Richard’s Corner

California Racers 15th Annual Reunion
May 6, 2007
Story by Richard Parks, photographic consultant Roger Rohrdanz

murals and art is very moving. With any reunion, it is the people that come who make it memorable and this event was very special.

   Hila honored five men at the reunion who have promoted and supported car racing and hot rodding in Southern California. The honorees at this year’s event were Joe Henning, Dean Jeffries, Bob McCoy, Joe Scalzo and Greg Sharp. Henning has been a track promoter, announcer and manager, but it was as an artist that he is well loved. He made the artwork that Carmen Schroeder used as the master for the hero card prints that she used to honor the drivers at the Gilmore Reunion. Dean Jeffries started out as a painter and pinstriper next door to the well-known car designer and customizer, George Barris. Jeffries talents led him to designing and building cars for Hollywood movies and stars. He built the Green Hornet’s Black Beauty and The Monkeemobile for the popular band. Bob McCoy dragraced at Paradise Mesa before he had a driver’s license and later raced against the best oval track racers at Southland tracks. McCoy is best known for his artistic talents. His paintings are often whimsical and fun and he hides people and things within his art. His artwork is highly sought after in the car racing community. Joe Scalzo is a writer of car racing books that bring out the gritty, true nature of the sport. His latest book is titled City of Speed and portrays the history of racing in Southern California. His wife, Annie, explained how car racing has a long and important place in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas. “It’s on Amazon.com if anyone would like to order it,” she told me. The last man to be honored was Greg Sharp. He is a former policeman with a love for hot rodding and car racing that led him to write articles and record the history of the sport. Sharp is currently the curator for the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum in Pomona, California. He has been honored by many organizations for his contributions to saving the history and heritage of the areas car culture.

Hila arranged for valet parking attendants to provide complimentary and convenient parking sponsored by Steve Lewis. The registration line was short and moved quickly, aided by the very helpful, efficient and friendly ladies who pinned our pit passes on our shirts. One of the ladies was Becky Byers, from Melbourne, Florida who has her own Harley/Davidson Sportster bike and loves to ride. Jean Washo came all the way from Yalaha, Florida. Becky and Jean flew out together from Florida to attend the reunion and help Hila. Anne Wilkerson and Audrey Sheets also worked the registration table. Audrey and her husband Dave are friends of Dan Gurney. She makes banners and signs for racers. Wilkerson is the wife of oval track racer Billy Wilkerson. Hila called upon Harold Osmer to put together a first class program. Osmer wrote a paper in college on the racing venues that used to exist in Southern California. That led to several quality historical books about the varied racing in the region. Harold has presided over the Los Angeles chapter of the Society of Automotive Historians (SAH) and creates programs for tracks at Irwindale and many other racing events. Harold’s daughter, Leana Osmer, was helping Hila at the door prize table. She is 13 and goes with her father to many car shows and reunions. She said that some of the car shows that she goes to are more fun than others, but with tact and diplomacy she wouldn’t tell me which ones to avoid. “At some of the events I get to sell merchandise and run the booth,” she said.  Some of the attendees waiting for their pit passes included; Andy and Diane Casale, Lloyd Hendrickson, Jim Wood, Ray Vodden, Don Read, Arlene Fernandez, Junior Conway, Jeff Sharpe, Jim Murphy, Rod and Dru Larmer, Jim Ash and Davey and Norma Jordan. John and Ginny Dixon were representing the Fabulous Fifties road course racing group and may hold their reunion at Joe’s Garage in the future. Don Weaver and Belita Michnowicz were also present. They promote the Legends of Ascot Reunion at Perris Automotive Speedway in October. This reunion honors the J.C. Agajanian family and their Ascot track in Gardena, which was closed in the 1990’s. “There’s a conflict this year and I’m going to have to cancel this year’s reunion,” he told me sadly. 

Gentleman Johnny Ryan and his wife Gloria were in attendance with Leslie Long. Ryan was the partner of Nellie Taylor in an engine building business just after World War II. The partners turned out some of the best race car engines of that era. Long is a well-known historian for the land speed racing community and the dry lakes where they raced. He also documents and saves the history of the historic Santa Ana Dragstrip, the first professional track in the world. La Verne Unser, Louie’s widow and part of the famous Unser family from New Mexico was at the reunion. In a group were Gary and Karen Schroeder, Alice Hanks, Doug Stokes, Dan Edmunds and his daughters Shelby and Sarah, and his father Don. The Edmunds’ race midgets and sprint cars and own Edmunds Automotive Research. Dan works for Edmunds.com, a website that does road tests and gives updates on cars to consumers. Alice is the widow Sam Hanks, a famous midget racer and Indy 500 winner. Doug Stokes is the co-owner of Autobooks/Aerobooks in Burbank, California. Gary and Karen Schroeder helped their late parents, Carmen and Gordon Schroeder put on the famous Gilmore Reunion for 30 years. A fast moving line formed at the entrance to the museum. Heading the line was Bob Falcon and others in line included; Ralph Suchy, Linda Pfieffer, Jim Chini, Neil Briggs, Art Loya, J.L. Henderson, Art Chrisman, Jumpin’ Jack Summers, Lou Anne and Dick Wallen and Frank Razankas. Dick Wallen produced the professional looking flyer and came from Arizona to bring books, prints and other memorabilia for door prizes. Ed ‘the Camfather’ Iskenderian introduced Paul Smith who is almost finished with his book ‘Merchants of Speed.’ The book will portray 25 men who developed the speed equipment industry. 

