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Playland Park


wayne

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  • 2 weeks later...
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AJ FOYT and GEORGE NASH / PLAYLAND PARK

 

In this photo are two young drivers at Playland in the mid to late 50's.

 

It appears that AJ Foyt is presenting a trophy to George Nash at Playland.

 

Perhaps a seasonal awards ceremony or other special event.

 

All that is left of Playland Park is the memories that once was.. and the drivers that carved their name into Houston racing books.

 

Playland Action!

 

We are not sure of the photo below as being Don Burton or MJ Burton with a different view of the race track.

 

We are pretty certain however that it is one of the Burton Brothers in #5

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  • 2 weeks later...

Playland Park Memories

 

We need more photos of Playland Park posted to this thread.

 

Mason contributes this one and so we add to this thread on Playland Park memories.

 

 

 

B)

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The trophy presentation photo may have been from 1958 or 1959. I think that's about the time that George won the championship. George won the championship without winning a feature race that season. But boy was he ever there for second through fifth all season. One hell of a driver and race car builder.

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post-8338-1223193503_thumb.jpg

 

 

Where did all the old coupes go?

 

Playland Park days were plentiful with old coupes in the days it existed. Of course this was the late 40's and through the 50's.

 

1937, 38, 39, 40 Ford and Chevy Coupes and sedans were used in plenty of stock car action as seen above.

 

Appears that this photo was taken around 1955-57

 

Thrills, Spills and Chills the programs always promoted..

 

Modifieds were mainly Model A Coupes ( 28-31 Fords ) and 32 Fords as seen with Billy Wade in the #53 in this thread.

 

Occasionally 33-34 Fords were used as well.

 

Playland Park was truly one of the original "Bull Rings" of racing history. Many old jalopy's lost their identity and were bound for the crushers after a brief time of 1/4 mile short track racing..

 

We have included this photo on this thread to keep all of the history in one topic for easy research.

 

Thanks for the photo Jim.

 

:)

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  • 2 months later...

Does anyone remember..The Egg Coupe?

 

During the Playland Park days, there was an an old stock car coupe probably a ( 37 or 38 Ford ) that had "Eggs" painted all over it?

 

I believe it was Dark Blue with White eggs. Maybe sponsored by the famous Egg Trucks that was in the day.

 

I just happened to remember that car and was once told the late Billy Wade drove it at one time in his stock car days before moving on to the 32 Ford Coupe #53.

 

Does this ring a bell with anyone??

 

-Randy

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  • 3 weeks later...

OK..maybe not..

 

How about those old Pick Up Truck races at Playland Park.

 

One Sunday afternoon after the races, we were heading back to the Burton's house when we saw one of the drivers on the side of the road on South Main. Ironically, some of the participants drove their vehicles or towed them to Playland Park to race.

 

It happened to be be Clyde Lowe (spelling) and he was under the hood of an old Ford PU trying to get it running again.

 

Dodie Burton had stopped the car to see if he needed any help and Clyde simply replied " Yeah,..... just needs a paint job" he said.. :)

 

The carburetor was only flooding and perhaps bigger jets were the cause..

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Come to think of it Jim,

 

It might have been an old Hudson PU he was driving that day. I can remember it being painted white and him wearing white coveralls with a red rag hanging out of his back pocket.

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Hudson Pickup 1946

 

Yeah Jim,

 

I think he drove one like this one that might have been Clyde's at one time.

 

Don't see too many of em anymore.. :unsure:

 

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Jim sends us a few photos from Playland Park.

 

We will try and salvage what we can due to the quality of the original source.

 

A little small in size but all we can do without distorting the clarity.

 

Note the tow bar hooked to the front bumper..

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Jim,

 

Believe it's MJ in the Pink#58 on the outside?

 

I'll try and get more posted here when I can edit, crop and post.

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Playland Memories

 

I borrowed some of the photos posted by Brad 1964 and added them to this original Playland Post to keep the history on one thread.

 

I remember seeing this car at Playland in it's day and was always amazed at the angle of the steering column and wondered how these drivers could even drive them.

 

Dig that flathead Ford

 

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Here's another shot coming out of turn 4.

 

Note the massive front bumpers these old modifieds had to sorta " Bull Doze" the competitor in front of you.

 

They were like huge Bed Post..but got the job done.

 

The main function was to protect the radiator..

 

:Dpost-8338-1231648536.jpg

 

 

A color version is always nice to see..

 

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Doin the best I can here Jim..

 

These photos are pretty small but bring back some of the action we all witnessed long ago.

 

In this shot it is for sure MJ on the outside. Maybe Billy Griswold in the lead? :wacko:

 

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Does anyone remember..The Egg Coupe?

 

During the Playland Park days, there was an an old stock car coupe probably a ( 37 or 38 Ford ) that had "Eggs" painted all over it?

 

I believe it was Dark Blue with White eggs. Maybe sponsored by the famous Egg Trucks that was in the day.

 

I just happened to remember that car and was once told the late Billy Wade drove it at one time in his stock car days before moving on to the 32 Ford Coupe #53.

 

Does this ring a bell with anyone??

 

-Randy

"Eggman" Ayers maybe? Sonny! Are you out there anywhere? Did your dad paint eggs on his cars?

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  • 3 weeks later...

One of my fellow street rodder participants at our shows sent a couple of photos of Playland Park in 1958.

 

The first photo shows the late Buddy Rackley in the Frank's Ice House 32 Ford Modified number 1.

 

Note the style of Buddy leaned back in the seat as a characteristic of Buddy's driving character as also noted in the midget photo where he is driving the #85 on page one of this thread.

 

The next photo shows Tim Cates the owner holding a trophy

 

We say thanks to Roger Cates for sharing these photos with us.

 

Those were the days! :rolleyes:

 

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If I'm not mistaken, Buddy was a mechanic at a downtown Pontiac dealership in the mid-century. Maybe Frank Gilman Pontiac?

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Jim,

Somewhere among the posts is a #1 Car Modified/Super Modifed pictured at a Big 10 (?) Tire Store with a date from '58, and beside the car appears to be Norman Pierce and another gentleman I didn't recognize. It appears to be the same car pictured with Buddy Rackley id'd as the driver. As I recall, Buddy Rackley drove the Cates/Frank's Ice House #1 Car beginning possibly in mid '59, and through the '60 and last season for racing at Playland Spdwy/Houston. As I recall, the "announced driver" in early '59 was Tim Cates, although M J Burton may have driven the car some as a "relief driver". After about mid season '59 and through '60, M J Burton drove the #58 Car that had been in storage after it was driven in prior years by Buddy Rackley.

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Cates Modified

 

Well guys..

 

To add a little more mystery to the Cates # 1 Modified, I do believe Charlie Schild even drove this car briefly at Playland if I recall. :huh:

 

Not for certain but almost certain.

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