Great Oregon Racers

I'm imagining my neighbor's reaction if I had that operation going.


Sent from a pay phone

 

Here is a couple out of my pal Ernie Martin's stash, Palmer Crowell raced everthing from Track Roadsters,Hardtops, Midgets, Sprints and Silver Crown Cars. He owned and raced this GT 350 in 1966 on the road race circuit. Ernie Martin served him well as his mechanic for many years, Palmer an Ern raced and won the Canadian American Modified Racing Assn. title in 1971 with this Sprint Car.

 

These are also from Ernie Martin's collection, they were taken at Scapoose in the early 50's. Ernie's older brother Leonard ran around with a guy from Hillsboro named Harvey James, Harvey raced the channeled 34 coupe (shown in white and black) in these shots. Harvey is the tall one in the pics.

 

More, the 46 tudor made a "cool" tow car.

 

Marty, you have a few more I recognize

This '32 Ford belonged to Keith Strohecker. Keith passed away a few years ago, but his family still has the roadster. He took this car to Bonneville in '52 with other members of the "Pacers" (my grandfather included) and raced. If I remember the story correctly, they drove them to Bonneville and Keith hit a big Nevada jack rabbit with it...destroyed the front end of the car, including the radiator. They limped it to Bonneville, borrowed a radiator from another guy who had already raced, ran his car, patched up his old radiator and drove it all the way home.




This car I have pics of, but don't know who's it was...

 

Clayton, Thanks for the info, the Keith Strohecker 32 must be the blue one with the "Cammer Ford" that he had when he died. I know his son Jeff, a Ford mechanic, haven't seen him for a few years.

 

Yes. Not sure why he chose to switch engines to a 427 "Cammer" from the original flattie....kinda too bad he didn't put it back the way it was in the old days.

 

Speaking of the Stroheckers, this roadster belonged to Wes. Bobby Mead photo taken at Delta Park.

 

Marty,
Harvey's car syas, "Geer James" on the side. Any idea who the Geer part is?

 

Val, If you look closer it reads "Gear Jammers", BTW Harvey raced "Hardtops" at Hillsboro and Portland as well. Check out his 34 !

 

That's not the track nose '27 he ran back in the 40's and 50's is it? Had a really nice one piece track nose and white interior..

 

More on Harvey James and Leonard Martin, Leonard's younger brother Ernie used to talk about when Harvey was drag racing the 34 coupe at Scapoose, he could not beat Bud Parham's "T" roadster. Harvey and Leonard picked up a "belly" tank, thinking they would put the big flathead out of the coupe in it and wax Bud. Well it didn't work that way, Bud "whipped" them again! Flash forward to 1995, Ernie and I were getting started on our "Track Roadsters" and our friend and sign painter Spike Parham brought his uncle Bud out to meet us. You should have seen the smile on Bud's face when Ernie reminded him of those days, Ernie told him,"I was just a kid and you outran the the guy's I came with", but you became my hero that day! Ray Van Dorn drove Bud's roadster a lot of the time, as Bud was busy as President of the CTA. These are pics of the tank and Bud's roadster. The shot of Bud's before he flamed it came from Wayne Miller, the rest are from Ernie. Sadly, Harvey, Leonard, Bud and Ray are all gone now.

 

More pics from the 50's, car clubs were popular, Wayne Miller was in the "49'rs", he is in the middle row on the right end, another club showing their jackets, the Trompers. The 33 coupe with the "Track Nose" was owned by Earl and Monty Rowland, the fastest at that time!

 

I believe this car was from Spokane, Washington and ran most of the time at Deer Park, near Spokane! Close enough though.

 

More pics from Wayne Miller's album, these shots were taken at the drags at Eugene and Scapoose. (early 50's)

 

More.

 

Any info on the flathead powered belly tanker?

 

The tank in post 715 was a 296" flathead, the one in 718 could be Pierre Philips, I will check my Al Drake books. Pierre went on to big things in road racing, his son Tom is one of the best header/exhaust builders around, I talked to Tom last week, should have asked him.

