Site Links Affiliated by SOVRN.
Register now to get rid of these ads!

History Greater Des Moines (Iowa) Drag Strip 1960's

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Tic, Mar 23, 2021.

Page 1 of 2
  1. Tic
    Joined: Jan 9, 2009
    Posts: 42
    Profile Page

    Tic
    Member
    from Central Iowa

    -
    I don't know if we have any old drag racers on here or not. The pictures in this slideshow were taken at the Greater Des Moines (Iowa) Drag Strip in the early '60's. There are a few other old pictures thrown in too.



    I have some from Cordova, Illinois about the same time but I will have to dig them out. I am in the pictures of the Model A Roadster, leaning on the front of the radiator and leaning over on the the passengers side in the next picture. I am also in the group of guys with the names listed (in Buick's Forever sweatshirt) and the next picture sitting in the dragster.
     
    Last edited: Mar 23, 2021
    Tic, Mar 23, 2021
    SHARE POST#1
    rattlecanrods, jnaki, Sting Ray and 17 others like this.
  2. catdad49
    Joined: Sep 25, 2005
    Posts: 6,418
    Profile Page

    catdad49
    Member
    from Kempsville, Va.

    Thanks for the photos!
     
    catdad49, Mar 23, 2021
    SHARE POST#2
    Stogy likes this.
  3. Bugguts
    Joined: Aug 13, 2011
    Posts: 889
    Profile Page

    Bugguts
    Member
    from Centerish of Iowa

    Cool pics! Thanks for taking and sharing them.
     
    Bugguts, Mar 23, 2021
    SHARE POST#3
    Stogy likes this.
  4. Hutkikz
    Joined: Oct 15, 2011
    Posts: 136
    Profile Page

    Hutkikz
    Member
    from Lansing Mich.

    Very Cool, Thanks for sharing them with us.
     
    Hutkikz, Mar 23, 2021
    SHARE POST#4
    Stogy likes this.

  5. Stogy
    Joined: Feb 10, 2007
    Posts: 26,348
    Profile Page

    Stogy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Ontario, Canada

    @Tic what a trip back to a time I missed first time around...Fantastic Captures...and you were there...priceless...thanks for sharing those...we look forward to more or your adventures in Hotrod...
     
    Stogy, Mar 23, 2021
    SHARE POST#5
    chryslerfan55 likes this.
  6. stillrunners
    Joined: Aug 27, 2009
    Posts: 10,478
    Profile Page

    stillrunners
    Member
    from dallas
    1. Studebakers
    2. Early Hemi Tech
    3. 1955-1956 Plymouth Group

    Cool pics - thanks for posting ! Spotted a 1956 Plymouth Fury in the back ground....not many made !
     
    stillrunners, Mar 23, 2021
    SHARE POST#6
    chryslerfan55 and Stogy like this.
  7. Max Gearhead
    Joined: Oct 16, 2002
    Posts: 7,488
    Profile Page

    Max Gearhead
    Member
    from Wisconsin
    1. She's real fine, my 409
    2. WISCONSON HAMBERS
    3. Paper Dreamers
    4. Box Truck Bastards
    5. 58-59 Chevy Apache Builders
    6. SAY WHY AND?

    :cool:
     
    Max Gearhead, Mar 23, 2021
    SHARE POST#7
    Elcohaulic and Stogy like this.
  8. oldiron 440
    Joined: Dec 12, 2018
    Posts: 3,326
    Profile Page

    oldiron 440
    Member
    from North Central Iowa

    Surprisingly there isn't corn in the background of every picture. Every strip I can think of in Iowa is in the middle of a corn or been field.
     
    oldiron 440, Mar 23, 2021
    SHARE POST#8
    Russco, Bugguts, chryslerfan55 and 1 other person like this.
  9. 61SuperMonza
    Joined: Nov 16, 2020
    Posts: 489
    Profile Page

    61SuperMonza
    Member
    from Anchorage, Ak

    Thanks for sharing the pics. Some cool hot rods. The fact that you were in the thick of it, so cool. It must have been a great time.
     