   Waiting to enter the museum were Dave Stewart, Penny Porter, Eric ‘Rick’ Rickman, Tim Kline, Jim Dilamarter, Tom Warner, Curt Porter, Thomas Hess and 4-time SCCA Formula V Champion Mark Edwards. It was good to see Ed Justice Senior up and around at these events. He came with his son, Ed Justice Jr who is the President and CEO of the Justice Brothers Car Care Products. Ed Jr also has his own cable program, which portrays the hot rodding and auto racing community in Southern California. Next in line were Lee and Garnet Edmunds, Bob Basile, Rusty Espinosa, Steve Logan, Jack Allen, Dennis Jackson, Mary and Al Ocampo. Bob Basile is prominent in the San Diego motorsports world, producing race events. Honoree Dean Jeffries told me that he did some dry lakes racing with Mickey Thompson. John McDowell and Mike Smith set up their video equipment to tape the reunion and the presentation of the awards to the honorees. They also did the taping for last years reunion. McDowell also taped events at the old Ascot racetrack when the Agajanian family owned the facility. James O’Donnell, Marsha Smith, Jimmie Oskie, Bob McCaw, Richard ‘Scoop’ Hodgson, Glenn and Dale Crossno were catching up on the news. Oskie is a fan favorite among racers. Glenn Crossno owns a sprint car that is driven by Scotty Weir. “Cory Kruseman won the West Coast Sprint Car championship in our car last year. We’ve won two races this year and we’re in 5^th place. Weir is from Indiana and will be a good driver. Levi Jones also drove our car. I formed my own race team in 1999.  My father, Dale Crossno, campaigned his car from 1958 through 1976.” 

   Seated at one of the tables were Rick Rucker, Wally Pankratz, Robert Williams, Ken Clapp, Richard Childers, Carl Eisler, Robert Jewell, Ken Kratchoff and Phil Stock. Phil told me that he is looking forward to attending the 2007 Boat Racers Reunion at Irvine Lake in June. “That’s the one you founded,” he said. “I’m not with the reunion any longer,” I told Stock, “they kicked me out of the reunion that I founded.” Barbara DesRochers, the owner of Country Garden Caterers was present to make sure that everything went right for Hila. The food was delicious and Hila Sweet has a well deserved reputation for seeing that the food, snacks and desserts are of the highest quality. Lisa Razankas volunteered to help wherever needed. Karen Frehner, Hila’s niece, flew down from Las Vegas, Nevada to take care of the cash bar. She made the drinks and kept the lines short with a friendly smile and eagerness to please. Bert Middleton, Paul Thomas and Don Melton were discussing the days when they drag-raced with the Conroy Brothers Top Alcohol dragster in NHRA’s Division 7 Series. Bert still has the car and it’s in his den on display. Another group of eager reunion attendees were Tom Shedden, Tyra Martines, Larry Lord, Jim Sheridan, Tony Simon, Lou Senter and Gale Grant. Grant started racing in 1949 with the California Jalopy Association. Simon used his prosthetic hand to grab the writer’s pen and make him pay attention. No one volunteers and works harder than Simon. Senter, the grand old man of speed shops with his ties to Anson Speed Shop said, “I’ve heard that Andy Granatelli is building a big motorsports racing museum at the Indy 500 track in Indianapolis.” 

