WOW Glen !! you sure are a serious hot rodder, what a bio, know what you
mean by 65 going on 18, my feelings also at 51. That digger of Prudhomme's
you bought, did it have a 427 SOHC Ford mill in it ?
Chris Harris New Zealand.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Glen Barrett" <speedtimer@earthlink.net>
To: "Keith Turk" <kturk@ala.net>
Cc: <land-speed@autox.team.net>
Sent: Saturday, November 25, 2000 12:15 PM
Subject: OCCUPATION AND OTHER STUFF
> Glen Barrett, born 1935 in San Pedro, son of a career navel officer.I'm
> 65 going on 18. I attended Narbonne Hi in Lomita,Ca.Went to work for
> Douglas aircraft for 2 years, Hughes Aircraft for a short time and Then
> worked for Vickers Inc. The last two in hydraulics. First race at Santa
> Ana in 1951, First lakes and Bonneville 1953. Fell in love with both and
> up to 1958 when Uncle Sam took me to play in his back yard for two
> years. Worked as a hydraulic specialist on helicopters, did a little
> drag and scca racing in Washington State. Came back to Vickers until
> 1964 when they moved out of state. Went back to Douglas in the Hydraulic
> R&D structural test labs.
>
> Got laid off in 72 mairred the bosses daughter, adopteded her three kids
> and started a new career in the heavy truck business.
> After a few years in that went to work for Norris Ind. as a Facilities
> Engineer specializing in robotics and material handling automation.Have
> a daughter, Tammy by my first marriage, she and my son in law do the
> short course timing at Bonneville. She's they only one that cares about
> racing of all of the kids.
>
> I worked as a patrol stewart in 1954, 56 First drove a twin engine coupe
> I helped build in 54, some where around 150 mph, evil handling thing.
> Drove a rear engine Modified roadster the Black Widow owned by Bob
> Fugatt and had Joe Maillards Inj. Chrys. in it. The first driver kept
> spinning it so Bob put me in it. My best run was 217 and broke the
> crank.This car was run with a lot of histrorical people. Leroy Newmeyer,
> Jack Stecker, Clark Cagle and others. Made several trips to Bonneville
> with Jim Deist and helped on Arfons and other cars in the early
> development of drag chutes.
>
> Spent a lot of time drag racing with my own cars and a few people I was
> in pardnership with or just tooks rides now and then.
> Best speed was in 1969 at 231mph in the Old Don Purdome Shelby Super
> Snake that Howard Rapp and I bought.
> After I remairred spent a lot of time with the family and did a lot of
> dirt bike riding. After that I went back to the lakes in 83 and ran into
> old friend Gary Cagle and have been there every since. Worked as
> assistant time until 1994 when Gary Died and I guess he willed me this
> timing thing, cause I'm stuck with it.
>
> I really enjoy it most of the time and even more so when you guys and
> gals work so hard to get that record. I feel as good about it as you do.
> With my timing staff and the support of most of the SCTA I / we have
> developed a super timing system that is almost foolproof. At speedweek
> we time around 1800 runs each year , and last year only two times were
> missed. Human error in this case.
>
> Around 1990 the association with Jim Latten as president he and I
> started the emergency response team, Over the years we have developed it
> into at trailer with our rescue equipment aboard. as we go on we will
> continue to add to it. As far as my present occupation I work for the
> Boeing Co. in the rocket division as an engineer in the structural test
> labs and still in hydraulics. Hope to retire in a year or so if my wife
> will let me.
>
> Im sure I missed a few things and if I think of them I will add later.
> But as everyone is saying this occupation career and racing thing is
> really interesting.
>
> Glen Barrett
> Chief Timer SCTA / BNI
|