BLACKIE: THE EARLY YEARS, NASCAR & THE GNRS !

MIKE "BLACKIE" GEJEIAN has been an Industry Legend for over 6 decades.   Blackie has been a friend for many years, but at the 2009 14th Annual Induction Cermonies at Darryl Starbird's we finally got a chance to sit down and record some of his fantastic stories & document his oral history for all to hear.

In this part of the Interview I wanted to cover Blackie's early years, his passion to create his first Street Rod, and his  longtime association with the Slonaker's and the GNRS.

During the course of his career Blackie has literally "done it all": building street rods, being a NASCAR Champ, an early AMBR Winner, helping to put together the Legendary "Ala Kart", running the Clovis Speedway for 20 years, running the Fresno Dragway for 18 years, and, hosting his "Fresno Autorama" for an amazing 50 YEARS !

Listen, and enjoy, these historic stories by my friend: "Blackie" Gejeian.      JK

(Top of Page: Blackie signing autographs for his fans; Photo just below that: Blackie and his lifelong friend, Amos Torsian, on the road in Blackie's first Street Rod...this time it was Reno, 1946; Center photo:  Blackie's Rod with the '29 Sedan he learned to drive in at the Family Ranch, 1948; Bottom: Poster from Blackie's 50th Annual Fresno Autorama,2009)

NOTE: Photos on this Page Courtesy of Street Rodder, Rod & Custom, and, Blackie's personal archives.