 

Rare color shots from Portland Speedway in 1947,the #57 with Don Moore at the wheel, and the car owner Al Reamer along side. Al and I have become friends over the last 16 years or so, he is a regular at the "Beaches" cruise at PIR on wed nites. He was one of the first "Track Roadster" racers with this sleek 27 roadster and a fun guy! Al's driver Don Moore was one of the early C.T.A. Presidents and one of the nicest men I have ever met, he has been gone 10 years now. The #33 belonged to Tom Story, Jimmy Martin was his driver. The #23 was the property of Randy Francis. Three fine examples of "street roadsters" converted to oval track racers. With a shot Len Sutton thrown in for good measure.

 

More from Wayne Miller's collection, taken around 1952 in the pits at Scapoose and Eugene Drags. The custom 38 Chev 2 dr belonged to long time "quality" car builder Roger Simonatti, the 33 Ford with the radiator protection bars was a "Hardtop Racer" from Portland Speedway doing some double duty as a drag car.

 

More from the same time period, including the A/V8 roadster of Portland Hotroder and famous author Albert "Bud" Drake. We are approaching 50,000 views on this thread, more to come!

 

Marty, Thank you so much for posting all of these great shots from Scappoose in the very early days. I pour over every one looking for connections to the photos I have have from Grandpa's collection. Please, keep them coming!

Here are some more I don't think I have posted..


Monte Rowland's coupe going up against a belly tanker..

 

Marty, in post's 718 and 723 you mention the Eugene Drag Strip.
Most people (under the age of 70) would probably think you are talking about T-Bird Air Park, aka Norpac Raceway, aka Balboa Drag Strip, but it in fact was the site of the Original Eugene Airport which ran parallel to Chambers Street somewhere's between 13th ave. and 18th ave.
While most couldn't give a rats ass, anyone who ever lived in Eugene will probably be amazed as it is now the site of a Grade School, Strip Mall, etc.
Boy, I am getting old............. I remember when you (Marty) lived "way out" in Cornelius which is now the edge of Portland.
I was never able to go to the Scapoose Drags, nor Aurora, but as I mentioned in a earlier post, my first visit to Drag Racing was McMinnville in 1960 or 61.
That was also my first time "Snorting Nitro" which has, and still is eating up my retirement savings.
I couldn't imagine having it any other way...................... Bob Drury

 

Thanks again to Wayne Miller for these shots from Scapoose in 51' along with some from Eugene. 101-C is Salem's Wayne Mahaffey's Flathead Cad powered 35 phaeton, I stated a lot earlier in this thread that Wayne owns and shows the car today (lovingly restored). One shot shows Eddie Duhon's 39 sedan convert (also beautifully restored) and owned by Sam Parker. My best memories of watching Wayne race was around 63' when he was racing his D/A roadster with a "Jerry Smith" flathead, winning the majority of the races, along with setting the NHRA record. #666 was Cliff DeWitt's "hopped up" 41 Buick convert.

 

The 41 Ford convert was red and had a "brand new" Plymouth grille. Hank Jones 36 window along with a pickup cab mounted on a "shoebox" Ford frame. How about that 40 Merc convert "custom"?

 

Man, This is great stuff Marty!

 

Clayton, I have more at my disposal, post it when I can, glad you are enjoying it.

 

does anyone recognize this dragster from oregon? it was called the street sweeper. has a grants pass sponsor on the sides as well as butlers machine shop.

 

Keep them coming. I am enjoying it too! Great stuff! I plan to post some of my dad's mid 70's drag racing pictures at Madras and PIR when I find that box in his attic.

 

I'm so glad this thread took off! Just think, all this stuff would have remained in obscurity if it weren't for the HAMB!
And a BIG thank you to Marty for being the sparkplug in this deal!
We do need more 60's drag racing at Woodburn though!