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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. 1953 olds guy
    Joined: Mar 31, 2011
    Posts: 38

    1953 olds guy
    Member

    Cutahay field just outside Corpus if i remember right
     
  2. I spent a large portion of my childhood at the Edinburg dragstrip.

    One of my early memories is of shaking hands with Don Garlits there when his entire operation consisted of him and a mechanic with a Dodge truck/race car hauler.
     
  3. I've got a stack of photos from the Edinburg strip....I'll dig them up and get them scanned and post them.
     
  4. spicerracing
    Joined: Dec 2, 2011
    Posts: 71

    spicerracing
    Member

    I heard about that field. I'm going to do a lot more digging.
    Thanks for the info. By the way....I have lots of family in iowa...been
    Through waterloo many of times.
     
  5. jerry decker
    Joined: Nov 5, 2006
    Posts: 72

    jerry decker
    Member
    from texas

    Bucky Terry still lives in Cleburne Texas. And I remember his 41 Ford Pu with railroad track mounted in the bed and log chain securing the engine.He has pictures of this truck at Green Valley.Lots of memories from the 60s.Jerry Decker
     
  6. rfraze
    Joined: May 23, 2012
    Posts: 2,008

    rfraze
    Member

    Search Texas tracks,racers. Great thread with a ton of info! The Best Picture of Green Valley EVER! Lots more.
    I am scratching my head about Irving dragstrip. Sounds like the private track built by Harringtons to test and tune their son's pro stocker (?). We don't need no stinkin' dyno!
     
  7. rfraze
    Joined: May 23, 2012
    Posts: 2,008

    rfraze
    Member

    I don't remember seeing any discussion about Cedar Creek. Been running forever, right? There should be some interesting pics out there.
     
  8. Fugly Too
    Joined: Feb 26, 2012
    Posts: 257

    Fugly Too
    Member

    Best three hours I've spent in front of this 'puter in some time. Thanks!;)
     
  9. spicerracing
    Joined: Dec 2, 2011
    Posts: 71

    spicerracing
    Member

  10. spicerracing
    Joined: Dec 2, 2011
    Posts: 71

    spicerracing
    Member

  11. spicerracing
    Joined: Dec 2, 2011
    Posts: 71

    spicerracing
    Member

    [​IMG]
    Looking down the drag strip
     
  12. spicerracing
    Joined: Dec 2, 2011
    Posts: 71

    spicerracing
    Member

    [​IMG]
    whats left of the oval track (bank of turns 1 & 2)
     
  13. Did by chance you meant "Cedar Hill"???
     
  14. James Curl
    Joined: Mar 28, 2006
    Posts: 370

    James Curl
    Member

    In the mid fifties drag racing was held on many abandoned military air bases in Texas. We ran at Caddo Mills, in Caddo Mills, at Martindale Field in San Antonio, Clear Springs in New Braunfels, Castroville Aux, Hondo Airbase, once at Laredo. Saw my first Go Karts at Martindale on the apron and decided that I needed one. We quite dragging in 1960 and sold the car. We ran enduro Karts at Wall, Green Valley, Clearsprings, Hondo, San Marcos AFB and at Seguin on an aux field of Randolf AFB. Most of the time we raced at Green Valley in the 60's. In 1955 the Kerrville Hot Rod Club ran two races at Fredericksburg on an old abandoned military training field. At that time I did Tech Inspection and got there early in the morning , there was a 40 Ford Sedan parked on the apron and a pair of big feet were sticking out from under the car. The owner was under there working on his clutch linkage. I kicked his foot and asked him if he was there to run and when he came out I could hardly contain myself as he looked huge to me, I was only 17. It was none other than the man, August (Hands) and at that time he ran a 40 Ford sedan. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
     
  15. I think this is where the circle drag strip was in Dallas,right where southwell ends. Cant seem to find anything that looks like a strip in Irving. Any ideas where it was ?
    [​IMG]
     
  16. GregMac
    Joined: Aug 5, 2012
    Posts: 2

    GregMac
    Member
    from Atlanta

    It was Como, TX. It was called Midway Dragstrip. My dad raced there in the late 60's.
     
  17. Fugly Too
    Joined: Feb 26, 2012
    Posts: 257

    Fugly Too
    Member

    Cedar Creek Dragway is still up and running. In fact, the ad for it in the local motorsports paper simply reads, "Cedar Creek Is Open" It's actually a nice little joint. About 30 minutes east of Ennis on Texas FM85.
     
