Bob Wilson

And his Gillette Specials

From Kansas City, Kansas

 

Bob Wilson in his Riley in 1935

Larry Sullivan photo from the Roy Eaton collection

 

 

 

Bob Wilson’s 2 Port Riley in 1936

Roy Eaton collection

 

 

 

 Bob Wilson’s 2 Port Riley in 1936

Roy Eaton collection

 

 

 

The Gillette Special

Bob Lawrence collection

 

 

 

 

Wes “Feather Foot” Johnson with the Gillette Special 2 port Riley at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson, Kansas in September of 1937

Charles Pauley photo

 

 

 

Bob Wilson worked for Railway Express and was also a distributor in the Kansas City area for the Wisconsin based Gillette Tire Company so he named his racing cars Gillette Specials.  Bob’s wife, Alice, was the Kansas City area correspondent for the “Bergen Herald” newspaper which was the major source of auto racing news in the 1930s.  When Bob and Alice started their family, Bob gave up driving the car so Wes Johnson assumed the driving duties.

          It should be noted that this car has also been found reffered to as being a “Bowen Riley” in some records but no reason for that name has been found.