Last week, just outside Saskatoon, I had the opportunity to visit a secluded farm yard that serves as a graveyard for some cool old race and derby cars from many years past. My tour guide, Trent Lalonde, grew up knowing the gentleman who owns the farm, who - like so many farmers - had ventures on the side to help make ends meet. In this case, the farmer drove tow truck and was one of the dedicated haulers for saskatoon's early stock car association, moving incapacitated 'stock' cars as well as spent derby cars off the fair grounds.
In the field lay many examples of 50's and 60's vehicles, cut up to save weight, with crude roll bars welded together with globs of metal rod. In several cars one can see early fuel-cell design as well as true "bucket" seats that look about as comfortable - and as safe - as taping your kitchen chair to a speeding wreck!
As is often the case, the cars have been sitting so long that there is really nothing left to salvage, but through the hand-painted sponsors signage and drivers' names, one can still hear a call out from a time long past.
See the rest of the photo's, as well as the original thread on Garage Journal (www.garagejournal.com) here: Vintage Race & Derby Cars in the bush
