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RACING SCENE Column – (JAY EAST RIP) -By Tim Kennedy
Los Angeles, CA. -- The celebration of the life of race car driver Jay East took place Sunday, June 22 from 11 am to 3 pm at the American Legion Hall, Post 155, in Colton. Jay, a resident of Grand Terrace near San Bernardino, succumbed at age 86 from cancer at home on Monday, September 19. Cremation followed. Donna, Jay's widow, arranged for a Mexican food meal and a mariachi duo for the 215 persons who attended. Many were racers, local friends and business associates. Jay was always listed as a driver from Colton, but that was his business address.
Donna spoke about Jay shortly after 11 am to assembled guests. Donna, Jay and their two daughters, Vickie and Robin, operated East Crane Service, Inc. on Fogg St. south of the I-10 freeway in Colton for many decades. Donna told me she and Jay were married 50 years this year. They closed their business two years ago because of the poor economy. They sold their two large cranes and gave their client list to an associate. She proudly stated that they owned their industrial site and had no debt when they liquidated their business.
RACERS PRESENT: CRA sprint car drivers present included: Ray Miscevich, 80, who moved from El Monte to Apple Valley years ago; Dale Crossno, 76, and his wife Betty who live in Grand Terrace near the East family home; Don Melton, 81, now from Redlands; Billy Felts, 63, from Rialto; Terry Kawell, 69, from Fish Canyon near Loma Linda; Dennis Rea, 61, from the San Fernando Valley, and Steve Howard, 60, the son of the late sprint car owner/racing association leader Glenn Howard and brother of sprint car driver Gary G. Howard.
San Bernardino resident Billy Scott, 65, a CRA sprint car driver--drag racer-- land speed record driver--and 23rd finisher in the 1976 Indianapolis 500, also attended. He raced Warner Hodgdon's No. 28 Spirit of Public Enterprise Eagle-Offy in his one Indy 500 start. He started 21st and finished 23rd (with 96 laps) in the rain-shortened race won by Johnny Rutherford after 102 laps. Only three drivers were on the lead lap when rain halted the race with 27 cars still competing. Billy was the second highest finishing of four rookies; 18th finisher Vern Schuppan won the rookie of the year award. Billy crashed the No. 76 Eagle-Offy during time trails in his initial Indy 500 attempt at the 1975 Indy 500. In two later attempts to make the Indy 500, Billy drove an Eagle-Offy in 1979 and a Lightning-Donovan in 1982 but he did not qualify in those attempts.
Car owners/drivers present included: Larry Woodward, who owned CRA and later World of Outlaws sprint cars; Nick Mitchell, 68, (the father of current USAC-CRA driver Matt); plus Herb Spivey, (owner of USAC Silver Crown No. 84). Midget car owners John Starner and Ray Alcarez attended as well. ... Wendy, the youngest daughter of the late CRA President Walt James, who passed away in September 2009, attended and represented the James family. Walt, a World War II veteran and colonel in the US Air Force Reserves while he led CRA, is buried at the nearby Riverside National Cemetery. Wendy said her mom Dottie just sold the family home in rural Agua Dulce and moved back into town.
Of course Jay's daughters Vickie and Robin and their spouses and children attended the celebration of Jay's life. Vickie is married to busy multi-track announcer Bruce Flanders, of San Bernardino. Their son Michael, 36, is the track announcer at Havasu 95 Speedway in Lake Havasu City, AZ Their daughter Megan assists Bruce at some of his announcing gigs by playing recorded music. Robin's husband Bobby LaGue and their children attended.
The yellow and black numeral No. 11 sprint car owned by Jay and Donna is kept at their industrial yard. It was taken on an open trailer a few miles and unloaded in front of the American Legion Hall during the celebration of Jay's life. The 1970's Ron Ward-built car raced as No. 11 in CRA and at the Copper World Classic on the Phoenix International Raceway mile. The car ran with a cage after CRA mandated cages for the 1970 season onward. It is now cage-less.
Jay was born in 1928 to parents who lived not far from where he was honored June 22 on a hot 90+ degree day. He started racing jalopies in the Inland Empire at various tracks. He also raced California Jalopy Assn. (CJA) jalopies at speedways in Los Angeles County. He also had a boat and enjoyed fishing with other race drivers such as Colby Scroggin and Dick Fries, who were shown in photos with Jay and boats.
It was interesting looking at the numerous scrapbooks that covered Jay's racing career and life. Donna brought them and placed them on a table for everyone to peruse. Numerous large photo boards and a tray of loose photos also gave people an insight into Jay's unique life in racing and business. Daily and racing newspaper stories about Jay's life brought back memories. Some of the bylines were by Ronnie Allyn and some (1968 onward) were by me. Some of the clipping covered major jobs done by East Crane. They included freeway work, sign installations at business establishments, and righting overturned railroad freight cars after a major derailment in the Inland Empire.
