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Old announcer
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Posted: Saturday Dec 23rd, 2006 11:31 PM |
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My first race in Oregon was as a fan at the Late Models races at Hollywood Bowl (Salem Speedway) in 1956. Moving to Lebanon, OR. on July 4th, 1956, I had been a race fan since I was about 8 years old and at 19 I was firmly hooked on the sport, so the first thing I wanted to do was find the nearest race track. The only thing that I remember about that race was that Len Sutton was driving a 1956 Ford and being from St. Louis, Mo., he was the only driver that I had ever heard of. Little did I know that about ten years later I would be announcing at Salem, writing race coverage for Al Lightner, the Statesman Sports editor and would be writing coverage and a column (Gas Fumes) for Gary Sterners new Racing Wheels newspaper. During the following year I worked with some Lebanon people who wanted to lease the old horse racing track at Lebanon Meadows and start a racing association. 12 guys, 1 race car, 1 experienced driver and a lot of hope. Amazingly, it operated from 1957 to 1963.One of those early car owners (Clair Arnold & family) bought a nearly bankrupt Lebanon speedway that was built in 1965 and in 1966 became the owners of Willamette Speedway, which now draws the largest field of Dirt Late Model cars in the west.In the years since 1956 I have been fortunate to have announced races throughout Western Oregon plus a few in Washington, Arizona and Missouri.
If anyone is interested in old auto racing history, I have files full of statistics, stories and even a few funny true tales that may be told with some name deletions.
Let me know and I'll include some race results with names that you will probably recognize......Ron
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Chuck#16
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Posted: Sunday Dec 24th, 2006 02:57 AM |
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Ron,
I for one would like to hear any stories and see stats.
I went to my first race when I was less than a year old as my grandfather was track superintendent at Aurora Speedway from the day it opened till the day it closed. My dad, uncle and grandmother would work there on race days.
I started raceing at Sky Valley and Skagit in 1974 and ran thru 1980. I now run a vintage midget and shoot a few pictures every now and then at various races.
Chuck
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Old announcer
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Posted: Sunday Dec 24th, 2006 07:14 PM |
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Chuck,
One of my favorite stories told to me by my good friend, the late Bobby Etchison, was of Bobby and his brother Dean traveling from Eugene, Oregon every week to race at Aurora Speedway. They would leave Eugene around 5am with Bobby's 34 Ford coupe (#5 Purple with Yellow #s and lettering). The car was hauled on the back of an old Chevy flatbed truck. This was probably 1955/56. No I-5 in those days Hwy 99 all the way. After the races it was back home again. Total round-trip time was around 24 hours. Bobby was the first Lane County Modified track champion during the first years the Eugene track was open (opened in 1953). He also won many titles when they became a traveling series and later was a Modified champion with the Portland based Modified Racing A'ssn of Oregon. Bob also competed in some of the CAMRA series races in the 60's and 70's but was never a full timer with CAMRA.
I met Bobby when I happened to pit near him at Salem Speedway back in the late 50's. I was just a dumb-assed, want-a-be driver and new to the sport. Bob was remarkably helpful and friendly. That started a friendship that lasted for years. It was a great honor to be chosen to do the Eulogy at Bob's on June 10th, 2005.
Bobby had many great stories about Aurora Speedway. R.I.P. old friend.
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Tom
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Posted: Monday Dec 25th, 2006 06:35 PM |
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| If you like old stories, If you havent yet,take a good look at mel anthony's book it a must read.
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Just an Old Guy
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Posted: Monday Dec 25th, 2006 07:52 PM |
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Blatant plug for my friend Mel's book. So good I bought two.
Smoke, Sand & Rubber - "Methanol" Mel Anthony's book on racing in the Northwest. Soft Cover, 288 pages, 250 B&W photos, 7"x10". To order by check - Sylvester Publishing #133, 18405 Aurora Ave. N Suite H, Shoreline, WA 98133-4412.
Internet credit card ordering - http:// ww. atlasbooks.com/marketplace/01727.htm and the site includes all ordering information, a shot of the cover and a bit of a chapter.
$29.95 + $4.00 domestic shipping. $8.00 foreign. ISBN: 0-9787721-0-5.
For those that aren't aware of it, Mel is the father of Dennis Anthony that raced openwheel cars in the Northwest back in the 70's. Mel's a great teller of tales from his era and he has included some of the best.
____________________
Your head is rejecting your eardrums............
.....How long have you been around racecars?
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SAFEWAY KELLY
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| Joined: | Wednesday Dec 13th, 2006 |
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Posted: Wednesday Dec 27th, 2006 11:16 PM |
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| MR. TOM-SINCE I CAN'T REMEMBER HOW TO PM, DO YOU HAVE THE E-MAIL TO EVERGREEN SPEEDWAY?? I WANT TO E-MAIL MICKEY BEADLE ON THE CHANCE OF A SKY VALLEY OLD TIMERS NIGHT ON HIS SEASON OPENER. NO ONE IN THE OFFICE DUE TO WINTER HOURS. THANKS!! KELLY
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Tom
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Posted: Thursday Dec 28th, 2006 05:44 AM |
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| Check Evergreens website or 360-805-6100. How about a hamburger social in the parking lot at Skagit prior to an NSCS event or Dirt Cup alot of SVRA and 60/70's era racers will already be there. If you need help I volunteer RACEMOM.....
