"The Ward Gray Memorial"

The first Ward Gray Memorial was held at Manzanita Speedway on July 29, 1977. It was orginally intended as an appreciation race as Ward was battling cancer, but still attending the races in a wheelchair. 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 was held at Manzanita every year since then.

Memorial races are usually held for drivers, but this is different in that respect. The race used to be a 100 lapper, but nowadays cars 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. The modified his father's Model T Ford, putting Frontliner Heads, and all the hot setup of the day. The car had a canoe-shaped backend, and no rollcage. 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 the 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 Paiege 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 and 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 and old restaurant at 35th Ave and Camelback. They named it after their only daughter, Patty Ann. It was 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 encourage him and found an old 1960 Starliner cheap and started putting it together. But, as boys will, he found something more interesting. Ward finally finished the car with the help of some friends, and took it out with the Claimers. Bob Turner drove it in Tucson and won!

Ward continued in the Claimer division until the S.C.R.A. Modified Stock division was born in 1970. This is the group that is honoring Ward tonight. Ward and several others were pioneers of S.C.R.A.. Cars were scarce in those first races, six to eight cards for a main event. Ward helped with trophies from both businesses, and 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 "Sportswoman of the Year". Ward had a tear in his eye as he accepted the award.

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 commments (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 was seldom 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 McGuire - "A good human being. He had a straight-forward way about him. I'll 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 to 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."

J.D. 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 for it to be fired the first time until Marie could be there for the event."

One of the cars Ware 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 racetrack. 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 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 well 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 and finished fourth in points.

The S.C.R.A. is proud to continue the tradition with the Ward Gray Memorial Race...