Donna told me Jay's CRA career really got started in 1964-65. Jimmy Mayeda and Leonard Surdam were two key car owners. Checking CRA records showed Jay had a few one-off CRA rides in 1964. On 2/23/64 Jay made his CRA debut at Ascot Park in Joe Irwin's No. 65 Chevy and finished fourth in the semi-main. He got his second ride four months later at Ascot in Bart Welsh's No. 39. Jay subbed for absent Dick Fries on 7/11/64 in the No. 5 Pratt & Williamson Buick at the paved quarter-mile Orange Show Speedway in San Bernardino. In his first CRA feature, Jay started tenth and finished fourth. Car owners noticed. His next opportunity came at Ascot on August 5 in the No. 35 Orange Taylor Chevy that Don Melton had driven. Jay qualified 17th quickest of 30 cars and ran the semi-main.
Jay's next CRA ride on 8/19 at Ascot was the No. 5 P & W Buick again. He qualified 18th fastest of 31 cars and ran the semi. Jack Brunner had that ride at the next race. Jay's first CRA career break came on Labor Day at the OSS paved quarter-mile. He was second FQ at 14.81 to Bob Hogle's Morales Bros. Offy, which set a NTR of 14.46. Jay's ride was Jim Mayeda's No. 26, a shortened (by six-inches) USAC champ dirt car (ex-HOW No. 21). Colby Scroggin had raced it on mile dirt tracks as the Ward Machine Chevy for So Cal's Bill Ward. Jay started 11th and finished third in a 15-car field. P. 1 Hogle, P. 2 Hal Minyard and P. 3 Jay finished almost nose-to-tail. Jay next drove Mayeda's No. 26 to P. 8 in the CRA feature at now closed Champion Speedway next to San Francisco Bay, just south of Candlestick Park. At OSS on 9/26 magneto problems sidelined him. Jay finished 21st of 94 drivers with 1964 CRA points after limited appearances.
Hal Minyard and car owner Leonard Surdam won their respective 1964 championships and used No. 1 on their orange car in1965. Jay did not race until race three at Hanford Speedway, a five-eighths mile banked, paved track in Hanford formerly known as Marchbanks Speedway. His ride was A. L. Oskie's No. 81; Jimmy Oskie, son of the No. 81 owner, drove Mayeda's now No. 30. Jay raced the 81car in two El Centro races. Jay's big break came in May, 1965. Minyard left California to spend six weeks in Indiana promoting the McHal helmet he designed. Surdam had veteran Wayne Douglas drive his No. 1 Chevy at Ascot on May 8 and he finished third in the feature. Wayne missed the main on 5/22 at Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix.
Surdam gave the No. 1 Chevy ride to Jay for the 5/29/65 Hanford Speedway five-eighths mile banked paved race. He qualified ninth fastest in a 33-car field. Jay started the 50-lap main in P 8 and won his first CRA feature with a last lap pass in turn two. Two days later on Memorial Day at the OSS paved quarter-mile Jay set fastest qualifying time of 14.50 in Surdam's No. 1 in a 29 car field. He was in P. 2 on lap 29 of 30 when he dropped out. Minyard returned to Surdam's No. 1 at Ascot on June 12. Jay's next ride was a month later on July 9 in the No. 50 Carter & Hershey Chevy at the Riverside Int'l Raceway paved half-mile. He was tenth fastest of 39 qualifiers and finished 12th in a 30-lap main. His next ride was the new Hank Henry-built No. 91 Lehotsky & Singh Chevy at Ascot on July 10 where he did not finish the main. Minyard got the 91 ride and Jay was ride-less again. Frank Secrist had the Surdam No. 1 and Jim Roessler had the Mayeda No. 30 ride.
Jay's next ride was a brand new Shilala-built No. 85 owned by Lee Coman. On August 13 at the Riverside paved half-mile Jay qualified tenth quickest and placed 12th in a 30-lap main. On August 21 at Champion Speedway in San Francisco Jay was 13th FQ of 32 drivers and won his heat race. Jay started first in the 25-lap main. He led the first 19 laps in the Coman 85 and finished second to NARC star Sherman Cleveland. On 8/27 at Riverside Jay was fourth fastest in time trials in Coman's No 85, but a mechanical problem ended his night.
