This car ran very hard. Built by Thayne Porlier (Tacoma) in 1964, it was the scourge of A/G with both 366 and 377ci small blocks. Porlier went on to build many altereds and FCs for northwest drivers.

Dan Cyr again. B/A at Mission

This is Murrell Barnes from Pacific, Washington. He had an A/G Model A before and the running gear, a nearly stock 327 with a Hilborn, went in here. The car was built by Don Helier (same guy that brought the ex-Jolly Green Giants to the northwest) at Pacific Speed in Lynnwood. I lettered it.  I'm serious! I bought deck paint and stuck it on there. The name came 'cuz it was the Johnson era with Linda Bird and Lady Bird. I stuck the "Y" in there due to all the misspelled rockgroup names. On the trunk, I did a caricature of Lyndon in a race helmet. This is at Arlington, our first foray into NHRA "points" racing --- after that, we stuck pretty much to Puyallup. The car eventually received an injected 427 and Torqueflite and was yellow, but still Anglia Byrd. Good times!

The Wusz Family from Portland. A 413 and Torqueflite in A/SR. Beautiful car - covered in HRM in about 1963.

This BB/G Thames replaced their Anglia that crashed at Pacific Raceway in 1966 and almost killed Alex. Of course they were running fuel at the time... This is a 327 Chevy and a Torqueflite. Neat little car, didn't last long before disappearing.

Is Tom Bigford and Dick Tutino, arguably the most popular gasser in the northwest. It was red metalflake (like a bass boat) and chrome, everywhere. It started in C/G but quickly moved to B/G with a 339ci Chevy. The car was often called on to fill in for ailing match racers, and with no ballast, performed well. It went on to many owners, including Warter & Smith (aka Joint Venture) and the Drugge Bros. Tutino went on to drive the Alan Green Chevrolet Camaro fliptop, and a few Pro Stockers.

The Bryson & Gibson chopped 33 Willys.  Is this the same (Mel) Bryson running a 33 Willys nostalgia gasser on the West Coast today?

Received 22 Jan 2003

I've only ever seen one other little black and white picture of the Bryson 33 Willys, so that is a rare shot.  That is the same Mel Bryson that currently runs in AA/Supercharged.  Mark Ott

Thanks Mark

This Willys was gorgeous. Mel Bryson teamed with Bob Gibson on this one (sitting beside Jim Rockstad's Anglia at Mission in probably 1968). It was a blown, late model hemi. I believe this paint job was replaced by a purple one when the teammates split. Gibson built a really trick fliptop Thames with 426 hemi power.

Jim Grant ran a 64 Dodge (same name) as a S/SA and D/XS before building this B/A Valiant roadster. It was of 2x3 tubing construction, and had a 426 hemi and Clutch-flite. It was never a FC and was not built to be one. It held the B/A record for a very long time and whipped our butt (Anglia Byrd) so bad one day at Pacific Raceway (9.63 to 10.25) we about flipped out! Jim Grant just recently recovered the car and is either going to restore it or build a Bonneville car out of it.

       The Charlie Horse Henry J in Canada belongs to my Dad ( Charlie Gettman) . Believe it or not he sold the car but bought it back the same way he sold it. He presently owns it today and is still racing. The Car is updated though and is a lot faster. We also have a picture taken recently at this same track in Canada. I was wondering if you would like some pictures to go with the one that you have posted on your website. I also wanted to tell you, we really like your website.  Alan Gettman

Butch Thuney. That's his truck next to it.

That's at a match race at Arlington against Svela & Sons Chrysler-powered Econoline fueler "Super Ford" at Arlington in 1966. Note Jack's borrowed Imperial towcar for the day. His own towcar was a yellow 56 Nomad. He was just about to head east for the first time.

Received this on 22 Jan 2003:

Byron, In the newest photos from Ralph Reiter...there is a photo of an altered wheelbase '57 Ford. I believe that is Gary Coe's "Gunfighter" from Eugene. It was powered by a tiny smallblock Ford. 289 I think...had a 4 speed, and a really deep rear gear. It did monstrous wheelstands. I no longer remember what kind of times it ran, but it was a blast to watch. Jim

Thanks Jim.

