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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. Have memories of the strip at Wichita Falls in 1969during my airforce days. Remember a T coupe And a 64 dodge super stock as regulars. Wish I could convert my old picks to digital.
     
  2. Sixness
    Joined: Nov 10, 2008
    Posts: 137

    Sixness
    Member
    from Cen Tex

    scan0001.jpg


    I was there in 1970 (the photos are dated Oct.1970) and could have been in the camera a while before developed. I have some close ups of Sox/Martin,Ray Allan and Motes Twin AA/G Dragster.
     
  3. Tinker51
    Joined: Oct 14, 2008
    Posts: 261

    Tinker51
    Member
    from Dallas Tx.

    that bottom right is dallas int'l motor speedway. that tower was one of a kind.
    been there many of weekends there.
    charles
     
  4. wayne-o
    Joined: Jan 22, 2006
    Posts: 284

    wayne-o
    Member

    I have more pictures from Houston, Golden Triangle, Austin, and Dallas International. I will have to scan them this weekend and post. I also have some 8MM video from Golden Triangle I can post to youtube. I never went to the track in Dayton with the gravel shutdown but my neighbor ran a '61 Vette there and showed us some video when I was a kid. Nothing but a cloud of dust once the cars passed the finish line.
     
  5. Sixness
    Joined: Nov 10, 2008
    Posts: 137

    Sixness
    Member
    from Cen Tex


    I saw that after I posted that... and suspect that all photos were taken at Dallas. I attended a big meet there that went into the early morning and back then they were qualifying the top 16 in each class and remember it being the first time that all 16 were in the 6s. Thanks for keeping this old man on track!
     
  6. Tinker51
    Joined: Oct 14, 2008
    Posts: 261

    Tinker51
    Member
    from Dallas Tx.

    what year are your photos?
    when nhra was there they held the spring and world finials there.
    ihra had the longhorn nat'l.
    it closed around 73 or 74
    charles
     
  7. Sixness
    Joined: Nov 10, 2008
    Posts: 137

    Sixness
    Member
    from Cen Tex


    All I have to go on is the date on the photos and that was Oct. 1970. The film could have been in camera a while ?? The more I think about something the clearer it gets and I believe they were qualifying the top 32 then instead of 16 (16 is what they do now) It was a NHRA race I do remember that. They also had the World Finals in Amarillo some where about then(early 70s) as we ran a twin (sbc) Dragster there and got beat for Comp.Eliminator. Wish I would have kept a diary on all this stuff....
     
  8. Larry T
    Joined: Nov 24, 2004
    Posts: 7,874

    Larry T
    Member

  9. Tinker51
    Joined: Oct 14, 2008
    Posts: 261

    Tinker51
    Member
    from Dallas Tx.

    does anybody have any 8 or super8 mm flim of old drag racing and would like them transfered call. and we will talk.
    214 688 1067 m-f 8am 5pm
     
  10. Lost_N_Austin
    Joined: May 26, 2008
    Posts: 125

    Lost_N_Austin
    Member
    from Some Beach

    Tinker51 or anyone - A question:

    Can you give me an address that I can use in a Google Earth search so that I can zoom in on the location that was Green Valley Raceway? I used to attend races there and sometime in the 1960's participated as the "chief " mechanic on a small block Chevy powered C-Gas Henry-J out of Tulsa Okla.

    I remember driving into Green Valley having just learned that someone in a dragster had just over-run the sand traps and catch net and was killed when they hit a tree.

    I'd like to see what that area looks like now and whether the existing facility and terrain was incorporated into streets. Even though i drove there, I can't really remember where it was in relation to Dallas, Fort Worth and the Mid-Cities. I lived in Hurst later in life and my daughter used to live in Keller.

    Thanks in advance.

    L_N_A
     
  11. Sixness
    Joined: Nov 10, 2008
    Posts: 137

    Sixness
    Member
    from Cen Tex


    I use to have small bit of the nationals in Okla. City in 1958. The first bad weather day I will spend some time and see if I can find it.
     
  12. Tinker51
    Joined: Oct 14, 2008
    Posts: 261

    Tinker51
    Member
    from Dallas Tx.

    if you put in green valley rd all you will see is a small oart of the starting line and homes all round it.
    charles
     
  13. Tinker51
    Joined: Oct 14, 2008
    Posts: 261

    Tinker51
    Member
    from Dallas Tx.

    great i have two collection now that has okc on them too. they are ruff and from diffarnt parts of the track. it would be good to see what you have. i'm working on the history of this area of the country, tex. ok, la, ar. nm.
    thanks charles
    call me
     
  14. Lost_N_Austin
    Joined: May 26, 2008
    Posts: 125

    Lost_N_Austin
    Member
    from Some Beach

    Well I put in Green Vallet Rd and got Green Meadows in Wisconsin.

