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Pan American Speedway - 1970's Photos


ToryC

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I found a few more pics from Pan American. I've identified a few. Others I have dates. There's a couple I have no clue.

 

Can anyone identify these? Anyone? Buehler? Anyone? Tom? Tom? Anyone?

 

Car #3 photo was from March 1977. I don't have a date on the #02. The #09 I suspect was taken at Paramount Austin Speedway... or? The 43 & 10 launching on the back wall is dated July 13, 1973. The #25 on the back stretch was May 1977. The #61 is dated July 14, 1973. That 61 car was in a friend's neighborhood when I was a kid. I used to like to spend the night over there so I could go look at the car. The black and white with the car on the parade road I have listed as "72 Elbel". I don't have a date on the #73 but it was near the end of Pan American. Was that possibly Dub Hamilton in the #79? It's from June of 1977. The #95 in the infield is dated July 13, 1973. The Hobby Stock wreck is dated August 13, 1977 and the Super Stock wreck is April 1977.

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Here's some I have identified...

 

The #1 is Darrell Bass - taken April 23, 1977. I don't have a date on the #17 Bug - but that's unmistakably Neil McCorvey. Frank Torres in that #94 Mustang from April 1977. Also from April 23, 1977 (I guess that's why these were together) in the Figure-8 car... I'm pretty darn sure that's Al Padalecki who won the very last race ever run at Pan American Speedway. The date is smudged on the #78 Karmen Ghia - but yes that is Mike Knotts donning the 1518 Automotive sponsorship on the fender!

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If you want to see some cool aerial shots like the OLD Pan American Speedway in 1955 of Austin Highway... or Pan American Speedway in 1966-1973 off Toepperwein, go to historicaerials.com

 

Use the coordinates: 29.494737,-98.428436 for the OLD Pan Am off Austin Highway and click on 1955

 

For Pan American, use the coordinates: 29.564648,-98.3503 and click on 1966 or 1973.

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A couple quick ones,

 

#02 Leroy Brooks about 74 or 75.

#79 Pinto is Bobby Pelton

First pic of the blue/white hobby looks like the 30 of Scott Mumme. His Dad drove a wrecker out there.

Black and white pic of the #20 is Fred Elbel.

I think the #3 white Chevelle is Darrell Godfredson;, his son Chip is here on Speedzone, and he can verify that for us.

I'll check some more stuff tonight.

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I know that Brooks ran that car and color as early as '73, the last year I hung around Pan-Am. He may have run it even earlier, but this pic shows the narrow tires, which designates '73 or later.

 

On the #3 Chevelle, I wonder the origin of it, assuming it is Godfredson. He might have bought it from Harold Oatman (my best guess), it could be the Tempest rebodied (I don't consider likely), or bought elsewhere?

 

P.S. - I love the Corn Shack sponsorship on the #94 Frank Torres car. That place was around the corner from our house. A little "neighborhood" hole in the wall place if there ever was one - they must have fed the crew!

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Tory,

That #61 that you said lived in your neighborhood, was his name Jim Jefferies or something like that.

I think you have also posted a pic of him in a Camaro in the past.

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Tory,

That #61 that you said lived in your neighborhood, was his name Jim Jefferies or something like that.

I think you have also posted a pic of him in a Camaro in the past.

 

 

Yup. Jim Jefferies. That sounds right. Thanks for jogging that. He actually was in a friend's neighborhood in S.A. - yeah, I did post a pic of the Camaro he had later. Glad I found this one of the Chevelle (?). That's the car I remember going to Pan American to watch when I was like 11 and 12.

 

And I'm gonna say the #73 is Curtis Niece.

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I'm think that #50 driver photo is Ben Morgon (August 23, 1977) and Bobby Peek in the yellow BFI car (June 4, 1977). That blue & white 06 mini stock photo was me in my very first time on the track. Wish I had a date on that. The 09 was my Hobby Stock and Figure-8. The #1 Cadillac was Wild Wes Shields (April 23, 1977).

 

And Tom... I need you to identify that hard hit to the front wall. Date is May 7, 1977.

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You can tell your age from those pics Tory...New homes for $26,000. :lol:

POST MORE PLEASE!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Haha!! First thing I noticed was those home prices too! :o

 

Yeah. I was 15 in the 06 mini. I look little even in that little car. Apparently I had a growth spurt between the 06 and the 09! :lol: That's all the photos I have found. If I run across more, I'll post 'em!

