Hrodder Posted January 8, 2011 Report Share Posted January 8, 2011 klavely please leave contact information, someone in San Antonio that knew your father very well would like to contact you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RETrott Posted January 10, 2011 Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 Regarding post #125: Mark, I saw the notice in the paper. I last spoke with Blackie in about '91, at Battleground Spdwy/Highlands. He told me then that he felt safe at home, because he had Norman (Pierce) on one side, and AJ (Foyt) on the other side. Although he didn't mention how close. Like I've said before, Blackie Lothringer's accident at Playland Spdwy in '59 could have happened to any of the Modifieds racing there at that time. Unfortunatly it happended to his #77 Car. I never discussed the accident with him, and, at age 12, I was there. We had arrived about 10 minutes earlier and had of course just left the area to reach the other end of the grandstands, on the south (back straightaway) side. The accident occured near the end of the time trials, and for some reason the Billy Griswold #9 Car entered the track the same time as Blackie, so a couple of slow laps were done, and when Blackie accelerated to reach qualifying speed is when the throttle stuck. And yes, I can still picture that car taking flight over the wall. By that time, the Mighty Modified race cars had outgrown the Playland Spdwy/Houston 1/4 mile oval. As I recall, the fast time of 14:98, which equaled the Super Modified track record, was done by two cars, and third fastest was MJ Burton at 14:99 in his #58 Car. I'm not sure of who the two fastest racers were, but I would guess Billy Wade, Buddy Rackley, Charlie Schild, or George Nash were most likely, as the event was cancelled before Billy Griswold's attempt. Remember, this is 1959 with fairly narrow tires on modified '32 and up passenger cars, for the most part, with small block v8s. So, to me the fast rising speeds of the '50s contributed as much to the cause of the tragedy as anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73BOWTIE Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 Hi Guys, I just found this post yesterday and have really enjoyed all of the memories. I am 53 years old, a native Houstonian, and have been because of my dad and grandpa, a racing fan all my life. I recognize some of the names mentioned here from my dad, and some like Ed Hamblin that I remember myself. My parents took me as an infant to Meyer Speedway, and saw races for many years after until it closed. Bobby Allison and Richard Petty were the first real "big name" drivers I saw when they both appeared at the "Liberty Bell 300" at Meyer. I still have the newspaper clipping from that race in which Allison won and Petty went out early with engine trouble. Richard as always, was gracious enough to sit on pit wall after the race and sign autographs. I still have that program as well as all the other programs from races I've been to all my life. My grandpa raced a V-60 midget in the forties, and told me he raced at Playland Park, and also at San Antonio and Beaumont. Herman Poole was my grandpa. He had a poor boy operation, my dad was too young to drive, so he had someone drive the car for him. I'm new at this forum stuff so I'm going to try to upload a photo of their midget, and was wondering if someone out there could maybe identify the driver. As I said, my grandpa had a poor boy operation and I'm sure wasn't well known, but maybe someone might recognize his driver. My dad passed in 2001, and I sure wished this forum was around then.Thanks, and thanks everyone for the memories. [Note from Nick: I took the liberty of cutting out some segments from the original to give greater detail to parts of the picture] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73BOWTIE Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 Thanks Nick!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 73Bowtie, I'm sure someone here may figure who this person is, so give it a little time and thanks for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommyo Posted February 6, 2011 Report Share Posted February 6, 2011 OK guys, time to strain your brains again! Ijust found a 16X20 inch copy of this photo from Playland Park that my son-in-law gave me years ago and I had forgotten about - I would like to frame and display it, but it would be nice to identify at least some of the drivers/cars in it - I feel as old as dirt some days, but this is BEFORE my time. Of course asking anyone older than me who might remember this stuff is asking a lot - but it would be much appreciated - put you collective-heads together and let's see what you can come up with!! Thanks much!! Hey, where did the photo go?? A little help here Nick!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted February 6, 2011 Report Share Posted February 6, 2011 Tommy, Do we need to check your I.D.? Send me the photo if you can and I will load or size it for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommyo Posted February 6, 2011 Report Share Posted February 6, 2011 Trust me, I've over 21!! I don't where the photo went that I was refering to!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted February 6, 2011 Report Share Posted February 6, 2011 Make sure you uploaded it when you were in the edit mode.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommyo Posted February 6, 2011 Report Share Posted February 6, 2011 OK, here's the referenced photo! Can anyone identify these drivers and cars?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 Tommy, I'm with you and can't identify the cars nor the drivers. I do remember the cars painted with the dots or eggs which was discussed earlier on this thread. I would say this was taken sometime between 1954 to 1957 based on my childhood memory and definitely in the stock car class. