this website is intended to be a continuation of the original Keystone / Bison site of 2004 expanded in scope to include early Winnipeg, MB area dragsters, hot rods and customs. Modern era vehicles of interest to the enthusiast will not be neglected, however, the focus will be on earlier examples
Please note: This website is image intensive and will be frequently updated we suggest you refresh your browser upon viewing to ensure the latest version
Also, if you took photographs at the track we would be interested in seeing them and don't be shy, they need not be of professional quality by all means, please contact us thank you in advance
and, there you have it 29 miles east of Winnipeg Keystone / Bison Dragways Dave Archer aerial photo looking south towards Trans Canada Hwy
looking north






in the tower lane we have Jim Hoglund leaving in his '60 Corvette Takin' care of business as the flag starter, Freddie Turner, of BTO rock & roll fame but who belonged to the fine Chevelle ragtop in the spectator lane? couldn't have been that many SS Chevelles around at that time
Don Chapman and Jim Hoglund Donnie Chapman up no, really
Chapman and Hoglund Fiat pitside
Chapman and Hoglund Fiat pitside again taking a page out of the Surfers handbook with '55 Chebby push car
early Chapman and Hoglund in sparse pit area
Dougie Curtis with inline six cylinder 4 speed combo Anglia
Winnipeg Roadsters car club's Willys coupe
well done Pasqaule', we knew you could do it Bob Buccini well deserved 2019 inductee into the Manitoba Motorsports Hall of Fame
Marquis Car Club Cam McCallum and friends

in light of what this website is all about and the untimely passing of Brian "Softy" Buchan we offer you this piece of history

originally built by Ken Murray and Dennis Neelin, known to his pals as Leroy Montana, this was the genesis of the Thrushmobile gasser the original engine was quickly pulled and sold to a local service station for their jeep many variations followed but this is where it all started.
Sneaky Pete, right here in River City set the track record, no less

Connie Kalitta caught wind of that and made an appearance got rained out, I believe

proving that people actually read this website Morley Last from Steinbach Mb sent in these images of his fine G/S 1970 Mach I car ran a 351 Cleveland 4 speed combination and took home it's share of class trophies


nicely done and we thank you, Morley that's how it's done, folks anybody else?
early Tom Hoover, perhaps with a Rod Stuckey chassis
still don't know who this is or what province Winapeg was in Softy would approve of the tow car, though
Early makings of a funny car Jim Malstead turning wrenches, If we recall
Weight Transfer about to do battle with Ken MacKenzie's '55 gasser remember dry hops?

We had our share of high winding small blocks 2 perfect examples right here Len Penner's '55 Mauve Stove above
and Stan Neuman's '56 Little Green Bag

Warren Schettler, decidedly of blue oval persuasion

Hemi Cuda with a storied past
and,again
Hemi Daytona
Minnesota's Richard Charbonneau's Fairlane putting down a footprint
ever wonder how Strange Engineering came by it's name? Now you know
Another fine example of a nito injected funny car from the Chicago area The group put on quite an enjoyable show
Bill Schifsky fuel dragster from Minneapolis
smokin'

Bill Schifsky and associate making good use of a Windsor Park parking lot photos courtesy of Al Chorley


this one's for McCallum Scott Wilson SOHC Ford fuel car

Studebaker Hawk had a 409" W engine between the fenders? yes? no?
guardrails? we don't need no stinking guardrails with apologies to Treasure of the Sierra Madre