    61SuperMonza, Mar 23, 2021
    SHARE POST#9
    Stogy likes this.
  10. corncobcoupe
    Joined: May 26, 2001
    Posts: 7,367
    Profile Page

    corncobcoupe
    SUPER MODERATOR
    from DesMoines, Iowa
    Staff Member

    It was in the late 50's/ early 60's. I'm not sure when it closed ( 70's maybe ?) as I didn't get here to the Desmoines area until the early 80's. The asphalt was still there in the mid 90's. until it was plowed up for a housing development.

    I always heard folklore about the drag strip and the location. There were faint growth on weeds growing between the cracks that could be seen from the road drive by.

    My only story I will share is one of the enjoyable things in my life that brought joy to someone else.
    In the 90's I worked with a fella that was older than me that use to go there all the time and sometimes race his 57 Chevy. Ron was a soft spoken good guy that shared some cool memories with me.

    Well that farm land in the 90's with parts of it with no crop that had weeds growing between the cracks had a big for sale sign on it - with housing pictures etc. I know it was just a short time before crops of corn would become paved crops of houses.

    So one day, I stopped on the side of the road, got out and walked into that field, it must have been late spring or early fall because their were just disked stalks and I walked into the field until I got to the weed patches of asphalt..
    I found the asphalt in between all the weeds growing up. I believed I was at the starting line area as there was more run off going to the north end than to the south where I was at.

    Side note - another cool thing that happened - there was a large thicket of tall weeds about 10-12 feet high, with heavy thick stalks of growth that I was close to that as I was looking down at patches of asphalt, a crackling from that thicket of weeds startled me and made me stand still. Out very slowly walked a 14 point Buck about 10 yards away. I stood still, he snorted, turned back around and wedged his way back into that thicket of weeds.

    So - the continued with my looking down at the asphalt and amazingly, I found a hand size chunk of asphalt that had a faint line of white paint, Sooo I found the starting line !!!!.

    I picked up that chunk, walked around some more looking at chunks of asphalt / weeds mixed, then walked back through the plowed field to my car and left.

    One of my coworkers shared that Ron's birthday was that week.
    So I thought give him something that he might really like.
    I put the chunk of starting line asphalt into a box/ wrapped it and the next day went to the office to give to Ron.

    He opened it and asked what is this ?
    I said it's old just like you and proceeded to tell him it was a chunk of starting line from the Desmoines Drag Strip.
    He was speechless and quiet for a moment and appeared some tears came to his eyes.
    Not much for words, he said it was the neatest birthday gift / thought he ever received.

    I left that company a few years later - ran into Ron after he retired and said that asphalt chunk is right in front/ center of his mementos cabinet.

    Hope Ron is still around.
    I'd like to see him again.
    That's my Desmoines Drag Strip story.
     
    corncobcoupe, Mar 24, 2021
    SHARE POST#10
    stanlow69, Tickety Boo, Hot Rods Ta Hell and 7 others like this.
  11. alchemy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2002
    Posts: 20,516
    Profile Page

    alchemy
    Member
    from M'town, Iowa

    Ron Edwards?
     
    alchemy, Mar 24, 2021
    SHARE POST#11
  12. Corn Fed
    Joined: May 16, 2002
    Posts: 3,281
    Profile Page

    Corn Fed
    Member
    from State Center IA

    Thanks for the fantastic photos Tic!. Did anyone else notice at 2:41 the pedal car in the background that appears to have bigger lawn mower tires on the back? Some little hot rodder's cool ride!
     
    Corn Fed, Mar 24, 2021
    SHARE POST#12
    Stogy likes this.
  13. jeepster
    Joined: Nov 17, 2005
    Posts: 1,082
    Profile Page

    jeepster
    Member
    from wisconsin

    Thanks for posting your photos. Great to see real events from back in the day!
     
    jeepster, Mar 24, 2021
    SHARE POST#13
    Stogy and chryslerfan55 like this.
  14. wraymen
    Joined: Jan 13, 2011
    Posts: 7,296
    Profile Page

    wraymen
    Member
    from Southern MD.
    1. Maryland HAMBers

    Fantastic pics! Thanks
     
    wraymen, Mar 24, 2021
    SHARE POST#14
    Stogy likes this.
  15. DosCoupe
    Joined: Mar 11, 2011
    Posts: 39
    Profile Page

    DosCoupe
    Member
    from Eastern Iowa

    I scored a 5 window deuce coupe similar to the one at 2:16 of the video. Mine has a two inch chop and a filled roof. I traced its history back to 1984 where it ended up in west end of Davenport. It was channeled to medium boy style- half frame. The front frame perch was T bucket style. With 46-48 Ford front axle. I will post some photos.


