01.22.99 It was 25 years ago that I started getting serious about going to the drag races. Living in Victoria on Vancouver Island 'serious' meant Seattle not Mission. If I was gonna pay for an off-island excursion I was going where the beer was cheap, the women less clothed and the cars a step or so above most that ventured into B.C.

In 1974 I was still shooting from the 'the other side of the fence' hence I got more good pit stuff than track stuff. I sat down this evening for a little R&R and came up with this. Hope it brings back some memories for you too. Please excuse some of the 'bad' focus, but many of these were scanned off those infamous ripple finish prints.

I had to start with this one. It's Dave Wren's N.W. National Open Pro Stock winning Mopar. The thing to look for in this one is more in the background. It's amazing to see just how little change there has been in those pits over the past two and a half decades.

A pair 'o bananas...remember building the model of this car...Hank Johnson drove the far car.

On the very day he ran the first S.I.R. 'Five' Gary Beck stopped by the Atterbury Bros. rig.
The Northwest National Open in April.

At the same race King, Ace, Goose and some crew guys.

Goodell warming up

The Natl' Open was also one of the only times Herm Peterson's Olympia/Justice Bros. cars were together at the same event. Herm wheeled the newer one on the left, while Harlen Thompson drove the neat streamliner.

Known for his sanitary race cars, this is Oregon's Steve McGee in his short-lived Top Fuel effort. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe this car began life as a wedge-type streamliner.

Gary Ritter's Nor-Cal 'Blood, Sweat & Nitro' entry was always a hard runner when it came north.

Now we move into the heat of August and 64 Funny Cars. In 1974 THIS was a pit babe. Some things are timeless.

Seen in the shadows is the man himself...on site early for a change.

And what's a shot of JJ without one of Pam.

And hey, isn't it nice to know some of the big guys really did use open haulers.

In 1974 this was just about the coolest paint job you could put on a shoebox. Kestone mags and white letter Uniroyals were the latest things too.

You may think it's a recent thing, but even in 1974 the place was void of spectators for the late August WDRS. Made for good picture taking though as these views of the oft-seen Yuill Bros Pontiac Pro Stocker and Les Lenington's gorgeous B/SR show. And in case you were wondering, yes they ran fuel cars here...at nite, and still drew dick for fans.

...and speaking of good looking race cars.

Even though I was often 'SUI' (Shooting Under the Influence), I did get a few cool pics from behind that big fence, as this unidentified stalwart AA/GD slingshot pilot shows.

So there it is... a brief look at Seattle back in 1974. Maybe now I can get down and actually do what this started off as - a history of Northwest Pro Stockers...one day I promise.