RIP Verle Stevens

[Henry S]

As the tears well up in my eyes, it is with deep sadness to say that long time stock and superstock engine builder Verle Stevens has passed away. We have lost a wealth of knowledge with his passing. He was a great machinist, my mentor and most of all, a dear friend. My time spent with him were the most fun racing I have ever had. It was an honor and a privilege to be able to race with him and I hope I made him proud. My sincerest condolences to his loved ones and friends.

Godspeed my friend. RIP

[Jim Hawkins]

Henry, so sorry to hear this. You and Verle were a great team and I know how much he enjoyed having you drive for him. It would be hard to find anyone more passionate about stock/super stock racing than Verle. He was such a fixture out here it is hard to imagine stock or super stock running at Bandimere with out Verle on the starting line.
Spent many hours at his shop talking anything racing. Sure am going to miss him.
At least I have 2 sweet running 327's in street cars he built for me to remember him by.

[Ronald Urquhart]

RIP Verle 🙏🏾🙏🏾

[Alan Nyhus]

A true Division 5 legend. Prayers to family and friends.

[Randy Wells]

Verle got me and my brother started stock 45 years ago, a true legend for sure. RIP Verle.

Randy Wells
I/S 5628

[Bill Ringer]

Gone much too soon- Verle's friendship and guidance was something I and all others who knew him will cherish always.

[nhramnl]

Rest in Peace, Verle. When my wife and I relocated to the Denver area some years ago (a transfer with GM), I made my first trip to Bandimere as a "local guy". While there, I met Verle and an immediate friendship was born. I had no idea how to set-up my Q-Jet for altitude, and Verle patiently worked with me until the necessary changes were made and the car ran well again. Later, I'm proud to say, I got to return the favor with one of Verle's important customers, in my capacity as a GM Rep. Verle never forgot that help and though I continued to move around the country, I could always call to chat, and was made to feel welcome. I have people in my life that I call "Milestone People", that have a lasting impact on my life and Verle was one of them. A good man, gone too soon.

[GarysZ24]

Since today's the day those lucky enough to be able to be at Verle Stevens Celebration of Life service in Denver were there, although I'm 860 miles southwest of you all, I have my own reason(s) to celebrate knowing him and benefit from his precise work on engines for street and strip.

When I first started going to the drags in the mid-70's and started following Stock and Super Stock Eliminator's, there were four names that seemed to be very popular in the Colorado racing area (especially for Chevrolet products). Verle Steven, Herman Chapman (for racing engines), Val Hedworth (Rochester Carburetors), and Marv Ripes (A1 Transmissions and Torque converters). Many cars I admired growing up from Kansas and Nebraska to the West Coast states, featured something from these four men, and they were always formidable opponents for other racers. Every time I think of going out to Dragway Denver off of 96th and Buckley Rd., I think of my favorite pre-racing song from the 60's "Keep on Dancing", by The Gentrys. I would remember seeing Verle and Bob Stevens in matching plaid shirts, while getting ready to race their (then) '69 Chevelle and the song being introduced by "The Boogie Man", prior to any racing going on, or during down time between categories. What great times those were!


Fast forward to the mid-late 80's, and I bought a '67 Chevelle 2dr coupe with a 283 in it. I approached Verle about the cost of building a 327 engine to upgrade from the 283. When I was given his price and that of a shade tree mechanic who did cylinder head work on my D5 Street Eliminator winning '73 Pontiac Ventura, I took the cheaper route ( mainly because I didn't have the facilities or the equipment, or smarts to remove my engine to deliver it to Verle, and at that time Dave Lockridge wasn't able to help me as he was nearly 10yrs later, so I kind of had to take it to that guy), and lived to regret it with a constantly hot running 327 that could only cover the Bandimere Speedway track in the mid-18's! I finally learned my lesson and vowed to seek Verle out when I got my next ideal race car....Sharkbait.

After dealing with computer issues that tried to negate everything Verle and Dave Lockridge did to improve my cars performance (and Marv Ripes as well), that and some assistance from other friends through the years, has Shark Bait running over 2sec. quicker than my Chevelle did with a bigger more powerful engine. Difference being Verle built the V6 I still run today, and not the V8. I will add more to this.