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History Old drag strips texas, name them

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Tinker51, Jan 26, 2009.

  1. blackrat40
    Joined: Apr 19, 2006
    Posts: 1,167

    blackrat40
    Member Emeritus

    Hey Bobby,Yeah you did sell us lot's of stuff when Custom was downtown
    on Pearl (?)
    " You" also sold me my first 3-2 linkage in 1960 when I was in high school!
    (see Herdez (HAMB-er) hechointexas site for my 60's photo).
    Yeah you're right about Bishops too.It was "Jimmy" Bishops.
    My boss at J&J, Junior Howell used to hang there till he died last year.:cool:
     
  2. blackrat40
    Joined: Apr 19, 2006
    Posts: 1,167

    blackrat40
    Member Emeritus

    Sorry to drift off topic everybody...
    Tinker51 you know how us geezers can ramble on!
    Paulweldit on the HAMB here gave me a piece of Green Valley's asphalt last year.
    I treasure that as my own kind of "Rosetta Stone"!
     
  3. Yeah Mick,Hard for us old geezers to remember shit....and stay on topic too. And it was 2122 N Pearl St....
     
  4. scrape
    Joined: Sep 22, 2003
    Posts: 1,130

    scrape
    Member

    any one have pics of the decals from some of these drag strips....
     
  5. cooger
    Joined: Nov 5, 2008
    Posts: 233

    cooger
    Member

    we called it "freeway drag strip".
     
  6. cooger
    Joined: Nov 5, 2008
    Posts: 233

    cooger
    Member

    Lots of stories about Hands.
    One I heard, since he won practically every race, was that he was supposed to have a certain amount of cube displacement for his class--when someone protested him he always passed the inspection since they pulled one head and checked the bore.
    On his car, it was always the same head since there was a bunch of stuff obstructing the other one. Story was, the other one was bored to the max, over .60+ per cylinder giving him a good edge in hp and displacement.
    Don't know if its true, but who cares? Its good ol American (Texan?) ingenuity.
     
  7. cooger
    Joined: Nov 5, 2008
    Posts: 233

    cooger
    Member

    yeah, you normally viewed on the right side-like really close to the action. In those days scattershields were for the rich, hell -you run what you brung, normally driving it there. Better to be quick on your feet there, lots of flying metal around.
    Also lots of beer, sweat (hey, this is S. Texas), 'skeeters (monsters!) short shorts, and late in the day, good ol fashioned fights.
    Damm, its tough to get old!
     
  8. Herdez
    Joined: Feb 21, 2007
    Posts: 357

    Herdez
    Member

    It was true from what I was told. A friend saw the motor when it was at the shop back then. It was discovered in 1961 or 62. At one point it was a 292 and he used undercoating to get the weight up to run in the slower gas classes.

    Hotrod mag awhile back posted this on a list of records. (NHRA C/S record set at Houston drag strip April 17, 1960 13.23 @ 100mph)

    Very early photo around the same time. No radius on rear fenders yet.
    [​IMG]


    http://hechointexas.blogspot.com/2007/10/relic-iron.html
     
    Last edited: Feb 10, 2010
  9. gmed
    Joined: Feb 21, 2010
    Posts: 1

    gmed
    Member
    from texas

    Im looking for my dads old super stocker that he ran in div.
    four back in the seventies. Car was last seen in central texas
    in 78. Car had a 255 hp 350, super T10 and a dana 60 with
    ladder link rear suspension. One of the more distinguishing
    things on the car was the fake vents in front of the rear
    tire were filled and smoothed. Any help would be apreciated.
    Just found this site alot of great stuff.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  10. Tinker51
    Joined: Oct 14, 2008
    Posts: 261

    Tinker51
    Member
    from Dallas Tx.

    here's a treat
    starting line shot at caddo mills
    and looking down the side of track see the p.a. system no stinky fence
     

    Attached Files:

  11. blownt
    Joined: Feb 20, 2006
    Posts: 24

    blownt
    Member

    Just ran across this thread. We used to go to Houston International and Porter just about every weekend. Porter was out in the piney woods with trees on both sides and the pits were all in between them. Sadly it was sold and turned into businesses and homes. Houston International was abandoned and the remains were still there for quite awhile. But now it is a bigass super Walmart and shopping center.

    Also used to cruise on Sat nites. Start out at the A&W on Westheimer near Fountainview. Then go up Westheimer to Princess' downtown at Main and Pierce overhead. Then cruise down Main to Bill Williams near the Meth hospital. Then get up some races and drive to Westridge and the Wetherby Arms Museum parking lot. Before that used to race on Knight Road off 610 across from the Astrodome and next to Astroworld.

    Check out this Stevens abd Venerables website that shows old pics of Houston International. Also an old pic from 1958 of some old diggers and Eddie Hill in the front right corner.

    http://www.aafueler.com/his.htm
     

    Attached Files:

  12. bluebolt
    Joined: Jan 9, 2008
    Posts: 309

    bluebolt
    Member
    from Benton LA

    Anyone know of Red River dragstrip in NE Texas? It was mentioned in a Rod and Custom around 1961. Not to be confused with Red River Raceway near Shreveport LA.
     
  13. n5ifi
    Joined: Feb 21, 2010
    Posts: 5

    n5ifi
    Member
    from East Texas

    Wasn't that at Simms, Tx just west of Texarkana?
     
  14. SWTPKL
    Joined: Apr 29, 2010
    Posts: 1

    SWTPKL
    Member

    do you or anyone out there have any pic of the snuff box cars? Of all the years thave raced,they have no pic of the team or cars. Were trying to put together a story book photo album for the family. Any pic you my have from circle drag would surly be appreciated.
     