no words here, great image
up close and personal with the Colour Machine
Roadsters Car Club dragster Ernie Willms standing behind, on the left
Jed Ladin launching factory 427 '69 Camaro
Hot Sauce push car
DuWayne Engness from Fargo also owner of Taco Shop restaurant hence the name
many of the previous images courtesy of Dale Olnick again, my thanks, Dale -Greg
C/MP designation tells us there is more than a stock 283 under the hood of this '59 Chevy
Ken MacKenzie getting angry
A fine example of Imperial Customs paintwork out of Tulsa ala Minnesotan John Hagen John Hagen had excellent taste altered from out Alberta way, we believe
the time honored (and time wasting) dragster push start & turnaround fondly remembered by some of us
all leading up to something like this
but before they could do that, they had to do this
smoke 'em if you got 'em
the original Chi-town Hustler Austin Coil, hisself, in house and turning the wrenches
the not so original Jungle Jim JJ was so popular he contracted others to run in his colours to make all his bookings Sadly, never did see Jungle Pam nor even a reasonable facsimilie Marc Sussman was the designated driver here for JJ
still no Pam but we do have Bill Balicky's well optioned wagon in the background
Frank Ogelsby showin' them both how it's done
More quality from Jim Swedberg
Lorne Cameron's take on a car with a storied past @ Keystone and yes, Virginia, it is still around
the late Dennis Neelin (standing), aka Leroy Montana, who partnered with Ken Murray on the original car kept up the tradition with help from folks like Warren Schettler photo was taken @ Gimli car is still here
yet another rendition photo courtesy of Glenn Dickson
bantam altereds were a popular item
Bob Forzley, the man to see for chassis work in this town I do hope I spelt his name right, he does swing a mean hammer don't ask me how I know this
Gopher State Timing Association no, you are not seeing double, there really are 2 Chrysler hemis in that car

another Glenn Dickson photo
might fit better in the big door at the end
more images from Glenn Dickson
Gary Beck boiling the hides
Len Penner now with "Blue Lightning" Camaro
Warren Johnson launching

we still don't know where Winnepeg is regardless, local competitors could hold their own on a national level still can Bob Bueckert's fresh Duster pro stock car

get your groceries delivered in a hurry
'63 Plymouth about to chase what appears to be City Radiator's '59 Chevy stocker
your basic 427" Fairlane Minnesota's Richard Charbonneau paid a visit
some things never change hurry up and wait
yes,the lettering says Keystone but that is Joe Amato's top fuel car @ Brainerd



a little Altona landing strip action
and some Gimli pit imagery for good measure
Scott Murray guiding the family dragster
and, then some
street driven '69 Firebird TA
"67 Chevelle definitely involved with the program
not all that nostalgic 20 year old pic from Brainerd catchy name, though it'll come to you
Rick Domanski's Chevelle not only launches just right

but it appears Rick would have the after race libations covered, as well

Al Chorley / Brad Kendal's '33 Ford coupe? we believe this is the coupe in question under Al Chorley ownership but, we could be wrong
flathead powered here

this would be the Double Four's shop in south St. Vital Gary Rozmus' roadster pickup in back, the shiny 427 Chevrolet engine on the far left found it's way between the '33 coupe's framerails
Brad Kendal with the coupe now under big block Chevrolet power
and, what might that be on the spectator side?
a poor scan of local artist, Don Berthman, aka Donut's caricature
anybody have further history on the Chorley / Kendal car? it is our understanding the coupe made it's way out west we have had contact with Brad's nephew, Keith, and yes the coupe did end up in BC more details to follow
We believe this to be Dave King's dragster just an educated guess, could be wrong
before we had the rug pulled out from under us we had asked for info on this '60 Corvette Jim Hoglund tells us the car belonged to Dave King before he built the dragster King Texaco rings a bell in another long lost e-mail we were told it has since been fully rebuilt, finished in yellow and was again attending local events a local construction company comes to mind hmmm... one wonders

it should come as no surprise former drag racers returned to street rods, note plate

another case in point below

Winnipeg's answer to "the Surfers" Timers Car Club dragster Gord Forman, Bob Sterner and Ron Vincent having fun

Timers alumni Gord Forman and Bob Sterner gathering items after a bit of agricultural racing
"We were having the time of our lives and we didn't know it!" - Bob Sterner
Bob Sterner's '49 Ford coupe
Gord Forman's 38 (?) Pontiac sedan

want anything done right, gotta do it yourself
contact us


Bill Balicky's Monarch
Bill Balicky Part Two
Rods & Customs
John Dubois and Towne Pontiac

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