I was lucky enough to acquire these photos about 15 years ago but only today decided to scan and post these photos. They were taken at NHRA drag races in Great Bend, Kansas in 1955 and 1956. I would love to get all of these cars to the Viva Las Vegas Car Show. If anyone reading this now owns one the cars in the photos I will happily email you a high quality scan of the photo.
Wow, hopefully you know that those pics are priceless and need to be taken care of. Years ago I bought a trophy from a fellow who bought it from the person that won the C/SP class at the '55 Nationals. I was hoping to maybe see the winning Porsche in your pics. Thanks for posting these and they made my day.
Well I'll be darned. It is a small world, isn't it. I recently sold that trophy to a good friend and it's in good hands and he'll keep it. I only sold it because of our pending move to God's Waiting Room (Florida)
Thanks for posting them, this early drag racing history is very hard to come by now. I was hoping to see this Willys Coupe, that supposedly ran there.
This car won its class in '55 for 4 banger.... The guy that owned this car still lives in Salina, KS but no longer owns this 5 window '32. X stood for 4 cylinder. Gary Wooster owned this car in '55.
GREAT PHOTOS and thanks for posting them. I was lucky enough to be at this event in 55. Have great memories of it but no photos. I remember 12 of us stayed in a motel with one double bed as it was the only way we could afford the room was to all pitch in for it as it cost 16.50 per night. I got to sleep in the bath tub. Those were the good old days....
Those are fantastic pictures, I Love our vintage Hot Rod history. Thank You for letting us see your collection.
In picture # 4 and #8, the white 3w with heavy chop was owned by Bill Sidles. Bill ran a speed shop; "Bills Speed Shop", for MANY years in salina, ks and still lives in the remote area. I plan to show him these photo's today. He ran a 6 cly GMC 292 then.
Another tidbit about the Wooster 5w posted earlier, in this vintage video at the 7:15 marker there are two girls smoking and Gary Wooster's red 5w is in the background from the '55 race. Don't mean to hijack this thread, but it pertains to the '55 races in Great Bend.
Wow, cool Kansas Hot Rod History, met Bill, " Bill's Speed Shop" in Salina, today. What a great guy. Sent from my SM-G955U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Bill is one of the few left of that generation. I can remember going to Bills shop when he was on crawford st. across from what now is the Sinclair station. That was mid 70's, I still have the M/T valve covers I remember dad buying there.
What a Throwback to having a good time in Hotrod/Custom was @Tom Ingram thanks for sharing this priceless set of pics. They paint a beautiful glimpse of Part of The Big Picture... Old Hotrod/Custom pics capture the Soul that we reflect upon here... What a great thread and I will share and link them back to here...I hope you have found more...
The Jalopy Journal