  18. rfraze
    Joined: May 23, 2012
    Posts: 2,008

    rfraze
    Member

    Hey Chainsaw, The Irving track,I spoke of, would have been just east of the intersection (in late 60s) of Beltline and Valley View. Things MAY have changed some since then, but there was a gravel road that turned south then east towards Story Rd. The track was south of that road, ran N - S in a corn field something like pictured in #312 above. Almost looked like a runway, because I do not remember anything else around it. Gary Byers remembers seeing cars run there and that it may have been called Sunset. I only heard about it being Bob Harrington's (and maybe Mark's) private "test facility".
    Bill Neal says the Circle strip was off of Goodnight Lane and Joe Field Rd, right where you said it was. Took me a minute to figure how to zoom, move the page, and select the year on their site. Overlaying roads helped me find Southwell. Thanks for the kool old aerial connection. I even found the old kart track at 183 and Esters.
    Forgive the delay in answering, I have been lost over in Drag cars in Motion. Finally worked my way thru page 331 of 1663.
    Fugly, thanks for the info on Cedar Creek. Glad to hear they are still crankin'.
    Mr. Wolcott do you have any pics of Custom Automotive? I bet there are a bunch of people who would love to see any of those. How about putting some up on Famous Texas tracks and Speed Shops. Don't forget pics of the T bucket. Thanks again for all your help and encouragement thru the years. At a quarter a question, I am sure I owe you a ton of dough.
     
    Last edited: Aug 18, 2012
  19. BlownBlu55
    Joined: Apr 21, 2011
    Posts: 19

    BlownBlu55
    Member
    from East TX

    Don't forget Latch S/W of Gilmer. It is actually still there but it is a driveway now. Back in the day it was a private airstrip. That is what the drive is called today...airstrip road. It's about 5 miles from my house. Dad has talked about all the others you mentioned. He used to class cars back in the day at Whitehouse and I-20...(mainly Whitehouse).
     
  20. gtolarry
    Joined: Dec 22, 2009
    Posts: 123

    gtolarry
    Member
    from Texas

    I remember the Golden Triangle Dragstrip Between Beaumnt and Nederland Tx It was crummy but fun to run
     
  21. texasred
    Joined: Dec 3, 2008
    Posts: 1,202

    texasred
    Member
    from Houston

    Home of Don Gay, his family owned the track . the one in Porter Tx. was called Eastex, it got eat up by Kingwood.
     
  22. Stratt134
    Joined: Sep 3, 2012
    Posts: 4

    Stratt134
    Member
    from Texas

    I am working on putting information together for the Houston International Speedway / Gulf Freeway Dragstrip:

    www.HoustonFreewayDragstrip.com

    I would love to see some pictures and 8mm video from the Houston track!! :D

    Same to you if you don't mind! :D
     
    Last edited: Sep 3, 2012
  23. Jimbo17
    Joined: Aug 19, 2008
    Posts: 3,959

    Jimbo17
    Member

    Thanks to everyone for posting all of the great old drag strip information and photo's

    I am in the process of trying to find as many old images from the drag strips as I can.

    I want to recreate the original drag strip images for each one of these great drag strips so that they live on forever for others to remember and enjoy.

    If anyone has any original photo's showing their names please share the photo's.

    I always thought it was a shame when these tracks died because so many have such wonderful memories of the good old day's of racing there.

    Keep the memories alive forever. Jimbo
     
  24. Wagonmaster2
    Joined: Aug 18, 2010
    Posts: 333

    Wagonmaster2
    Member

    I remember the down hill track!! It was my very first trip to a drag strip circa 1960. Went with my buddy and his older brother in a '55 Ford sedan with a tri-power 312 owned by a guy named Gene Hunt from Shreveport, La. Got beat in D/G but we ALL had a big time. Fastest cars were 1960 chevies w/ 348 tri-power engines and 4 speeds...ran 14s as I recall.....Also quick were the '61 Fords and 1960 Pontiacs, everyone had 3x2s, it seemed!!
     
    Last edited: Sep 5, 2012
  25. rfraze
    Joined: May 23, 2012
    Posts: 2,008

    rfraze
    Member

    Speaking of Hallsville, does anybody remember this car? Would have been run there with white body and red, orange, and yellow graphics. An old ProStock style scoop attached to the hood feeding a BBC with glide. Supposedly came out of the Memphis area and may have been in Vic Custer's shop or some other East Texas chassis shop at one time.

    Guess that's a no.
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Apr 16, 2013
  26. Robert1555
    Joined: Jul 25, 2011
    Posts: 41

    Robert1555
    Member

    Can anyone help me with the specific location of the dragstrip that was close to Tyler, TX.?
     
  27. Robert1555
    Joined: Jul 25, 2011
    Posts: 41

    Robert1555
    Member

    It was called I-20 dragway. Just trying to locate where it used to be.
     
  28. 69hurstsc
    Joined: Apr 20, 2011
    Posts: 156

    69hurstsc

    Needle in a haystack time. I'm researching a car for a friend that was campaigned in Texas back in 1964. The car is a 64 Savoy Max Wedge Factory Lightweight. It was painted black and had a red interior and was delivered new to a dealership in San Antonio. I know there were dozens if not hundreds of dragstrips around back than, but this car would have been something pretty special. No driver info.
     
  29. 69hurstsc
    Joined: Apr 20, 2011
    Posts: 156

    69hurstsc

    The car was most likely run at Eastex in the late 60's through the early 80's.
     
  30. 69hurstsc
    Joined: Apr 20, 2011
    Posts: 156

    69hurstsc

    Anybody remember this car? Looking closely under the door it appears to say, "Sutton Motor Co". Also, below that it may possibly say Beaumont, Texas. Anyone remember the dealership for Sutton Motor Co?

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     

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