Friday, January 13, 2017

Pat's wife used to test tires for the Arfon's family business.

A couple days ago I posted the Green Monster, and Pat commented that his wife used to work for Walt, testing tires.

Well, that blew my mind, so I had to ask about it!

In 1973 she answered a want ad in the Akron Beacon Journal ...Tire testing position...valid drivers license required.

Walt Arfons was contracted by the D.O.T to test all manners of tires for them...This contract was his bread and butter job to finance racing.

She drove on I 77, from Akron to I 70 daily to measure tread wear. Occasional (jack-rabbit starts) ie. burnouts were done too ! She had sand bags added to bring her weight up to the other test drivers. The tires wear dismounted and measured for tread wear and durability...So it was this was how the Arfons family financed some of the L.S.R. attempts!

Thanks Pat!

3 comments:

  1. That was Art Arfons, not Walt.

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    1. That was Art was it... who do you get your facts from? I'm getting mine from her husband. Until you talk to his wife, I'll just work with what Pat told me

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