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ARCA at the Texas Tracks


Budman

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I came across this information on the ARCA website (ARCAracing.com), and thought it was kind of interesting. In the 1960's they would make a spring swing to the Texas tracks. Here are some of the entries in the "log" from back then.

 

March 1962: Ernie Derr wheels his Pontiac to win at Meyer Speedway in Houston, while Dick Hutcherson's Ford goes to victory lane at Austin.

 

March 1963: Bob Reynolds bests the field at Austin Speedway while Buddy Ward takes the top spot at Big H Speedway in Houston in a 200 lapper.

 

March 1964: Earl Balmer takes two in a row in his Plymouth at San Antonio Speedway and Corpus Christi Speedway. Ernie Derr wins at Big H Speedway in Houston.

 

March 1965: Jack Bowsher takes his Ford to victory at Meyer Speedway in Houston, Speed-o-rama in Austin, G0-CC Speedway in Corpus Christi, and again at Meyer Speedway in Houston.

 

March 1966: Charlie Glotzbach takes both the pole and wins at Austin Speed-o-rama and Pan-American Speedway. Iggy Katona wins at Meyer Speedway.

(I specifically recall Iggy Katona .... What a name for a stock car driver! Earlier in the '60s, I remember him driving a 1960 Ford Thunderbird at the ARCA races in Austin.)

 

March 1967: Les Snow wins at both Austin Speed-o-rama and Pan-American Speedway.

 

March 1968: Iggy Katona, Benny Parsons and Les Snow register victories in the Texas March tour.

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Buddy,

Funny you mentioned Iggy Katona on Talladega weekend,

Iggy ran Talladega on May 5, 1974, in the #61 Chevy owned by our own Don Bierschwale of San Antonio.

Started 46th, and finished 20th, 7 laps down from winner

David Pearson.

 

Found a place to hang your poster?

By the way, I haven't given the book to my dad yet; I haven't been able to put it down! I got home at 1 AM from Kyle, and read it until about 4 AM!

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TX

 

What book did Bud give you? Larry is reading a book I gave him on AJ Foyt thats pretty good.I think that Larry would like to sell a few of the posters to help recop some of his money if any of the people that saw it is intrested in having one.

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Tex,

Buddy has a book entitled "Texas Legacy", A history of Midget Racing in Texas. Written in 1984, it has a lot of information on midget racing across the entire state.

I am looking about everywhere for another copy, but there is not much available out there for a 21 year old book.

 

I am probably going to see Larry this coming Friday to get some more of those posters. I have some sold in San Antonio for him.

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  • 1 year later...

Been a long time ago but I think the 1965 race at Meyer was won with a borrowed engine. Jack Bowsher had a buddy he raced with that also ran Fords. I can't recall his name. Jack blew his engine in practice. He borrowed his friends back up 427 (had already been raced). They loaded up and went to somebodys shop and switched engines. They came back, raced and beat his buddy with his own engine. Hey, what are friends for. Maybe someone with a better memory can shed some more details about this March 65 race.

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Been a long time ago but I think the 1965 race at Meyer was won with a borrowed engine. Jack Bowsher had a buddy he raced with that also ran Fords. I can't recall his name. Jack blew his engine in practice. He borrowed his friends back up 427 (had already been raced). They loaded up and went to somebodys shop and switched engines. They came back, raced and beat his buddy with his own engine. Hey, what are friends for. Maybe someone with a better memory can shed some more details about this March 65 race.

Weren't most of those guys related? It seems like several ARCA/IMCA Stock Car racers of that era came from Keokuk Iowa.

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Weren't most of those guys related? It seems like several ARCA/IMCA Stock Car racers of that era came from Keokuk Iowa.

 

Don't know how far the relations go, but here are some names from Keokuk that ran ARCA and/or NASCAR:

 

Ernie Derr

Don White

Ramo and Corrie Stott

Gordy and Lem Blankenship

Dick and Ron Hutcherson

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  • 4 months later...
Buddy,

Funny you mentioned Iggy Katona on Talladega weekend,

Iggy ran Talladega on May 5, 1974, in the #61 Chevy owned by our own Don Bierschwale of San Antonio.

Started 46th, and finished 20th, 7 laps down from winner

David Pearson.

 

Found a place to hang your poster?

By the way, I haven't given the book to my dad yet; I haven't been able to put it down! I got home at 1 AM from Kyle, and read it until about 4 AM!

 

Speaking of Iggy here you go

 

SONATA_VOLUME-326.jpg

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