Meyer Speedway Pics 2

[byron]

Thanks for the rear engine car photos Tommy, I see I had my car ends mixed up. From the

looks of the damage I can tell why we never saw this car again, I wonder if a wing would

have helped and I wonder why they didn't install one to start with. In the first picture of the car in the pits just look at crowd in the stands and just to watch practice. Of course it was free admission

but apparantly there were a lot of people who wanted to see what the coming season had to offer.

Also the picture of Hugh with trophy girl Billie Perran the gentleman to the right is flagman David

Wolfe. David and Frank Smith and their loyal wives promoted super modified shows in Texas,

Arkansas,Louisiana,Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, when they weren't racing at Meyer

they always had a big show somewhere.

On Rat Lane, yes he did run several shows here and maybe some stocker shows to.

Rat was quite a draw and was quite a celebrity here, racing hard, chatting with the fans and

then off to a nightclub called the Cellar in downtown Houston.

Great to see the pictures of Bill White in the no. 99 Nova, we were there that night. Man

that car looked like a hand full the front end sticking up in the air, and I believe Bill started

on the pole for the feature. This was a time when Austin and San Antonio(1/4 mile)

and Meyer were all Nascar tracks. The Austin & SA cars were quite different from the regular

sportsman cars at Meyer, but Don Fowler of Austin? mangaged to be the the state champion

one year.

 

thanks Byron

[txtom]

This is Bill driving a Late Model Sportsman belonging to C. Swindon of Austin - never saw him in a LMS again or this car again!

 

The owner's name was Chief Swenson; and Bill drove it a handful of times. One particular night, he ran third, but was disqualified because the car did not have a windshield in it. The track was nascar, and windows were required.

[garrettracecars(grc)]

looking at the pictures of bill white in the 70,71,72 time frame, i rember him at h.o.t. speedway on friday nights driving for joe smith and winning nearly every night. man could drive anything. all so rember seeing roy smith an son there too.

[jakdad]

This is Bill driving a Late Model Sportsman belonging to C. Swindon of Austin - never saw him in a LMS again or this car again!

 

The owner's name was Chief Swenson; and Bill drove it a handful of times. One particular night, he ran third, but was disqualified because the car did not have a windshield in it. The track was nascar, and windows were required.

You would think the tech inspector would have told him before hand.

[txtom]

Actually, to add to the story,the Pit Steward Tubby Gonzales told Chief the car would be OK as long as they ran legal tires and wheels.

But Bill's finish was protested by an un-named racer, and the finish was taken away. The next time the car was run at meyer, it had front and back glass in it.

[JTM]

Tommy do you have any pictures of Hugh Richards driving the #1 super?

[tommyo]

JTM: I was present at Meyer in the early 60's, and late '69 and all of '70. I was track photographer in '71 & '72 and was back to "being there" in '73, before I completely

burned out on the whole thing. I don't remember Hugh driving a #1 car at all. Do you know when it was? I have many pictures of '73, but unfortunately I can't find that small

album at the moment. If it was late '73 or later, I wasn't there at all. I have photos of Ikey Jerome in a #1 rear-engine super, but not Hugh. Any ideas?

[JTM]

Tommy

 

I'll have to get with my dad to get the exact years. Clay Reeves sold the #22 to Murray Kelley who changed it to the #1. Please keep the pictures coming they bring back good memories.

[tommyo]

JTM: if the Clay Reeves #22 was sold, it was after my time there - sorry!!

[JTM]

Thanks Tommy, keep the super modified pics coming. My dad started coming to Meyer in the mid 60's and we were regulars there until the track closed.

[tommyo]

Next on my request list is Leroy Halfin, but before I get to him, I want to post several more of Mack's photos:

When I first went to Meyer Speedway in 1962, Billy Perran in his yellow Tweety-Bird '37 Ford was my favorite driver.

Here's a few pictures of Billy and his cars:

Billy and his beautiful metallic-blue #6 in 1963 - second photo is not the greatest photo of Billy!

Billy and George Nash ontrack, 1963

Billy's #6 at an off-season tribute to A.J. Foyt, January 1964

Billy and his mid-season #6 from 1964 - this car was previously the #2 of Thomas "Pop" Minor, M.J.Burton's

back-up car. Billy had sold his blue car to Blackie Lothringer and it soon showed up at Meyer as #3

This was Billy's car for 1965 and 1966 - another beauty!

July 24, 1965 - I believe this was in turns 1 and 2 - I wasn't there - I missed 3 weeks of racing while visiting family in

Massachusettes, and watching racing at Agawam's Riverside Raceway, Thompson Speedway and Stafford Springs Speedway in

Connecticut - I can't say the racing was BETTER than at Meyer, but it was certainly as good. Many Northeastern great drivers

were there, and they were still running the cut-down coupes that Meyer had at the time.

Billy Perran and his #6, & Munson Stoddar SR, with his son's #57 - Photo from 1966, taken at Cleveland Speedway

P.S. I'm still looking for photos of that yellow tweety-bird car!!

[Budman]

Tom, if it is the same guy we're both thinking of, I think his name was Chief Swinford.

[Midget 85]

Tommy,

 

Look and see if you have any photos of Paul Maire's #2 Modified from 67-68

 

Red Chevy coupe

[txtom]

The owner's name was Chief Swenson; and Bill drove it a handful of times.

 

Jsut talked with Roy Smith JR, and he said Bill White confirmed that the owner of the #99 late model was Chief Swinford. Bill also said that in the last few years, Swinford lived in the Little River/Academy area and had a small cafe that White and other old racers frequented. Did not say if it is still there.

