Pacific Northwest racing legend Bob Gregg died October 14, 2002 in Vancouver, WA after a lengthy illness. He was 82.

His racing career began in 1938 in the Portland, OR area and extended six decades through 1986. Although Gregg enjoyed success in a variety of racecars that included sprint cars, modifieds, hardtops, and silver crown cars, he is most noted for his prowess behind the wheel of a midget.

“There wasn’t much he didn’t drive,” said oldest son John Gregg. “But open wheel, especially the midgets were his favorite. He started at Portland Speedway and raced every track he could on the West Coast. At the old Jantzen Beach oval, Dad became known as “Bullet Bob the Barefoot Boy because he raced in his stocking feet so his long legs fit in car more comfortably. He didn’t like the way the shoes felt and with just socks, he could get a better feel for the throttle pedal. You could do that in those days. As he got a little older and wiser after a few “hot feet”, he did opt for moccasins.”

Bob Gregg captured 10 of his multiple championships in the Washington and the Oregon state midget associations beginning in 1947 through 1962. He remains 11th on the list of feature wins in the area. One of his most prestigious championships came in 1962 when he became the only American to win the Gold Cup Canadian/American Series. The Series consisted of eight events, four at Canadian tracks and four at American tracks in the Northwest. The beautiful Gold Cup remained Gregg’s favorite among his more than 300 trophies and awards accumulated during his illustrious career.

“Winning the Gold Cup was a pretty big deal for Dad,” recalled Mike Gregg, Bob’s younger son. “He was always proud of that win because in those days, it was a tough deal to go up to the Canadian tracks, and get back to the sanction races in Washington and Oregon where he was competing for the season championships. That ’62 season was definitely one of his best years because besides the Gold Cup championship, he won both the Washington and Oregon championships. It took a lot to get that done back then.”

Gregg’s success spread beyond the Northwest United States. As part of the three-car “Hardwood Door” team owned by Ashley Wright with drivers, Len Sutton and Shorty Templeman, Gregg made his mark on the Midwest and Eastern midget circuits including the famed Florida Tangerine Tournament.

This success opened more doors for Gregg. Renowned car owners such as Johnny Paul put Gregg behind the wheel of their machines.

In 1950 Gregg marked another pinnacle in his prestigious career by passing his rookie test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway driving Leo Dobrey’s “City of Tacoma” car, the Esmerelda Special. Mechanical problems prevented him from qualifying for the Indianapolis 500, but the time in Indianapolis was fruitful when Gregg was tapped to work with Clark Gable in the filming of the open wheel racing based movie, To Please a Lady. Counted among his most prized possessions were photographs of he and the actor with the Esmerelda Special at the Speedway.

Gregg racing talent was inherited by both of his sons. John stayed mostly on the car owner side fielding numerous race and championship winning efforts in midgets and USAC Silver Crown cars as well as drag racing. Mike’s resume includes the USAC Midget Rookie of the Year Award, 10 midget and one sprint car championships and wins in some of the biggest midgets races in the United States including the Bellville Nationals and the nationally televised Thursday Night Thunder show at Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Bob Gregg’s final competitive race came in the summer of 1986 at Lakeside Speedway in Denver, CO. driving a twin car to Mike fielded by Hersh Racing. While Mike came out on the winning end of the battle, Bob made sure his son knew he was there resulting in a great race for the fans and a special time for Father and Son.

In July 2002, the Golden Wheels Racing Fraternity named Bob Gregg the “Driver of the Century”.

“He was the guy to beat,” said Gary Petersen, a director of the club. “In the 1950s and 1960s, he won every championship worth winning on the West Coast. Even today, he is probably one of the best known names in racing from our area.”

He retired from a 50 plus year career in auto sales in 2001.

Gregg was born in St. Paul, MN on March 8, 1921. His wife of 62 years, Helen, his sons John and Mike and daughters-in-law, Gail and Judy, four grandchildren and one great grand child survives him.