  15. P M sent
     
  16. FEDAA/FDsforever
    Joined: Jul 24, 2010
    Posts: 5

    FEDAA/FDsforever
    Member

    It was called Abilene Dragway Park and was closed in the early 80's. I'm not sure when it opened but I grew up there in the 60's and early 70's while my Dad raced there. We also had an old station wagon with a push bar and would help push start the old AA front engine dragsters when they were there to run. What great memories! The track is about 10 minutes from my house now.
     
  17. FEDAA/FDsforever
    Joined: Jul 24, 2010
    Posts: 5

    FEDAA/FDsforever
    Member

    It was originally called Abilene Dragway Park and yes the big boys ran there in the 60's and early 70's. I grew up there at that time. The name changed to Abilene Dragway in the early 70's then to Steamboat Mountain in the mid 70's I believe.
     
  18. Hey FEDAA/FD..I see you have only 2 posts since joining the HAMB..Click on the Introduce Yourself page and tell us a little about yourself...Some of us "old" guys just might know you or your Dad...
     
  19. MUNCIE
    Joined: Jan 24, 2006
    Posts: 2,347

    MUNCIE
    Member
    from Houston

  20. nailhead terry
    Joined: Mar 23, 2008
    Posts: 1,458

    nailhead terry
    Member

    Hey guys I raced at I 20 was there the last nite it was open and ran some at hallsville I know the track that was near Hawkins was before my time but I would love to find it any help would be great . I personaly know Darwin Stainback and will find out if I borrow some of the old Whitehouse strip photos and scan them so I can post them.
     
  21. Robert1555
    Joined: Jul 25, 2011
    Posts: 41

    Robert1555
    Member

    Here are a few I remember:

    Amarillo Dragway - 6 miles south of Amarillo on Washington St.
    Eastex Dragway - 14 miles north of Houston on Hwy 59.
    El Paso International Dragway - 15 miles east of El Paso on Hwy 180.
    Ft. Hood Dragway - 10 miles south of Killeen off FM 440.
    Greater Southwest International Raceway - Between Dallas & Ft. Worth off hwys 360 and 183.
    Hallsville Dragstrip - 6 miles north of I-20 on FM 450
    Houston International Dragway - South of Houston on I-45 at Dickinson.
    Interstate 20 Raceway - 8 miles north east of Tyler on Hwy 155
    Sportsman's Park Dragway - South of San Angelo on Hwy 87 at Wall
    Steamboat Mountain Dragway - 5 miles south of Abilene off Hwy 83 and 84.
    Texas Raceway - 1 miles west of Hwy 287 at Kennedale.
    Abilene Regional Airport - 2 miles south of I-20 at Hwys 322 and 36
    Alamo Dragway - 3 miles south of I-410 on Hwy 16
    Austin Raceway Park - 8 miles north of Austin off I-35 and Hwy 45
    Dallas International Motor Speedway - North of Dallas on I-35E and FM 3040
    Green Valley Raceway - 3 miles north North Richman Hill and of I-820 off Smithfield rd.
    Victoria Dragstrip (Aloe Army Air Field) - 5 miles SW of Victoria on Hwy 77

    Has anyone compiled a list of all the old drag strips? Let me know. I'd like to see the list.

    Thanks,
    Robert Edgar
     
  22. barryvanhook
    Joined: Jun 17, 2011
    Posts: 625

    barryvanhook
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Mesa, AZ

    Somewhere I have a pic of my 40 Ford coupe waiting to line up at the Ascarate Dragstrip in El Paso around 1962 ... I think Ascarate predated the later El Paso Dragway.

    Barry
     
  23. barryvanhook
    Joined: Jun 17, 2011
    Posts: 625

    barryvanhook
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Mesa, AZ

    Found 'em!
     

    Attached Files:

  24. How about Rockport, TX. One of the first strips in Texas.
     
  25. aaggie
    Joined: Nov 21, 2009
    Posts: 2,530

    aaggie
    Member

    Rodd Naval Air Station in Corpus Christi. The shutdown area was covered in small pea gravel and stopping was as exciting as going.
     
  26. roadrunnerjep
    Joined: Jul 30, 2011
    Posts: 1

    roadrunnerjep
    Member

    Hey I remember L. A Cornielus he was killed at Richland Hills in his 59 El Camino.. I think Bucky Terry had 50 model Ford not sure been too long ago. I at the time had 58 Chevy Bel Air turquoise / white and ran stock B
    Jessie
     
  27. Are there any remains of Forest hill left. Last time I was there, a LONG while back, the track was still there, buried in the trees near the mobil homes.
     
  28. blackrat40
    Joined: Apr 19, 2006
    Posts: 1,167

    blackrat40
    Member Emeritus

    I would like to see any pictures you have of the original
    Snuffbox (brown '49 Chevy?). That's the first one I ever
    saw. I used to run a '34 Ford PU at Circle in 1960 and
    used to see Snuffbox run there.
     

    Attached Files:

  29. Kens 50 PU
    Joined: May 13, 2008
    Posts: 54

    Kens 50 PU
    Member

    Dad used to drag his '34 in El Paso back in '57-'59 while stationed at Biggs AFB.


    002.jpg

    001.jpg

    Anyone know the name of the strip?
     
  30. spicerracing
    Joined: Dec 2, 2011
    Posts: 71

    spicerracing
    Member

    I wanted some info about the old Rodd Field Dragway in corpus christi texas
    And the "corpus christi dragway" also.

    Historic info, pictures, names. I am also looking for the locations of both dragways
    If possible.

    Thanks
    Robert spicer
     

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