Famous Texas Tracks, Cars, Stories and SpeedShops

That looks like the 31 or 32 chevy that crashed at the Dayton Tx. dragstrip

 

Bill "Bones" Carroll of the Carroll Brothers AA/FD (wearing the straw hat) and his car at Opelousas in June of 1967. The smiling lad on the left is Bill Dwelle, one of my high school friends and racing compadres. Blocked from view by Dwelle is Curt Carroll, the other half of the team. Driver Richard Tharp, leaning on the roll cage joins in the merriment. The Burt Brothers from Tulsa are to the right of Bones.

 

Danny Ongais' Honda of Wilmington AA/FD at Austin on July 27, 1967.

 

I was trying for a shot of this nice Anglia named Trick or Treat at Green Valley in April of 1967. Anyone know about this car? Don't even ask me about the little drama on the left-make up your own story!

 

Bob Creitz makes a last minute check on the Creitz and Greer AA/FD at Austin on July 27, 1967. Can't remember who was driving-Vic Brown?

 

You have undeniably got some of the very best record of drag racing ever compiled Chuck. I'm envious. Tom S. in Tn.

 

Got to looking at the old Texas drag racing pictures that Ryan posted on another thread and this got my old memory going. A story!
Time: 1963 Whitehouse Drag Strip in Whitehouse,TX near Tyler,TX. I am about eight years old spending a Sunday at the dragstrip with my Dad and Brother. Walking around the pits and pass by a 55 Chevrolet and a 57 Chevrolet with Louisiana license plates on both. Hoods are up and both cars have Corvette engines in them and the topper on this is both cars are driven and raced by two women. One is red headed and the other is blonde and they are both talking smack about who is gonna beat who.
At this particular track they had what was called "power puff" races where women drove and raced the cars. These two women raced each other at least 25 times that day. One would win one time then the other. When they would get back to the pits the smack talk was getting louder and bolder with the B-word and the H-word thrown in. On their next run down the return road the lady in Red rammed her car into the Blonde lady and they play bump-an-run all the way back to the pits. In the pits the Red haired lady jumps out of her car and goes over to the blonde and pulls her by the hair out the window and damn the fight was on! They cussed, pulled hair, punched each other and brother I mean these women could fight. Needless to say for a boy eight years old this was indeed quite site. Got to thinking of my mother and wondered if she could fight like this and could not even imagine such! She was though pretty good with a leather strap on my butt so after this I did have a whole new respect for my mother! Needless to say my dad got my brother and I away from all this pretty quick. Don't have a clue how the deal between the women ended up. I never saw them at the track again but needless to say it DID leave a big impression on me all my life!
Well.............that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

1940 Willys Coupe

 

Great story, Willys! I saw some of those at the motorcycle races when I was a little tyke. It leaves a mental picture that never goes away.

 

Mike you are right about those kind of deals leaving an impression. I have forgot alot of things but not those two women fighting and when I say fight they did do some fighting! Gets me tired just thinking of it all!

1940 Willys Coupe

 

I saw a man hold his small intestines in by his hand until he could be carried away to a hospital after another ripped his abdomen open with a pocket knife.

I have been peppered with buck shot after highway patrol arrived and began shooting in the air to break up a mass fight at the only exit gate, over a questionable win.

And I can not even begin to recall the threats and cursings I've seen on a Sunday afternoon from someones sociopathic behavior.

As if danger from wrecks and unpredictability of exploding race cars wasn't enough, I tolerated a lot of violent and unsocial behavior through the years at the tracks until the open drinking and drug use created a far too unsafe environment for my family, and another one of the more reasons I quit racing by the mid 70's.
Trust me when I say, mom and pop promoters carried a persistent intrinsic fear of a gun fight anytime the competition got fierce with nothing more to show winning than a pot metal trophy. Tom S. in Tn.

 

Addendum to #310 above;
Not unlike cock fighting, I might be beginning to understand why there is no more photographic history of this aspect of motorsport history.
Tom S. in Tn.

 

I think a lot of that has changed back to being more family oriented now a days. At least here in Texas. Ive seen a few fist fights break out and of course the drunken fun that goes along with that (most drink before they race here in Texas anyways, never seen a track official tell them not to). But Here in the DFW area with 5 local drag strips competing against each other with one or 2 having bad reps it really is a safe and fun place to bring the family. Then again that might be because everyone in Texas is packing but hey if that breeds forced kindness then other states should implement it fast.