    I did a search an got this:
    I search Google Earth and got Green Valley Drive North Richland Hills, TX 46180

    I see the street but it makes no sense to me. Maybe it has changed too much, maybe I have or maybe that's not it.

    Oh well, If anybody else has a better reference, I'd be interested.

    Thanks, L_N_A
     
  15. KeithDyer
    Joined: Mar 26, 2007
    Posts: 193

    KeithDyer
    Member

    Think I still have an old 8 x 10 poster somewhere from Wichita Falls - 1959.

    Was called Silver Dollar Dragway or something like that.

    Always heard that Garlits mentioned it in his book that was the first place he was paid to race, 1957.

    K
     
  16. Larry T
    Joined: Nov 24, 2004
    Posts: 7,874

    Larry T
    Member

    Keith,
    A buddy of mine has 8mm movies of Garlits at that race. The Speed Sport Special was there too.
    Larry T
     
  17. Larry T
    Joined: Nov 24, 2004
    Posts: 7,874

    Larry T
    Member

    It was too far to go race very often when it was open, but we went a few times. We came in on 114, turned south on Davis drive (1938), crossed Tarrant Parkway and took the first (I think) right, and then right again. That put you at the gate. I guess you might have been able to get to it off of Tarrant, but that was too confusing for an old country boy.

    Also, if you ran off the end of the strip you ran across 1938. That was the reason for the catch net and the "phone poles" across the end of the strip.

    This might not be right, but it's the way I remember it.
    Larry T

    http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=71752&highlight=bill+hielscher&page=2

    [​IMG]
     
  18. Lost_N_Austin
    Joined: May 26, 2008
    Posts: 125

    Lost_N_Austin
    Member
    from Some Beach

    Thanks LarryT - That must be it.
    [​IMG]

    Btw LarryT your post count just went over 1320 so that's like a Quarter Mile of Posts on this site.;)
     
  19. Larry T
    Joined: Nov 24, 2004
    Posts: 7,874

    Larry T
    Member

     
    Last edited: Feb 7, 2009
  20. Lost_N_Austin
    Joined: May 26, 2008
    Posts: 125

    Lost_N_Austin
    Member
    from Some Beach

    This looks like all that is left. :(
    [​IMG]

    L_N_A
     
  21. Tinker51
    Joined: Oct 14, 2008
    Posts: 261

    Tinker51
    Member
    from Dallas Tx.

    that yard was or is bob miller of the miller and cook team. his son still lives there the last time i talked to bob. that was the end of green valley..
    there is not much there now, but a lot of happy times there. and some bad ones, father took out 1000 ft of guard rail in a blown corvette of jim chicken fry anderson, the rear end locked up.
    charles
     
  22. Tinker51
    Joined: Oct 14, 2008
    Posts: 261

    Tinker51
    Member
    from Dallas Tx.

  23. tanker1
    Joined: Apr 18, 2004
    Posts: 24

    tanker1
    Member
    from OK

    Can't rmember the name, but there was one near Belton or Waco, close to Fort Hood. I used to run a 63 High Pro Fairlane in C modified production class there in 1966 while I was at Hood. Used to pick up a trophy there most every Sunday. If the A or B cars looked slow, I would run them too. The Ford dealer off base ran a Mustang in some gas class there a lot. Maybe someone has already named it.
     
  24. wayne-o
    Joined: Jan 22, 2006
    Posts: 284

    wayne-o
    Member

  25. wayne-o
    Joined: Jan 22, 2006
    Posts: 284

    wayne-o
    Member

    Check out this web site on the Texas Rattler from Port Arthur Texas. Great history and unbeleivable restoration. I think it is the Belvedere in the video from Golden Triangle Drag Strip on the previous post before it was lettered. Some pic's show it at Golden Triangle

    http://www.garlandmotorsports.com/65-super-stock.html
     
  26. wow!! what a resto!!
     
  27. Tinker51
    Joined: Oct 14, 2008
    Posts: 261

    Tinker51
    Member
    from Dallas Tx.

    looking good out there. let see what else is out there.
    were was the golden triangle at.
    charles
    whos going to dallas autorama?
     
  28. rixrex
    Joined: Jun 25, 2006
    Posts: 1,433

    rixrex
    Member

    The section of road(Starcrest?) that we street raced on in San Antonio in the mid 60s everyone called it "Little Green Valley"...
     
  29. wayne-o
    Joined: Jan 22, 2006
    Posts: 284

    wayne-o
    Member

    Tinker 51, Golden Triangle was between Beaumont and Port Arthur at the split of highway 69 and 347. You can still see it on Google maps.
     
  30. Tinker51
    Joined: Oct 14, 2008
    Posts: 261

    Tinker51
    Member
    from Dallas Tx.

    did san angelo have one or two strip? and where, we raced there in 72 with the texas inject funny car asso. and the same on albuquerque n.m.
    thanks charles
     

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