Just curious (Phx. hist.)

Okay here are some oldies. The T is 1971 at Lake Pleasant and the '40s are from 1965. Allan Knutsen was racing Johnny Loper with it just a few years before I got it.
Did anyone ever hear of the Yeakle Brothers? How about Gary Stanton, Rick Stewart, the Abonte(?) brothers, Corky or Don Tippet, Hub's Radiators, Mr. Lucky's, Brownie Brothers

 

We just lost Rick Stewart last year, in November. I believe Corky is gone as well. We have had a couple of bad years around here with loosing our older hot rodders lately.
For those of you that were around in the fifties, does anyone remember a guy by the name of Lee Lebhart? I know he was heavy into the car and bike scene in the fifties and early sixties, but was never a "name". Any body?
Thanks Bill for the proper time line on Bobby Ball. I know the name, but it's always nice to put the proper dates together. Important too. Now I can pass that info next I'm asked accurately.

 

I just ran across this thread this morning, brought back a lot of old memories. I lived in "the valley of the sun" for nearly 20 years. My first wife was born and raised there and drug me out there in '67. We lived mostly in the 32nd St & Bell Rd area ( west of 32nd & north of Bell ), none of the streets were paved then and the county would come out a couple times a year and spread used motor oil for dust control. Can you see that being done now?
We had a '55 Buick Special, back then, that was lowered, had 4 bars and dummy spots. We used to hang out at the Bob's Big Boy, on Central Ave., the girls were still using roller skates then! We would cruise Central with our 1 year old in his car seat, wouldn't see any other lowered cars till we got south of the Salt river.
A lot of the Speed Shop's and people's names seem to register but I was into lowriders and Harleys back then. We did go out to Beeline alot up until the early 70's.
We used to go out to P.I.R., as I recall they used to host the "Bobby Ball Memorial". Watched Bobby Unser, Jr. race midgets there when he was young. Seem like it was a 2 or 3 day event with midgets, outlaw midgets and Indy cars.
I remember going to Mr. Lucky's in '68 for the wifes 21st birthday, it had only been open a short while, upstairs was Country Western and downstairs was Rock n Roll ( might have that backwards ). I remember Willie Nelson playing the "Riverside Ballroom"on Central and Wylon Jennings owning "Shanes" in Scottsdale.
Didn't Phoenix Motors use to be a Porshe Dealer also?

 

No, I don't think they were a Porsche dealer. I think the VW dealer down on Central and Willetta who's name just vaporized as I started to write this was. Since you lived up there during that time frame, Do you remember the "buggy Stop"that was just east of 32nd st on Bell? It was a antique/junk shop that had a super clean '26 or '27 T touring body on the roof.

 

Not until you just mentioned it but yes I do, they were on the southeast corner. The Porshe dealership that I'm refering to was not a V.W. dealership. Seem's as though they were high end autos only.

 

Van's Rod Shop: The 24 hour parts place was Automotive Sales and was at Mc Dowell and the Freeway north bound access road. I worked the counter there mostly nights in the 66-70 era. 68-70 drove either a Red 68 or Blue 59 Vettes.

 

I currently live just east of 32nd st and north of Bell. The streets west of Bell were still dirt when I moved there in 1997, they didn't get paved until 1999. I guess the figured they should be paved when we entered the 21st century.

 

Another little tidbit. I found this on youtube and it looks to be the same airfield I mentioned in post 43, Goodyear AAAF #6/ Perryville Drag Strip.



Deleted from YouTube.

 

I also noticed a lot of new Beeline pictures posted here:

http://www.arizonaracinghistory.com/drags.htm
(Sorry, pics in the link above seem to have been deleted.)


Main site:

http://www.arizonaracinghistory.com/

 

Another cool web find. The Midnighters CarClub:

http://midnighterscarclub.com/history.html

 

Here is a picture of the Bobby Ball car today as restored by Bob Fletcher.

 

PHX is my old home town, any good shows coming up?

 

My name is Jim Chapman and I grew up in Tolleson, AZ ('59-'82) west of Phoenix and east of PIR. On the street I grew up on (Washington Street) there was a family (Clark's) that had a garage in Tolleson and raced sprint cars. Alvin and his son Larry built and raced out of Tolleson. In addition when the Indy cars came to PIR Mario Andretti has his car(s) pitted at Alvin's Shop on 91st Drive and Van Buren Street. I remember going to the shop as a kid and seeing Mario and his car. Larry help me with my first real muscle car a '67 390 GT Mustange I had in High School ('76).

Also at the end of Washington Street was Vince Thomas owner of the "II Timer" Chevy II that raced at Mel Larson's and Beeline. I use to hang out at Vince's as a child and hold a wrench while he worked on the car... Good Times...





Vince At Phoenix Dragway

More II Timer Photos Here

In addition PIR had a drag strip that was closed after a fuel car crashed in the side of the mountain when the throttle stuck... I am not sure when it closed but I think it was early - mid '60s.

 

Wow! I've never seen early pics of that track from opposite the tower and a Chevy II in the same shot, Awesome!

 

The II Timer picks in the link are pretty sweet too, even a few from Beeline. My first car was a '66 post car and that just made my day. Thanks wetspeed.

 

Hey Jim! Your posting! Cool!

 

My Gosh! that is Speedworld Dragstrip!! I have to forwarded these pics to Victoria.

I was a kid at the '71/'72 Winter Nationals at Beeline and remember seeing the 2 Timer Chevy II in the pits and on the trailer. I remember it as light blue and it was pulled by a nearly identical light blue chevy II. May have pics of it somewhere.

Thanks for sharing the pics! If you have any more vintage pics, esp Speedworld, please pass it on. I have rented and hosted drag and show events at Speedworld continuously since 1998. Neat stuff.


Also about PIR drag history, there were 2 top fuel drivers who died there before it closed. Have a sticker of it somewhere in my collection.

 

I have been e-mailing Jim Rodgers this week. He opened Beeline Dragway in 1963. So far i know he will be at Barrett Jackson in Jan. He might be doing a story on Beeline with the Arizona Republic soon. John

 

Please keep us posted on that development. I do not read the paper anymore normally but, would like to know if there is a story so I can buy a copy.

Steve

 

Here are a couple pictures i took at Beeline Dragway of the Glass Rat. Not the greatest but remember this was a long time ago with a Brownie Hawkeye box camera.. I'm sure that is Harry Luge's 1960 Ford Ranchero running against the Glass Rat John

 

Here's Allan Knutson's C/G Willy's at Beeline with Corky Russnak. I think this one was Yellow with Blue tinted windows.

 

Here is the photo of the complete set up tow rig and race car.


There were times that the Tow Car and Race Car were switched to take advantage of the rules if I remember correctly.

 

Yea Chip I figured I better start hanging here more so I can continue to be motivated with the Anglia project.

 

I have a set of slides taken at the '73 AHRA Winternationals at Beeline Dragway. As soon as I find them I will get them scanned and post.

 

Just as a point of interest or whatever, I bought the red '40 Ford coup that Allan raced. It had blue plexi windows. I never saw the yellow car.

 

This was a Yellow WILLY's not a
Ford

 

Yes, I read that. I am just offering that the Ford did too -

 

Here are some pics of my car from 1962-66 or 67 cant remember for sure, I lived on 51st and Pioria, between Glendale and Pioria AZ. I joined the Air Force and moved away in Dec of 66 and then moved back to the ozarks of missouri in 1970. Anyway hope you like these pics.

 

Some more...