 

Took me all morning to read!!!This is one bad ass thread thanks for starting it!!!!Was wondering if any one had any pics of the old universal city drag strip around San Antone??My dad used to race there all the time when he was in the air force.And cant find any pictures of the place...

 

Ill see what I can do bud. I have a lot more Green Valley and Texas pics I havent posted yet!

 

Is it me or is everybody in this pic waiting on a flood . He's probably saying "you mean you've been him to , geez that covers everybody here but me"

 

Where did this happen and when? I've seen some things go down back in the day but it's all relevent to the event . Go to Yella Belly and don't pay up when you loose and see what happens . Go to a Saturday night brackett race or an "organized " heads up race and all you will see is everybody helping each other .

 

For the Anglia drama photo....

How about...." it's my money woman!! and if I want a goddamn hotrod....I'm gonna have a goddamn hotrod OK!! ....now go get me a hotdog and a beer "

LOL...my woman would kill me if she saw this reply

 

Frog put the falcon on it's side at the Harker Heights strip doing a wheel stand,, really pleased the crowd. They would lay the rosin down and burn throught it about three times and let 'er rip.
John Eads was the service manager at Fergus,, almost all the mechanics at Fergus ran a drag car. If I can remember some names correctly,,
Claudie Meaders-service writer-- C/Gas Supercharged 57 Chev- 51 Austin
Oscar Slaughter-Mechanic- 55 chev Gasser
Bruce-???-Parts- 67 Chevelle- C/MP
Charlie Krempin- salesman- 67 Fairlane A/FX 427 Tunnel Port
Kirby Voigt-Mechanic-55 Chev Gasser
Cogo drove the Bosses Hoss Funny car

Check with Cogo if these names are correct, and if he remembers Earl Schenk-- that be me.

I worked (helped) on the funny car engine for John,,We tried to double ring the compression rings,, to seal the nitro from the oil pan,, and everything ended up in the oil pan, win some--lose some. Cannot compress a liquid,,physics-101.
Went to Bristol Tenn with Charlie and wrecked the tow car and A/FXer on the way,, another story with pictures.
Babyearl

 

The first occurred at Clarksville 'Outlaw' strip in Clarksville Tn, not far from the 101'st army base early 70's. The next occurred at Dudley Oakley's 'Super Dragstrip' located at the 182 hwy 96 exit on I-40 in the same time period.
Drinking had always been present, but became quite worse along with drug trafficking and use as the 70's progressed. Perhaps not quite as bad on race day, national events had become no exception. Tom S. in Tn.

 

My buddy Jimmy Johnson called these "high-water pants" . Seems to have been the fashion of the day although the pictures I have of my friends all show jeans and cords covering our shoes. Guess that was the outcast racer look!

 

Great story 1940 Willys-you could learn a lot about life at the dragstrip!

 

Earl, thanks for the info! I know Oscar Slaughter's son, Scotty, I used to work with him here in town, and he used to stop by my shop from time to time to BS. He told me about his dads old Chevy and that he didn't have any photos of it, and his dads racing trophies were stolen from their house. I asked Cogo if he had any photos of the red Chevy and sure enough he did. Scotty was blown away to see his dad's old car. The other names don't ring a bell for me, but I'm sure Cogo would remember them, and you as well. Claudie Meador had a rad little Austin gasser, then later a front engine dragster. I think his son is into modern 'nostalgia' racing too, Claudie passed away in '01.

 

TexasHardcore,,You might relay a story to Oscar's son about a clutch explosion in Oscars first 55 Chev. It happened at the River, I was not there that day but being as how Oscar lived right up the street from me I saw the car at his house. Hard to believe the distruction that took place,, the Clutch and brake pedals as well as the steering shaft were cut in half,, the dash was "V'd" up in the center and almost was up to the roof. The body was pulled in at the cowl to where the doors wouldn't close and the hood didn't fit. Needless to say Oscar got another 55 and started over. Oscar didn't have a scratch on him,, He said " If that dosen't make you believe in God,, nothing would." I had some pictures but they have been misplaced.

