Bob Dunsmore PDF Print E-mail
Written by Administrator   

Bob Dunsmore - We get news today that Bob Dunsmore passed away Sunday April 15th. . .  Cascade Sports Car Club's club race on June 16-17 at Portland International Raceway has been named the Chicane Challenge XV, dedicated to the memory of Bob Dunsmore.

Bob Dunsmore passed away Sunday, April 15th.  His passing was very peaceful and pain free.  We have all lost a good friend and an incredible photographer.

We will have information on the plans for a memorial get together soon.  Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and prayers for Bob. 

- Bob Stegall

 

Apart from being the official photographer, Bob Dunsmore added a lot to The Colorado Grand. Sure, he shot thousands of photos, but his boisterous humor and friendliness gave the event a whole extra dimension.

I can still see Bob, standing in the middle of a two-lane road in the middle of nowhere, letting every kind of exotic sports car blow by him at major speed while he calmly shot. I used to kid him about still using film instead of going digital, but he was not about to change!
Bob's photos are hung on the walls of thousands of homes, garages, and offices around the world. And people admire them every day. Now that's a legacy!
Frank Barrett, The Colorado Grand

Cascade Sports Car Club's club race on June 16-17 at Portland International Raceway has been named the Chicane Challenge XV, dedicated to the memory of Bob Dunsmore .  There will be having a barbeque Saturday, June 16 beginning at 6:00 pm on the inside of the track at the Festival Turns, west end of the track.  There will be a no host bar for beer and wine.  Look for the big white tent.

Bring your memories and stories of Bob.  We will have a microphone if anyone would like to share them with the rest of the group.  This is a very casual gathering; Bob hated anything formal.  Please share this with anyone that you feel might be interested.

Portland International Raceway in located off I-5 northbound, exit 306B.  We will have signs directing people to the back gate (don’t forget it won’t be open until 6pm).  Use the main entrance if you come early.  You can also check the PIR web site, www.portlandraceway.com.

Bob.....what a guy! I have his pictures all around the house.  He had a lot of fun racing the purple Triumph TR8 in GT1 (ex-Huffaker car) in the 1980`s and he was a flagger too......heck of a nice person

thanks!

- Alan Mertens

I always remember Bob would let us drivers know where he was taking photos by holding up a sign on the pace lap that said "Do it HERE!"   I have scrap books for every race season and needless to say they are filled with wonderful photos taken by Bob! God speed old friend.

- Darrell Benner FF,FC and FS racer.

Claudia and myself treasure all the great pictures that Bob took of our race team.  Many of them are "on the wall" in our shop.  Because of Bob's efforts and talent, we can remember all the good times he caught with his camera.   I also remember the "do it here" sign that Bob used.

God Speed, my friend

- Bob and Claduia McGrew

On June 16 we will be having a gathering of Bob's friends at Portland International Raceway up here in Portland . Time is yet to be determined but we wanted to get the date out as soon as possible.

Bob was a long time member of Cascade Sports Car Club and they are having a club event that weekend. It has now been named the Bob Dunsmore Memorial Race. He loved racing Formula V's and he enjoyed the camaraderie and fellowship between drivers and corner workers.

After he graduated from racing cars, he moved on to photograph all kinds of racing cars. Photographing vintage cars became his passion and his livelihood. The friendships he developed with the owners and drivers show in his photographs. Not too many people could take a roll of 36 exposures and come up with 35 great photos. His photographs will be his legacy.

If you can, please come join us to talk about and remember Bob. We will have food and beverages....and photographs....some taken by Bob that might surprise some of you. Share this message with anyone that you think might like to join us.

- Information from Nora Linerud

What a guy!! Bob was so helpful to me when I decided to return to photography after a long stint at Flagging. The first times I shot at Kent and Portland, he took me around to introduce me to the Corner Workers to let them know I was OK and "one of them". And to show me the good places to shoot!

It just won't be the same shooting the Monterey Historics or Wine Country Classic without him there.

I'll miss you, friend.