Yes, that is Gary Coe, from Portland, very early after the wheelbase was moved. It still has the steel nose which was scrapped in favor of plastic. The car was always a favorite and ran record equaling times in C/A and D/A. There was talk of a blown Chrysler and nitro but cooler heads prevailed. Gary went on to a C/A fliptop Comet (like a Maverick) and a Pro Stock Pinto wagon, all under the Gunfighter moniker.

Growler was a 40 Plymouth with a 327 Chevy.  It ran OK but was heavy. It's replacement, Growler II, was a C/A Crosley with the same running gear. It was one of my faves. The Webbs were from Eugene area.

Guerrero & Liesmaki again

I remember so little about this car. I'm sorry. I liked the starburst treatment on the door, hated the early nose (in comparison to the 40/41 style), and it wheelstood on every shift.

Baroumes Bros. If they'd close the door, you coulda seen the lettering.  This car went on to be a crazy, mixed up machine. This is early 65. That year it received a blower and a hydro. That winter, the engine was raised, weedburners and a Torquefite were installed, and these guys went after the FCs in 66. It was on methanol for the most part, but often had as much as 25% in the tank. Running CC/FD at Pacific Raceway, it made a hard left turn at about 1000 feet and turned itself into scrap. Driver Alex Baroumes was in the hospital a long time.

From Bellingham. Note in the second shot, Gene McKinney's Pro Stock Camaro Quick Trip running B/G class at Mission that day.

(see Bigford above)

I'd say this is a very early outing with the Chrysler! This car was originally a 36 pickup with Earl Floyd flathead power. Then it received an Oldsmobile, then a blown Olds. Jack decided on a coupe body as being better and swapped. Note the 56 Olds towcar.

At Mission. That is the Warter & Smith 39 Chevy C/G next to it.

Les Lennington's B/SR was one of the most beautiful ... ever. He was from Yakima. Roy Watkins had bought in on the Jerry Damen deal and named the Willys Strip Tripper. Watkins had a speed shop in Renton. Both cars would run on their records!
 

Gary Lewis ran this truck forever, in so many configurations, all the way to BB/A in about 1977. Nice little rig in these early days.

This car was almost completely built by Don Long and had many of the same features as the "Ultimate." It ran a 426 hemi and Torqueflite. This paint gave way to black with yellow flames. When Steve bought a TF dragster, this car went on to Terry McHardy in Burnaby, BC, and he continued running the car for a couple years. I believe it crashed twice before being retired.

How do you wind a 6'-6" surfer up into a hammer Anglia is beyond me. But, Jim Rockstad managed somehow. This car began as an A/G car with injected bbChevy and Torqueflite. It was built by NW Racecars, the same Jack Slawick that would later build FCs for Twig Ziegler, Ed McCulloch, and many others. Back in the day when rules demanded stock frames, this car was the first I ever saw that had a narrowed frame. It was slick with a laidback windshield and quilted roof insert. When Jack Coonrod retired, "Rock" bought his Chrysler stuff (note that familiar shark fin scoop?) and stepped up to A/GS circuit racing. This little sucker thundered, but met its demise when a Heim joint on the front of one ladder bar broke, the bar went straight down dug in and pole-vaulted the little car into oblivion.

Ron's Drive In was in Portland. They later had an A/G Anglia.

I believe that is the day at Arlington when Kohler matched S&H. I didn't make it but the race made TV news.

Tall Thames was scary. It was the larger Thames truck cut into a p/u, with the injected Chevy under the floor - driver straddled it.

That is Art & Carol Yenter's fuel FC with blown Chrysler. She drove. It ran OK.

The Blown Black Vette farther down the page is Art and Carol Yenter's car ... Carol was one of the first chicks to be licensed for a blown car - - and handled the Vette quite well...  We built a Mustang F/C for her at Kenny Martin's shop, (Puyallup), but if I remember right she never could get the NHRA to let were drive it...  The car Mighta ended up with Mike Cyr?
             Fred Vosk

http://bikesters.com

The GM Auto Sales Willys, after Tom Bickford's Anglia, was the 2nd best known NW gasser. It always ran and showed well. It also traveled to far off places like Pomona and Indy. From Renton.

#1 is the Damon/Watkins p/u again.
#2 is the Bob Fox Auto Sales A/GS that was the usual fodder when Coonrod stayed home.
#3 Dunno, but might be Sctena & Waln from BC
#4 Dunno
#5 The Bob Fox car again pre-blower