Vet of Valley racing, Gus Stallings, 76, dies
Retired Phoenix car dealer James A. "Gus" Stallings, 76, a drag-racing and measured-mile automobile speed record holder, died at 8 p.m. last night in St. Joseph's Hospital. Hospital authorities said he had been there about a week and died of a heart disease.
Mr. Stallings in 1943 established his own automobile dealership and in the late 1950's and early 1960s was one of the Valley's best-known car racing figures.
He competed against drivers more than 40 years his junior and posted American Hot Rod Association (AHRA) records of 98.15 mph in a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL and 71.77 mph in a Renault during races at the Bee Line Dragway in 1964.
The AHRA, which Mr. Stallings served as a member of the board of directors, presented a special trophy to him for his contributions to drag racing.
Mr. Stallings was born in Marksville, La., and in his youth worked both there and in Oregon as a saw filer.
From there he moved to McNary and was given a garage and service station concession by operators of the lumber mill there.
He became associated with Pontiac in 1940 and reportedly was the first General Motors dealer in the Valley to display an imported car with an American-made model.
He operated Westward Pontiac and later dealt exclusively with foreign cars, selling Volvo, Borgward, Jaguar and Renault.
In November 1959, Mr. Stallings shot and killed one of two armed teen-agers (Jesus Perez and John Howard Jennings) who broke into his home.
During the gun fight, his wife, Veoma, was wounded.
Several years earlier he broke the jaw of a man in another robbery attempt.
Mr. Stallings is survived by his wife.
Funeral arrangements are pending at Grimshaw Bethany Chapel, 710 W. Bethany Home,
Arizona Republic
Phoenix, Arizona
15 Oct 1969, Wed • Page 14
Retired Phoenix car dealer James A. "Gus" Stallings, 76, a drag-racing and measured-mile automobile speed record holder, died at 8 p.m. last night in St. Joseph's Hospital. Hospital authorities said he had been there about a week and died of a heart disease.
Mr. Stallings in 1943 established his own automobile dealership and in the late 1950's and early 1960s was one of the Valley's best-known car racing figures.
He competed against drivers more than 40 years his junior and posted American Hot Rod Association (AHRA) records of 98.15 mph in a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL and 71.77 mph in a Renault during races at the Bee Line Dragway in 1964.
The AHRA, which Mr. Stallings served as a member of the board of directors, presented a special trophy to him for his contributions to drag racing.
Mr. Stallings was born in Marksville, La., and in his youth worked both there and in Oregon as a saw filer.
From there he moved to McNary and was given a garage and service station concession by operators of the lumber mill there.
He became associated with Pontiac in 1940 and reportedly was the first General Motors dealer in the Valley to display an imported car with an American-made model.
He operated Westward Pontiac and later dealt exclusively with foreign cars, selling Volvo, Borgward, Jaguar and Renault.
In November 1959, Mr. Stallings shot and killed one of two armed teen-agers (Jesus Perez and John Howard Jennings) who broke into his home.
During the gun fight, his wife, Veoma, was wounded.
Several years earlier he broke the jaw of a man in another robbery attempt.
Mr. Stallings is survived by his wife.
Funeral arrangements are pending at Grimshaw Bethany Chapel, 710 W. Bethany Home,
Arizona Republic
Phoenix, Arizona
15 Oct 1969, Wed • Page 14
Vet of Valley racing, Gus Stallings, 76, dies
Retired Phoenix car dealer James A. "Gus" Stallings, 76, a drag-racing and measured-mile automobile speed record holder, died at 8 p.m. last night in St. Joseph's Hospital. Hospital authorities said he had been there about a week and died of a heart disease.
Mr. Stallings in 1943 established his own automobile dealership and in the late 1950's and early 1960s was one of the Valley's best-known car racing figures.
He competed against drivers more than 40 years his junior and posted American Hot Rod Association (AHRA) records of 98.15 mph in a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL and 71.77 mph in a Renault during races at the Bee Line Dragway in 1964.
The AHRA, which Mr. Stallings served as a member of the board of directors, presented a special trophy to him for his contributions to drag racing.
Mr. Stallings was born in Marksville, La., and in his youth worked both there and in Oregon as a saw filer.
From there he moved to McNary and was given a garage and service station concession by operators of the lumber mill there.
He became associated with Pontiac in 1940 and reportedly was the first General Motors dealer in the Valley to display an imported car with an American-made model.
He operated Westward Pontiac and later dealt exclusively with foreign cars, selling Volvo, Borgward, Jaguar and Renault.
In November 1959, Mr. Stallings shot and killed one of two armed teen-agers (Jesus Perez and John Howard Jennings) who broke into his home.
During the gun fight, his wife, Veoma, was wounded.
Several years earlier he broke the jaw of a man in another robbery attempt.
Mr. Stallings is survived by his wife.
Funeral arrangements are pending at Grimshaw Bethany Chapel, 710 W. Bethany Home,
Arizona Republic
Phoenix, Arizona
15 Oct 1969, Wed • Page 14
Retired Phoenix car dealer James A. "Gus" Stallings, 76, a drag-racing and measured-mile automobile speed record holder, died at 8 p.m. last night in St. Joseph's Hospital. Hospital authorities said he had been there about a week and died of a heart disease.
Mr. Stallings in 1943 established his own automobile dealership and in the late 1950's and early 1960s was one of the Valley's best-known car racing figures.
He competed against drivers more than 40 years his junior and posted American Hot Rod Association (AHRA) records of 98.15 mph in a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL and 71.77 mph in a Renault during races at the Bee Line Dragway in 1964.
The AHRA, which Mr. Stallings served as a member of the board of directors, presented a special trophy to him for his contributions to drag racing.
Mr. Stallings was born in Marksville, La., and in his youth worked both there and in Oregon as a saw filer.
From there he moved to McNary and was given a garage and service station concession by operators of the lumber mill there.
He became associated with Pontiac in 1940 and reportedly was the first General Motors dealer in the Valley to display an imported car with an American-made model.
He operated Westward Pontiac and later dealt exclusively with foreign cars, selling Volvo, Borgward, Jaguar and Renault.
In November 1959, Mr. Stallings shot and killed one of two armed teen-agers (Jesus Perez and John Howard Jennings) who broke into his home.
During the gun fight, his wife, Veoma, was wounded.
Several years earlier he broke the jaw of a man in another robbery attempt.
Mr. Stallings is survived by his wife.
Funeral arrangements are pending at Grimshaw Bethany Chapel, 710 W. Bethany Home,
Arizona Republic
Phoenix, Arizona
15 Oct 1969, Wed • Page 14
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