History Vintage Kansas stock car racing pics--55 Chevy alert!

I have alot of old black and white 8X10 photos on thick paper stock that my helper Adam bought at an estate sale for $5. Lots of 55 Chevys in these photos. Most are circa 1971 and are from our local Salina, Kansas track which is now closed, and some are from Hutchinson, KS as well as Great Bend, KS. Hope you enjoy them.<center>
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more pics here and many more to come so bear with me<center>
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Thanks for sharing!!

 

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As I was scanning these photos at Walgreens I would stack them on the counter next to me and an older lady walked up and stared at this photo like she saw a ghost. I asked her if she liked race cars. She said......"that was our car....number 77." Seems that she and her late husband owned this car and had a couple different drivers (both of whom I know today). She said her son still owns the engine but the car is long gone. What a small world. What do you think the chances of her being there at the same time as me would be? We both live about 20 miles from town in different directions. Weird! I made copies for her too and she was a happy woman. <center>
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Then I get home and show them to my wife. All of a sudden she acts she has seen a ghost. She thinks this one is her late brother driving this car and he has been dead for many years.<center>
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Hey Paul I'll give you one guess who's drivin the 55jr car !!!!! >>>>.

 

very cool!

 

Is it you Bruce? Or my old buddy Alan Combs?

 

some guy had to widen the window to get in....priceless stuff..

 

---- #### I'm going to really give away my age her but I would have been about 11 years old when that pic was taken. I attended my first race when I was 12 and started building the engines for his cars when I was 14. The year for the pic was 1969--1970 and it is Alan Combs >>>>.

 

That's great history to learn Bruce. While I am the same age as you, I did not grow up around here at all. Thanks for letting me know. Very cool.

 

#### Do ya want me to name some more ?? >>>>.

 

See the pic of the 48 car with the drivers name as Honest Sam. That would be our old buddy and famous used car dealer from Salina Ks. Sam Brittendahl >>>>.

 

Cool pics, kinda weird that most are 55 and 56 chevys, and there are only 3 57's.

 

Yep, and he is still racing.

 

The cats standing by the 119 car are the Ellingtons. Henry and his son. Henry was another legend in Kansas >>>>.

 

very cool ,thanks

 

I do see some of the other hot shoes of the day in there Jack Petty, Doug Thompson, Max Sloan, Jim Kizzar, Jack Mohn, Mel Potts, Don Morris and there are many more as I'll have to think a bit as this was from about 40 years ago >>>>.

 

i like all those pictures, there pretty cool , sutton transmission , stands out to me, i have realitives from that area.

 

Oh, so that's where all the Tri-Five Chevys ended up!

Great photo's of a by-gone era. When you think all the hardwork, time and energy these working stiffs put into stockcar racing it boggles the mind. But, the sheer excitement, passion and desire, not to mention fun, must of been well worth it.

Again, thanks for the great post!

Joel

 

Looks like the cars we used to see at Shawnee speedway in Topeka back in the mid 60's. My mom would pop up a big grocery sack of popcorn and we'd all head for Topeka on Sat nite. Funny, even as a kid I thought it was a shame they were using up all those cool old cars. And they were only ten years old at the time, oh and so was I, almost...

 

Wow, Poverty, these are great!! Interesting how they dredged up the history so close to you. I especially enjoyed the photo of #21 with the cool little lunch wagon bus in the background, the folks leaning out the window taking in the sites. Couldn't help but notice "The Red Pussy Cat Club" on the roof of one of the racers. Thanks for sharing!!~Sololobo~

 

How about this one of Doug Thompson. I always thought it was the Custom Builder but now I know its not. http://www.kansasautoracingmuseum.org/covenantracing.html

 

My dad was a multi-time track champ at Shawnee Speedway (also Topeka Raceway) in the 60s. Gerry Harrison. Purple jalopy, #99, also a red '57 Chevy, #2.

Seeing Don Morris brings back memories. I raced against him once, at Junction City, in '94. I started pole in the heat, Don started outside. We went hell for leather into one, and then he just disappeared. The yellow came out, and when I came back around, they were pulling Don's car back over the banking in one, and he was holding his driveshaft.

 

Love the pic of the #119 Hudson racer. Wonder if "The Pub Tavern" is the same one that's been here in Wichita for years and years?
(Looks like 81 Speedway)

Thanks for posting!

 

Thanks for sharing those. Thought I may have seen some local talent as I was racing dirt back then. There used to be a couple brothers from Kingman KS who towed to Enid and always ran Fords, Always painted green. Cant recall thier names though.

 

Amazing!

 

Don't know about the Pub Tavern but the pic was in Hutchinson at Salt Hawk Speedway >>>>.

#### Cats from Kingman were thr Hacker brothers. Dan drove the car. They always had nice,clean, and fast cars >>>>.