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That green car in the frontstretch fence looks like Jerry Spencer the night the steering knuckle broke.

Same Jerry Spencer selling tires and fuel at Kyle. That particular crash comes up in conversation between Jerry and I every so often, as it was the hardest I ever saw anyone hit that front stretch concrete. The guy in the front of the picture with blue pants and a light colored shirt is Dick Caulfield.

 

That #25 Camaro in the first set of pics is getting me...If it were brown, I'd call it Donnie Davis; if he ran any other color, I don't recall it.

And the very first pic of the wrecked car, does that look like the guy in the driver suit is Ed Burrow?

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You can tell your age from those pics Tory...New homes for $26,000. :lol:

POST MORE PLEASE!!!!!!!!!

 

In 1973, My Dad ponied up $26,500 for his house in Schertz, and sweated the whole time he was

doing it.

That wouldn't pay for the fricking remodels I have done to mine..............

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You can tell your age from those pics Tory...New homes for $26,000. :lol:

POST MORE PLEASE!!!!!!!!!

 

In 1973, My Dad ponied up $26,500 for his house in Schertz, and sweated the whole time he was

doing it.

That wouldn't pay for the fricking remodels I have done to mine..............

 

 

I saw a storage shed for the backyard at Home Depot that cost more than that! B)

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That green car in the frontstretch fence looks like Jerry Spencer the night the steering knuckle broke.

Same Jerry Spencer selling tires and fuel at Kyle. That particular crash comes up in conversation between Jerry and I every so often, as it was the hardest I ever saw anyone hit that front stretch concrete. The guy in the front of the picture with blue pants and a light colored shirt is Dick Caulfield.

 

That #25 Camaro in the first set of pics is getting me...If it were brown, I'd call it Donnie Davis; if he ran any other color, I don't recall it.

And the very first pic of the wrecked car, does that look like the guy in the driver suit is Ed Burrow?

 

 

Y'know... I had a strange feeling that might have been Jerry Spencer. The number 56???

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Y'know... I had a strange feeling that might have been Jerry Spencer. The number 56???

 

Yes, #56. Kind of metallic mint green, and there is another pic of it floating around here somewhere on Speedzone.

 

Was a nice looking car in a time when green was rare. Outside of the Kelly's, and the Nichols car Jimmy Finger drove a couple times, there were not many green cars out there.

 

Seemed like before Jerry tried to move that wall, He talked a lot quicker than he does now..........

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The #20 is Fred Elbel, Sr., taken with my Polaroid (and later enhanced for posting here) on opening day in 1972.

 

Thanks for posting these photos... they bring back lots of memories of PAS.

 

Opening day! That's awesome! I wonder how I ended up with that photo in my collection? Thanks for sharing it. That parade road Elbel's car is on has special meaning to me. I must have been 9 or 10 years old the first time I saw those iron horses rumbling down that parade road and I was hooked ever since. They looked so tough and mean and ready for battle with their "eyes" of open holes where the headlights once were and their combat scarred sheet metal. We'd run along the grandstand walkway cheering on our favorite drivers as they came along that road toward the track!

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I remember painting that 06 with a brush! And the 78 photo was from 1976 (bicentennial paint scheme)

 

Mike, I think we painted it by brush with house paint! LOL. And I remember late nights in your dad's shop freezing our assets off while you cut and bent and welded that roll cage in. And the motor was seized up when I got it and you and Timmy pushed me down Lower Seguin road popping the clutch till we got it to fire up! I blew up that motor on the very first race. I think you were trying to wave me in during hot laps but I was so damn excited to be on the track I just kept going around and around while the Super and Hobby stocks blew by me like I was standing still! It was a blast! So much nerves and adrenaline that first time out my clutch leg was literally shaking when I down shifted to exit and I nearly ran in the back of a Camaro Super Stock leaving the track! Yeah, it was a blast alright!

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The #20 is Fred Elbel, Sr., taken with my Polaroid (and later enhanced for posting here) on opening day in 1972.

 

Thanks for posting these photos... they bring back lots of memories of PAS.

 

 

You have variously attributed the #20 car to both Jr. and Sr. I recall seeing only Jr. in the #20 and Sr. in the #22, but I was only present through the end of 1973 - perhaps Sr. drove the #20 later. I'm also certain that when #20 first appeared it was driven by Jr. Can you shed some light?

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