Comment:

A lot to look at in this pic. Being a sign painter, the lettering caught my eye first...nice!  The conditions of the wheels were next, especially the rear. Ironic that there are rims on the ground over by the speed shop truck and WHOA, check out that 55-56 Ford custom, T bird hood scoop, DeSoto grill, not sure on the headlights but they are trick too.

Terry Fick

The Shaub picture above was taken at Hal's Atlantic, "Hot Rod's" Atlantic gas station on Rt 222 (the Fifth Street Highway) north of Reading.  The picture is taken facing north.  Off the left side of the picture is the gas station itself and behind the station the first and second turns of "The Fastest Half Mile in the East."

On the left side of picture in the background is the Muhlenberg Shopping Plaza.  When the USAC boys came to town they would park their pavement cars in the plaza parking lot while they ran the dirt cars.  On open trailers you could walk right up to right up to an Offy or DOHC Ford and inspect the engine.  How times have changed.

Hal was a family friend.  My dad and I hung out at the Atlantic on more than one occasion.  Wertz was a neighbor, a customer on my paper route.  Bob only had one arm but he still drove the tow truck, complete with manual transmission, to the track.  Bob's wife was very pretty.  I graduated from Muhlenberg High in the right background of the picture.

Memories of a simpler time, a time long ago.  Lindy was paying $1000.00 to win during this period in time, big money which attracted Taz and Buzzie and even the Allisons for some races.  You could actually make money in those days at Reading.

I was looking at this Olsen pic again, look at the hood.  In the background is what looks like a 64 or 65 Mustang, making this a mid to late sixties pic.  Williams was in the car in 67 I believe so this was probably in the period between Hot Rod leaving and Williams (actually Bill Brown) taking over.

It looks like the car had a 350 in it.  As I recall 350 or less had to weight 2250 and more than 350 had to weigh 2450.  Wertz ran small blocks as I remember until Brightbill took over.  If memory serves the fields were about 60/40 big and small blocks.  Some of the guys believed the lighter car handled better.  It is my opinion all that changed when Deasey brought that "cammer"427 he bought from The Snake, it was about all big blocks after that.

Sometimes I would like to go back to those days.  It seemed racing was a lot more fun than now.