This is my favorite pic. We believe this to be Puyallup, WA Drag Strip (later, Puyallup RaceWay Park), early 60's. These are A/R or Class A roadsters, which would soon morph into the wild AA Fuel Altereds. They went by weight per cubic inches, and besides that anything goes. The far lane (my father) was running a 390 or 394 stroked Olds with 6 Stromberg 97's, and soon would be running a 406 olds and Hilborn injection (ran car in various progressive variations for many more years. He says that he could get Pappy until about half track where the mighty 6-71 GMC blower and Pontiac motor would come flying by at about 150mph. You think our cars can be a handfull, these were the beasts of all beasts. This car I am trying to locate and was last known to be in the hands of Hank Aron (will do a full thread on locating this car later).


Another of the old man's rods at Shelton, WA Drag Strip (far lane).


The earlist photo found so far, again, Shelton, WA.


Scappoose, Oregon, 1958 Mid Season Champion (I have the embroider jacket from this win/event.


This is my heritage (also yours), and thought I would share some NW history. This generation is fast disappearing. We are also trying to find any surviving members of the original Tacoma Timing ***, and of the CamRiders Car Club. I have mucho more pics to go through.

Edit: More pics (Bremerton) added later in thread.
Robert

 

Cool pics man! Thanks for sharing those...

Mike

 

Good stuff

 

Thanks, I just found a pic I think is from Bremerton, Sep, 1957.
Robert

 

excellent-thanks....

 

I am interested in seeing anything you are willing to post or send. I also enjoy the background information.

 

Right on, my dad was racer back in sanford maine back in the day. Those old cars are cool!

 

Here's a couple from Bremerton WA, Drag Strip, now Bremerton RaceWay, one of our favorite strips. These both are from Sept 1957 (car 303 is my fathers). This was an early car and raced as a B/R, and started out with a flathead ford, and all steel. wait till ya see the first real altered or A/R, it was all steel Model A with a Model T roadster tub. Also another early roadster sponsored by Tacoma Speed Center owned by Walt Austin, who went on to fame as Walt's Radiator. Any of you guys remember "Doug's Racing Stables", I used to sit for hours at this speed shop, on River Road, Puyallup, listening to war stories as a kid.


and here is a latter pic of the first pic's altered, a 406 Olds (bored/stroked) running Hilborn injectors. Also had a Harmon Collins Magneto from a FlatHead Ford adapted to work on the Olds. Backed by a manual Caddy trans that used only 2nd and high gear, or 3rd. Pic say's 1960, but is really closer to 1963.


Robert

 

Pic of Puyallup Drag Strip, circa 1961. I grew up and lived within a 1/2 mile of this track. Man I have some stories of back in my day (70's). One comes to mind. A buddy and me were sneaking into the shut down end of the track, at night. this was a Jet Car night. Well anyway as we are trudging through the evergreens, and not seeing good at all, we hear the Jet cars running down the track. Next we hear one of them going through the sand trap, and then we hear busting trees and sounds like it's heading for us. Think of being in the pitch black darkness and a big ole Grizzly bear starts growling and you hear him rushing you. That what we felt like, scared to where we can't move. Anyway, the Jet car finally hits a tree head on and stops short fo us, whew, we feel relieved. but only for a short time. Now the sad part, we watch as they cut this guy out of his car, he is dead. As my dad would say, that's part of racing, and wouldn't be the last time I saw this. god, those were the good old days, bring a keg a beer to the drags and party.


Unknown dragsters at Puyallup drag Strip 1964.


I talked about Walt Austin earler, here's Walt and brother Bucky, mid to late 60's at Puyallup.


Robert

 

Jerry Ruth after a NHRA record setting run in A/D, Class A Dragster, at Bremerton, 1962. Notice the injectors and small block, not to far removed from the altereds of this time period, except longer wheel base and a more streamlined stance. You guys may not know this, but Bremerton was known country wide as the premier track for traction and setting records.

Robert

 

Amazing!!! Great find!!!

My dad was about 20 years old during that time and he has a few stories. Always enjoy hearing (and seeing now) stuff like this.

Thanks for sharing it.

 

Very cool Robert! There's no denying that you have racing in your blood I love looking at these pics!

 

Yep, here's a pic of me shortly after taking my old man's altered out for a spin around the block while he was at work, oh, and I was about 5 years old.

Robert

 

Very nice.

BTW Arron worked for DRS a few years ago and was working on buying it but things did not work out

 

What is DRS. You sure this is the Hank Aron or Arron in question? he would be about 80 years old, give or take.
Robert

 

Thanks for sharing. Those are some great pics!

 

Great pictures man!

 

Robert when he was "Dry" behind the ears
(the nitrous forum guys will understand it)

 

DRS = "Doug's Racing Stables"

Arron as in Arron Spitzer A.K.A. PonyEater At one time Arron was the biggest NX dealer in the states

 

Really neat stuff. Thanx for sharing Robert.