RETrott

RE: Post #407

I'm fairly sure I recognize 6 faces, possibly 7, in the picture that seems to involve mostly Modified racers, along with onlookers. I wonder if Gingerbread Man has any knowledge. I would gess the time frame to be from '61 - '63, Meyer Spdwy/Houston.

You are right Jim. Mack preserved a lot of history for us to enjoy. Speaking of history, I have no recollection of the strange looking #28 Modified. Could that be from '61 before the Chevy Coupe car was built?

Thanks Geezer, but I can find him.

Geezer,

If you have lunch with that bunch, I hope you ask a lot of questions. I need to find an opportunity and get with Charles Ray, hopefully soon.

Geezer,

The way I remember, Playland Park Spdwy/Houston held weekly Modified Stock Car events through the end of the season in '60, and beginning in the Spring of '61 a new class of Modifieds, requiring cars made in '37 or later, began racing weekly at Meyer Spdwy/Houston. I seem to recall a Modified Stock Car # 78, but I am short on details. I remember Joe Foster, I just didn't remember him by name. I'm thinking the Humble (Exxon) Service Station as being on the east side of N Shepherd, although I thought it was at 20th, but I am a little fuzzy on that.

I'm pretty sure at least one old Playland Modified was updated with a '37 body (Ford) and raced at Meyer in '61. At some point in '62, Ronnie Chumley drove a blue # 16 Modified for Pancho Locklin, but I don't know what the car started out as.

I'm sure I have forgotten a lot of cars and drivers from that era, and probably only attended about half of the races in the late 50s and early 60s, but beginning in '63 I attended more often. Hopefully, this will help on the dates/time frame.

Mark,

Sounds as though there are several of those guys to choose from. As for Smokey Yunick, didn't he build a 7/8 Camaro Trans Am Car back in the "stock" days? In any event, I'm sure he had confusability in his engines. Back in the early '70s, Smokey paid a visit to Meyer Speedway one evening to check on one of his motors running in a NASCAR Late Model Sportsman car.

Are you referring to Ray Gene Kulhanek Sr.? Raymond Peter Kulhanek (the original) is still alive and living in Fayetteville. He's 92 years old. Ray Gene Kulhanek Sr. is 65 years old and living in Fayetteville taking care of his father, Ray Gene Kulhanek Jr. is in his late forties probably 48 or 49 and living out in Angleton, probably on probation for driving like hell and fighting in a bar. Ray Allen Kulhanek lives over here in Conroe, and races ASCS Sprint Cars. Know them all very well.

Mark,

I seem to recall a Ray Kulhanek (sp?) that raced some Crazy 8 events and possibly some Bronco Stocks at Meyer Spdwy in the '60s, and maybe some Stock Cars on dirt in Cleveland TX also during that time. Possibly nicknamed The Ricefield Kid.

Also, there was a Bronco Stock Car racer of note during the '60s named Charlie Kahanek (sp?). He raced an orange '56 Chevy, #97, as I recall. A good looking and good running car. Good driver too!

His car was red with white 00 on it. He probably wasn't there long enough for you to know him. A really nice guy that liked racing. He was also one hell of a mechanic.

Probably so Jim, but that name rings a loud (but rusty) bell. Maybe someone else from somewhere else.

Yep, Monty was friends with us at the "junk yard". I ended up with Monte's Bronco as a back up car. I think he spent one season building the car and after a few races decided "What's a nice guy like me doing here on Saturday nights". I had an early 55 Chevy pickup he wanted, so we traded race car for truck. Glad to hear he is doing well.

Jim,

Monty's name sounds very familiar, but I can't put it together with a race car. Any other hints?

Darrell,

 

I think he was an out of town driver and I remember a photo shot taken of the midget up in the air and the drivers arms straight up in the air as the photo was taken,

 

Way before hand restraints or cages were even introduced.

 

Must have been a horrible experience as expressed on the drivers face in the photo taken...

Randy & Darrell,

I seem to recall a USAC Midget Car event at Meyer Spdwy/Houston in about '62 when a Midget got upside down in turn one after running over the RR wheel on a Midget being driven by Ronnie Chumley that had lost power. As I recall, Ronnie was watching to see which way the car behind was going to go before turning down, but the following car also stayed in the groove and went for a ride. From what I remember the driver was not fatally injured. That may or may not be the same incident, but somewhat similiar, and it may have occurred in practice. The Feature Race was won by Jim McElreath Sr.

Where you been Mark?

