Rex Beach personal thoughts

[Mr. Ron Cooper wrote the following to the AUTORACE list. With his permission it is posted here..ED]

Mr. Ron "CooP" Cooper <Mudder@prodigy.com> wrote:

I just got the card off this morning. This is not a good way to begin the season.

For those unfamiliar with Rex Beach, he has been a Western States Super Mod competitor for years....at least since '85 when I first met him. He drives the #3 Beach/Keith Black hemi powered car out of Orange Grove Ca. He is another of those self help racers who scratch it out with little or no sponsorship. His qualifying time for Sunday's event was 24.862 at 144.799 MPH. I have several pictures of Rex's car as it always intrigued me. It looks like a motor on a stick! Here's this hugh Keith Black/MOPAR hemi (500 CI+) hanging off the left side making the car look like a half eaten popsicle. I loved to hear it qualify. The car had that deep, ground shaking, chest thumping, growl that only comes from the MOPAR big block hemi. Before they allowed them to run with wings at PIR it looked exactly like a motor on a stick with a driver tied in just off to the left rear of the engine. My whole family is praying for Rex to recover completly and quickly. He's a nice guy and we all know him well from being around the super mod boys. The wreck disturbed me so much I left the stands to walk down the vendor row sucking a margurita. Not a standard practice for me on raceday. I didn't watch the finish of the race so I don't know who finished where. I'd appreciate any PHamily members dropping a card to Rex and Marla. I know this is really traumatic for them all.

Thanx CooP