Ridiculous,Not practical etc.
Cheer's..

 

It was a fiberglass 3A, on a 2wd Mail delivery chassis. Boss 302 Ford, 4 speed with a 9" Ford with 4.86 gears. I raced it in the sand, and 1/8 and 1/4 mile drags. In 1974, it ran 7.30 @ 97, 1/8th and 11.41 @ 117 1/4. My Brother Jerry's was quite a different animal.

 

There must have been "something" in that Yamhill County water!

 

Doug, there must have been something, Jerry built that Jeep in 2 weeks !

 

Exactly what I had in mind, axle at grill..
Krazy! Thanx.. Love it! View attachment 5447390 View attachment 5447391 [/QUOTE]

 

I am sad to report the loss of my oldest nephew Lonny Strode. He was a Great Oregon Racer, albeit younger than most posted on this board. He got his start from his dad Jerry, in sand racing, truck/tractor pulling, Nostalgia Drag Racing, and finally the Big Time NHRA Fuel Funny Car and Top Fuel. His time in Drag Racing was spent working with fellow Oregonian Gary Clapshaw, as Crew Chief and Tuner for him. After a series of FED's and Funny Cars, Gary had Lonny put together a Top Fuel Car. After ordering a chassis, and a bunch of engine parts, the third race they went to was the 2000 Nationals, when Gary was Runner Up. They then parked the car for nearly a year, until Gary offered Don Garlits a chance to drive the car at the 2001 Nationals. Many years later he put together a Soap Box Derby Car for one of his many Granddaughters, who was Runner Up at Akron. I am so proud of Lonny's accomplishments, and the link below tells the Garlits story, better than I can. Rest In Peace Lonny.
https://www.nhra.com/news/2019/clapshaw-effect-how-don-garlits-finally-made-his-first-300-mph-pass

 

So sorry to hear this Marty, thoughts and prayers for you and your family.

 

Marty.......sorry for your loss. Sounds like Lonny lived a full and productive life. I especially like that he had many granddaughters and even got her to Akron. Rest in Peace

 

So sorry to hear this Marty, been a tough couple of years it seems.
I had Jerry build the headers on my drag car in 1977/78, not positive, but somewhere I heard that Lonny did a good part of the work, either way, they were real nice.

 

Thanks for the replies my friends. Lonny's ashes were buried in a small, rural, private cemetery. He is probably one of the few that has a "Wally" for a headstone. It was the one Gary Clapshaw won at the Mid South Nationals in the 90's.

 

Does anyone remember this Dragster, Injected Fuel Ardun. The guy's name was Irv Peterson ran B/F, mid-60's.

 

Great history here!

 

Anyone else note that Herschel McGriff turn 95 today? He’s a fairly Great Oregon Racer…

 

A really nice guy. I raced him at the Scappose drags once when he brought his NASCAR rig.
Got him by 4 car lengths.

 

Thanks Larry, Herschel has always been a gentleman, and looks 20 years younger than he is.

 

There must be some sort of fountain of youth in Bridal Veil that he’s not telling anyone about.

 

Happy Birthday Herschel!!!!

 

Here is a shot of Herschel, second from the left, at 89 years old.

 

Thank you for the pictures. My grandpa was Clair Heaton and a lot of the family did not know these pictures ever existed. haha.

 

Do you have these ? We bought a Drag Action Cam for a Flathead from Clair in 1964, when he worked at Exhaust Specialties, for Dick Martin.

 

I think I stumbled on some of these others before in the recent past. I know he worked for Exhaust Specialties, and several others places thru the years. He was the only man I knew who could walk into a random store in some tiny town across the state and run into someone he knew. He taught me many things over the years before he passed and I don't think he ever realized the impact he made on so many folks. I think Dick came to Clairs funeral if I recall. They were close friends.

 

Clair was one on the finest, nicest man I ever met !!!!!

 

Hershel McGriff got inducted into the NASCAR Hall Of Fame today (maybe it actually happened yesterday and I just became aware of it). He drove in his last race when he was 90, he's 95 now and has a ride lined up for when he turns 100. He looks and sounds like he just might make to 100!