Dust Eaters at Langhorne

[Jive-Bomber]

I stumbled upon this early 50s documentary film called "Dust Eaters" about stock car racing at the down-defunct Langhorne (Pa.) Speedway. Its broken into three videos, and the very end seems to be missing. Apologies for the low volume and poor reso...

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

[thunderbirdesq]

Awesome! I used to live around the corner from where that used to be. Way before my time...

[HOTRODSURFER]

my grandfather drove a hudson pace car at langhorne speedway

[dirty old man]

I read a lot about Langhorne racing in Stock Car Racing mag and others back before the track shut down, but the track is/was along way from GA., and I never got up there to see a race.
The racing in the video was much like the racing down here back in the early 50s, except we only had one track as long as Langhorne, the now gone Lakewood Speedway, where the old Sportsman cars ran very seldom. Did see a helluva modified race there once.
The tracks running weekly races were usually half mile or less, couple were asphalt, rest red clay. Most cars were built in the backyard, and old iron bedsteads were highly sought after for a roll bar! Very few cars had a cage, just a single hoop with braces.
By the time I started driving in '67 the cars had gotten fast enough that the rules required roll cages with door bars, lap and shoulder harness, etc. But most of us still ran a gas tank rather than the not yet required fuel cells ( I used VW tanks) and a fire suit was a rarity. I raced in jeans and a T shirt.
Dave

[MODELA30]

And to think now a day they got kids wearing a helmet to ride a bike down the block. That my friend was a cool video i hope everyone was ok. Knuck from indiana.

[Ford52PU]

part of the track is/was used by Reedman Autosales as a place to test drive a car for potential purchase. I bought a car in 2001 that I test drove on a portion of the track.

[SAVAGE]

I have a couple of cool old scrapbooks from an old racer at Langhorne. Neat old photos. I need to dig up.

[mauler rich]

that was way kool thanks for sharing

[mctim64]

Cool Stuff! I love old racing footage!

[carcrazyjohn]

Its a shame been there when I was young and dont remember.

[texoutsider]

We had "Pop" Miginnis in his 40 ford and Jimmy Waterson and the "humminbird" come down and race at our local tracks in W.Va.............back then...I was the gopher for my Dad's crew...Local racers out of Matewan, Wv..........#97 and 79...........Ran out of City Motors..............what a way to grow up.........Later on in life my dad always asked me when I was gonna get a real job and quit racing..........I always told him it was his fault.......He was always so smooth and fast.........could drive the frickin wheels off of anything......from tractor trailers to race cars............dozers ...if it had wheels or tracks...look out..........boats, well he and his friends have been known to take one over the locks of the Ohio river once upon a time..........We all suspected a bit too much of that ole blended whiskey those ole boys drand back then.......



Mark

[flamingokid]

Back when the only thing on the line was your reputation.

[sololobo]

Sweet memory lane, not at this track, however anywhere in our area they were running my Dad had us there. Sad, but I remember going home and being disappointed if there were not a lot of crashes. I don't remember anyone ever being hurt in any crashes at these races so I guess our mentality was thinking it was just cool. /this video is so hip, love that outlaw "x" car streaking around the track. Thanx for the treat. ~Sololobo~