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Note; This
is the next in a series of histories of the drag racers from the Northwest with the help of Russ Griffith who photographed and wrote for Drag News
and other publications we will attempt to cover everyone that we can from
the area. As always, I need the help of anyone that was a part of the
history or was just there and has memories the want to share.
The Norton Brothers
Photo Album Link at Bottom of
Page
The Norton Bros.
Racing Team has been around for quite some time in one form or another. Ed
Norton, the oldest of the three brothers, started racing in 1952 or '53 with
a Ford Flathead powered roadster.This roadster attained a speed of 105 MPH
in the quarter-mile, pretty good for the early '50's. He was partnered with
Jerry Harris at the time, who went on to local fame as a chassis builder and
who became Ed's brother-in-law after the graduated from Seattle area high
schools in 1955.
By 1954 the flathead from the roadster was powering a dragster, but was
replaced with a six-carbed 331 Chrysler "Hemi". In 1958 the Norton Brothers,
teamed with Ed and Jerry, fielded a digger with a Harris chassis and a
Potvin-blown Chrysler
In the early '60's. the Nortons were joined with younger brother Ron, and
moved to more advanced design fuelers, with the blower mounted up top of the
engine. During this peroid the driving chores were handled by both Tom Shaw
and Paul Blaylock. By the mid-sixities the Norton's invested in a new Rod
Stuckey chassis and with Ed Norton and Tom Shaw sharing the drivers seat
they toured the country for a season of racing. Later, wheen Tom Shaw
retired from the cockpit, Rich Rogers and John Kendersi took over the wheel
for a while
Jerry Norton went on his own in the late '60's when he purchased the
ex-Tommy Ivo owned "Video-Liner" streamlined Top Fueler and latter partnered
with the team of Dick Gruber, Turner & Hensley in a big-block Chevy powered
fueler which Jerry drove. The last effort by the Norton Brothers, was the
Norton, Kalivoda and Hamlin entry, driven by Dick "The Joker" Kalivoda. I
first meet Dick around 1959 when I went with a buddy to his house to watch
him "scallop" a friend's '58 Chevy Bel Air. Ed Norton as well as John Hamlin
and Dick had all beeen employed by the Seattle Times at some point. This
last car was beauty with a Woody chassis that ran very well as the campained
up and down the West Coast.
Ed and Dick are retired but John still operates his own business in the L.A.
area and Ed and Jerry live on boat-houses in the Seattle area. "The Joker"
kips bussy writing a drag racing column and selling advertising for David
Marin's "Cruzing" Magazine
Russ Griffith
CLICK HERE to view lots more great photos
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