Meyer Speedway

[RETrott]

Worth mentioning is the #24 Bronco Stock Car from about '65 thru '68. A '55/'56 Ford, silver in color, and fast all the way around the track. Quite possibly, due to crashes and wear, more than one body/frame was used, as well as engine/drive train parts, but for the most part, the same/similiar combination. A Noel Shirey owned/built car, it was driven mostly by Elton Porter, Mike Cronin, and Bob Brewer. And, I believe, was the very last ('68) Meyer Spdwy/Houston Championship winning car in that class of Bronco Stock Cars, driven that year by Bob Brewer. The car just seemed to have been as close to perfect as possible, under the rules, regarding the power/torque, gear ratio, suspension, and tires. Yes, there were other fast car and driver combinations, and some just as fast on a given day, but the winner always had to contend with the '55/'56 Ford Bronco Stock Car #24 at Meyer Spdwy/Houston in that period.

[RETrott]

MFBarnes,

This clip appears to be, at least to me, to be early '65 or '66 and filmed on the day of the Meyer Spdwy/Houston ARCA Late Model Stock Car race. Most likely, some of the Houston Modified Cars and Bronco Stock Cars were allowed/invited to have some practice/exhibition laps. I recall the ARCA, or possibly IMCA events being in March each year just prior to the weekly season opening races. The reason for the IMCA mention, I am not sure, but I thought some events were ARCA and some were IMCA. But, I may be confusing the Houston spring races with the Shreveport fall shows. I do not recall being at the track on the day of the film, and may have been working. After arrival of NASCAR beginning in '69, the annual ARCA events discontinued. As for the Modifieds, the red car without a visible number, appears identical to the former M J Burton #5 Car built new in '62, although a twin was built with the same plans a few years later, and raced as the #76 Car. The red #40 Car, appears to be the Burton Team/Pop Minor built car that was new in '63, and raced that year as # 2 and on occasion, #5. I'm guessing some here, but if I'm correct about the #40 Car, it emerges later as a blue #22 Car.

[mfbarnes]

Larry,

 

If you watch the close up on the Red Mod Stock with no number, it looks like MJ behind the wheel, or atleast it's someone that sets in the seat and has the same lean as MJ. It's hard to tell. There are some film clips that appear to be the same day that almost appear to be a test and tune, just making some laps. Just wish we had the original film and not a bunch of pieces. But I think the ARCA is definately '66, that the year Iggy ran that Plymouth, he ran a Ford in '65. He switched over to Plymouth at Clark County Speedway in May of '65, that was after the Meyers race that year.

[RETrott]

Jim,

Were you at the races in '63 when Pop Minor in the brand new Modified #2 that was almost a twin to MJ Burton's #5, spun in the heat race and ended up with the front bumper facing the guardrail at the turn 3 and turn 4 junction, and was T-boned in the right side by a Modified that had been a half lap behind? I had the good fortune to see that car in various building stages, only to see it severely damaged in it's very first race. The car was rebuilt, but I don't know if the frame was straightened or replaced. After repairs, it was raced some in '63 as a #5 Car backup, and was the same car that MJ was in when he got upside down on top of Charlie Schild, who was in a Cates owned #1 Car, in turn 3.

Edited July 21, 2008 by RETrott

[jakdad]

Larry, I never did know if Pop Minor was a real person or not. MJ used to run under that name and I believe he also used the name of Tim Cates. I didn't know what that was all about and wasn't about to ask...................................

I do remember the 5 and 2 car. I think Don drove the 2 but after they got wrecked and went back to the shop, I never knew which was which. Incidently, those were both beautiful, well built cars. I still have a mental image of them as new cars.

Edited April 29, 2009 by Midget 85

[RETrott]

Thomas "Pop" Minor was a real person. He did a lot of the body re-manufacturing on those two '38 Chevy Coupe bodies for those Modifieds. After selling his interest in the #2 Modified at the end of the '63 racing season, he left the Modifieds and purchased the blue #92 Chevy Bronco Stock Car, and raced it in '64. He is pictured in another section on this site with an open shirt, standing with Curley Tennison. He moved back to Alabama at some point, and I last saw him in Birmingham in '74. Pop and his wife Frankie were nice folks to be around. As for Don racing the '63 era Modified #2, I don't recall that at all. He raced the #92 Bronco in '63, and I believe the #2 and the #5 Modifieds were sold after that year.

