This is from Dragzine;
"Ruth, like so many others of the era, began his racing career at a young age, racing various gas coupes and sedans along with his late brother, John, in the late 1950′s and early 1960′s in their native Washington state. In 1963, with the bug to go faster, Jerry purchased a Chevy gas dragster from the Bier brothers of southern California and campaigned it in the A/GD ranks before experimenting with nitro later that season. In early 1964, Ruth teamed up with Danny and David Higgins and purchased a Woody Gilmore-built Top Fueler that present day NHRA chief starter Rick Stewart had piloted to a number of race victories. The wins soon came, as did a series of Gilmore-built cars and later several constructed by Don Long."
Both Ruth and Rick Stewart are still around. You might want to give them a call.