Houston Photos from 50's-60's

[57Tbird]

These are some great photos that Archie's grandson sent me to share with the forum. Any questions or comments can be referred to him via his signature, 4PROP, if desired.

Archie's primary business was was oil field hauling and pipe stringing in Houston. He built his cars in his shop at this location with Tony Foyt as his master mechanic, building race cars as well as maintaining his fleet of oil field vehicles and other equipment. Tony, of course, had his own car shop too. Billy Wade was his primary driver and appears in most of the pictures.

There are quite a few pictures, so I've posted them in a thumbnail format so as not to take up too much time to bring them up. Click on the thumbnails for a larger picture. Since I've used up my allotted space for this post, I will continue below this one

 

Playland - Ed Hamblen on the left, and, I think, Joseph Meyer in the middle. Archie Lacy on the right. Billy Wade, the driver, in the Archie Lacy Special. Other two... ??

 

Archie Lacy - standing. Billy Wade and Tony Foyt.

 

Billy Wade, Roy Houston, Tony Foyt

 

Roy Houston, Archie, Billy Wade, Tony Foyt.

 

Tony with the Archie Lacy Special. It had two '57 Chevy fins on the tail and was powered by a Chrysler 300 engine.

[jakdad]

Thanks 57Tbird! Great pics. I really apreciate you posting them.

[JohnnyMac]

I remember that car and if I'm not mistaken it was built for Wade to drive at the "Little 500" at Indy Raceway Park which was an anual race the night before the "Big" 500.

[Griswold]

JOHNNY !!! WASN'T THE LITTLE 500 FOR MIDGETS? THIS CAR WOULN'T BE ABLE TO RUN WITH THEM? WOULD IT. MY DAD RAN IN THE LITTLE 500 ONE YEAR. WASN'T AT THE 61ST STEET SPEEDWAY? SURE WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME CLIPPINGS OR RESULTS FROM THE 1956, 57 OR 58 RACES. JIMMY

[JohnnyMac]

Jimmy,

I did a google search on "Little 500 auto race" and here is the first thing that popped up:

 

The format of the Pay Less Little 500 is unique to Sprint Car racing. The starting grid is comprised of 33 cars in 11 rows of three, charging to the green flag. Two mandatory pits stops are required during the challenging 500-lap event. Billed as one of the most entertaining races in auto racing, fans will be filled with anticipation in the most exciting start to a racing event.

 

For additional information or to order your tickets, contact Anderson Speedway from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at (765) 642-0206.

 

The full story can be found at http://www.andersonspeedway.com/10_news/02..._order_form.htm

 

Yes they did have Midget races at IRP (now called O'Riley Raceway Park) but the Little 500 was and is a 33 car sprint car race. Imange 33 sprints starting 3 wide on a high banked 1/4 track, LOL.

I was wrong about it being held at IRP, the Little 500 has been run at Anderson Speedway every year since 1949. I don't remember what year Billy Wade ran there or where he finished.

[txtom]

The results for the 1957 Little 500 are a bit interesting.

They show billy Wade qualifying 5th in the Lacy #53 at a 14.805.

But Wade does not show in the results.

Red Amick took the pole at a 14.320 in a #2 car entered by Howard Hall, a new track record at the time.

 

Not this is where it gets weird. Billy Wade evidently did not run Lacy's car in the 500. The car Red Amick put on the pole was driven by a Bob King, who is not listed in the 33 car qualifier list.

Red is listed in the Lacy 53, which fell out in 27th place at lap 131 with mechanical falure. Amick is then listed as relieving Bob King in the #2 car Amick originally qualified, until the end of the race, where Amick finished 4th, some 16 laps down.

Wade is not listed as a participant in the 500 itself, despite his solid qualifying effort.

[Griswold]

thanks for the info. all i remember was billy griswold and clyde calicut and wives went in 56 or 57 i think. left me and my sister at clydes friends on a dairy farm in tenn. when billy g raced at the little 500 he was driving for a guy in pasadena, seems like his name was delahoussey had a phillips 66 service station and body shop, i think. it was an offy midget. it might have been #66. heard he did real good but got pentalized for passing a car under the caution flag. find anything else let me know. thanks. jimmy

[Griswold]

i remember that 53 lacy sprinter. it had like 57 chevy fins on the rear. sure was a cool lookin car.