Edited March 28, 2008 by RETrott

[jakdad]

Yes, I did see that Photo of him with Curley. Didn't realize that's who it was. Never met those folks but wish I had.

[Midget 85]

I agree.

 

Hard to be 1963... when 64 and 65 Fords are on the track in these shots..

 

Might even be 1966?

 

Thanks for putting these up with the links. Great stuff.

[RETrott]

Turn Left turn left.....not that left....

Appears to be early '70, possibly driven by Johnny Mac Pierce, or George Mitchell. The '57 Chevy #47 is/was a NASCAR Late Model Sportsman Stock Car, that was driven the last half of the '69 season at Meyer Spdwy/Houston by Tracy Trotter. Owned, I believe, by a George Mitchell, and built/wrenched by Mel Newkirk. After overcoming some handling woes, the car/driver was very competitive at the end of the season, and in the last feature of '69 was moving up through the field on pace with Freddy Fryar when the crankshaft broke. The owner didn't agree with the mechanic's choice of driver, and Johnny Mac Pierce was chosen as driver for the '70 season. I really don't recall that car/driver combination's competitive ability, and shortly into the '70 season, I recall seeing the car setting head-on into the Meyer Spdwy guardrail in turn one/turn two with substantial front-end damage. I have no memory of this car being repaired, or if it was repairable after that, and no memory of Mel Newkirk doing any more building/wrenching either.

Edited December 2, 2010 by RETrott

[RETrott]

Do we have any photos of the Bronco's?

 

#85

 

 

Do we have any Broncos? You bet we do.

 

The #2 Bronco Stock Car in late '66, most likely driven in this picture by Butch McQueen. Due to a two year driving experience restriction for the Bronco Stock Class at Meyer Spdwy/Houston, this #2 Car was raced/driven that year at CC Spdwy/Corpus Christi, Pan Am Spdwy/San Antonio, and Cleveland Spdwy/Cleveland (dirt) by Tracy Trotter. Competitive at CC and Cleveland, qualified 31st out of 32 cars for the 200 Lap July 4th Pan Am event, against their Super Stocks, as I believe they were called. Had tire problems, a minor crash, and was not competitive at Pan Am.

This #2 Bronco Stock Car began as a '57 Chevrolet Late Model Stock Car #4 for '66, driven by Tracy Trotter. After only running a couple of events with a low car count, and additionally having two cars severely damaged in a warmup/practice session crash, the Late Model events were discontinued. The 283 engine was replaced with a 265, the front-end was replaced by a '56, the '57 fins were trimmed, and the car was renumbered #2. Along with Butch McQueen, as a Bronco Stock Car at Meyer Spdwy/Houston, the car was also driven by Coy Bullard, and at least once by Mike Cronin. The car was owned and built/wreched by Mel Newkirk.

Edited April 29, 2009 by Midget 85

[Trotter1t]

I believe this is the 4 car you speak of. Note the Davidson Electric truck parked in the background.

 

I believe the 9 car is Larry Trotter.

 

 

 

[Trotter1t]

Larry, I believe the car in the back ground in this picture was also at one time the 2 and 4 car.

[RETrott]

Definitely the same car, pictured in/near turns one and two at Cleveland TX Spdwy, late season '66. Possibly had to be renumbered, but looking at the rear quarter panel, I can see the '57 fins had been trimmed to almost look like '56.

Edited July 2, 2008 by Midget 85

[RETrott]

I believe this is the 4 car you speak of. Note the Davidson Electric truck parked in the background.

 

I believe the 9 car is Larry Trotter.

 

Meyer Spdwy/Houston, Bronco Stock Car, late season '66.

Meyer Spdwy/Houston, Late Model Stock Car, early '66, driver Tracy Trotter with hat, and owned/wrenched by Mel Newkirk, seen standing by LF fender and speaking to, I believe, Norman Cawthorn.

Meyer Spdwy/Houston, Bronco Stock Cars, late '64, Car #8, Tony Barcelona, Car #?, (42?) white car, John Haver, and being pushed into line is the #35 Studebaker, Tracy Trotter.

[tm000229]

I have several old photos from meyer speedway. i have e-mailed a couple of members. Pop Minor was my dad. I stumbled onto this site and was amazed with the videos from meyer. It meant alot to see and recongnize some of the pics and videos of my Dad. Thanks to you all who posted them. Bye the way the open shirt picture was the bikinni beach race. I hve lots of photos and news articles. Ill try to see if I can get some help and post them if anyone else is interested. Thanks again, Tim minor

[mfbarnes]

Welcome Tim, all photos videos whatever are very welcome. I got you email this moring just hadn't got around to answering it yet. Been busy in the shop building motors story of my life. If you need anything feel free to ask.