Claudie and I went KC Mo. late 60's for the AHRA finals. Flat towed his 57 Chev C/Gas Supercharged and hit KC Friday at 4pm rush hour traffic,, an experience we talked about for years. I knew Claudie did the Nostalgia AA/Fuel Dragster thing and we talked often during his last days. I missed his final services,, something I regret to this day. If you know how to contact his son,, I would appreciate the info.

 

Babyearl...All I can tell you is that Carl Meador lives in Stephenville, TX.

 

I got to help Eddie Hill with his twin Pontiac car when he had just lengthened it and the front half was in bare chromoly (before it was the way to go) and he still had a Bonneville push car. I'll look and see if I can find the pics. It was at Sunland Park (?) in El Paso. I've got pictures of Bobby Langley, Vance Hunt, Dicky Harrell, etc. Just gotta find them.

 

I was always in awe of the twin engine car,, the engineering that went into the car and the determination to make it work,

Eddie is the only man to ever claim the Record of the fastest in the 1/4 mile on land and water. Quite a feat,, Babyearl

 

Went to Bristol Tenn with Charlie and wrecked the tow car and A/FXer on the way,, another story with pictures.
Babyearl[/QUOTE]

Well, I will try to explain this towing incident being as I was driving. We left Killeen about midnight headed to Bristol Tenn. for the finals with a new 69 T-Bird tow car, an ill handling trailer with the 67 Fairlane securely tied down, Charlie driving the first leg. We had no problems, we stopped in Memphis to visit Lunati Cams to say Hi to Joe Lunati and Dale Browning, good friends of mine. (another story) We spent a few hours, ate lunch, and headed east toward Bristol. At this point I was driving,, I made mention to Charlie that the trailer felt like it was pushing the rear of the car sideways,, slight fishtail feeling. Charlie told me he noticed the samething but he just didn't worry about it. So with this in mind we pressed on with my knuckles getting white on several occasions. Plot thickens here,, I need to explain here the condition of the road,, it is an interstate but no shoulders like the Texas roads,, I'm talking pavement with a 6 to 8 inch drop to the grass. Anyway,, we are going up hill in the left lane trying to overtake a 18 wheeler. At the crest of the hill slight right curve we broke past the front of the truck,, wind hit us and pushed us off the road to the left running about 70 mph. White knuckles and puckerstring tight,,I eased the car and trailer back up on the road, I looked at Charlie and we both sighed a whew!!! There was a loud snap,, the trailer pushed to the left and then to the right back to the left I nailed the gas to pull it straight heading down hill now and turning slightly to the left going under an overpass,,, the trailer now coming around on the right for the kill... We were sliding sideways car pointed to the left with the trailer straight behind and it hits the concrete 4X4 pillar with the right side rear tire and the right side of the race car. The race car stopped there,, we spun around and backed into the shoulder just past the overpass,,trailer backed into the shoulder to my left along side the car. There was 4 of us in the car and nobody hurt.. This proves that the Lord watches over us hotrodders. Everything was towed to a wrecking yard,, we pulled the engine and trans, pumpkin and left axle,, rented a Uhaul truck and headed back to Texas. Charlie didn't break my neck or kick my shins, and we lated put all the parts into a 67 Mustang. The engine was a 427 Tunnel Port, 4 speed trans. Left the body, killer trailer at the wrecking yard to pay the tow bill.

 

I love this thread. I was barely old enough to remember Green Valley, but it was my Dad's home track until he got out of racing in '73 or '74. I was about 6 at the time. I remember sitting in the old building, I think it had been the press box or something, and a pink dragster exploded and pieces were flying everywhere. My dad came bounding up the bleachers looking for me and my little brother. We we admiring a large piece of something that had come off the car. Later in life I always figured it was a piece of the scoop leftover after a blower let go. I just remember having so much fun out there, cruising the pits and watching everyone work on their cars. We had stacks of pictures from the racers, lots of them signed. I'd love to have them now, I have no clue what happened to them.

The certificate is my dad's world speed record set at Green Valley, and the second is his car around that time. I think it's taken at Green Valley, not sure. I didn't get all his stuff from my stepmom and brothers when he died in 1999.

 

Partsrivet,

Thanks for your comments on my telling stories but thank you most for all the great pictures you have posted.
Do us all a favor and keep'm coming not matter the content.

1940 Willys Coupe

 

For you Willy's, more from Green Valley