Famous Texas Tracks, Cars, Stories and SpeedShops

In the 1950's and early 1960's Green Valley was as much a road course as drag strip. First road race of the season each year. The "Sunburn Nationals". As many manufacturer's and driver's points as Daytona or Sebring.

And Carroll Shelby's first real shop was in Dallas on the north side of Yale Blvd between Greenville Avenue and North Central. Metal building is still there with what's left of the railroad siding tracks leading to the side door.

Memories of Sid Czekaj and Franz Weiss. And Bill "Papa Bear" Fritts too.

 

I loved going out to Green Valley as a kid in the late 70's and even went back there for the Super Chevy show when Gene Snow had his dragster out there ( a school mate of mine from Weatherford crewed for Gene right before he retired). When Bill Helscher bought Texas Raceway in Kennedale, I got to know him and enjoyed his stories of Green Valley back in the day when he owned it. When I took the dash out of my 1970 SS El Camino that I bought from a family that raced out there that lived in Arlington, out fell a 1983 National pit pass for Green Valley from the defrost ducts ! These guys used the Elky to haul their '67 SS Chevelle to Green Valley and then to Texas Raceway ( which is where I knew them from all thru the 1990's). I helped transport one of the first altered wheelbase 1966 Chevy II's down to the museum at the Motorplex back in 1998 that was built and sponsored by the Chevy dealer at the time here in Weatherford. It had an injected 396 in it and the guy was living not far from the old Green Valley, but his health was bad and not sure if he is still alive ( can't remember his name, kinda a hippie guy).

 

Well Ive said this before but Ill say it again. I live right next to Green Valley and when I was growing up as a kid in High School during the early 2000's this place was like a legend straight out of a story book. Some mysterious drag strip that was famous for its drag racing and its drag racers. None of the kids knew where it was but we all had heard of it, most of us didnt even know the name. It was like some famous outlaw from the 1800's who was famous and lived and died in the area, thats the way it was treated and revered. It was still there just behind a large grove of trees, until one day they started clearing it out for homes and realized I had passed it every day going to school. What I wouldnt give to have lived during your time guys and been a part of it. Not only the cars and the people but the morals and respect and love of country. So many things my generation lacks.

 

REFERING BACK TO POST #60. Hands flat towing. I know he flat towed it to the NASCAR Drags at Daytona in 1963. Tow vehicle was a white 1959 or 1960 El Camino. Tons of decals on the windows and terrific rpms.

 

Later this month Ill go back and take some pictures.

Thats all thats left of Green Valley today. From the pictures Ive figured out its most likely the burnout box/starting line. Fitting that thats all that would be left. Until a couple of years ago the entire drag strip was still there, amazing how much history just down the tubes for houses that could have been built some where else.

 

Sad that it's gone, was there only once, remember the trees and engines hanging from them while guys worked on the bottom ends...summary of all these pictures: while we native Californians were loathe to admit it, Texas had some of the best drag racers and drag strips in the country...and when Texas racers came to California, they gave us all we could handle...

 

Exactly, Ive always believed that and have always been a little upset that California gets all the glory and gets all of there stuff documented heavily and researched and filmed while Texas tracks/racers kinda get left out and that history disappears. I am really proud to hear you say that honestly, just wish I could have gone back in time and bought Green Valley and all the land around it and keep it going today. Btw the Kennedale (built in 1961 is still going strong), as is Yellow Belly ( built in the late 40's early 50's, all though taking a few guns with you would be recommended as the drag strip hasnt changed but the neighbor hood has).

 

Great pics. Have some I need to Scan of my 5W at GreenValley in 61'.

 

Would love to see them

 

I have to say this thread has been a huge success, I honestly didnt expect more then a couple of replies or interest in this thread as most on this board seem to have there own niche and even fewer care about much racing outside California. Thanks guys, I hope it keeps going and some of you guys can make some contribution with videos/pictures and more awesome stories!

 

I agree, good stuff.. I hate how this forum logs u out sometimes right when u get done pouring your soul into a story! Lol I'll have to post it tomorrow cuz I'm tired of this $i?&?.. I bet I could tell you some stories about that 1940 Willys guy too if I'm not mistaken he's got a hilborne injected 383 in it but I'll have to catch up with him tomorrow I'm out!

 

When you log in click on "remember me" then it won't log you off so you have plenty of time to post pics.

I'm really enjoying this thread - keep it going!

 

Post 67 shows a couple pics of "the Funny Car." Any chance those were taken at Little River? Sure looks like it. Cool either way. Awesome thread!

 

Center pic on post #30 - Eddie Baumann's beautiful dragster. The car totally was built by him and was as nice as any show car of the day. He's still building cars and will have a new '29 roadster in the 10 finalists for AMBR in Pomoma this month. We're talkin' hand made bolts, NASA quality building - and it is very Trad, with nailhead and Halibrands, etc.

Watch for it in GNRS coverage.

 

Ahh I'll have to remember that! Anyways I had a short story I was telling about my dads little dodge dart he used to race in Port Arthur, Tx.. I don't think they had any official tracks over there or at least he never raced at them because they had a half mile strip of road with no houses right behind the high school.. He would never tell me much about that dart except that it would do circles around his sisters 66 chevelle ss. The only race story I remember him telling me was when his buddy came to school in a brand new Plymouth Cuda 440 six pack. He knew he could beat it but his friend wouldn't leave him alone about runnin them so they lined them up during their lunch break. My mom was the flagger and the crowd was all their classmates.. He said he pulled a car length on that Cuda every gear he caught all the way up to the top end. When he pulled back up to the school the principal was waiting in the parking lot to suspend him while his buddy was too shamed to go back.. I wish he still had that car

 

Great stories guys

 

Found this shot of Smokey running in the 60's at Green Valley

 

Roughly 90 percent of these photo's are from Green Valley.

 

Part 2

 

Part 3

 

Part 4

 

Part 5

 

Part 6

 

Part 7

 

These pictures are pretty small but they work, these are from the really early days of Green Valley, including Don Garlits in Swamp Rat I and of course the famous Bobby Langley

 

Found these three videos that are a mixture of Green Valley and other Texas strips.

http://youtu.be/IwyB_h55xBk

http://youtu.be/KadDpruPUnA

http://youtu.be/lCjZPWYVV08

 

great,great pic,s 69 chevelle,and great storys 40 willys,loved reading them,keep them coming 69...................

 

yes they are

 

Gee Whiz....I've only gotten thru page 2, and this is "Over the Top" to be seeing good ol Texas racing pictures.

Thanks a lot for taking the time to post these....WOW

 

Thanks man, youre very welcome, I just hope it gets bigger with more and more pictures/vids and stories.

These pictures are a mixture of Green Valley and Caddo Mills.