Garbageman
06-09-2005, 09:46 PM
Last weekend I traveled to Medford, OR for the Gasser Wars and nostalgia race. I didn't have very good luck there. I dropped a valve on my second practice pass which side lined me the rest of the weekend.
But an older fellow and his wife came over to where I was pitted and asked when I was going to make a run. I explained to him what had happened and he nodded and said it had happened to him before too. He and his wife were really giving my car the once over. I introduced myself and he said he was Lee Brown (and his wife Barbara) and that he use to race a 61 Belair which had a 348 and 4 speed.. back in 1961. I wasn't familiar with his name or racing background but it turns out he raced in the early days against Hayden, Ronnie Sox and the rest.
Lee and his wife hung around for quite awhile talking about the old days. We talked about the tricks of the trade and cheats of the trade. He was the first to race a '57 factory fuelie and had to carry a letter from the factory stating that this car was a factory fuel injected car available to the public. He said he had to show that letter everywhere he raced.
He really enjoyed racing the '61. I asked why the '61 had a 348 and not a 409 and he said he got the car in early '61 and besides the 348 held up better at that time.
Lee Brown raced boats before switching to four wheels and ended his career in 1964 driving MOPARS. Barbara went to their car and got a recent copy of MOPAR Performance and there was an article about a fellow who restored this 1964 MOPAR back to its' racing glory days and sure enough it had Lee's name on the door.
Lee and Barbara told some great stories about their life drag racing to my wife and I. I wish I could have had a tape recorder to record the day. He told a great story of attending one of the Hot Rod Reunoins about 10 years ago. He said he went into the restroom stall and was sitting there and a voice from the other side of the divider asked "are you a racer?" and Lee said yes he was. "Who did you race against?" I told him " Don Nickleson, Ronnie Sox, (some others), and Hayden Proffitt." The voice from the other side of the divider paused and then said "I'm Hayden Proffitt!"
Lee and Barbara look great and are living in the Medford area.
Lee is 81.
What a great weekend. :)
Paul
But an older fellow and his wife came over to where I was pitted and asked when I was going to make a run. I explained to him what had happened and he nodded and said it had happened to him before too. He and his wife were really giving my car the once over. I introduced myself and he said he was Lee Brown (and his wife Barbara) and that he use to race a 61 Belair which had a 348 and 4 speed.. back in 1961. I wasn't familiar with his name or racing background but it turns out he raced in the early days against Hayden, Ronnie Sox and the rest.
Lee and his wife hung around for quite awhile talking about the old days. We talked about the tricks of the trade and cheats of the trade. He was the first to race a '57 factory fuelie and had to carry a letter from the factory stating that this car was a factory fuel injected car available to the public. He said he had to show that letter everywhere he raced.
He really enjoyed racing the '61. I asked why the '61 had a 348 and not a 409 and he said he got the car in early '61 and besides the 348 held up better at that time.
Lee Brown raced boats before switching to four wheels and ended his career in 1964 driving MOPARS. Barbara went to their car and got a recent copy of MOPAR Performance and there was an article about a fellow who restored this 1964 MOPAR back to its' racing glory days and sure enough it had Lee's name on the door.
Lee and Barbara told some great stories about their life drag racing to my wife and I. I wish I could have had a tape recorder to record the day. He told a great story of attending one of the Hot Rod Reunoins about 10 years ago. He said he went into the restroom stall and was sitting there and a voice from the other side of the divider asked "are you a racer?" and Lee said yes he was. "Who did you race against?" I told him " Don Nickleson, Ronnie Sox, (some others), and Hayden Proffitt." The voice from the other side of the divider paused and then said "I'm Hayden Proffitt!"
Lee and Barbara look great and are living in the Medford area.
Lee is 81.
What a great weekend. :)
Paul