It's difficult to know what to say when someone you consider a friend passes. I first met Pork when he came with the S&S Team to the Gasser Reunion at Thompson in 2002.  What a guy in a great group of guys!

Until I started this website 13 years ago, I really knew very little about Pork and the "Filthy Forty" Willys Gasser.  Oh sure, I remembered seeing a few photos back in the sixties and I'd seen the name on the list of Nationals Winners, but given that S&S was a predominantly eastern team and, with the exception of KS Pittman, I never saw any of them in Southern California, I didn't really know much about them.  It didn't take long to realize just how important they had all been to those in the Eastern part of the country. 

The Gasser members of the S&S Team consisted of KS Pittman (A/GS), Gene Altizer (A/G), Freddie Bear (B/G), Pork Zartman (C/G), and Dave Hales (D/G & C/G).  All had shiny red cars with the the S&S Olympic rings on the doors...except for Pork Zartman & Charlie Hill's 40 Willys.  They took an almost perverse pride in their primer black, unwashed C/Gasser that flat hauled ass!  Because of that, their car got nicknamed "The Filthy Forty".  I suppose it didn't hurt that Pork had a well-deserved reputation for putting the front wheels in the air on launch and each gear change with the 4-speed in the 283" injected SBC powered Willys.  They developed an almost cult like following in the Eastern U.S.

From Dave Hales: "Not only did the Filthy Forty run exceptionally well, it developed a cult-like following mainly due to the "nasty" look and Charlie's insistence on not washing it. The car and crew developed a "personality" to go along with the outstanding performance......and Pork was one hell of a driver!!!!"

Now Pork is gone.  We'll miss you Pork.  I'm proud and honored to have known you.  Vaya con Dios.