[txtom]

when billy g raced at the little 500 he was driving for a guy in pasadena, seems like his name was delahoussey

 

That is an interesting statement, because of that nameDelahoussey. There is a Raymond Delahoussey there in Houston who used to race, and is now one of the most active and successful owners in Houston asphalt racing. He posts here as wdracing151515. You can PM here and see if he knows something.

Not sure if any connection, but given the uncommon name, wouldn't hurt to ask.

[Griswold]

THANKS TXTOM

[JohnnyMac]

The results for the 1957 Little 500 are a bit interesting.

They show billy Wade qualifying 5th in the Lacy #53 at a 14.805.

But Wade does not show in the results.

Red Amick took the pole at a 14.320 in a #2 car entered by Howard Hall, a new track record at the time.

 

Not this is where it gets weird. Billy Wade evidently did not run Lacy's car in the 500. The car Red Amick put on the pole was driven by a Bob King, who is not listed in the 33 car qualifier list.

Red is listed in the Lacy 53, which fell out in 27th place at lap 131 with mechanical falure. Amick is then listed as relieving Bob King in the #2 car Amick originally qualified, until the end of the race, where Amick finished 4th, some 16 laps down.

Wade is not listed as a participant in the 500 itself, despite his solid qualifying effort.

 

Wade may not have wanted to mix it up 3 wide with 32 other cars on a 1/4 mile track, LOL. He was fearless BUT you would have to be a little bit CRAZY for that trick, LOL.

[txtom]

Wade may not have wanted to mix it up 3 wide with 32 other cars on a 1/4 mile track, LOL. He was fearless BUT you would have to be a little bit CRAZY for that trick, LOL.

 

Johnny,

I went to the Little 500 in 1986; it was one really different (and great) experience. To me, the track appeared dimensionally the same as Pan American here in San Antonio.

I believed thay have changed since then, but at that time, they blocked the infield X to where , depending on where your pit was, you either entered the pits off of turn 4, and re-entered the track on turn 3; or else you entered pit road off turn 2, and re-entered of turn 1. Keep in mind that these cars were push start, and there always seemed to a push truck on the bottom apron of the track. And this is a 1/4 mile track with sprint cars starting 3 wide in 11 rows.

But talk about getting the show done; they started the race at 8:10 PM, had a caution here and there, as well as a red flag for a fire. Driver had some minor burns, but was OK.

The race was over right at 10:30.

Winner was Dave Scarborough of Florida, who kinda stunk up the race for the lead; he finished 21 laps ahead of second place Bob Frey, who was in Glen Niebel"s yellow #20, no slouch of a car there.

 

I'd definitely go back to another 500 if the opportunity presented itself.

[gwj78025]

thanks for the info. all i remember was billy griswold and clyde calicut and wives went in 56 or 57 i think. left me and my sister at clydes friends on a dairy farm in tenn. when billy g raced at the little 500 he was driving for a guy in pasadena, seems like his name was delahoussey had a phillips 66 service station and body shop, i think. it was an offy midget. it might have been #66. heard he did real good but got pentalized for passing a car under the caution flag. find anything else let me know. thanks. jimmy

Del Delahoussaye had Delahoussaye Auto Paint and Body at 418 ShaverSt. in Pasadena,Texas.When I was playing football at Pasadena High he was President of our Quarterback Club. He had 2 or 3 midgets at his shop in Pasadena.Mr. Delahoussaye passed away in the 70's.He was a great person and storyteller. He use to M.C. alot of the community banguets in Pasadena.

[JohnnyMac]

Info on the Pay Less Little 500 can be found at http://www.andersonspeedway.com/index.html

 

Here is a picture of the way they start the race, 11 rows of 3 wide on a 1/4 mile track, LOL.

[Kathy]

Archie Lacy. Wow, this is too funny.

 

The little station I work at here in Fbg. we just hired a new part time helper

and today I was training him. We started talking and this is his Grandfather.

He said he got on here and was trying to find some infomation on him.

 

He showed me a picture of his car.

 

Tomorrow I will tell him there is some stuff on here.

 

Anyone have any more interesting stuff about him?

[Modracer]

It shows Bill White as the rookie of the year in 1966 and Paul White being the rookie of the year in 2004. Thats probably the only father and son to do that.