   Hila announced that the food was ready and a line formed as quickly as the first turn in a heated race. One of the first to reach the line was Gale Forester, followed by Ken Hillberg, Roy Bleckart, Bill Orndorff, Arlene Fernandez, John Ewald, Bob Danly, Diane Moran, Sylvia and Judy Barringer. Bob Hogle was the next in line. Hogle raced with abandon, supported Hila’s reunion for years and is one of he nicest men in the sport. Following Hogle came Suzanne Williams, Barbara Pankratz, Allan Budnik, Bobby Sheridan, Dale and Stanna Vernis, Tom and Betty Skinner, Ben Spangenburg, Mark Friedrich, Mickey Dale, Edna and Bob Bates. Budnik has a well-known rim and wheel shop in Huntington Beach. Next in line were Robert Hancock, Frank Rose, Eldon Harris, Pete Devere, Pat Berardini and his daughter Susan Foshee, Melvin Dodd, Fred Thomson, Ed Van Eyk and Tom Warner. Van Eyk is one of the original drivers in the CJA. Dodd and Berardini are pioneers in the sport of drag racing. Mel Larson flew in from out of state and Parnelli Jones picked him up at the airport. “My chance to talk to Mel,” said Parnelli. Jones supports Hila to the fullest on these reunions. “I couldn’t put on these reunions without my peeps,” Hila said. The line continued with Thomas Hess, Sheila and Thelma Pate, Dennis and Donna Walker, Steve Howard, Ronnie Schwarze, Carl and Kathy Allen, Kari Dennis, Dave Stewart and Danny Gurney. Howard is the owner of So Cal Performance in Downey and a major supporter of the reunions in this area. Stewart is the editor of Vintage Oval Track Magazine and he always brings a few bundles for the crowds to take.

   The food line was moving fast and Dave Sheets was the next to go and then Tom Barringer, whose father was Wild Dick Berry. Sheets is the owner of Style Tech Motorsports Graphics and volunteered to do the graphics for the reunion. Then came Junior and Sharon Conway, Greg Sharp and his guests John Adrain, Kathy Hood and Tom Baker. Next were Laurine McCaw, Bob and Madeline Behrens, Tim and Manley Walker, Jerry Hudson, Jim and Kathy Bremner, Jack and Lois Ward, Beverly Engelauf, Pam and Jeff Busswell. Nick Arias Jr was in attendance. He has made quality pistons and engine parts for over half a century. Following Arias were Rick Schaeffer, Bobbie Colgrove, Rick Kersh, Norm Bogan, Mike Michalik, John and Sandy Lee, Dave and Diane Cook, Charles Fawcett, Jay and Robin East, Al Curletti and Bucky Stoner. Joe Henning passed by and reminded me that I had listed him in my obituary column a few years back. “I’m still here if you plan on writing this article,” he teased me. Then came Lee and Karen Edmunds, Albert and Cathy Lugo, Neil and Cheryl Nissing, Bud and Joan Denver/Meyer, Elaine Summers and Rex McAfee. Rex lost his father not too long ago. Jack McAfee was one of the best American Road Course racers of all time. Following Rex was Joanne, Bob and Robert Edmison, Adrienne Forester, George Osborne, Matt Bell and Dan Gurney. Gurney has seen it all in his life and excelled at most everything that he has tried. He rushed away from a welding job at his shop to make the reunion, then rushed back again. 

   Mel Larson flew in from Las Vegas where he is an associate of the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino. Parnelli Jones made a special trip to pick up Mel and then rush him back to the airport because Mel could only park his plane for 3 hours. I spoke to Bob Deburn, Danny Freitas, Gene Ellis, Jack Balch, Chet Knox and William Dunlap. Rene and Veronica Porter brought Penny Porter to the reunion. Penny has been in ill health recently but told Hila that she wouldn’t miss the event. Hila told me to mention three men who step in and help out each year with financial backing or she couldn’t continue this special reunion. One of them is Tom Malloy who owns Trench Shoring. Steve Lewis is another benefactor of the reunion and is the owner of Racing Performance Industry, which is a trade magazine for businessmen specializing in high performance and race car parts. Lewis' company promotes the PRI Trade Show. Jim Sheridan is the owner of Ford of Upland and is “the biggest and most consistent supporter the C.R.R. has,” said Hila. She added that Walt James couldn’t make it because he was racing in Las Vegas at the Vintage car races. “Hila,” said Walt, “I want to be at your reunion more than anything but I’m too old to race all evening and drive all night to get to the next event like we all used to do.” Hila related the following story. Many decades ago, Dee Jones bumped Bob McCoy out of a race and McCoy challenged the bigger Jones to a fight “outside.” Jones thrashed McCoy that night. Years later and at this reunion, Bob yelled over to Dee, “hey, Jones, let’s take it outside.” And the two men hugged each other and laughed about the good old times in the past. Hila said that she might be moving out of state but that she will not forsake this reunion. “I’ll come back and put on this reunion, you can count on that,” said the gracious and beautiful women’s car racing champion and reunion promoter.

Gone Racin’ is at [email protected]. 

Copyright 1999 - 2007 Hot Rod Hot Line All Rights Reserved
No Portion May Be Used Without Our Written Permission
Contact Us Toll Free (877) 700-2468 (US) or (208) 562-0470 (Outside US)
230 S. Cole Rd, Boise, ID 83709