Anybody Remember "The Old 67 Speedway" Garland Tx

A friend of mines Dad owned a dirt track back around 63 or 64 that was called The Old 67 Speedway". It was located around Zion Rd and Hwy 67 on the outskirts of Garland, Tx right outside Dallas. Anyone got any pictures or memories? Thanks

 

I know where Zion and I-30 is in Garland. I guess Im not familiar with zion and Hwy 67

 

Highway 67 runs north from Mansfield into Cedar Hill and Duncanville. When it gets into the south Dallas area it merges with I-35E. Then it follows I-30 east. So Zion Rd and 67 is the same aas Zion Rd and 30. I 30 hasn't been there for very long. Probably only 25 years or so.

Looking at the current aerial photographs. (Thats what I do for a living) For the most part the whole area is developed now. I cant see anything that looks like a dirt track.

 

I live in that area. It all developed out that way

 

Its not all developed but for the most part it is. Does anyone know the name of the guy who owned the property? I have access to the county propety records. We could find out exactly where is was.

 

Apparently my buddies memory was slightly off (he was around 7 at the time). He called his Mother and it was located at what is now Zion and 30. It was on the Norwest corner of that intersection and they think it is still undeveloped. Hope this helps.

 

I know there is some subdivisons over there and a High School.
Im to young to have ever seen the track. Would be kinda cool to find some info on it. I use to work for the City there. Ill ask some of the old guys I know

 

I just talked to Ca Wilder he used to own the Crandall Speedway. He said that was the original Devils Bowl, He has some pics of it he said I could scan

Rusty

 

Rusty, didnt your Dad tell me Devils Bowl was in a part of Dallas at one time also?

 

His Dad's name is Ray Stafford and he always had an unlit cigar in his mouth. Doesn't know if his Dad actually owned the real estate or leased the grounds. Says he remembers one of his Dad's friends named JT Shacklet (sp) that had something to do with another track.

 

Sorry Chandler, I edited the location. They think it was located at Zion/67 (now 30) and not at Bobtown/Roan/67. My buddy doesn't think his Dad's track was ever the original Devils Bowl. His Dad actually built the track I'm referring to. Update on the name - they are pretty sure it was "US67 Speedway"

 

I believe Shacklet owned Devil's Bowl, so yeah. Stafford would have been involved with another track.

 

The northwest corner is still indeveloped. And that tract of land is big enough for a track. I'll dig through the county records and see if I can find anything on that property.



I can zoom in closer. Close enough to read the licence plates of the cars going by. But I can't do a print screen on those images. It is actually kind of scarry what I can see from my desk here at work. I'd love to have more info on this site.

 

That very large chunk of land is 4800 Zion Rd and is owned by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas, Bishop Charles Grahmann.

 

Was this a circle track or an oval track?

 

My friend Jim Stafford remembers it being an oval track and being scared when riding with his Dad in the water truck on the high banked turns.

 

This picture might not be what i think it is but there is an oval shape in the field. Could this be where the old track was?? I'm not sure if it is big enought to be a track but it looks like one to me. Or at least the footprint of something oval there at one time.

 

I called Jim and had him look at the images you've posted. Thanks for the help. He thinks that you are dead on it. Waterhouse, Stirling and those other streets weren't there back in the 60's. He says the public would come in off of the 67 access road and there was a separate entrance off Zion for the drivers to the pits. He's coming in to town this weekend and is going to go through his Mother's garage. He thinks there is a file cabinet left over from the track. Jim worked for me as a driver/counterman at my auto parts store back in the 70's.

 

man that shot is awesome pete. That has got to be it, I want to go walk it on the way home, Bound to be a old 32 winder buried out there still
RUsty

 

Updated info - Jim called his older brother who added this info. The track operated from about 1960 to 1964. Yes, his Dad leased the land from the Catholic's and had a partner named G.W. Wallace for a while. The track announcer was someone named Putman or Putnam. One of the favorite drivers was J.R. Gilreath AKA Jackrabbit. Any pictures anyone?

 

Unless there was a 3rd location besides off Bucker Blvd and the current one off Lawson, this wouldn't have been Devil's Bowl.

Here's a ad from the Women in Racing thread that describes the old location of Devil's Bowl. Someone told me it was about where Scyene crosses Buckner.

 

I have passed by there many times, never thought any thing was there, looks like a metal detector is needed.

 

What are the intersections of these other tracks? I'd like to look at the aerial photos. See if there is anything interesting.

 

This track on Zion was never a previous "Devils Bowl".


The track on Buckner was closer to Peavy and Buckner. Went there once or twice in the 60's. The area is completely developed and nothing would show in an aerial view.

 

I'm going to go out there this afternoon about 4pm. I'll take some picture of what I find and post them tonight.

 

That sure looks like the remnants of an old track...very cool.

 

I know there is a new school over in that area. Wonder if they found anything during counstruction.

And Rusty, I would not go to far down Zion. John Paul Jones Park is down there. I worked for the city long enough to see the men prowling

 

As promised I went over to the location that we believe is the site of The Old 97 Speedway.

As shown earlier in the aerial photograph we believed it was in the N/W corner of Zion Rd and HWY 67 (I-30)

Well we were right. See below…

In these 2 photos that I posted earlier, you can see what look to be on oval shape on the woods.





As you can see there is a definite oval shape in the woods. Here is what the property looks like from the street.



As I moved in further to investigate I had to wade through tall, thick grass. As I came into the center of the property I noticed a certain familiar shape. It was what I was looking for. It was a large mound in the dirt about 50 yards wide and in the shape of a half circle. I think I found what we will call turns 3 and 4.

These pictures shows the overgrown remains of turns 3 and 4.

It is hard to tell from the pictures but the mounds or turns are about 4-5 feet higher than the rest of the property.






From what I could tell the infield of the track was raised. There was a definite low spot on the track surface its self and that worked up the sides of the 2 turns. You can see from this picture the high of the infield on the right, the low spot in the center and the mounds or turns are on the left just out of the picture.



As I walked around the “turns” I found what seem to be old fence posts. I believe these could be the post that held the walls around the turns of the track. They were spaced pretty evenly around the top of the mounds.

These pictures show the wall posts. (sorry for the blurry pics.)















This piece of fencing was near the wop of one of the turns. Possibly some of the safety fence?




As I was walking out I ran across a long board with 2 hinges on it pretty close to what seems to be a good entrance point of the speed way. Could this be what is left of the main gate or the pit area gate?





I doubt this is from the ime of the track but I also found thos old gas can. Pretty cool.



Well those are my findings. I think it was a pretty sucessfull field trip and I am happy with what I found. Enjoy!

 

Wow!!!

 

Yeah I was in shock. Way cool