Remembering Tucson Racing / Hot Rod History

Keep posting! These are great!

 

Thanks! As soon as I can get more scanned - I will!

 

Speed Sport Roadster was awesome and way ahead of its time. Lyle Fisher & Red Greath (sp) were the guys behind the car. Number of articles in national mags. Tucson Speedway (Orange Grove @ I-10) was a hot bed for stockers (**** Mueller, Marion Smiley, Carl Trimmer, Dale Lee, etc. There were sprinters (Hank Arnold, Dale Lee and then the local "roadsters" Dan Duncan, Roy Cates, Dale Lee, Fran Jester, RC Whitwell (a local legend). Lots of history in Tucson circle track racing. Us kids that grew-up in the pits of Tucson Speedway, then Tucson Raceway are now old men polishing our street rods instead of banging out dents between Saturday nights. But the knowledge and history is still around if you look hard enough.

Badlands

 

Thanks for the info! Keep the names coming! I know my dad was involved back then somewhat and had some connections to all. As the group gets smaller we should keep the names alive and the history going! Anything you have is awesome! I recalled a few names from you post....mostly Mueller, Lee, and Cates, but for the life of me I can't remember the stories ***ociated! Unfortunately my dad's Brother Roy E. Price p***ed on Sunday (02-9-14) at the age of 73. He has some pics as well. As soon as I get them I will post them to help keep this era of Tucson alive!

 

This was in Garlit's museum a couple of years ago. I kinda remember it held a record at 169.11 MPH that was on the back of some car mag in the 50's.

 

Very cool!

If I remember right (I may be wrong - it's been 20+ years) there was a restoration of this car (or a recreation of the original) being done back in the 1990's maybe late 1980's and I vaguely remember my dad was asked to machine some parts for it.

 

So it is with sadness that I announce the p***ing of my Uncle Roy E. Price (Little Roy) at the age of 72 (1940-2014). He and his brother (my dad) were very close, and Roy was very much the perfectionist. While Dad would work to get things right - paint and such were optional while Roy made certain everything was perfect.

As you can see he transformed this 1934 into a real nice rod back in 1956. The 1939 he bought from my dad for fear he would "Screw it up."

Hope you all enjoy the old school before and after on the 34. As an FYI the pics were taken in 1956 (before pic of the 34), 1958 (color of the 34), 1959 (BW of Roy and his 34) and 1959 of the 39.

He will be missed!

 

I am very sorry for the loss of your uncle.

 

Any more pics? Pretty please.

 

Found a good Speed Sport article in the January 1965 issue of Popular Hot Rodding.

 

I remember them too; just found post. I would race through the hose pretending to be Cheeseburg or Roger McClusky. The spent time at our house down by the rodeo grounds and would let me tag along. My mom and dad raced; mom had better lap times!