Famous Texas Tracks, Cars, Stories and SpeedShops

Lol awesome story man.

 

http://web.mac.com/chuckrichardson2/iWeb/Site/Jet%20Car%20Movie.html

The jet car crash

http://web.mac.com/chuckrichardson2/iWeb/Site/The Jet Car Crash.html

The Story

 

I raced a 67 BB Fairlane their back in the late '70 early '80's coming out from Weatherford almost every weekend. I Only live about 4 miles from there down in N. Ftw Keller area now. Pass by there everyday going to and home from work. There is still about a 40 yard segment of the track left. This is the section about 3/4 down the track just passed the creek before it started the incline up the hill for shut down. Up until 3 years ago when they started widening N Tarrant Parkway the entrance area was still visible. You pull in there and a couple of young gals where always there to take you money. Were you watching or racing that day. $20 bucks and you were in the race for the day. But it's all under homes now. Up on Green Valley Lane you use to be able to see the old fence line that was the very end of the no mans land at tracks end. This was at the top of the hill.
When they straightened out the old section of Smithfield road there was two real sharp 90' turns the traffic had to make to negotiate the property lines. It was real slow going when the big teams started to use 18 wheelers having to negotiate those two bends. Saw a lot of them hanging up on some of the low lying branches.
I miss those days. The Valley was a real home style track. Full of good people, good cars and great fun!

 

You never knew who would pull up next to you in the pits or the "Field" as it was called. I have been parked next to Raymond Beadle, Gene Snow, Bill Golden. You name it. As I said it was a friendly place.
Does anyone remember these cars?
- Ragin' Cajun'
- Two Quarts a Day
- Warf Rat
- Painted Pony
- Rambuncious
- Artful Dodger

 

You never knew who would pull up next to you in the pits or the "Field" as it was called. I have been parked next to Raymond Beadle, Gene Snow, Bill Golden. You name it. As I said it was a friendly place.
Does anyone remember these cars?
- Ragin' Cajun'
- Two Quarts a Day
- Warf Rat
- Painted Pony
- Rambuncious
- Artful Dodger

 

Heres today's.

 

Extra bit for tonight.

 

Tonight's.

 

How about EASTEX DRAGSTRIP IN PORTER TX... ?

 

http://youtu.be/r4V7GUp2Dr0

sorry but its one of the few old clips of it that ive found.

 

Sweet vid man, Im just posting the pics Ive got, if I come across any from there I will certainly post them.

 

This is exactly the way I recall drag racing, and I'm from Tennessee !
Side betting under the tower, the flag man, and dust flying off the rear wheels when they left.
Anybody and everybody could participate even if you were walking and didn't even own a car.

D... I miss drag racing.
Tom S. in Tn.

 

Somebody can correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't GV an AHRA track?
This I can say with certainty, and kind of reinforce what Ardun says by stating that if AHRA hadn't had such a presence in Div IV, then the NHRA record book and a lot of left coast drag racing history would be different today.
Around here in Div II and the southeast we had a explosion of gassers claiming to be stockers turned into match racing altereds, or what became funny cars (aided by a time from spin off of NASCAR drivers and such); but some of the classic fuelers and traditional altereds from out of Texas were as 'state of the art' and gorgeous as they came, and not mail ordered from somewhere, but came entirely from Texas shops.
I've never raced in Texas, but I've seen the cars and even bought a few parts from folk out there in days past. Nothing second rate at all, but if not for guys like the Chevelle here, this history like my memory would be fading away into the abyss.
And I might add, some marvelous story lines here Willys Coupe ! Kind of like Confederate history; great to have an actual recount for the public to see & learn 'the rest of the story', as the late Paul Harvey might say.
Tom S. in Tn.

 

Just a side note. Bill Heilscher didn't close Green Valley voluntarily and I heard he said there would never be subdivisions on the land while he was alive. I don't think there were.
Larry T

Nuther Green Valley link.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=71752&highlight=green+valley

 

Yes it was.
Know it was NHRA the first time I went in 80 or 81.

 

GV was always AHRA . When Bill closed it ,he offered any equipment the local school system could use. Keller schools took most of the bleachers and North Richland Hills high schools took the sound system and other misc. stuff. Bill said I could have the sign at the road if I would take it down.( I still have it,I win a lot of bets with the sign, it was Green Valley Race City) After the track was closed , it was used as a test place for toll tags that we use today.

 

Ever willing to get rid of that green Valley race city sign to a fellow Texan who lives on Green Valley lemme know Mr.32

 

Buddy of mine, Tony Wood,won Stock there in 1984.

 

awesome shot

 

That use to be way out in the country (60's I'm guessing, but it was still pretty crude and just seeing the early signs of civilization in the early 90's). Most of the roads in that area made it only about as far as the track, then either dead ended or headed for ??, in the early days you must have really had to know your way around to find it.

 

The way we came into the track was turn south off 114 (at a 7-11 type store) on the road that ended up as Davis Ave. (I think). Turned right onto the road that the track deadended into. Made another right, then a left and another right. You ended up kind of on the back side of the track entrance.
Kinda fuzzy, but it was a while ago.
Larry T

 

August Hartkopf..........how totally Texas............salt of the earth people.

 

Glad all of you are enjoying these and really glad to see so many Texans on HAMB!

 

some Tx. stuff

 

I remember the first time I took my late wife to the Valley, in the mid-60's. I had to warn her about all the "land mines" in the parking area from the cows. I'm sure she was wondering just what she had gotten herself into, dating a gearhead.
She was still onboard with all the race cars,motorcycles, and B.S. when she passed away. What a saint. Lots of good memories from the Valley. Thanks

 

The Garlits, modified roadster (Speed Sport Special??), and a couple of other shots in post 143 look like they might have been taken at Pleasant Valley (later Wichita Raceway) in Wichita Falls. It operating in the same location right now. Garlits ran there on his first tour to California.
Larry T

 

Like I said before sorry for reposts I lost my place several times, so not trying to add already posted pics.

 

Years ago, Pete(Rallisracing)'s dad told me a story about going to Green Valley for a big meet and the track was flooded. He said they were sitting there and a pickup with "Here comes trouble" painted on the grill, pulling a dragster, pulled up. He said Garlits got out, looked at the track, collected his appearance money (Seems like $1000.00, but that was a lot for back then so maybe not) and drove off. Pretty easy money that day.
Larry T

 

Love the story of Garlits Larry!

 

lots of terrific photos here...thanks for posting them...fabulous