1954 – Art competes in Bob and Ollie’s Micro-Midget at the Roseburg Fairgrounds in Oregon. Art is shown holding his three year old daughter Judy.

1955 – 1958 – Art (shown above) with his first Hardtop racer. It was a 1933 Chevy with a 6 cylinder built by Bob Book, Ollie Fosback, and Art in 1955. Art hooked up with local businessman Ken Glass as sponsor of his first Modified race car. Together they terrorized the racetracks in the northwest. By 1957 Art had earned the #1 in the local hardtop championship. Ken Glass is shown sitting in the car (shown below) amidst the trophies taken in the front yard of Art’s house in Roseburg, Oregon.

1958 – Art Pollard tore up the Pacific Northwest in his Ken’s Martinizing Special Corvette powered 1934 Willys 77 Coupe in the Modified Hardtop Class. (shown above). Pollard, Glass and Dude Rose joined forces to purchase a super modified that had been built on a Model T frame in Portland by Rolla Volstedt for Ernie Koch. The trio made a $400 down payment and financed the balance of $1,300. purchase price through a local bank. Because the car weighed only 1,780 pounds the trio were convinced that it had the potential to be the best car on the west coast once they yanked out the DeSoto engine and replaced it with a Chevy Corvette power plant.

1961 – Art Pollard won the 1961 Western States Race of Champions with the ’34 Willys racer with a longer chassis and some added body work and a new fuel tank which increased the weight to 2050 pounds. The two day event was held at the Kearney Bowl in Fresno California. On Friday Art qualified fastest with a new track record. He also won the “A” Dash, the “Fast Heat” Race, and all three of his 25 lap main events. On Saturday Art broke his own track record from the day before, again he won the “A” Dash, the “Fast Heat” Race, and two out of three of his 25 lap main events and finished 2nd in the other. Art Pollard was crowned Champion (shown above) and awarded a 9′ 2″ trophy after compiling 1,150 out of a possible 1,200 points over the two days. Art (shown below) with his #1 Ken’s Martinizing Special, his trophy, and (L-R) Bob Green, longtime friend and auto body man, and pit crewman, Tony Kovac.

Art also won the Edmonton Gold Cup in 1961 in his #1 Ken’s Martinizing Special. (shown below) This high profile race was billed as the most prestigious auto race in Canada and right from the start it was a huge success. 1961 Gold Cup Race in Edmonton, Alberta Canada. 24 cars started for 200 laps on 1/4 mile asphalt track. Dad is on the pole (1961 shown above) and led all 200 laps in 1961 & 1962.