Darrell,

For some reason, I think it was somewhat expected.

Jim,

M J would be about my last choice to go against in one of those contests!

Jim,

I was not at the races at Meyer Spdwy/Houston the night in '62 when M J Burton and Ronnie Chumley "locked wheels" and crashed with both cars going over the wall, but I thought it was in turn 1/turn 2. However I did tag along with Tracy when he went to the Burton race shop the next day. The full crew was there working diligently, and most of the repairs were well underway. The frame was straightened and the body hull was off, dents repaired and awaiting bondo. That #5 Modified was a very well built car, and was the championship winning car that same year. But, I believe the Chumley driven #16 Pancho Locklin Modified was not repaired. At least that's the way I remember it. Amazingly, I don't recall ever seeing any pictures of that crash/aftermath.

RE:Post #354,

Appears to be '65 Meyer Spdwy/Houston. Probably Ed Trahan in the #20 Buick, most likely Harold Davis in the #47 Chevy, and Don Myers Sr in the #80 Studebaker. Bronco (Sportsman) Stock Cars.

Regarding post #356:

Jim, it is Pancho Locklin's brand new Modified that was being driven by Bob Foster in a pre-season practice session in about '64 or '65. After a very few laps, the car ended up on the wall nose first at turn one/two and continued over the wall. It may have been on the same day as an ARCA Late Model Race. Pictured off the left rear is Don Myers Sr and on the right side with cap is Jack Witt.

Yes he is Jim. By the way, Randy, how is the weather way up there?

Now that a successful Modified Stock Car and Super Modified owner/builder from the same era and area doesn't remember either, I'm really curious. To me, it appears somewhat unique with a longer looking '37 nose. Hopefully a little light can be shed.

Sorry Jim, I just don't remember any modified '37/'38 Chevy Coupe Modified Stock Car that was #11 that raced in Houston during the '60s. I would guess the Furlough Team picture of the #11 Car would be about '62 to '65. But, it would seem to predate the time that the #7 Modified Stock Car, driven by Bill Blumrick, was being raced as a Fred Furlough owned car.

I remember a #9 Modified Stock Car that was driven in '66 by Billy Perran that was quite similiar in looks to the Schild #1 Modified from that same time frame, although I believe the #9 had a SB Chevy motor, and the white & red/red & white were opposite, but I am completely blank regarding the pictured #11 Modified with Fred Furlough and crew, or any other '37/'38 modified Chevy Coupe body/frame Modified #11 from the '60s. Maybe one of those "Long Drivers" will stop by and leave a little info.

Which car Jim? Did the #11 also end up white and red? I remember both #1 Modifieds Charlie Schild drove at Meyer Spdwy as being white and red.

Jim,

That's the same #11 car pictured in this section. Group picture, possibly at the shop, and appears to a modified '37 Chevy Coupe body/frame. Charles Ray Schild, as I recall, drove the Cates/Frank's Ice House Modified Stock Car #1 in '63, and built his own Modified Stock Car in '64, also #1, but with the 427 Ford engine. Both of those #1 Modifieds began life as '37/'38 Chevy Coupes (both '38 grilles), and both had shortened and narrowed bodies, but otherwise not identical. The Schild built car from '64 was driven by both M J Burton and Charlie Schild in the '64 season, and is the same car Charlie drove in '65 & '66. I just have no memory of the pictured #11 Car, that appears to be painted white.

Jim, I'd like to know about the #11 Modified Stock Car with the modified '37 Chevy Coupe body/frame. I don't remember it at all. Who was the driver? What is the date of the picture?

There is an error in the '74 stats for the #07 Rush Johnson Chevy driven by Jerry Schild, regarding the Spring Talladega Race. Due to a mechanical failure in the engine/valvetrain near mid-way in the race, it was actually a DNF.

Buddy,

Was there a structural integrity issue regarding the side/door bars on Louis Wusterhausen's car? I didn't attend the TWS event when the accident occured, but I seem to recall a question about the bars. I remember seeing Louis Wusterhausen a short time before his crash, most likely at Meyer Spdwy/Houston. But, as I recall, in '72 the NASCAR LMS rules did not allow Camaros/Firebirds or Mustangs, and for that reason I don't think he would have been racing the same car in Houston, although I remember a Camaro bodied Stock Car. Maybe some oldtimer's memory merge, but I definitely remember Louis, and he seemed to be a nice guy.

Did Don Fowler race Stock Cars at CC Spwy/Corpus Christi in '66? If so, what type/color car?