- Jim Williams

I was so sorry to hear the news of Bob. He was one of those people I looked forward to seeing on a race weekend because he always had a smile and a story.

Here's my story about Bob. Bob was running his photo stand and charging $15 for one, $25 for two or something like that, and this guy says to Bob, "you're already taken the pictures, so how about $20 for both." Bob's reply? He takes the photos, rips them up and hands them to the guy saying, "here, now you can have them for free!" I will miss that sense of humor.

You will me missed Bob, but your legacy will live on in the photos you took of us.

- Brian Forster FV, SpecRacer, Formula Ford

I was at Long Beach last weekend for the Grand Prix and had the sudden thought of "What ever happened to Bob Dunsmore?" I grew up marveling at his photos and slides that were always perched in front of the old Sears Point cafeteria.

I wanted to find him and see how I could buy photos of my father's various club racing cars he'd shot in the '70's. Googling Bob's name today to find his contact info, I sadly came across this notice. I can only hope his photos will still be available for purchase as he singularly captured the cars, people, and memories of the rich San Francisco Region's tales for more than a few decades.

We're now sadly missing yet another piece of the strong 'glue' that bonded us together in our region.

Respectfully,

- Marshall Pruett

To Bob and family - I will think of you all each time I look at Bobs photos that are throughout our home. May the green always fly in heaven.

- Scott Brown, RS #4, ITC #4, ITD #14, MGA #31, MGA #41

Bob Dunsmore was one of the first photographers I met when I moved to Portland from Chicago in 1979. I was a punk, a quality Bob enjoyed to poke fun at me about. As a kid I worked in a Pizza store in Chicago and Bob told a story about (trying) to order a pizza in Elkhart Lake , WI. Originally the races took place in the town of Elkhart Lake. Sometime in the early 60's the county built a track just outside of town called Road America, a brilliant move of forward thinking. This is where I first learned about sports car racing from my father who managed the Arnold / Bristol team in the mid 50's.

Bob has an amazing knack to spin a yarn, and as you know Bob was always a bit larger than life. In the 70's, 80's and perhaps beyond had the pile of curly hair that made him look a bit like Bozo the Clown (hmmm ...)

So Bob is photographing at Road America and heads to town (Paul Newman was racing a TR6), he's hungry and walks into a small pizza shop. The teen age kid asks Bob, "What kind of pizza do you want?"

Bob responds, "A Hawaiian Pizza."

The kid asks Bob, "What's a Hawaiian pizza?"

Bob says, "You know, a Hawaiian Pizza, ........ with Canadian Bacon and pineapple on it."

The kid, confused, goes back to the owner in this mom and pop shop and an older German (very Wisconsin) guy comes out and say's "What kinda pizza you want?"

Bob says,"A Hawaiian pizza, you know, Canadian bacon and pineapple".


The owner looks back (and up) at this Bozo the clown character and says, "What are you's from da west coast or someth'in? Listen pal, we don't put no fruit or fish on our pizzas!"

And to this date when ever the question of, "what kind of pizza da 'ya want comes up, the reply is always "Anything, .......... just no fruit or fish."

Bob I know that somewhere in racing/photo heaven you're standing around chewing on the top of a plastic film can, making people laugh!

Thanks Bob! I'll always have a chuckle in my heart that you put there.

- Stephen Cridland Photographer

It was with sadness that I learnt of Bob's passing. Bob and I were fearless competitors, but great bud's in the early 70's with our Formula Vee's. We had wonderful times competing in the ICSSC race series for many years. When in Victoria, Bob and Cheryl always stayed in our family home and when in Portland our group was always welcome with him. Bob and I kept the phone lines busy between races telling each other how we just discovered a gimmick or tweak that was sure to make us victorious in the next race.

Thank you Bob, you were a big part in making my racing days so enjoyable !!!

- Dave Butler, Victoria Motor Sports Club 1968-74

Email The Web Team to pass along your memories of Bob and we will post them on this web page.

too.
Last Updated ( Tuesday, 17 July 2007 )