Jive-Bomber submitted a new blog post: Texas Drag Racing in the late 50s and Early 60s Continue reading the Original Blog Post
Any ideas as what dragstrip that was? Looks like a lot of the advertisers I can make out are West Texas. I couldn't pick up any details on the Roundy-Round track, but that also looks very flat like around here.
I’m pretty sure that the Willys Coupe at the 5:10 mark is Rowdy Willy. It was owned by Jim and Inez Butler from Morton, Texas and was a NHRA Nationals class champion.
My sleuthing leads me to believe it’s not Texas at all but what was then Walker Air Force Base in Roswell, New Mexico. My first clue was the trailer marked with Walker AFB Youth Program: In one sequence can be seen what appear to be tall aircraft tails. Beginning in 1957 both B-52’s and KC-135’s were stationed at Walker and in this image the smoke from the engines of a departing aircraft can be seen: All of the license plates which can be seen are 1958, 1959, and 1960 New Mexico plates: Bonus points to anyone who can identify the club plaque on two of the cars. I tried the O’Brien Trucking site with no luck. Finally, I think the racing was taking place from southwest to northeast on what would have been one of the original runways when the field was built during WWII: EDIT - Just found on the website, dragstriplist.com that Walker was used beginning in 1957: Walker AFB closed in 1967 and the airport is today the Roswell Air Center and is largely used for the storage and disposal of commercial aircraft. I flew one of my airlines retiring MD-80’s there in 2017.
Man, I spent an hour on O'Briens site and I couldn't find the plaques. The two are different, and each has three emblems across the middle, which makes them distinct. I suspect a small club or possibly generic plaques from a catalog? Thanks for helping determine location, I concur with your findings! ~Peter
This Willys was sold by Jim and Inez to the Charioteer car club from Hobbs, New Mexico and I can’t say who owned it at this time. The rear window is the key to identifying the car. This one has a non stock rear window and is the only one that I have ever seen pictures of with that style of rear window.
The purple Willys is James and Inez Butler(Rowdy Willy-estimated circa 1959 to 1965) from Morton, Tx that car was then pained white and then sold to the Charioteers CC in Hobbs NM, The club ran this car in red with the club designation and info on the doors. James had strong ties to Howard Johansen of Howard's Cams. Howard and James collaborated on a roots supercharged Lincoln 430 that as James liked to tell folks "that engine broke Howard's first dyno". The flag starter image is courtesy of Hot Rod magazine. Please take note of the rear glass modification for Jame's visibility, James eventually had to retire from racing altogether because of his vision loss.
The Jalopy Journal
