#11 has been posted. First few seconds of video is around 1962 with Widdle White Wabbit running down the track at Green Valley Raceway. It then goes into Green Valley Raceway from what I believe to be 1966 / 1967. There is a wild looking dual engine FED about 50 seconds in, Widdle White Wabbit, Vance Hunt's black FED, Mayhew & Dyer and a few cars out of Houston. Next few videos will be from this time period at Green Valley.
hey chevy rat...thanks for sharing. the wabbit was at t.d.o.d. this year. you have some of the very first pics. of drag racing! you must be very proud of your elders, iam just as proud of you. my fello texan, your new friend in waxahachie tx. call me pop...or the old FART! HA!
Seriously get this footage burned onto DVDs and sell copies!I'll take 2 I know one will get wore out!
i love stuff like this thanks so much for putting this in digital format i'd buy a dvd to if you make some and i know quite a few people from the uk would aswell thanks again!
Hey Pop, I was lucky enough to spend a lot of time around my grandfather and his friends growing up. I have fond memories of sitting in their race cars when I was a kid. They were truely the grass roots of this sport. Only one of the original group is still alive today and I make it a point to visit with him as much as possible. I can sit there for hours listening to his stories about when they got started racing. I was at the DOTD with my truck this year. We'll be heading to the Texas THAW up in Denton next. Got some good video coming up next from the Green Valley Raceway AHRA World Championship Drags (66/67). Enjoy
#12 has been posted. GREEN VALLEY RACEWAY AHRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP DRAGS!!!!!! Not exactly sure what year, but either 1966 or 1967 I believe. Roy Thigpen in "The Jumpin Jimmy", The Burgandy Bandit, Ayers & Stroud, Byrds Automotive out of Ft. Worth and Art Malone wrecks his FED. If any has any information to help me narrow down what year this is, please let me know. I would also like to identify more of the drivers and their cars in all of the videos.
TEXAS TIMING ASSOCIATION The Texas State Championships will be held Sunday, November 1st, at Northstar Dragway on I-35 in Denton, TX. It is the revival of a famous event first held at Caddo Mills Dragstrip more than 50 years ago. It will be an all-inclusive major drag race embracing every traditional style of drag race car: dozens of street-driven pre-'64 Traditional Hot Rods, plus all the Gassers, Super Stockers, Altereds, Fuel Funny Cars, Junior Fuel Dragsters, and Top Fuel Dragsters it takes to make this the don't-miss-it final national event of the season.
Finally had a quiet hour before dawn this morning when I could sit back and look at this rare footage. Awesome! I was there at many of those Green Valley races, and even ran in a lot of 'em. Saw a lot of hot cars I remember and cool people I knew. Thanks for all this. Let's keep this spirit alive. Some of the people and cars in this video will be running at the Texas State Championship race at Northstar Dragway in Denton this Sunday. Gates at 9 AM, time trials at 10, cacklefest and presentation of a Lifetime Achievement Award to Bobby Langley at noon, followed by eliminations. More details at http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=405871 , or on www.texastiming.com.
I've had so many request for these vidoes on DVD, I guess I'm going to have to give in to the pressure. I'll start getting them into a DVD format.
Judging by the number of weedsprayer headers and the version of the Burgandy Bandit, arguably one of the most beautiful race cars ever built, I'd wildly guess 1966 rather than '67. I think in '67 Daubler and Tidwell built a AA/F Chrysler powered Bandit and promptly sold it. The new owner wrapped it around a light pole on his first pass, a sight I was unfortunate enough to witness. However, I could easily be off a year.
Pardon my dumb question, but does Wichita mean Wichita, KS or Wichita Falls, TX? I know how you Texans (I'm one, just displaced) often refer to Wichita Falls as just Wichita. Unfortunately, they are both flat and windy, and I'm sure the "open spaces" have changed drastically in 50+ years. There were drag races held at McConnell Air Force Base Wichita, KS during that time period.
Pardon my dumb question, but does Wichita mean Wichita, KS or Wichita Falls, TX? I know how you Texans (I'm one, just displaced) often refer to Wichita Falls as just Wichita. Unfortunately, they are both flat and windy, and I'm sure the "open spaces" have changed drastically in 50+ years. There were drag races held at McConnell Air Force Base Wichita, KS during that time period.
First sentence of this thread: "Have few video's from my grandfather and his friends drag racing around Texas."
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