    Sent from my SM-J727U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
    DosCoupe, Mar 24, 2021
    SHARE POST#15
    Stogy and chryslerfan55 like this.
  16. DosCoupe
    Joined: Mar 11, 2011
    Posts: 39
    Profile Page

    DosCoupe
    Member
    from Eastern Iowa

    Here is the photo of my old drag car. Does anyone recognize it? 1616605692959.jpeg

    Sent from my SM-J727U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
    DosCoupe, Mar 24, 2021
    SHARE POST#16
    elgringo71, Elcohaulic, Stogy and 4 others like this.
  17. 19323window
    Joined: Nov 30, 2010
    Posts: 14
    Profile Page

    19323window
    Member
    from wisconsin

    19323window, Mar 24, 2021
    SHARE POST#17
    chryslerfan55 and Stogy like this.
  18. corncobcoupe
    Joined: May 26, 2001
    Posts: 7,367
    Profile Page

    corncobcoupe
    SUPER MODERATOR
    from DesMoines, Iowa
    Staff Member

    No......
    Ron Smith
     
    corncobcoupe, Mar 24, 2021
    SHARE POST#18
    chryslerfan55 likes this.
  19. corncobcoupe
    Joined: May 26, 2001
    Posts: 7,367
    Profile Page

    corncobcoupe
    SUPER MODERATOR
    from DesMoines, Iowa
    Staff Member

    The name that ruled Top Eliminator quite a few years was a local, Lou Bredeski in his 302 CU 6 cylinder Jimmy with 5 pot carbs in a 22 or 23 T roadster. I remember Lou telling me that old 302 6 Cyl- Jimmy with the 5 pot on it - when he revved it up off the line sounded like a hive of angry bees.

    He launched it in 2nd gear and said it really hooked up.

    Sadly Lou is no longer with us but Lou ruled in the late 50's early 60's at the Des Moines Dragstrip.

    Man, guys like that contributed so much is what us HAMB’rs love today.
     
    corncobcoupe, Mar 24, 2021
    SHARE POST#19
    32fenderless, chryslerfan55, Papas32 and 2 others like this.
  20. AHotRod
    Joined: Jul 27, 2001
    Posts: 12,216
    Profile Page

    AHotRod
    Member
    from Weeki Wachee, FL.

    Thanks Ron .... I was born and raised in Iowa and truly enjoyed the video and music. I lived in Muscatine back then, never saw the DesMoines Dragstrip.
    If you have seen any other Iowa Drag Strip history let me know, I'd love to see it.
    Glenn
     
    AHotRod, Mar 24, 2021
    SHARE POST#20
    chryslerfan55 and Stogy like this.
  21. Silverplate
    Joined: Mar 4, 2011
    Posts: 237
    Profile Page

    Silverplate
    Member
    from Fort Worth, TX

    99A3A725-1AFD-43DB-9DA9-741703FADAC6.jpeg 6A49FEA8-7AA0-4360-8D46-6B8289703D82.jpeg
     
    Silverplate, Mar 24, 2021
    SHARE POST#21
    chryslerfan55, Stogy, Bugguts and 1 other person like this.
  22. speedshifter
    Joined: Mar 3, 2008
    Posts: 312
    Profile Page

    speedshifter
    Member
    from spencer, ia

    Was this strip also known as the Ames Drag Strip? A friend said he attended an early drag race there & said the first maybe 50 ft was asphalt, the rest was dirt. Greg
     
    speedshifter, Mar 24, 2021
    SHARE POST#22
    chryslerfan55 and Stogy like this.
  23. Bugguts
    Joined: Aug 13, 2011
    Posts: 889
    Profile Page

    Bugguts
    Member
    from Centerish of Iowa

    This is not the Ames Drag Strip. That one was on the south side of Ames and is now also covered with houses.
    I was told it was asphalt and dirt as you stated.
     
