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posted September 14, 2001
It is with a very sad and heavy
heart that I report I was informed yesterday of the passing of a drag-racing icon. Bob
Lathrum, (also known by his friends as "Red" or "Animal") passed away
several weeks ago. Bob is mostly remembered for his duties as Crewchief for the infamous
Hurst Hairy Olds, a twin-engined four-wheel-drive 1966 Oldsmobile Cutlass. This exhibition
car was campaigned in 1966 with "Gentleman" Joe Schubeck at the wheel, and after
a crash in 1966, the car was replaced with a '67 Cutlass and driven throughout that year.
The friendship and partnership of Bob and Joe go back to high
school and running a top fuel dragster out of Joe's basement. They started welding up
chassis' in Joe's parents' basement in the late '60s as teenagers, which eventually grew
into Lakewood Industries. While Joe was the owner, Bob Lathrum was shop foreman and
assistant manager of Lakewood until Joe sold the company in the late '70s. They made
quite a team until Joe retired from Lakewood and moved to California. |
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