[Budman]

In the early-mid sixties Cheif ran a #99 Super-Mod at Speed-O-Rama.

[RETrott]

Actually, to add to the story,the Pit Steward Tubby Gonzales told Chief the car would be OK as long as they ran legal tires and wheels.

But Bill's finish was protested by an un-named racer, and the finish was taken away. The next time the car was run at meyer, it had front and back glass in it.

 

Tom, do you know if that happenend in '69, the first year for NASCAR LMS at Meyer Spdwy? I never knew of a Nova running with the NASCAR LMS cars, but I'm pretty sure Tubby Gonzales was the Track Chief Steward then. Possibly, it was allowed because of a sort of transition period. Just a guess.

[txtom]

Tom, do you know if that happenend in '69

 

No I don't, but I will email and see if Bill remembers. i regularly send stuff to Linda White, and his "third" son Roy Smith JR. Roy is easier to gert a response from.

Will post what I hear.

 

And thanks again to tommyo for all these pics. They are surely filling in some history holes at Meyer.

[tommyo]

OK guys - I was "listening in" on the Playland Park Forum and have three pics which might help clear up your questions.

You were refering to Meyer Speedway cars instead of Playland cars, so I'm posting here where they belong -

Here's Jackie's car from 1966 - I believe this may be the "batmobile" you were refering to - Mack's photo

Here's Jackie's car from 1968 - these things were so much SMALLER than the cars from the early 60's! - Mack's photo

Walter Ballards car from 1968 - again, so much smaller than early in the decade! - Mack's photo again

Sorry I don't have any photos of Walter's "Batmobile."

Hope these Help!

[tommyo]

midget85:

Randy, I'm planning to go to Nifty Fifties this weekend - I've noticed you mentioning it before, and I've been meaning to get there for 2 years! Perhaps I can

look you up it you're going to be there!

[tommyo]

Tommy,

 

Look and see if you have any photos of Paul Maire's #2 Modified from 67-68

 

Red Chevy coupe

 

Randy, sorry I was visiting beautiful Vietnam during that time - I never even knew Paul Maire drove a modified at Meyer!!

[Midget 85]

Tommy,

 

Your awesome with the photos let me tell ya!

 

You have brought many smiles to many people with these postings and the Ballard number 5 modified was indeed a one time 48 Ford sedan radically cut down to one of the Meyer monsters.

 

The photo above is awesome!

 

This is the same modified that he went end over in after climbing George Nash's left rear wheel on the back stretch in early Spring 1967. It was light green then and the following year it was dark green (68).

 

The little small block 289 Ford would scream down the straights!

 

Please do come out to the classic car shows before the season ends.

 

And by the way it's "Niftee 50ees"

 

Yes, I will be there since... I have to run it.

 

As to Paul Maire, I think he only ran one season in the Mods. It was a good looking coupe!

 

The Batmobile we are referring to is actually the one you posted above that Woosley drove, not Ballard.

[jakdad]

Tommy, From one vet to another, Thank you for your service. Next week is Veterans day. Happy day for all.

Jim

[RETrott]

RE: Post #86, 5th picture from the top, although I have no memory of Billy Perran racing that car, it definitely appears, as identified, to be the Thomas Minor/Burton Team Modified that was built new in '63. I believe it started out as a '37 Chevrolet Coupe, but raced with the '38 nose/grill. Quite similiar to the MJ Burton Modified #5 that was built in '62, but I understand that it was actually about 2 inches smaller, at least the body. I was able to see the car in various stages of build, and unfortunately saw the severe right side crash damage in it's 1st race. But, it was repaired and raced again, driven some by Thomas "Pop" Minor as #2, and on occasion driven by MJ Burton as #5 in late '63. I also believe, it was raced in later years as Car #22, and was blue. Great historic photos Tommyo!

[tommyo]

OK people, time to put on your thinking caps and strain your brains! Here's 6 as yet unidetified photos from Meyer Speedway, with what

little information I have. Perhaps some of you can remember who these drivers are or who owned/drove these cars:

This #33 showed up late in 1969, and I have no idea where it came from - #91 behind it belongs to Sonny McDaniel, more on this later

I show this #47 LMS to be from Houston, and that's all I have on it - 1970

This #31 '38 Chevy coupe is from 1970 also - perhaps someone recognizes it from a previous incarnation - I show it as a Houston car

I show this #5 Winged Sprinter as a Dallas car from 1970 - no other info on it

I show this #6 Winged Sprint Car as being from Dallas - also 1970

I have several photos of this unidentified #2 Winged Sprint Car from Greenville, Mississippi, from 1971

If anyone can help identify these cars I would appreciate it - more to follow!

[tommyo]

This will be a somewhat larger post than I prefer, but I didn't want to break it up. Early in 1972, Poncho Locklin owned this nice #6 Winged Sprint car

which was driven by George Nash: that is, until the evening of June 10, when George managed to put the car over the fence, where it landed

between the fence and the backstretch grandstand. I don't recall the details, perhaps some of you do. I don't remember if or how badly George might

have been hurt, but when Poncho showed up with a new car a week or two later, he had a new driver too - photos of that car to follow:

Here's 3 photos of George in the #6 Sprint Car...

Here's 7 photos of what was left of the car where it landed...

Being towed away...

2 on the trailer afterwards...

And a bonus color photo of George and the car at speed on the track!