History A Landscape Of Speed

[Ryan]

The above image was sent to me by Wally Parks about ten years ago. It's an outtake from a fairly famous Hot Rod Magazine photo shoot that resulted in the cover shot for the October, 1950 issue. I don't believe this particular photograph has ever been...

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

[Tman]

I think Dan Warner said that where those power poles were/are is now actually really close to the Interstate these days? Something special about that place AND that shot, thanks.

[hotrd32]

Fantastic shot and love the background info.....history is always so interesting in terms of it's reality checks....ahhh the days when one had to wait for your results photographically and where sometimes bitterly disappointed....!.....a back up plan was always advisable.....way to go Wally....love the background three, gives the photo a strange symmetry....thanks Ryan nice way to wake up!

[1950ChevySuburban]

Looks like proof that aliens have landed to watch the race! Excellent photo!

[Candy-Man]

The salt is an amazing place which will addict you forever, espically; when viewing these pic's..... Awsome shots & good read !

[Gaters]

GREAT story and photo.

[seatex]

Man, I made my first trek to B-ville in '09, and it will forever have it's hooks in me. It's just surreal. I can only imagine what it must have been like in the early days, right out of a Science Fiction Novel, no doubt.

[bowtiemyk]

Went to Bonnie in 2010 and this year,camped in the mud flats both years, met a lot of great people both years and I'm hooked like a fish. If you go, be sure visit Carmen's Black and White bar off the main drag, lots of history in there and Carmen is a great lady.

[weez]

I've never had that issue, and never seen that photo, so my my mind was twice as blown!

[JeffreyJames]

Nice bit of history there. Love that cover and those streamliners. By far some of the nicest designs (pleasing to the eye at least) came from the early to mid 50's on those streamliners. I could eat info up like this all day!

[Jkustom]

Originally Posted by weez

i've never had that issue, and never seen that photo, so my my mind was twice as blown!

x2!

[Dean Lowe]

Here's yet another variation of Wally's shot. The '51 program cover.

[hasty]

Fantastic picture and very nice story - thank you.

[V8RPU]

Not only was the Tornado streamliner better looking than the So Cal based cars but it was faster. In 1952 the "backyard" built car set the class "C" streamliner record at 224.144. Power was by a single flathead equipped with Tornado over-head valve heads produced and sold out of Lee Chapels speed shop in Oakland. Kind of amusing in a sad sort of way that Edelbrock removed the car from the picture when hyping his equipment.

[James66g]

Damn I love this forum. And good for edelbrock for cutting the car he didnt have parts on! it may have been the best looking but it was the right thing to do.

[flamingokid]

I love those streamliners.

[moefuzz]

Ryan, Thanks for the post, it's interesting how things turn out irregardless of your best plans.

Today I will be taking the old Nikon FE down to our local race track.
I'll be using a film camera today while everybody else will be shooting digital.

You see the local track has been shut down by city bureaucrats and this weekend ends decades of racing for our locals.
The track (the old Shepard Raceway) has been the local event since the days of Barney Oilfield -He brought the 999 special up here to wow the crowds many decades ago.
But the Mayor wants the valuable land for a settling pound and this weekend ends racing for our local guys.

So for the next 2 days I will be looking for shots like the ones Wally sent you.

I thought that since this was the end of an era I would do the deed on film like so many years before.
-I can't tear myself away from the Camera and Film (Fuji) that I have been using since June of '79 when I purchased my first real photographers camera.

The pics will be centered around our small towns locals/racers but will ultimately include everyone present.

Looking at Wally's pics has given me a little inspiration into grouping some of the guys together rather than just getting the regular 'off the line' and pit shots.

We have been lucky in that our small town has/had a good contingency of 1/4 mile guys.
I just wish 'Big Ed' Dyck was still here to show them all how it's really done.




moe

.

[BIGDADDYUSMC]

The 2 belly tanks in the back ground, do you know witch one those are ????
You said Wally's original photos were over exposed & came out WHITE... Well the salt flats got to my camera, I have a whole bunch of digital photos that came out BLACK.

I made my first trip to the salt this year for the 2011 Speedweek. I"M HOOKED.
I was part of Fred Lobello's crew. We had a string of salt gremlin issues & didn't get a full run in. Never the less I had a blast.
Some might think how hard can it be , build a car & drive fast in a straight line....
Racing on the salt is like dating a mentally unstable red head.
The salt will screw with you in ways you could never imagined... LOL

I spent 4 days thrashing on a vintage belly tank. Most of the high speed passed I saw were seen upside down looking out from under a race car. Some of those high speed passes were seen with only one eye because the other one was full of salt that fell off the race car.
Needless to say the Bonneville threw everything she had at us
& I STILL HAD A BLAST....

Here are a few photo of us at the salt


Randy Chenowth , Jacob Bagnell & Fred Lobello




Mike Bloom , Fred Lobello & Jose Serrano


Randy Chenowth & Fred Lobello's #200 "Flight of the Phoenix" Belly Tank


Freds Lobello's Old Belly Tank , the "LADY BUG"