The Object of the Golden Wheels Fraternity

Welcome to the Golden Wheels Fraternity web site, a non-profit fraternity chartered under the laws of the State of Washington with its roots in automotive motor sports, mainly of the “open wheel” type.

The object of the Golden Wheels Fraternity is to encourage the preservation of vintage auto racing, promote and advance the interest of said Fraternity, honor those auto racers who are no longer with us, join in fellowship and camaraderie, collectively render such financial assistance as possible to worthy, distressed auto racers, ex-racers, their widows and orphans and accepted humanitarian associations.

In the beginning…the idea to form the Golden Wheels Fraternity first flowered after a small band of our group had gathered at the Last Rites for our old racing friend and competitor…Del Fanning. Reflecting on the solemn ceremony of that occasion, these following few lines were written in Del’s memory, and the Golden Wheels Fraternity was born.

This dedicated man of speed
Is gone; we’ve come to say a last farewell,
We’re each of his peculiar breed.
And all of us who knew him well
Have come to say goodbye to Del.
Del has won the Final Main
And we who grieve are growing old.
Someday we’ll meet him once again,
(Our superstitious clan is told)
On speedways paved with bricks of gold.
At times like this we speak of how
Our ranks have thinned throughout the years.
We seldom see each other now,
Yet in this moment reappears
An echo of the past; the cheers.
In solemn file we pass our friend
Who now the hand of God protects.
His race through life has reached the end,
And as we pay our last respects
…I wonder who of us be next.

Pike Green