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Billy Wade We would like to welcome Melinda to the site and also thank her for the photo of the Late Billy Wade. Melinda is the daughter of Billy Wade The photo below was taken at Playland Park in the late 50's and here is Billy with George Nash Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakdad Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Two of the best!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RETrott Posted March 29, 2011 Report Share Posted March 29, 2011 Two more of the best, would be MJ Burton and Buddy Rackley. A couple of days ago, while stumbling around the internet, I ended up, I believe on the Texas Open Wheel site. In one of the posts, I came across a You-tube video that, I believe was part of the Houston Remember When TV show on public tv, channel 8. One of the filmed shots showed Supermodifieds from the mid '50s, with the #56 Car and the #58 Car in a side by side battle. The #56 Car was, I believe white and driven by MJ Burton, and the #58 Car was pink and driven by Buddy Rackley. Like I say, two more of the best, at their best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RETrott Posted March 31, 2011 Report Share Posted March 31, 2011 FWIW/The mentioned video can be found on TEXAS OPEN WHEEL-Texas Open Wheel History-Midgets, in the topic-Houston Speed Bowl, Playland, Arrowhead Video. The Burton-Rackley portion is in part 2. Many thanks to tex44 for the topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckeem Posted March 31, 2011 Report Share Posted March 31, 2011 I have been reading the racing history here and map plotting on google earth over the last week. One think I need some clarification on. Were Playland and Arrowhead seperate tracks, are where they the same. I found an address for Playland and matched up with the historical aerials. Yet I have not been able to locate anything for Arrowhead. Thanks for any insight on this.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txtom Posted March 31, 2011 Report Share Posted March 31, 2011 I found an address for Playland If you found Playland on the historical aerial maps, just zoom out, and look to the northeast. Arrowhead will pop up on your picture as you scroll out. They were that close in real. Without my references in front of me, I believe Arrowhead was at the intersection of Old Spanish Trail and South Main. It is a hotel now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RETrott Posted March 31, 2011 Report Share Posted March 31, 2011 Actually, Arrowhead Speedway/Houston would be on the north side of Old Spanish Trail, aka O S T, near N Stadium Dr, not far from Greenbriar. But very close to S Main, and the motel/hotel that was located in the area is gone now. Braes Bayou was behind the grandstand area. I have had medical appointments at 7515 S Main, and the parking garage is just across Braeswood Dr/Braes Bayou from the old speedway area. It can be seen, at least remnants, in the 1957 aerial maps. Probably less than a mile from Playland Speedway/Houston. A Harris County Annex building now sits where the old Playland Park track was, and the pit area would be diagonally across the street from the NFL Houston Texans covered/indoor practice area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RETrott Posted April 1, 2011 Report Share Posted April 1, 2011 RE: Post #139, The mentioned modified '32 Ford Coupe Super Modifed #58, driven by Buddy Rackley and owned by Ebb Rose in the mid '50s, was later owned and driven by MJ Burton in the Modified Events at Playland Speedway. Most likely in '59 and '60. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckeem Posted April 1, 2011 Report Share Posted April 1, 2011 Thank you RETrott and txtom, So I can say the slightly larger Oval closest to Playland is the old Arrowhead Track? I was confusing that oval for the possible horse track that I seen mentioned in a few post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RETrott Posted April 2, 2011 Report Share Posted April 2, 2011 Buckeem, You may be looking at the larger track, possibly the horse track. I believe it was raced on as a 1/2 mile dirt track early on, but my memory has it a smaller paved track that was more or less inside the larger track. I'm thinking it was either a 1/5 mile or 1/4 mile paved oval with a covered grandstand on the north side of the track. That's what I remember, but I only attended a couple of events there before it closed down in about '55. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klavely Posted April 26, 2011 Report Share Posted April 26, 2011 klavely please leave contact information, someone in San Antonio that knew your father very well would like to contact you. Sorry I didn't see this post earlier... Contact me at klavely@nvenergy.com Thanks! Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norman Posted April 27, 2011 Report Share Posted April 27, 2011 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norman Posted April 27, 2011 Report Share Posted April 27, 2011 thanks for the photo of normans car 1 met him when i was working for phil cronin when phil was racing at meyers norman had a automotive shop off of northshepard years ago phil said he was one good driver and one good wrench i work in a machine shop with normans nefew dale i made him a copy of the photo he said it brough back old memoriers of his uncle dale said norman passed away in 2004 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
playlandbaby Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 That was my Uncle Wingo in this photo. He was a damn big guy. Of course, since I was so little at the time, he seemed like a giant to me! MORE EARLY PLAYLAND.. If you look closely, you will see one over the fence with a driver kicking the fence. We cannot know the driver for certain in this photo but, looks very much like Charlie Schild or maybe George Nash. This photo again is reflecting the early years at Playland Park estimated around 1949-52. The track was later paved with asphalt in the early 50's.. Note the Houston Police Officer and the uniforms worn back then. Wingo was one of the main officers at Playland Park in those days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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