While Jerry Baltes was born in Minnesota, he grew up in San Diego, an area overflowing with drag racing pioneers. Jerry attended his first drag race in 1951 at Paradise Mesa in San Diego. Although he was only 16 years old at the time, it left a lasting impression in his young mind and he knew he would have to give this drag racing thing a try.

Jerry's First Car

His first car was a B/Stock 1946 Ford Sedan, which gave way the following year to a 1932 5-window coupe that he ran in the C/Gas class. After dominating the class for two years he turned the coupe into an "altered" by chopping the top and moving the engine back for better weight transfer. In addition to running at Paradise Mesa, he raced in the C/Gas and C/Altered classes at Santa Ana, Pomona, Perryville, AZ as well as at Holtsville, CA and at the U.S. Nationals at Great Bend, KS. At one point Jerry won his class at Pomona and a second at Santa Ana both on the same Sunday

Jerry's '32 Ford Flathead Powered C/Gasser

Having attained a certain degree of success in the Gas Dragster class, by 1963 he had decided to step up to the ranks of Top Fuel. He teamed up with friends. Don Croshier and Billy Lavato to purchase and race a Tommy Ivo car, which they ran as the Croshier, Baltes & Lavato AA/Fuel Dragster. In the early 1960’s, Don Croshier of Imperial Beach, CA operated the #1 most successful Speedie Mart in the system that later would become 7/11 Stores. He was also a commercial developer in South Bay, San Diego and also ran the concession stands at San Diego Raceway. Don is still alive and well in Coronado, CA.

Billy Lavato was a close friend of Jerry’s since the late ‘50’s when they met as members of the Bean Bandits. In the 1960’s Billy worked in the parts and shipping department at Mickey Thompson’s. Bill was struck and killed by a car while crossing a street in Long Beach.

From 1963 through 1964 he had great success in Top Fuel with the Croshier-Baltes-Lavato car. During this time the car had two crew chiefs. First, fresh from the Bean Bandits, Harold Miller worked on the car while it raced in SoCal and Arizona. With the help of Harold and Bill Leavitt the team set the NHRA Speed record at Inyokern. They also set the track record as well as a record six wins in a row at San Diego Raceway while besting the Who’s Who in drag racing at the time. The list of cars that fell to Jerry and the C, B & L team included, Emory Cook, Tom McEwen, Don Garlits, John Mulligan, Rick Stewart, Ted Cyr, Ronnie Goodsel, Leonard Abbott of Lenco fame, the Groundshaker’s and the Frantic Four. With the win over the Frantic Four, CBL became the #3 car in the nation on the Drag News Mr. Eliminator List. In addition they held the track record at Beeline Dragway and won the Arizona State championship.

Croshier, Baltes & Lavato car after being lettered