Post by dwp on Aug 16, 2012 23:02:54 GMT -8
The Rocket Speedway pictures were taken around the summer of 1966 most likely on a Sunday afternoon as the track was run on either Sunday afternoons or under the lights on Saturday nights. The announcer was Gib Walker, the track owner was Don Peck (now 88 yrs. old). His day job was as an electrician at Georgia-Pacific/Louisana Pacific Saw Mills as well as a part time farmer. The track was located just outside the city limits of Pilot Rock on the Birch Creek Road. On a good day.....the crowd could reach 1,200+ men/women & children. Don could usually be found cooking hamburgers & hotdogs in the Quansit-hut style consession stand. Half the track was washed out during flooding of Birch Creek. To replace the half washed out cost more than the whole facility. Don was ahead of his time so far as side-line entertainment as he hosted an early replica Pike's Peak Hill Climb car built by Joe Primm from Hermiston....had several sky-divers land on the property during races and had some "souped up" go-karts put on a display with twin engines....also some "super-modifieds" joined the local "hard tops" and got "home-towned". During some of these races, Pilot Rock almost doubled in size. Some of the drivers names were....Lankford, Dietz, Ledbetter, Jones, Sallee, Gilliland, Perkins, Hoeft, Peck, Kelly, Christenson, etc. I have several pictures, including the ones in the original post by another party showing 25 Jalopies (stock cars up through 1954) starting on the track at one time. When the flag was dropped, they were strung out from the start finish line to the middle of the back straightaway. Most of the owners/drivers raced for the fun of racing as it cost more to field a car than you could win. Don Peck, Jr. 08/16/2012.