The Ward Gray Memorial Race will be race August 28, 2010 @ Prescott Valley Raceway.
Each year, SCRA holds the Memorial race not only to honor Ward, but to honor all of the drivers, and members whom have touched our lives in so many ways.
I for one was honored and blessed to have known and loved Ms Marie and Mr Ralph
and so many others who dedicated so much of their lives to the sport of auto racing that we all
enjoy and love.
The following is a unedited letter that was written by Marie Gray in 1984 about her husband Ward and the Ward Gray Memorial Race.
August 11, 1984
The 8th Annual Ward Gray Memorial
The first Ward Gray Memorial was held at Manzanita Speedway on July 29th, 1977. It was originally intended as an appreciation race as Ward was battling cancer, but still attending the races in a wheel chair. Ward Gray passed away July 15, 1977 on a Friday night just before race time. It was then decided to have an Annual Memorial race which has been held at Manzanita every year since then.
Keith Hall, racing director for Manzanita, had always been gracious to the Gray family, but times change, and maybe it seems fitting that Wards’ race be held at Canyon Raceway. Mr. Timmons, Canyons’ owner, was a good friend of Ward’s while they were both in the refrigeration trade.
Memorial races are usually held for drivers, but this is different in that respect. The race used to be a 100 lapper, but now days care are using alcohol and don’t get the mileage they used to, so the race was shortened to 50 laps.
Ward started his racing career about 1928 in a high school automotive shop in Upper California with the help of his instructor. They modified his father’s Model T Ford, putting Frontliner Heads, and all the hot set up of the day. The car had a canoe shaped back end, and no roll cage. The drivers wore leather helmets and goggles, and their mechanics rode with them.
Ward was competing against the notables of the time, such as the Chevrolet Bros. with their 16 cylinder cars. He raced at the flat tracks, including fairgrounds throughout the Northwest with his ford and did very well. He even raced Yancey Beach in Vancouver, Canada on the board tracks. (Boards laid on the sand fastened with cables underneath) The Ford finally crashed and burned so Ward went on to a Graham Paige and finally a Packard.
Ward went on to enlist in the Navy where he spent several years. After leaving the Navy, Ward pursued a career in refrigeration. Then along came World War II and he was called on to serve his country, this time in the Army. After his discharge from the service, he joined the San Diego Tuna Fleet and held down a position as a licensed diesel engineer for several years.
In 1950, Ward met Marie; they were married in 1953, and moved to Arizona in 1956. Again he went back to his refrigeration trade, heading up the air conditioning department for Hermetic Refrigeration for several years. Ward and Marie then bought an old restaurant at 35th Ave. and Camelback. They named it after their only daughter, Patty Ann. A favorite place for drivers and fans, Marie still operates Patty Ann’s Drive Inn.
Ward built a small refrigeration shop behind the restaurant, and between the two businesses, was pretty busy. Fate knocked on the shop door in 1968 when one of the sons wanted to get into racing. Ward encouraged him and found and old 1960 Starliner cheap and started putting it together. But as boys will, found something more interesting. Ward finally started finishing the car along with helpful friends and soon had it out with the Claimers. Bob Turner drove it in Tucson and Won!
Ward continued in the Claimer division until the SCRA Modified Stock division was born in 1970. This is the group that is honoring Ward tonight. Ward and several others were pioneers of SCRA. Cars were scarce in those first races, six to eight cars for a main event. Ward helped with trophies from both businesses, and in any way he could.
Ward put two 1964 Fords out that year. In 1972 Patty Ann’s received a plaque at the banquet for helping to get Modified Stocks started. In 1975 Ward was awarded sportsman of the Year and Marie was awarded sportswoman. Ward had a tear in his eye as he accepted this honor.
The refrigeration shop turned into an engine room He built his own Ford engines, and was able to build tough ones. He was a top notch mechanic and helped anyone he could.
The following are some comment (as clearly as I remember) made by some of his fellow racers when interviewed by Sandy Combs for an article she wrote for Ward:
Dave Hummel- “Ward was a perfectionist, it had to be exact. He knew what he was doing and if you did what he said, you couldn’t have problems. He seldom was in error.”
Mike Gibson- “He was a good person. He was always there when needed.”
Arthur Roy- “Ward was always friendly. He donated his place of business for meetings, inspections, etc. He helped people get parts for their cars.”
Jim McQuire- “A good human being. He had a straight forward way about him. I will really miss him.”
John Sweeney-“A rare individual with deep feelings. He helped racers as well as people off the street. He was agreeable to donating his time if you were willing to try. He always said racing was a compromise, you can only hope you make the right move with the materials you have to work with.”
Jack Walters-“He was like a Dad to me for eight years. I just asked what I needed to know. No halfway measures. He was one hell of a guy. He was very blunt when it came to saying what he liked and disliked.”
JD Smith-“He gave good advice if you just listened. He still made you look it up in the book so you wouldn’t forget it. He always said an engine was born, and they waited to be fired the first time until Marie could be there for the event.”
One of the cars Ward put out the first year of Mod Stocks is still around. You will see it tonight sitting on a trailer in the infield. A 1964 Ford, #117 and named “Snoopy “. When it first came out it was called the Cadillac of the race track. The car is 14 years old. It was burned the first year it ran. It had been running in the top three in points. Ward came to work one morning to find it destroyed by arson. He redid it and had it back out the next season.
The car and trailer was stolen in 1977 while Ward was in the hospital. It was found on the Gila Indian Reservation with the engine and transmission gone. Before Ward left, he asked Marie to keep the car out as long as she could, and to work for the division the best she could. With the help of many good people the car was again ready and competed in the first Ward Gray Memorial with Dave Hummel Driving.
The next season, Marie was hit by a car in a street accident so the car had to be sidelined until she got herself and the business back together. But again in 1981 several people helped Ray Grass rework the car, and he drove it in the Memorial race that year and did will in the car.
In 1982 Marie drove the car with the women and finished eighth in points. In 1983 she again took the old car out and finished fourth in points for the year. She has driven two races in it this year and finished third in her second race.
In keeping with Ward’s rookie program the car has participated in two Outlaw races this year with rookie Larry Hoel at the wheel. As I recall some of the drivers Ward put in the car were Jack Thompson, Len Ward, Art Roy, Ralph Christianson, Gary Belcher, John Craig, Bob Turner and Chuck Tempelton.
SCRA would like to thank the following Contingency prized sponsors for their support and dedication to the 2010 Ward Gray Memorial Race:
Prattster Graphics 480-242-8801
Arizona Tubes & Hoses 602-253-4507
Atkinson Motorsports Joe Atkinson
Driven 4x4 Parts 602-269-3969
Speedway Race Parts 602-276-3200
Rods Carbs 602-272-4992
Shoemaker Racing Steve
Challenger Racing Engines 602-254-9586
Ace Auto Repair 602-268-0454
Rick Setzer 602-291-0037
With the help of the above sponsors, we have collected nearly $1000.00 and many different items for each racer in the past.
The final race before the Memorial race will be July 10th at Prescott Valley Raceway.
Brownie is still seeking assistance in collecting other contingency prizes and/or cash, please contact him @ 602-265-0785 if you are able to help in any way.
Why not stay the night ?????
When checking in mention that you are with SCRA and recieve a 15% discount on your room rate !!!!!!!
Red Roof Inn
3704 East Irvington Road
Tucson, AZ 85714
(520) 571-1400
