Legends of the Quarter-Mile
"Northwest Pioneers"
Volume One

Presented by

The Drag Racing Heritage Foundation

Note; This is the first in a series of histories of the drag racers from the Northwest and 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 Shaw Brothers

The Shaw Brothers, Lew and Tom, started their professional drag racing careers in the early '60's, teaming up with the Seattle-based Norton Brothers. Ed, Jerry and Ron Norton were campaigning a Jerry Harris built, Top Fueler that Tom Shaw drove. Tom had been a street-type guy with a number of hot rods, eventually racing Roundy - round cars at North Seattle's. Aurora Speedway in the late '50's. As a young fellow, Lew usually spent the most of his time on good looking, glamorous street machines, more for attracting girls than for racing, according to his brother, Tom

In 1963, the brothers collaborated on a modified track roadster that they converted for drag racing, eventually powering it with an early Chrysler "Hemi". This led to the partnership with the Norton Bros., followed with their own modern "Harris" car in 1964. Tom also drove this new car until later in the '60's when he got married. Lew put young Mel VanNiewenhouise in the seat where he stayed until the team disbanded at the end of the decade.

Lew went on to a career as a pilot working for a large corporation and flying from Chicago to Europe. Tragically, Lew died of an aneurism in 1994. After Tom retired, he moved to Wenatchee, Washington where he spend the bulk of his time building street rods, while currently driving his very nice, Model A Roadster, which he shows at the many Eastern Washington get-togethers each year.

One of the Shaw Bros and Niewenhuise Team's highlights was setting the NHRA National Speed Record at 227.85 mph in September, 1967 at the Arlington Drag Strip in Washington

                                                                               Russ Griffith  2007

Editors Note: If anyone has more information on this team or any other
drag racers or builders from the Northwest "PLEASE" Contact Me

A copy of the original National Record Certificate from 1967

The Shaw bros. fueler leaves the Arlington Dragstrip starting line in the mid-60's

Tom Shaw gets the Jerry Harris chassised, Shaw Brothers Top Fueler of the line
at Pacific Raceway, Washington in late 1964

The Shaw Bros. Fueler (near lane), with Tom Shaw at the controls, smokes the
hides heavily againist a clutch-slipping Gary Parmenter, in the Krohn, Parmenter
and Rue Chevy-Powered fueler at Pacific Raceways, Washington in 1964
 

The Shaw Bros. car at Pacific Raceway, Washington in 1964 with Tom Shaw driving

Another shot of the Shaw Bros. digger twisting off the line at Pacific Raceways in the
mid-60's while Lew, in the background watchs brother Tom grapple with the beast.

This shot, from Pacific Raceways in the mid-60's shows Tom Shaw in the
left lane and Jerry"The King" Ruth in the right.At the finish line, Ruth suffered
a car-destroying crash when a slick blew sending his "Woody" car end over
end a number of times before coming to rest nearly a 1/4 mile beyond the
finish line. Ruth recovered from injuries and put together a new car.

Left-Right, Mel VanNiewenhuise, Lew Shaw, Jerry Ruth (Giving the trophy
girl all his attention), Jim Crooke and Tom Shaw in this shot from Pacific
Raceways circa mid-60's. Tom and Mel both drove the Harris-chassisied car
on the trailer behind them.

A nice color shot of the Shaw Bros. car at Puyallup, Washington, 1966
with Tom Shaw at the wheel.

CLICK HERE
to view more great shots of the Shaw Bros. Team taken by Russ Griffith