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Digney in Burnaby
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| Joined: | Wednesday May 24th, 2006 |
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Posted: Saturday Dec 30th, 2006 01:51 AM |
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I've managed to get some time to finish Mel Anthony's book. Great stories and photos of a past era.
There are other books that include stories about racing in the Pacific Northwest. Len Sutton's "My Road To Indy" and Rolla Vollstedt's "Vollstedt". I think both are still available.
Heck, I've been part of a group putting out stories about racers from the Vancouver, BC, area, the Greater Vancouver Motorsport Pioneers Society. Our last edition (2006) includes oval racers like Larry Sproule, Ralph Monhay and Mel Keen, all of whom ran the CAMRA circuit in the 1960s and 70s.
Ron, like Chuck, I'd love to have some stories from you. And racing stats. Love those stats! Somewhere I've got the top ten finish of the 1964 200-lapper for supermodifieds at Portland. Probably won by Jim Malloy but I'll have to check.
Cheers for the New Year.
bp
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Old announcer
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Posted: Saturday Dec 30th, 2006 03:47 PM |
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Digney,
As soon as the holidays are past I will be sending copies of race results, etc. that I've collected from the fifties to the present.
One thing I've noticed about racing in the NW is the lack of historical websites about the tracks and organizations that are fast disappearing. If you look at the east coast, especially the Northeast, there are dozens of websites with stories, pictures, history and links to other sites. California has historical websites for many tracks and organizations. One of my favorites is the West Capital site and there is another very good one for Vallejo.
Anyone interested in helping put together a master list of historical sites??
It sure would be nice to have such a list and to not have to spend so much time searching for them. I will gladly share the ones I have.
Later....Ron B.
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fairlane2k
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| Joined: | Sunday May 13th, 2007 |
| Location: | Portland, Oregon USA |
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Posted: Friday Jun 29th, 2007 08:45 AM |
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does this car look familiar??
my dad drove it a couple times @ Lebanon.
Attachment: Scan0002.tif (Downloaded 140 times)
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Old announcer
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Posted: Friday Jun 29th, 2007 02:21 PM |
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| Yes, the car looks familar. Dave Phillips of Bend built it back when we first allowed the smaller bodies and full Sprint car wings on what had been the Super Stock class at Willamette Speedway. Dave won the track championship in the car, I think it had a Big Block Ford in it. Dave's son Mark also raced at Willamette after Dave retired. I think the family still lives in the Bend, Oregon area.
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Blasticus
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| Joined: | Wednesday Sep 5th, 2007 |
| Location: | Nampa, Idaho USA |
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Posted: Friday Sep 14th, 2007 09:26 PM |
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Ron and all,
My name is Jay Gardner. I grew up in Spokane, WA. 1st race I remember was at the the Old Mead Speedway. I distinctly remember Edsol Sneva in his Ole 8 ball, Dick Rapp, and a couple of others. Then the Stateline Gardens- Spokane Fairgrounds-NW Speedway-SRP, so on. Anyway, to your comment about websites. I am presently working on a site about Racing in the NW, including BC and Alberta, Canada. it will feature track histories, organizations, racers, owners, etc. I have a name registered and am working on the final layout to publish. I have seen a few sites that discuss some things however, they are very limited and I really don't find much on Super Stocks, Late Models, etc... This my friends and race fans will change. There is so much awesome history in this part of the country. I ask all of you that have posted pictures if I may use them on the site. My plan is to make this the most comprehensive NW racing website ever and beyond. There will be a contributors page that will acknowledge any and all who have helped me present what has been needed in the NW for many years. Yesterday, I talked with Tom Zumwalt who maintains the Idaho Historical Racing Society website and he has given me access to many things there and told me that Steve would be happy to get the word out more about the museum in Caldwell. There is some unbelievable stuff there folks. In closing any and all help will be greatly appreciated. You can contact me at home (208) 463-1814 M-F after 6pm Mountain Time or pretty much open on the weekends, or my email right now is moondance63@msn.com (my wife is a Van Morrison fan)....LOL. What do you, say? Lets go racing
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Mud Slingers & Dirt Flingers are my only Friends
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Digney in Burnaby
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Posted: Friday Sep 14th, 2007 10:44 PM |
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Jay Blasticus Gardner,
Sounds promising. You can use what I've posted and future posts. I'm not in it for the money (LOL!).
Photo attached is the old Bill Hall midget at the recent Langley Speedway reunion.
bp
Attachment: Bill Hall midget 09 09 07 1.JPG (Downloaded 136 times)
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Blasticus
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Posted: Saturday Sep 15th, 2007 02:00 AM |
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 ...Blasticus isn't my middle name...lol. I'm a music collector also. That name is from a tune by "King Crimson". I love the progressive stuff. Not everyones cup of tea...lmao. Anyway as things progress I'll look to get your info so I can acknowledge you on the site......thanks for your support
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Mud Slingers & Dirt Flingers are my only Friends
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