Greg Hansen's top 10 auto racers in Tucson history
- Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Roger McCluskey, a Tucson High grad who raced in 17 Indy 500s, tops the list.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Editor's note: This summer, Star columnist Greg Hansen is counting down the top 10 of just about everything related to Tucson sports.
Today's list: the top 10 auto racers in Tucson history.
During the 1950s you could walk into the Miller Rasor Radio and Speedometer shop on East Sixth Street near Arizona Stadium and talk shop with three of the immortal auto racers of Arizona history.
Roger McCluskey and Hank Arnold helped operate the repair shop; young Red Greth was hired for part-time work. It was the equivalent of walking into Bear Down Gym in 1930 to see Pop McKale and Fred Enke coaching the UA’s first All-American football player, Tucson High’s Ted Bland.
Over the last 80 years, Tucson has staged every manner of auto racing at a dozen locations, from Corona Speedway to Tucson Raceway Park and many more. One of the "many more" was the Davis-Monthan Dragstrip, which opened in 1957 and became one of the Southwest’s featured racing sites.
On June 17, 1957, a crowd estimated at 5,000 watched young Red Greth drive "Ol’ Noisy" 154.3 mph. For the next seven years, before the Air Force base closed the dragstrip in order to began housing out-of-service B-47 bombers, Greth’s reputation grew; in 1963 he set a world record by reaching 174.03 mph.
The culture of motorsports in Tucson flourished. The 10 leading auto racers in Tucson history is an impressive list of men who have raced at the Indy 500, on the NASCAR circuit and almost everywhere in between.
Here are my rankings:
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
The Tucson High grad raced in 17 Indy 500s when it was one of America’s four or five leading sports events of the year. He finished third in 1962 and 1973 and also won five national championships on the USAC circuit.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
He won his first race, a Soap Box Derby, on A Mountain as an 11-year-old. "Cheez" later raced at seven Indy 500s and in 1992 was inducted into the Tucson Raceway Hall of Fame’s first class.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
A cement truck driver by day, a champion motorsports Hall of Famer by night, Trimmer raced for more than 50 years, winning more than 800 main events in stock car racing in Tucson and Phoenix, winning 20 season points championships in 21 years.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
He was inducted into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 1994.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
From 1955-1970, Huebner was as good as it got in Southwest auto racing, winning the Western State Championship and three Tri-City championships as part of one of the top auto racing families in Arizona history, including his son Jeff Huebner, brother John Huebner and grandson Jeremy Huebner, who is one of the West’s top young drivers.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Although his father, Jerry Coons, started the family auto racing business, and was one of Tucson’s top drivers in the 1960s, his son, Jerry Coons Jr., became an international success on the USAC circuit, winning 2006 and 2007 national championships around the country, winning more than 18 races, as far away as New Zealand and Australia.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
"Hurryin’ Henry" nicknamed his cars: Twister, Cherry Bomb, Party Doll, Payola. After emerging as one of the top names in Arizona racing history, Arnold was killed while racing Twister on June 17, 1967 at Phoenix’s Manzanita Speedway. A race named in his honor has been held for the last 50 years.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
The Ironwood Ridge High grad, 24, had a remarkable career as a younger drive, winning six times in the ARCA series. He has already driven in 51 NASCAR Infinity Series races and has been hired to replace Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the NASCAR circuit in 2018.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
In 1970, McDaniel won five straight events in the Arizona Racing Association series, and later in the year build a four-race winning streak. In 1963, he was the ARA’s No. 1 driver, winning nine events.
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
- Updated
Setting a national junior pro stock speed record in 1980, Rotty won 39 events at the Tucson Dragway, was a regular on the NHRA Winternationals circuit and was No. 1 in the world finals American Hot Rod Association in 1970.
Editor's note: This summer, Star columnist Greg Hansen is counting down the top 10 of just about everything related to Tucson sports.
Today's list: the top 10 auto racers in Tucson history.
During the 1950s you could walk into the Miller Rasor Radio and Speedometer shop on East Sixth Street near Arizona Stadium and talk shop with three of the immortal auto racers of Arizona history.
Roger McCluskey and Hank Arnold helped operate the repair shop; young Red Greth was hired for part-time work. It was the equivalent of walking into Bear Down Gym in 1930 to see Pop McKale and Fred Enke coaching the UA’s first All-American football player, Tucson High’s Ted Bland.
Over the last 80 years, Tucson has staged every manner of auto racing at a dozen locations, from Corona Speedway to Tucson Raceway Park and many more. One of the "many more" was the Davis-Monthan Dragstrip, which opened in 1957 and became one of the Southwest’s featured racing sites.
On June 17, 1957, a crowd estimated at 5,000 watched young Red Greth drive "Ol’ Noisy" 154.3 mph. For the next seven years, before the Air Force base closed the dragstrip in order to began housing out-of-service B-47 bombers, Greth’s reputation grew; in 1963 he set a world record by reaching 174.03 mph.
The culture of motorsports in Tucson flourished. The 10 leading auto racers in Tucson history is an impressive list of men who have raced at the Indy 500, on the NASCAR circuit and almost everywhere in between.
Here are my rankings:
The Tucson High grad raced in 17 Indy 500s when it was one of America’s four or five leading sports events of the year. He finished third in 1962 and 1973 and also won five national championships on the USAC circuit.
He won his first race, a Soap Box Derby, on A Mountain as an 11-year-old. "Cheez" later raced at seven Indy 500s and in 1992 was inducted into the Tucson Raceway Hall of Fame’s first class.
A cement truck driver by day, a champion motorsports Hall of Famer by night, Trimmer raced for more than 50 years, winning more than 800 main events in stock car racing in Tucson and Phoenix, winning 20 season points championships in 21 years.
He was inducted into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 1994.
From 1955-1970, Huebner was as good as it got in Southwest auto racing, winning the Western State Championship and three Tri-City championships as part of one of the top auto racing families in Arizona history, including his son Jeff Huebner, brother John Huebner and grandson Jeremy Huebner, who is one of the West’s top young drivers.
Although his father, Jerry Coons, started the family auto racing business, and was one of Tucson’s top drivers in the 1960s, his son, Jerry Coons Jr., became an international success on the USAC circuit, winning 2006 and 2007 national championships around the country, winning more than 18 races, as far away as New Zealand and Australia.
"Hurryin’ Henry" nicknamed his cars: Twister, Cherry Bomb, Party Doll, Payola. After emerging as one of the top names in Arizona racing history, Arnold was killed while racing Twister on June 17, 1967 at Phoenix’s Manzanita Speedway. A race named in his honor has been held for the last 50 years.
The Ironwood Ridge High grad, 24, had a remarkable career as a younger drive, winning six times in the ARCA series. He has already driven in 51 NASCAR Infinity Series races and has been hired to replace Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the NASCAR circuit in 2018.
In 1970, McDaniel won five straight events in the Arizona Racing Association series, and later in the year build a four-race winning streak. In 1963, he was the ARA’s No. 1 driver, winning nine events.
Setting a national junior pro stock speed record in 1980, Rotty won 39 events at the Tucson Dragway, was a regular on the NHRA Winternationals circuit and was No. 1 in the world finals American Hot Rod Association in 1970.
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