[Trotter1t]

This might have been a sore subject! Front fenders still primed from previous wreck.

 

 

[RETrott]

NASCAR Late Model Sportsman, '71. Owned/built by Charlie Schild, pictured on the right, and driven by Larry Schild. Pictured in the Bingle Road driveway, results of qualifing race crash at Meyer Spdwy/Houston for the annual 200 Lap LMS National Championship points race. Exiting turn four, L J Honeycutt, Freddy Fryar, and Larry Schild got together and crashed into the inside/pit road guardrail. Results are apparent on the A J Foyt Chevrolet sponsored Schild #7 Car. As I recall, a crewmember on the #7 Car, engine mechanic George Billetdeaux (sp?), aka Billydoo, was on pit road just behind the guardrail near the soon to be crash area. He turned to attempt to run, and was struck in the uh, behind by the #7 left front coil spring that had flown over the guardrail. He had a painful, but not too serious, injury. An accident, I don't know if anyone was to blame. Lettering on the #7 car was done by the late Billy Fitchner, an old elementary school friend of mine from the 50s.

Edited April 2, 2008 by RETrott

[jakdad]

That 7 car sitting in Charles Ray's driveway sure looks like a Banjo Mathews car. Maybe not but the front clip looks like Banjo's "patented" front clip.

[RETrott]

Actually Jim, I don't think so. From what I recall, a '68 Chevelle was already in building status, and it was finished a few weeks after this picture. It became the #2 Car for '72, with I believe, a Smokey Yunich built motor. A new #7 Car, '65 Chevelle, was built for '72, driven by Jerry Schild and owned/sponsored by Rush Johnson. To my knowledge, both cars had a stock front clip. However in '73, Larry Schild drove the A J Foyt Chevrolet owned/sponsored #50 Car, '68 Chevelle, that was built by Banjo Mathews and had the popular Stock Car front clip used in NASCAR in those days. As for rear suspension, the #50 Car, and the new in '72 #7 Car, as I remember, had the truck arm/coil springs. But, the pictured #7 Car from '71 that was new in '70, and the #2 Car built in '71 and raced that year as #7, but became the #2 Car for '72, had leaf springs. Another note, the Schild built '68 Chevelle #2 Car, being raced as a #7 Car back-up in '74, was involved in a crash and suffered front clip damage. The front clip was replaced, using a Chevelle/stock clip, and the car was available for sale without engine in '75/'76. That same car was racing at least as late as '85 at Battleground Spdwy/Highlands, 3/8 mile dirt track. At that time, it was the #16 Car owned by Tim Cates, and driven by Ron Brashears. And, I believe the Schild built in '72, '65 Chevelle #7 Car, Rush Johnson owned and driven by Jerry Schild in '72-'75, was racing at Battleground in the '80s as well, but I don't know who the owner or driver was. Those same cars, besides racing weekly at Meyer Spdwy/Houston in the early '70s, also competed at other spdwys in those days as well.

[Trotter1t]

You mean to tell me that the 16 car with the loose nut behind the steering wheel at Battleground in '85 was 13 years old at time! I will have to ask James Cates when I see him next.

[RETrott]

That's the way I remember it. Actually, behind the firewall, it was 14 yrs old, originally built in '71. I was told, understood, and convinced that it was the former Schild car. James should remember the night his driver(?) took your Dad out leading the feature. If not, I've still got it on tape.

[Trotter1t]

Larry, I've lost that tape. If you get a chance can you make me a copy?

[Midget 85]

The car pictured (Schild) was that possibly the car that Jerry Schild drove that was once maroon with #7 painted on it?

 

I can only recall Larry driving the orange #2 Chevelle built by Charlie and Jerry driving the #7 before Larry moved up to the AJ Foyt #50 Chevelle built by Banjo.

 

I am sure you guys remember more than I on that subject.

 

I remember Charlie telling us once that Jerry didn't become interested in driving until later in life after Larry had been driving for awhile at Meyer Speedway.

 

I may be off on the year that Jerry Schild started driving but, I thought is was around 1971.

 

Maybe someone can help me out here and correct me..

[RETrott]

I should be able to, just don't let me forget.