markracer72 Posted November 4, 2009 Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 Does anybody have any more stories or photos from the mid to late sixties Moody Clary Speedway in Navasota that they could share? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texastracker Posted November 17, 2009 Report Share Posted November 17, 2009 markracer 72 ,I have tried to get anything on the old red clay oval, I grew-up @ HOT starting with in 1970's. But every time they ran a Special Super-Modified show some of the Devil's Bowl Boy's would show and almost all the Navasota boy's. Back then it was still a battle between or local Modified boy's Bill White and Gordon Woolley. Here is the only pic I have and It is on lone from Greg Wade he also has a program from the same time period that's cslube@sbcglobal.net. This is Bill White int the #21 and Gordon Woolley in the #43 @ Navasots in 73'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfbarnes Posted December 8, 2009 Report Share Posted December 8, 2009 My sprint car wrecked underneath the flag stand at Moody and Clary,That's the one and only Joe "Mr. Joe" Dagastino looking down at me from the flag stand. He told me I couldn't park there..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thumper Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 Im not much help with the history but I do have some memories of this place. It was a big 1/4 red clay track that was the best prepaired dirt track my group racd on that year.We were the Southwest Mini Stock Association,I was living in Houston at the time.The track was slow watered with weeping type of sprinkler system starting Wendsday.On race nite they would roll it in with everybody who wanted to including tow trucks with trailers,race cars and spectator cars.It only took 15 to 20 minutes and the surface was smooth,hard and fast.The only other track close to its racing surface was in Lufkin. The race I remember most was a 100 lap stock car race won by a car starting in the rear of about 40 cars.He passes the car leading the race who also started on the last row with 2 laps to go..The winner was a brown 55 or 56 Chevy but the car that cleared the way was a 63 Ply.That old guy in the Ply would tap a car to give him room,then on the next lap move him over if not.I will always remember that race because we wanted to see that driver thinking he was a Mario Andrety but out came this little old man about 55 with no teeth and a few scars..You could tell he had been doing this for a long time,racing was rough back then. The other thing I remember were the modifieds,there werte 2 with straight 6 Ford engines that dominated.I never understood how a 6 could outrun a V8 until I learned about the #1 spark plug thing lining up with the ball joint.What a great way to get rear %s.The rules were fairly lax because there were many designs of cars That was my favorite track partly because I always stopped in Hempstead and ate the best BBQ in the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griswold Posted March 7, 2010 Report Share Posted March 7, 2010 hey! i have a lot of old moody clary pic's and h& b and big h . will try to figure out how to send them. these aren't them but want to see if it works. i will have to scan the others. jimmy g Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted March 7, 2010 Report Share Posted March 7, 2010 Welcome Griswold. Looks like you got the posting of pics thing figured out. Keep 'um coming. We love stuff like this. Man, I sure wish I could read the names on that program. I think I can pick a few of them out. Not sure. That looks like a great list of drivers. Griswold, huh? Any kin to Billy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griswold Posted March 8, 2010 Report Share Posted March 8, 2010 YES BILLY WAS MY STEP FATHER. LOST HIM IN JAN OF 1985. WE BOTH RACED AT MOODY AND CLARY UNTIL IT COLSED IN ABOUT 81 OR SO. HE LOVED RACING. I SEE SOME OF THE OLD RACERS EVERY NOW AND THEN, USUALLY AT A FUNERAL. NOT MANY OF THE OLD PLAYLAND GUYS LEFT. SAW SOME AT CHARLES RAY SCHILD'S 80 BIRTHDAY PARTY IN 08. I HAVE TO SCAN SOME PIC'S AND GET THEM ON HERE. MY REAL FATHERS BROTHER WAS CECIL ELLIOTT. I WAS AROUND RACING AL MY LIFE. MAN I LOVE TO SEE THE PIC'S OF THE OLD CARS AND MIDGETS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted March 8, 2010 Report Share Posted March 8, 2010 I loved watching Billy and all those guys he raced with at Austin Speed-O-Rama, in their super-mods back in the early 60's. They put on the greatest shows every week I've EVER witnessed. I believe I remember him driving a metallic blue #77 back on those days. SOR ran mostly on Friday nights back then. Great memories! