There was an early photo of a well publicized on-track incident at Lakeside Speedway that had always intrigued me.  That incident involved Vern Grams and Keith Lane with Vern’s car ending up on top of Keith’s car.  I’d always wanted to learn more about that incident in general and Vern Grams in particular.  A few years ago I was fortunate to have an opportunity to sit down with Vern and his wife Mariann where they shared photos and stories of his racing with me.  And yes, he had an 8x10 glossy of that photo, and more.  Here then is his racing story.

Vern was originally from the Greeley area.  It was 1952, the popularity of stock car racing was booming everywhere, including Greeley, and Vern, just out of the service, like a lot of young guys, went racing.

One of Vern’s early rides was in this car getting sideways just in front of the #11.  Things got worse instead of better as Vern took a pretty good tumble.  When the car came to a stop, Vern was unconscious and had to be helped from the car.   Not really the way he wanted to get started. 

Vern spent much of the 1952 season in Greeley racing the #53G.  L to R; Sponsor Mr. Harris, Vern Grams, and Vern Erb.

He’d found this pristine ’32 Ford 3 window coupe just sitting in a weed strewn field. (Be still my heart!) A little gas and a fresh battery and it started right up.  Built with the guidance of Vern Erb, and sponsored by Harris Oil, this car was painted white with gold lettering.


The car’s sponsor decided that he’d like his picture taken in the car also.  How about that checkered helmet!

Nothing lasts forever, as this Greeley action shows.  Vern’s #53G beginning a rollover.

Vern in another #53G, this time a ’34 coupe, exiting the pits onto the track at Longmont Speedway.  Vern said that this car was wrecked before they could even get a decent paint job on it. 

There were a lot of good looking cars over the years at Lakeside Speedway that carried the number 53, and this is one of those.  Vern Erb built this #53 new for the 1953 season.  L to R; Vern Grams & Vern Erb

Vern Erb had been involved with racing for several years, and fielded this nice looking blue and white ’34 coupe.  Shown here in the Lakeside Speedway pits, sponsors included the Caper Club in addition to the Harris Independent Oil Co.  Behind Mr. Erb can be seen the #45L that would figure in their ‘famous photo’.

Here is Vern hot lapping the #53 at Lakeside Speedway in 1953.  He regularly timed in the “A” class.  My favorite cars were always those that ran a full hood and grill.  This photo also gives a good view of the 3rd rail added for 1953.

 

Here’s that photo: Vern gets up in the air courtesy of Keith lane, #45L.  Vern reported that damage to both cars was fairly minor.  Going by on the inside are 1952 track champ Pete Ducker in #1, and Greeley car #1G, driver unknown.

Keith Lane would go on to win the 1953 Track Championship.  A little trivia here; Only twice has a ’34 Ford been driven to the championship at Lakeside Speedway.   And who would be the other?  The following year, 1954, a Vern Erb owned ’34 five window, #10 with Don Dunlap driving, won all the marbles.  (I wonder if it could have been built from this same #53 car?)

The dramatic photo of the Vern Grams and Keith Lane incident prompted the CARC to adopt it’s likeness in this artist’s rendition for ads in the Denver Post to promote the races.  Variations of this theme were used for many years thereafter, including one for the Powder Puffers. 

During the 1953 season, Vern also got some seat time in the Rubin Derr owned #92.

He’s shown here hopping the wheel of Denver driver Harold Gilbert , #24, as the group, some three wide, head down the front straight at Lakeside Speedway.  Another Denver car I recognize, just behind #63G is the Bob Busheff driven #29.  A lot of Greeley cars made the forty mile trip down highway 85 to participate.  At least five in this group can be identified as Greeley cars.  Besides Vern in #92, #68 is Floyd Ruth, #63G may be Bill Starks, and #45G is Don Dunlap.  The car behind #45G appears to be #1G, driver unknown.  Vern recounts that, much to the chagrin of Denver drivers, a lot of the Greeley cars were making the fast “A” division, and on one Sunday night, seven out of the eight cars in the trophy dash were all from Greeley.


During the ’54-’56 Lakeside seasons Vern drove this #46 for Vincent Streck.

L to R; Vern Grams, Vincent Streck, and Bill Morton.  “Willy”  Morton would go on to later serve three terms as mayor of Greeley.  This black and white ’34 coupe was sponsored by Anderson’s Radiator Service.  At that point, Vern left racing, got married and moved to the Denver metro area.