Historic Stock Car Photos

[larry-41]

the last pic is at fms early 70,s larry foster-rich johnson-and andy vertrees talk about back in the day when you could look at a car and know what it was without having to read the name.

[jmooer]

The name big john was used by two guy's from texas v8-cheve bike at bonnievill 276+ mph 1964-5 was a mag artctal hot rod or car craft have you seen it or got pic's any info hightly apreachaed Giant Jim

[indybigjohn]

Flagging at the old Fairgrounds Motor Speedway in Louisville was nearly as exciting as working from the track. This photo from an old Louisville paper. Roy Wathen leads Lamarr Marshall under the checkered flag. It was posted on another forum by indyguy2 from Louisville.

[twistedmetalvideo]

Great shot of the flagstand John, can't recall seeing one from that angle. Doesn't look like the safest place to be. Ever have a car get in there with you? At the Sportsdrome Frank Kimmel's car ended up tearing the flagstand down one night, I belieive in 1981. Flagman Terry Hopp was lucky to suffer only a broken leg. They redesigned the stand after that.

[twistedmetalvideo]

First car built by Larry Foster, 1969.

[oldspwr]

Just wondering if anyone could help me ID this car. I thought I saw this pic here before, but couldn't find it. So far the consensus is that it's a 33/34 5 window Ford. This pic came from a friend of mine and it's his Aunt and Uncle. The pic is dated 1958 and believes the car was run in NY... Any help would be appreciated!

[indybigjohn]

twisted, it was safer than you might think. Closest I ever came to having a car get in there was Bill Reid one night, when the right front came up and hit the post. We had a 1/2-inch piece of steel about six inches tall mounted above the outside wall itself. I always kept the chainlink doors to the flagstand unlatched so I could get out quick. I felt that for a car to get in there, he'd have to start from so far back or come straight across the track so that I'd have time to see him coming. The night Reid came up there I was halfway to the beer stand before he hit the wall. The thing that worried me once in a while was pieces flying off of cars, but that applies nearly everywhere. I heard a "PRANG!!!" one night and after the race found a big gash in the fence post toward the first turn. Later I saw George Swope and his crew walking on the track, and they said they were looking for their flywheel. Retroactive fear.

oldspwr, the driver looks very familiar, but I can't come up with a name.

[oldspwr]

indybigjohn...

The guy in the pic with #22 is Pete Post from Ithaca NY. Does that help?

Tom

[indybigjohn]

The name doesn't ring a bell oldspwr. Sorry.

[twistedmetalvideo]

WS Brewer, Fairgrounds Motor Speedway

[budsbudz]

Twisted, I was there that night. Frank was in his red #69 street stock. Pretty scary. That was a cool class. Tiger, Trunnell, Blankenship, Bill Johnson and others. That was a good class for that track.

[lawman]

Again great Fairgrounds pictures John.Many thanks

[indybigjohn]

Thanks for the photo of W.S., twisted. Been looking for one of him and that car. Another guy who started in the Figure 8s and another good friend.

[s55mercury66]

Love the Shelby pieces on the Mustang in post #1990. BigJohn, you got any shots of Larry Detjens? I did a search and couldn't find any. I'm sure you would remember him.

[twistedmetalvideo]

Originally Posted by budsbudz

Twisted, I was there that night. Frank was in his red #69 street stock. Pretty scary. That was a cool class. Tiger, Trunnell, Blankenship, Bill Johnson and others. That was a good class for that track.

Budz that was a GREAT division that year at the 'drome, great competitive racing. It was the first year after Fairgrounds closed. To add a few names to yours:Belcher, Winders, Nugent, Landherr, Erwin, lots of future late model stars in that bunch.

[twistedmetalvideo]

Frank Kimmel, Sportsdrome Speedway

[budsbudz]

Twisted, I bet Frank would pay good money for you not to show that one!! But back to the street stockers, I guess lack of horsepower and smaller tires made it a better class than the late models.

[indybigjohn]

s55mercury66...

I've found a few. E-mail me at indybigjohn@roadrunner.com and I'll send them.

He was a neat guy.

JP

[HEMI32]

1954 Chrysler New Yorker DeLuxe (Lee Petty):







1955 Chrysler C300's:






















1956 Chrysler 300 B's:













1957 Chrysler 300 C's:

[indybigjohn]

Great stuff, Hemi32. I believe the car in the top photo and in the second, leading on the beach/road course at Daytona, is the one Lee Petty drove in winning the first NASCAR (and only so far) premier series race in Kentucky. August of 1954 at Corbin Speedway. Last race before Darlington. It was a half-mile dirt then, and he won a 200-lap Grand National race. Now it's a quarter-mile paved and still in operation.
Thanks...