R.E. Smith and his racecar the “Washing Machine.” Smith was a frequent racer at the Helena Drag Strip and on March 20, 1960 participated in a benefit race for the March of Dimes. Other drivers that participated in that race were
Paul Contorno, Lewis Carden, Tommy Charles, and Carl Jacobs among many others. A newspaper report of the day noted that Smith’s 1954 Ford was “reputedly able to accelerate from a stop to 106 miles per hour in a fraction under 14 seconds.” (Contributed/City of Helena Museum)