Dave Wren RIP

[Demon340]

Originally Posted by Tom P

Very sorry to see this. I haven't seen him since three years ago. (because of the border)
I always enjoyed chatting with Dave. I never did get to go to his place near Lynden, heard all about it though. Dave started drag racing in the mid 50's in Montana.... in a Mopar of course. He had some great stories about some of these old wild west dragstrips that were "gas only" because of the skimpy shutdown areas and there he was in a 130mph drum brake MaxWedge and ran off the strip into the sagebrush each pass.

His daily driver was something like a 1950 Plymouth. All his tow vehicles were Dodge trucks and assortment of trailers, some which could have used a serious washing.

That guy was both a hero and a friend.

We had a friend asked us to sell that Plymouth coupe. Dave was the gentleman that contacted us about the car. What impressed me was Dave showed up at my house, by himself, with a old Dodge truck and open trailer here in Colorado. I asked him, "Wasn't that an awful long drive from north of Washington border to Colorado by himself ?" Dave told me "I towed a lot... more miles in my day" His plan was to split the manifold, add dual exhaust and make the car his early morning coffee car with the boy's. What a great guy and he shared some old racing experiences that he had in Colorado.
Dave will be missed..,
Larry

[Abe Loewen]

This is sad news. I didn't know Dave well but considered him a good friend. My condolences to the family.

[MAURICE BLENDHEIM]

Going to miss his stories (he had a few) and his wit. He always had an opinion that he was never afraid to share and it generally brought laughter. He would never miss an opportunity to chat, at the Track or at the Swap Meets. It was always a treat to see what he would pull out of the trailer, the car would always run faster than he let it to stay out of trouble (he got the odd warning). Very sad news. Rest in Peace Dave, Your Legendary Spirit will remain alive with us. Condolences to the Family. MB

[Frank Castros]

A true D6 and Mopar racing legend. Dave RIP, I'm sorry we had never met.

[tavirace]

In the early 90's he raced a red 68 Hemi Cuda looked like it was painted in a barn, over spray everywhere.I remember you could see the fuel pump wires hanging at the back. I raced him with my Chevelle in a class combo at Mission, that's when my day ended.

[Albert Lee]

Godspeed my friend!

I'll always remember the '71 Nationals when Dave showed up with a hole in the piston from running it out to 1600' trying to catch someone at a points meet the week before! Pulled the piston, welded it up and raced!

Al Corda

[Frank Castros]

With Dave Wren, Mike Bogina, Jim Isherwood and Steve Hagberg now gone who's going to carry the Street Hemi torch?

[Tom P]

While I never did go to Dave's place in Lynden WA, friends did and told me all about it. On Google Earth go to "9073 Weidkamp Rd. Lynden WA "

Those are all Mopars! And that plane... he had a grass runway (barely visible running at an angle from the driveway to the SW) Here's the proof...
https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInq...umberTxt=9827R


The buildings were packed full of cars. Not even room to walk between them so as they crawled along the tops of the quarter panels and doors Dave would say "Careful that one's aluminum fenders". Hemi heads stacked like firewood.

The primered Max Wedge looked like a beater but he was on the brakes by 900 feet to run 11.50. He still raced the red Hemi Barracuda last i'd seen. He had heart problems a decade or so ago and couldn't renew his competition license so he ran that Hemi dialed 10's in Pro bracket. He was a regular at Mission. We'd seem him at most races.

That travelling to Colorado would have been like a trip to the store for Dave.... he told me about going to Gainesville.

[ss125h]

Sorry to hear, condolences to his family. never met, but always glad to read about him. May GOD bless Glen H div 1

[Bluteam]

I found this forum post in doing a search for Dave Wren. I'm sorry for the loss for all that knew him. I did not.
I was too young to remember the details, but as my older brother told me the story, Dave used to build his engines across the street from where we grew up in Missoula, MT.
My brother told me he would sneak across the street to watch Dave and thats where he learned to smoke cigarettes and cuss, and developed his love for cars.
I would have liked to ask Dave if he remembered that little garage in Missoula and that boney kid he made an impression on. But I'm sure there were many just like my brother.
RIP Dave Wren