Sunday, January 24, 2021

1955 Triumph T100R


This 1955 Triumph T100R has an Oregon number plate. The photo may have been taken at Portland Meadows for the Portland Mile race, probably '55 or '56.

Sunday, January 17, 2021

Charles Hamilton - Georgetown

From David Ruble on the Seattle Vintage FB group: “A group of 4,500 enthralled Seattleites gather at the Meadows former horseracing track just south of Georgetown to watch Charles Hamilton become the first to pilot a heavier-than-air craft in Washington state, March 11, 1910. Mr. Hamilton was also known as the "Crazy man of the air," famous for daredevil dives, spectacular crashes, a fair amount of reconstructive surgery, ever-present cigarette and near-constant level of intoxication. He lived up to his nickname the next day by crashing his Curtiss biplane into a small lake nearby (see photo in the comments). He suffered only minor injuries and lived to survive 60 such crashes but was eventually claimed by tuberculosis in 1914. A newspaper reporter quipped, "Girls, if you marry for money pick an old man or an aviator." Although Hamilton earned an estimated quarter-million-dollars during his brief and spectacular career, he died penniless. The Washington Legislature banned gambling on the horses in 1909, but the Meadows continued to host scintillating exhibitions of aeronautic feats at the former racetrack, but it would be another 18 years after Hamilton's flight that the area was converted to create a bona fide air field for an airplane-making company called Boeing.”



Thursday, January 14, 2021

Bobby J

Bobby “J” Johnson in the 50’s when he raced Indians.



Thursday, December 24, 2020

Madrid Christmas Lights

I think I’ve posted this before but it’s worth posting again. This post was borrowed from Hank-William Buelow in the Albuquerque Memories FB group.

“Merry Christmas from Madrid, the most Christmas town in all of N.M. well back during WWII! TWA used to divert their airplanes to fly over Madrid at Christmas so the passengers could see the lights. Walt Disney has said that Madrid at Christmas was his inspiration for the "Main Street Electrical Parade" at the Disney theme parks”









Monday, December 21, 2020

Speedway Park - 1968

From Joe Sherwood’s post in the Remembering Speedway Park FB group.

Otis Rich’s Sportsman sits outside Speedway park one night in 1968!  Which led to a dozen or so racers boycotted Speedway park and going to Raceway



Below is from a day race in 1968. It looks nearly identical to how I remember it 10-12 years later.






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