Motion Pictures Vintage Hardtops

[Ryan]

If you really think about it, the sport doesn't get any more natural or wholesome than early hardtop racing. Take a stock car, strip it down to the essentials, add a "safety" feature or two, and then go out to the dirt track and make your pals eat di...

To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.

[SUHRsc]

I was going to make a seperate post for this....seems fitting to just post in here now
.....tomorrow June 27th and sunday the 28th at the Latimore Valley Fairgrounds in Central PA they are holding the annual Latimore Valley fair... this is where the Jalopy Showdown is held each year.

from their site www.emmr.org
25th ANNUAL LATIMORE VALLEY FAIR - A Country Festival
Arts & Crafts / Music / Entertainment - Nightly
Track Time - Sat & Sun Afternoons / Cruise-In Sat PM
Latimore Valley Gas & Steam Engine Display
Contact - Barb Paxton 717-528-8332

Theres alot of different activites going on for your whole family.

and heres a picture to keep this more on topic...


There is track time for the vintage race cars

[1950ChevySuburban]

One of my fondest childhood memories is the distant sound of Lake Hill Speedway in Valley Park, Mo. They'd race old 50's sedans back in the early '70s. Went there on my 5th birthday, never forget it.
We'd hear the cars and announcer most Saturday evenings from the house.

[1950ChevySuburban]

Here's a couple pics from midwestmotorsports.com

[justanotherguy]

I think that unknown "SF Bay Area track" could be Bay Meadows in San Mateo.

[JeffreyJames]

You sort of want to beat the shit out of a car like this.....but then your sort of don't. It's awesome to see where the roots of modern racing came from but I cringe slightly to think of all those cars that were destroyed for that type of racing.

[hudsoncustom]

Similar to what Hornet racing is today...Take a stock car, strip it down, add a safety feature or two, and then go out to the dirt track and make your pals eat dirt....except with WAY cooler cars.

[cvstl]

Man, I love dirt track racing, new and old.

1950ChevSub - They had a reunion day over at Lake Hill a couple of years ago. Had the place all cleaned up and I think even ran a few slow speed laps. Thinks Wallace Bros were there..... great pics. Back in early 90s, I lived about 8 - 10 mi from the old St. Charles Speedway and could hear them running on Sat nights from my back yard..... I'm not sure that the strip malls and subdivisions are what I call progress. Here's a pic you might like... http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...60464735xtLrfL

[Kettleman]

This takes me back, the first race I ever attended was a dirt track race in Ohio. I think it was '73 or so. Visiting the grandparents and we made a trip to the track. The cars were of a different vintage but the same spirit was there.

[49 Custom]

Originally Posted by justanotherguy

I think that unknown "SF Bay Area track" could be Bay Meadows in San Mateo.

I second that notion. I live in the Bay Area so I am familiar with Bay Meadows, as well. I can say with a degree of certainty that it ISN'T Golden Gate Fields, as there are hills around that track.

Bay Meadows was demolished this past year to make way for new commercial/residential development.

[rixrex]

from 69 to 74 that was top entertainment for us, besides going to the bar where they had one of those Pong video games!...that was Susanville Calif. most of the cars were 55-57 Chevys with an occasional Ford or Brand X..

[flamingokid]

Great video,but I'll have nightmares about all of those great cars getting destroyed.

[Abomb]

In addition to the local carshow this year, these vintage dirt cars showed up and raced Saturday night along with our usual sprint car show. Then they had a fun day on Sunday afternoon. I believe it will be an annual event every June now in Oberlin KS.

Believe me, I'm on the prowl for a vintage "hardtop style" car at the moment, so I can join in the fun, if only one time a year.

[joebuick]

i love vintage dirt track racing

[junquewerkz]

Although not in my hometown, this group hits our local track a couple times a year. Fun to watch! I'm sure some of the folks on here know a lot more about these guys than I do.

http://norcalvintagehardtops.com/

[Y-Blockhead]

Originally Posted by Ryan

If you really think about it, the sport doesn't get any more natural or wholesome than early hardtop racing. Take a stock car, strip it down to the essentials, add a "safety" feature or two, and then go out to the dirt track and make your pals eat di...

To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.

I love this video and old time racing. Me and my Dad used to go to Ascot in Gardena, Ca. on Saturdays or watch it on TV.

Does anyone know what the song is and who is playing in the back ground? Fits the Video perfectly.

[296 V8]

Were I grew up (Sacramento) this is what was considered a hardtop.
My dad would take me to West Capital to watch them run. The track was right next to the river and if you lived anywhere near the river like I did you could hear them every Saturday night, even many miles away. It was a wonderful thing.
Sacramento has a ton of dirt racing history that the wine and cheese crowd have swashed. Its all about River Walks and pro. sports and……………………………. We cant have any lowlife race cars disturbing the quiet evenings, can we.

[silverdome]

I liked the background music but I would really have liked is to hear them old engines. You cringe when you see them crashing and banging but then you remember those cars were'nt all that old back then.

[Y-Blockhead]

Originally Posted by Y-Blockhead

I love this video and old time racing. Me and my Dad used to go to Ascot in Gardena, Ca. on Saturdays or watch it on TV.

Does anyone know what the song is and who is playing in the back ground? Fits the Video perfectly.

You need to check these guys out in the Stockton, CA area. Nor Cal Vintage Hardtops http://norcalvintagehardtops.com/

Conrad let me know the name of the piece in the background... believe it or not, named Hardtop Special by Richie Loidl.

http://www.richieloidl.at/music/07%2...%20Special.mp3

Thanks, Conrade. Really enjoyed your site and YouTube Videos,
Dennis

[Rusty Karz]

When I was high school in the early 60s we used to go the the Sportsdrome Speedway in Grand Prairie, TX. My favorite driver was a guy named "Buck" Rodgers who drove a late 30s sedan(probably a Chevy)with a GMC six. That big old six would eat the v8s alive on that short track and made a sound that was unmistakable above the rest. I did not know Mr. Rodgers personally but always thought he was the classic dirt track guy. Would love to know more about him if anyone out there knew him from back then.