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View Full Version : JOHN HALVARSON – Retrospective


Jerry Lee
10-16-2009, 11:32 AM
Another “hot foot” who made an impact at Denver area race tracks and beyond through the ‘60’s & ‘70’s was John Halvarson. John wheeled Figure 8’s at first, then found his niche in the Late Model division.

Here’s a quick retro of John Halvarson’s Colorado career in the ‘60’s.



http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=182&pictureid=1093
(J.L. McGuire collection) John Halvarson’s Demolition Derby entry sits in the Englewood
Speedway infield the day after the event. John worked for Lucky Gary’s Auto Sales in the
‘60’s and this was probably someone’s “trade in”. Note the hi-rise grandstands hadn’t been
built yet along the West turn when this undated photo from the ‘60’s was taken.



http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=182&pictureid=1139
(Kent Moore collection) John Halvarson wheeled this Figure Eighter during the 1966 season
at Englewood Speedway.




http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=182&pictureid=1094
(Kent Moore collection) Kent Moore (right) with the help of Jim Young (middle) built this
clean ’57 Ford Late Model for John (left) to pilot around the Englewood oval in '67. Dig the neat
striping job on the dash board, roll bars, and racing seat. This team finished 5th place in
points that year.




http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=182&pictureid=1095
(Kent Moore collection) John Halvarson #29 is on his way over with some help from Lee
Stogsdill #18 and Fred Tryon #49, while Don Wilson #114 and brother Fritz Wilson #59x
buzz by on the outside during 1967 Late Model action at Englewood Speedway. During
that first year of the Late Model division at the track, many of the Figure Eighters would
run the oval to help fill out the field.

Mr. Halvarson went on to live and race in Minnesota during the ‘70’s and was still racing at Bemidji Raceway at the time of his death in 1978.

parrot
10-16-2009, 03:07 PM
Nice piece Jerry Lee. The late model field didn't stay small for long, when Lakeside's modified car count began to dwindle, the late models at Englewood really grew. It was fun and exciting to watch large fields of those cars. Just like the '32s and '34s of a decade earlier, they used up an awful lot of those models from the fifties. I'd like to find a '57 Ford Tudor that straight today!

Jerry Lee
10-16-2009, 05:20 PM
Right you are, BP! The Late Model field didn't stay small for too long at Englewood. Kind of a drag now to think about all the '50's cars that were sacrificed. Even more from all those years of racing them in an 8!

lakeside #29
10-16-2009, 06:01 PM
Jerry Lee, Kent Moore really had a masters touch in preparing his cars. This '57 Ford is no exception. I can see that Craig "Assassin" Moore comes by it naturally. Craig's dad Al was a great teacher. Thanks for recomending him when I needed a guy to build #52. Craig insisted on everything be up to his Uncle Kent's standards.
Those early late models and figure 8's were cool because you could relate to them. "54-"57 Fords, "55-"57 Chevy's, Plymouths, even Studebakers. It was a great period in racing.

Leah
07-24-2010, 08:16 AM
Hi there--I came across this site today. My name is Leah, and Johnny was my dad. I was thirteen when he sadly died in the truck accident up in Minnesota. It's excellent to read your retrospective and thoughts on him. I'll let my brothers and sister know about this as well. Gotta love those racing memories!

webby
07-24-2010, 11:28 AM
Hi there--I came across this site today. My name is Leah, and Johnny was my dad. I was thirteen when he sadly died in the truck accident up in Minnesota. It's excellent to read your retrospective and thoughts on him. I'll let my brothers and sister know about this as well. Gotta love those racing memories!
Welcome to Auto Racing Memories! I have certified your membership so now you have full privileges and you can post pictures if you want to. For tips on how to post images check out these instructional videos (http://autoracingmemories.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25).

Looking forward to hearing more of your auto racing memories!

BillyJean
09-22-2010, 04:41 PM
Great classc pics!