On Labor Day at Ascot, Jay qualified sixth fastest of 36 drivers. He started the 100-lapper sixth in Coman's 85 but retired early. At Ascot on October 9 there were 50 cars. Jay won the 15-lap semi for Coman and finished 12th in the 30-lap main. Ascot's 100-lap Grand Prix on October 23 had Jay back in Surdam's No. 1 after Minyard defected to the newer 91 L & S Chevy. Jay qualified 11th fastest of 41 drivers, won his heat, started 11th and finished sixth after 100 laps. Back at San Francisco's Champion Speedway October 30 Jay was tenth quickest qualifier of 31 in Surdam's No. 1 and finished tenth in a 50-lap feature.
Ascot's annual Pacific Coast Championship 100-lap race was run on Sunday afternoon, December 5. Jay was back in Coman's No. 85 and Nor Cal driver Bob DeJong drove Surdam's No. 1. Jay was sixth quickest of 47 qualifiers and started sixth in a 24 car field. He finished third behind Paul Jones (Bruce Bromme Offy) and Minyard (No. 91 L & S Chevy). Jay beat P. 4 Dick Fries, who drove his season-long 1965 Hank Henry-built No. 20 Tipton & Wright Chevy. It was a close battle among the top four finishers during the final 15 laps and a thrilling finish for fans.
Jay's CRA reputation as a quality driver on both dirt and paved tracks started in 1964 and really took off during 1965. Despite missing many races when he was between rides, Jay finished 13th in 1965 CRA driver points with 282.5, only 43.5 points out of tenth position. Minyard won the 1965 CRA driving championship (two titles in a row) with 885 points to 851 for runner-up Paul Jones. Minyard moved back to Indiana and raced in the USAC National Sprint Car Series. He later became a key facilities staff member of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Note: Jay won eight CRA main events at five speedways from 1965-1976 for seven different owners. He won twice for the late Don Blair. His CRA feature triumphs came at the following speedways: paved 5/8-mile, banked Hanford Speedway (5/29/65); OSS (San Bernardino) paved quarter-mile (6/19/65); Speedway 605 (Irwindale) paved half-mile (9/13/69); Ascot clay half-mile (11/8/69); El Centro clay half-mile (2/28/71); Ascot (6/30/73) and Speedway 605 in Irwindale (5/16/76). On the negative side, Jay suffered three serious injuries and hospital time after sprint car flips. He was a well-liked racer and friend to all. Jay attended races and related events as often as he could, but his vision problems late in life forced his to give up driving a car.
NEWS: Bench racing with many of the guest uncovered some interesting news. Ray Miscevich said his friend CRA driver Jim Peacock, 70, lived in Temple City but moved to Idaho several years ago. Ray said Jim recently moved back to California after suffering a stroke. Peacock raced Grand American Modifieds at age 60-61 for two seasons (2004-05) at Irwindale Speedway. He finished 14th in 2004 track points driving Chad Daly's No. 28 twice to P. 7 and 8 finishes. In 2005 Jim drove the No. 43 GAM in four events. He finished fourth once and sixth three times, placing eighth in final Irwindale points. Jim began racing sprint cars with NARC in Nor Cal and in 1969 made three main events at the Calistoga half-mile, but he did not finish those races. He moved to So Cal in the 1970s and raced for Mike Yanker for years. In fact, Jim won the May 26, 1974 Calistoga NARC main event driving Yanker's Edmunds-built Chevy.
Don Melton said he will turn 82 in July 2014. I saw Don and his long-time buddy Jay together in 2012 at a URA sprint car midget doubleheader on the then clay Orange Show Speedway in San Bernardino. Both looked great and almost exactly as they did when racing in the 1960-70 decades. ... Billy Felts (now sporting a chrome dome) still operates his MJB Chrome Plating and Polishing shop in Rialto. His son Billy, Jr. raced USAC Ford Focus Midgets a few years ago but is not racing in open-wheel cars currently.
Terry Kawell said his No. 36 CRA sprint car that was a cut-down USAC Champ Car (ex-No. 21 HOW Special driven by Elmer George) is now in Tom Malloy's museum in Corona. Malloy's museum also contains the No. 2 Leader Card Offy champ dirt car that Rodger Ward drove in the 1960s for Ralph Wilke. Malloy's museum also is home to the Bob Pankratz built No. 25 Cheesman Offy sprint car in which Eddie Sachs and many other noted drivers won USAC sprint car mains. Former midget/sprint car driver Marc Hart works at Malloy's museum.
Dennis Rea said he has a California contractor license and still does concrete work but he doesn't advertise for business. He said his older brother Ron “the California Cowboy” weighs a lot more than he does. Sprint car vet Ron lives in Bakersfield after driving cement trucks in Las Vegas for years. Dennis said his father Glen, 93, and mom, 90, are both still healthy and active in Bakersfield. “My dad still drives his car and mows his lawn with a power mower,” Dennis added. It was great to see so many of Jay's racing friends present at the celebration of his life. It proves that likable Jay touched and is respected by many people. RIP Jay.
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