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griswold Posted March 8, 2010 Report Share Posted March 8, 2010 budman, if i remember correctly that #77 had a ford motor. it belonged to a man from killeen. all i remeber right now was his last name was mc lennon. i saw him about 8 yrs ago. he's probably not here anymore but i hope he is. billy won several champships at m & c in the late models and modifides. i won the late model championship in 75 and 76. we ran a camaro body and a 55 chevy frame. i just got a scanner and as soon i have time and learn how to work it i want to get some more pic's on here. i have some funny and not so funny stories about most of the race tracks we went to. love to share them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted March 9, 2010 Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 Great! Looking forward to seeing them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfbarnes Posted March 10, 2010 Report Share Posted March 10, 2010 Bound to be talking about Robert "Bubba" McClendon out of Killeen, and if memory serves me correctly he was the owner of that #77 sled. And one thing is for darn sure, nobody got up on the wheel like Billy Griswold in that steel blue double sevens. Billy was a gas to be around, and would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. I have the fondest memories of Billy, but when he put that helmet on, you best pull up your gloves boys, because you were in for a long day. Not many could Diamond a corner the way Billy did, his philosophy was that anybody could run down a straight away, but be damned if he's gonna get beat in the corner. I really think there were times that his sled was slightly down on horse power, but you'd have never known it as he laid that sled into the corner and then passed you coming off. Nobody drove it deeper into the turn and were any smoother getting off. Rest in peace Bad Billy Griswold, you are sorely missed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griswold Posted March 10, 2010 Report Share Posted March 10, 2010 THANKS FOR ALL THE KIND WORDS MFBARNES. HE COULD GO IN LOWER THAN MOST, MAKE A 3/8'S MILE INTO A 1/4 MILE. SURE MADE A LOT OF THEM MAD. I NEVER THOUGH HE GOT THE RECOGNITION HE DESERVED. TWO OLD HARD WORKING POOR BOYS, HE AND JOHNNY REIFF. ALWAYS UNDER FUNDED. JOHNNY COULD MAKE THAT OLD 261 GMC FLY AND DAD COULD DRIVE THE WHEELS OFF OF IT. HE SURE DIDN'T MIND PUTTING A BUMPER TO YOU. LOL.. WHEN THEY GOT THAT FISHER ALUMIUM HEAD FROM EBB ROSE IT WOULD REALLY HAUL BUTT. THOSE STAIGHTWAYS WERE JUST TO LONG AT MEYERS. HE COULD PULL WITH THOSE V8'S OUT OF THE TURN BUT NOT AT THE END OF THE STRAIGHTWAY. THEY FINALLY WENT TO THE SMALL BLOCK V8 CHEVY AND RAN OK. I DON'T REMEMBER IF THEY GOT A STROKER CRANK FROM SONNY GOBEL OR RONNY CHUMBLEY THAT WAS MESSED UP. GOT IT FIXED AND THEY RAN BETTER. IT JUST GOT TO EXPENSIVE TO RUN ASPHALT SO THEY WENT BACK TO DIRT. ALWAYS WONDERED WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT OLD FISHER HEAD WITH TWO ROLLEY SIDE DRAFT CARBS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakdad Posted March 11, 2010 Report Share Posted March 11, 2010 Hi Jimmy, Sure would like to see some pics of you and Billy and of course, the old 9 Car(s). Thanks for your contribution to the site. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griswold Posted March 11, 2010 Report Share Posted March 11, 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griswold Posted March 11, 2010 Report Share Posted March 11, 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griswold Posted March 11, 2010 Report Share Posted March 11, 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griswold Posted March 11, 2010 Report Share Posted March 11, 2010 this is Grady Pinsons old mod. Don't remember what # he used but Grady had a heart attack while racing at m. c. He pulled into the infield and died. Griswold bought the car. he didn't run in much. sold it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griswold Posted March 11, 2010 Report Share Posted March 11, 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kemac66 Posted March 12, 2010 Report Share Posted March 12, 2010 Please keep posting pics, brings back memories, Love them stock car pics, looking for one of the 28 stock car in the mid 70's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griswold Posted March 12, 2010 Report Share Posted March 12, 2010 Please keep posting pics, brings back memories, Love them stock car pics, looking for one of the 28 stock car in the mid 70's. Hey was that at m c and who drove it? Midget pic is at Playland . Jimmy HIcks in the 4 and Billy Griswold in the A. A. Ward Offy. Modified pic is Billy at Playland in about 1956. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakdad Posted March 12, 2010 Report Share Posted March 12, 2010 Thanks Jimmy, I really loved the old 9 coupe at playland. I don't remember if it was in 58 or 59. Your dad won the track championship. That year, he won 13 feature races, 11 in a row. I saw everyone of them. He was a very personable man and one of the best drivers I have ever seen. RIP Billy...................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted March 12, 2010 Report Share Posted March 12, 2010 That Griswald - Hicks photo has to be one of the best racing action shots ever. Just look at the expressions on those guys! Racing in the raw! Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted March 12, 2010 Report Share Posted March 12, 2010 INCREDIBLE! What a great pic of Billy and Jimmy. Those are just the type cars needed to put Carl E. and Brad K. in for a match race. We'd find out real quick what kind of men those BOYS really are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakdad Posted March 12, 2010 Report Share Posted March 12, 2010 I noticed also that Billy didn't grab the brakes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakdad Posted March 12, 2010 Report Share Posted March 12, 2010 INCREDIBLE! What a great pic of Billy and Jimmy. Those are just the type cars needed to put Carl E. and Brad K. in for a match race. We'd find out real quick what kind of men those BOYS are. Like AJ said "you learn how to drive those cars with no roll cage". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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