Wilson Ford Drag Club Class Racers

Gary Smith · 01-27-2010, 09:30 AM

Anyone from div 7 remember these guys? These were posted on Facebook from former Wilson Ford member.

Greg Foreman and his A/Stock Fairlane from the late 70s. He was the person who introduced me to class racing back in '76. This was taken at LACR following a Stock/Super Stock/Modified Eliminator combo Greg organized and ironically won, beating Jim Stevens in the final.

Not a good pic, but.....the late Don Rea's C/S Cobra Jet Mustang on right...Greg's Fairlane in back taken at Wilson Ford showroom event

Back of Dave Budget's SS/HA CJ...

Gary Smith · 01-28-2010, 03:38 PM

Couple more from team picnic '78..From left to right, Ed Urcis, the late Joe Burke, and Mike & BJ Graham (Mike & BJ are gonna kill me for this LOL!!!!)

Gary Smith · 01-29-2010, 09:45 AM

A couple more of the late "Pogo Joe" Burke and grandson/driver Mike Ryser

Pomona (around '82 or '83) converted to Super Stock:

Pomona ('80 I believe) as a Stocker:

4284spd · 01-29-2010, 11:13 AM

Cool pictures, anymore info?

Gary Smith · 01-29-2010, 04:19 PM

Gary Backstrom, former Wilson Ford Drag Club member, and Mike Ryser posted these on their Facebook accounts. There are many other pics, but not of Stock & Super Stock. My late father was club president at the close of the '70s. The club's class racers were: Greg Foreman, Steve Steele, Ted Wells, Don Lutz, Dave Budget, Don Rea, (I think Jeff Powers and Marcel Cloutier but they were before my time), Mike Graham, Joe Burke, and Steve Barber. I remember Norm Nevin being part of that clan too, but didn't know him personally. It seemed all the Ford racers did a lot together back then, hard to remember who became active members outside the aforementioned names. Except for Wells, all others I grew up around. Dyno Don was an honorary member from '78-'79, wearing WFDC jacket and at one time adorn on his Fairmont while at OCIR. Greg who worked out of Nicholson's Anaheim shop, did head work for my dad. Dad, Budget, and Don Cumby, and Tony Burkhardt (another WF member) were there frequently which is how they got Dyno to join. Those were some great times back then.

Tony Janes · 01-29-2010, 04:36 PM

This picture of the Mustang in SS JA was taken at Fremont. I remember most of the people you mentioned.

Gary Smith · 01-29-2010, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony Janes

This picture of the Mustang in SS JA was taken at Fremont. I remember most of the people you mentioned.

Dohhh!!!

I should have known by the movie screen in the background. Thanks for the correction Tony!!

Joe Schweigert · 01-29-2010, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Smith

Dohhh!!!

I should have known by the movie screen in the background. Thanks for the correction Tony!!

"The Movie Screen" now that made waiting in the lanes more fun!

The Wilson Ford group was a lot of fun to hang with, not only the Ford group but that whole OCIR group at that time was pretty tight

Greg Reimer 7376 · 01-30-2010, 11:20 AM

After the original Irwindale closed in '77,we bracket racers took out operation to orange County. Wilson Ford Drag Club was a fixture there. I remember the Fairlane, and the Pogo Joe's Mustang, as well as several others.South Bay Racing association, Team OCIR and Team Irwindale(even though the track was gone) and othere rounded out a rather busy program.On a given good bracket race Saturday, 150 cars would show up for four brackets. It was a tight knit bunch of really nice people. These old photos should circulate more often!!

01-27-2010, 09:30 AM	#1
Gary Smith Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 820 Likes: 9 Liked 132 Times in 30 Posts	Wilson Ford Drag Club Class Racers Anyone from div 7 remember these guys? These were posted on Facebook from former Wilson Ford member. Greg Foreman and his A/Stock Fairlane from the late 70s. He was the person who introduced me to class racing back in '76. This was taken at LACR following a Stock/Super Stock/Modified Eliminator combo Greg organized and ironically won, beating Jim Stevens in the final. Not a good pic, but.....the late Don Rea's C/S Cobra Jet Mustang on right...Greg's Fairlane in back taken at Wilson Ford showroom event Back of Dave Budget's SS/HA CJ... __________________ Gary Smith "another broke racer spectating"

01-28-2010, 03:38 PM	#2
Gary Smith Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 820 Likes: 9 Liked 132 Times in 30 Posts	Re: Wilson Ford Drag Club Class Racers Couple more from team picnic '78..From left to right, Ed Urcis, the late Joe Burke, and Mike & BJ Graham (Mike & BJ are gonna kill me for this LOL!!!!) __________________ Gary Smith "another broke racer spectating"

01-29-2010, 09:45 AM	#3
Gary Smith Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 820 Likes: 9 Liked 132 Times in 30 Posts	Re: Wilson Ford Drag Club Class Racers A couple more of the late "Pogo Joe" Burke and grandson/driver Mike Ryser Pomona (around '82 or '83) converted to Super Stock: Pomona ('80 I believe) as a Stocker: __________________ Gary Smith "another broke racer spectating"

01-29-2010, 11:13 AM	#4
4284spd VIP Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Longmont Colorado Posts: 1,709 Likes: 848 Liked 4,139 Times in 950 Posts	Re: Wilson Ford Drag Club Class Racers Cool pictures, anymore info? __________________ Bob Smith

01-29-2010, 04:19 PM	#5
Gary Smith Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 820 Likes: 9 Liked 132 Times in 30 Posts	Re: Wilson Ford Drag Club Class Racers Gary Backstrom, former Wilson Ford Drag Club member, and Mike Ryser posted these on their Facebook accounts. There are many other pics, but not of Stock & Super Stock. My late father was club president at the close of the '70s. The club's class racers were: Greg Foreman, Steve Steele, Ted Wells, Don Lutz, Dave Budget, Don Rea, (I think Jeff Powers and Marcel Cloutier but they were before my time), Mike Graham, Joe Burke, and Steve Barber. I remember Norm Nevin being part of that clan too, but didn't know him personally. It seemed all the Ford racers did a lot together back then, hard to remember who became active members outside the aforementioned names. Except for Wells, all others I grew up around. Dyno Don was an honorary member from '78-'79, wearing WFDC jacket and at one time adorn on his Fairmont while at OCIR. Greg who worked out of Nicholson's Anaheim shop, did head work for my dad. Dad, Budget, and Don Cumby, and Tony Burkhardt (another WF member) were there frequently which is how they got Dyno to join. Those were some great times back then. __________________ Gary Smith "another broke racer spectating"

01-29-2010, 04:36 PM	#6
Tony Janes Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Whittier, Ca Posts: 830 Likes: 94 Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Re: Wilson Ford Drag Club Class Racers This picture of the Mustang in SS JA was taken at Fremont. I remember most of the people you mentioned. Attached Thumbnails __________________ Tony Janes 7941 STK, SS

01-30-2010, 11:20 AM	#9
Greg Reimer 7376 VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Glendora,Calif. Posts: 1,135 Likes: 172 Liked 705 Times in 219 Posts	Re: Wilson Ford Drag Club Class Racers After the original Irwindale closed in '77,we bracket racers took out operation to orange County. Wilson Ford Drag Club was a fixture there. I remember the Fairlane, and the Pogo Joe's Mustang, as well as several others.South Bay Racing association, Team OCIR and Team Irwindale(even though the track was gone) and othere rounded out a rather busy program.On a given good bracket race Saturday, 150 cars would show up for four brackets. It was a tight knit bunch of really nice people. These old photos should circulate more often!!