    Bugguts, Mar 24, 2021
    SHARE POST#23
    chryslerfan55 and Stogy like this.
  24. oldiron 440
    Joined: Dec 12, 2018
    Posts: 3,326
    Profile Page

    oldiron 440
    Member
    from North Central Iowa

    Read the ads for the location...
     
    oldiron 440, Mar 24, 2021
    SHARE POST#24
    Stogy likes this.
  25. Latigo
    Joined: Mar 24, 2014
    Posts: 741
    Profile Page

    Latigo
    Member
    from La Pine, Oregon

    Great pictures from the DesMoines drag strip. I was never there but made it to Eddyville and Waterloo drag strips in the
    mid-60’s. Unfortunately, no camera at the time.
     
    Latigo, Mar 24, 2021
    SHARE POST#25
    chryslerfan55 and Stogy like this.
  26. Russco
    Joined: Nov 27, 2005
    Posts: 4,327
    Profile Page

    Russco
    Member
    from Central IL

    My dad ran AFuel cars in the late 50’s and through the 60’s said they ran on several tracks that were dirt. Alton early on was dirt too I believe as was White Hall Illinois. My dad ran Kahoka (?) and I think Keokuk fairly often I would imagine he ran here too. He told a great story about them all leaving the races late one night after a big fuel meet (I think it was Kahoka) and a bunch of them heading down to run at Alton I think the next day, when several of them traveling together came across someone’s FED sitting in the middle of the road. It had fallen off the trailer and was just sitting facing the wrong way in the road at like 1am.
     
    Russco, Mar 25, 2021
    SHARE POST#26
    chryslerfan55 and Stogy like this.
  27. Tic
    Joined: Jan 9, 2009
    Posts: 42
    Profile Page

    Tic
    Member
    from Central Iowa

    Thanks for the kind words guys.

    I have a picture somewhere of my friend Bills son sitting in that pedal car. It also had a Rat Fink shift lever in it. Cool stuff.

    We also went to Kahoka, Eddyville, and Cordova. I'm sure I have some pictures of Cordova. I will have to dig them out.

    Tic
     
    Tic, Mar 25, 2021
    SHARE POST#27
    AHotRod and chryslerfan55 like this.
  28. Dan Hay
    Joined: Mar 16, 2007
    Posts: 5,845
    Profile Page

    Dan Hay
    Member
    from Fort Worth TEXAS
    1. H.A.M.B. Chapel
    2. 37-38 Chevys
    3. North Texas HAMBers
    4. 1940 Ford
    5. Tarrant County Social Club

    My grandpa Don Hay raced a 37 Chevy coupe there, I saw a 37 coupe in the background and I wonder if that was his..

    @haychrishay check out this thread..
     
    Dan Hay, Mar 25, 2021
    SHARE POST#28
    chryslerfan55 likes this.
  29. Sting Ray
    Joined: Mar 24, 2012
    Posts: 1,586
    Profile Page

    Sting Ray
    Member
    from Westwood Hills, KS/Hawaii

    Awesome video you put together.
     
    Sting Ray, Mar 25, 2021
    SHARE POST#29
  30. 296ardun
    Joined: Feb 11, 2009
    Posts: 4,682
    Profile Page

    296ardun
    Member
    from montgomery, alabama

    ames iowa 1957.jpg
    Ames, Iowa, 1957
     
    296ardun, Mar 25, 2021
    SHARE POST#30
    stanlow69, Joel W and chryslerfan55 like this.
Page 1 of 2

Share This Page

Register now to get rid of these ads!
Top

Archive

Support

Support The Jalopy Journal - Contact Us - Log In

Subscribe

By Email - RSS
-
Our Affiliate Link Policy

Copyright © 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. Terms of Service. Privacy Policy.

Atomic Industry
Forum software by XenForo™ ©2010-2014 XenForo Ltd.