Playland Park/Meyer Speedway

[jakdad]

I recall a class run at Playland and CC in the fifties called "Late Modifieds". Did that class later become "Broncos" at Meyer?

No, to my knowledge after the announcement for a new class of stock cars in late season '62, all cars, with one exception in '66, were newly and purposely built for the soon to be nicknamed "Bronco" Stock Car class. Originally requiring '49 thru '55 model passenger cars, in '64 the rules adjusted to allow '56 model cars. The '56 Chevys had to use the '55 legal heads, and most of them did. By that time, all of the cars except for couple of '54 Fords, were '55 or '56 models.

Not only that, but the Fords wern't allowed to run the G heads on the 312 engine. We campaigned long and hard to let the Chevys run Power Pack or Corvette heads so we could run G heads on our Ford. The decision was made that the G heads gave the Fords to much advantage. Now that I look back, it was foolish to think about. If we had those big port -big valve heads, we still had to feed them through a Rochester two barrell carb.

[GINGERBREADMAN]

larry...I thought the last 53 car was owned by Bill Brashear. Walter Ballard was a champion drag racer ,that first time at the track ,stood on the gas and hit front straight wall at meyer speedway. At that point he was hooked for life.He had a brown 24 car that might have come from george nash but I don't think so. That car came off the trailer on the way to shereveport La. dirt race at the fairgrounds. It went into ditch and turned over.Car made it to race and competed.Houston boys got a lesson in driving and car building that weekend. I remember that weekend like it was yesterday. Your brother went along and brought peggy. I'm almost positive one of them was still in high school.Walter later came up with another car that had what looked like a 40 ford body that was chopped and channeled. But ugly...Greenish silver#5...but it was fast. Ran car long enough at meyers that it had a wing on top before he quit racing here.Had a 289 ford as I remember. left houston moved to south carolina and raced what is now cup cars. Won rookie of the year first year out. Raced for several years there and eventually became a car owner in cup when rent a rides were popular. ....If you want to find out more facts you should sit down with charlie schilds or george nash and take your notebook. MJ might even be able to fill in a lot of the blanks , I know you have his #.....denny with highly taxed memory....

[RETrott]

Denny,

The only # 53 Modified I remember driven by Billy Wade at Meyer Speedway is the same car that belonged to Bill Brashear by about '62/'63. I'm just not sure about ownership '61, after mid season. Now that you mention it, I do remember, although I wasn't there, that the Walter Ballard # 24 Modified off trailer incident happened on the '62 Shreveport trip. As I recall, that weekend's Meyer races were cancelled after the death of Joseph F Meyer and some of the local Modifieds went to the Sunday race at the Lousiana Fairgrounds track that was still dirt at the time. From what I was told, that little white Corvair had trouble keeping up with you guys. As for Walter Ballard's later Modified, my memory is somewhat vague, but your reference seems familiar after your color/number description. That must be the car Jim/Jakdad was talking about with the 289 Ford, and I know Walter ran at Meyer long after that # 24 Car was discontinued. I was lucky enough to tag along with the # 07 Chevy to the '74 Talladega/Winston 500 spring race and saw Walter there. At that time, he was running a Chevy, orange # 30. As for Playland/Meyer, don't you have some pictures?

[jakdad]

I believe you're right Denny. That brown looking 24 car is the one George later bought from Walter. Sonny said the only paint they had at the shop didn't cover well when he sprayed the car. That was a maroon color. I think he said he waited until he could sand it down and try again. He said the second time he added some pearl or metal flake to it and it finally covered. Sonny still called it maroon 'cause that's what it said on the paint. But I have to agree, it turned out to look like a brown. You mentioned Bill Brashear. I think Billy Griswold drove a modified for him. Billy put in in the fence between 1 & 2 and that was the end of that car. A week after the wreck, I asked him how the car was coming along. He shook his head an said it was scattered all up and down the driveway. I dont think they ever got it back together. The night Billy wrecked it, he took me over there and showed me the throttle linkage. It was still stuck wide open.

[gwj78025]

This forum was just brought to my attention recently, and I recognize a lot of names being mentioned in the discussions. My dad, Ed Hamblen, was the promoter at Playland Park Speedway and Meyer Speedway. I would enjoy hearing from anyone who knew or remembers my dad.

MeyerSpeedway was one of the best tracks in Texas.Alot of great drivers ran at MeyerSpeedway when your Dad was promoter.I never missed a Saturday night during the 60's.The best race every year was the Liberty Bell 300.So many good out of town cars to go along with the many great local drivers. Sure wish there would be racing like that now.The Texas racing scene owes your father a big thank you.

[mfbarnes]

Here's "Mr. H" as most of us called him with George Nash at the awards banquet.

 

 

 

Mr H helped out many many racers, no matter if you were just a Bronco driver or HP Bailey. Mr. H helped a lot of local boys get in the bigger shows, Billy Wade, HP Bailey, the list goes on and on. He spent money from his own pocket to ensure a good race was put on, and he put his heart and soul into Meyers Speedway. Bill France shook him down for several thousand dollars to get the NASCAR race run there. There is really no telling how much of his own bread he spent to get the track out in the main stream. Mr. H loved racing there is no doubt what so ever, any anyone ever tell you any different is full of it.

[rgrable]

This forum was just brought to my attention recently, and I recognize a lot of names being mentioned in the discussions. My dad, Ed Hamblen, was the promoter at Playland Park Speedway and Meyer Speedway. I would enjoy hearing from anyone who knew or remembers my dad.

 

 

I knew your dad as far back as I can remember, I am Randy Grable and Cotton Grable was my father. He flagged the races at Playland Park and at Meyer speedway. He would take us up to the booth where your dad would anounce the races, then sit my brother and I just a row or two down from the booth while he flagged. The last time I saw your dad was around 1976 when I worked for a short while for Phil Cronin. That was the year Phil had won the late model championship and the same year a young upstart from Corpus Christi named Terry LaBonte started showing up on the weekends to race at Meyer.

[RETrott]

Randy,

I believe your Dad has been mentioned on this site, possibly in the section discussing the Midget Racers. Some of us older race fans are quite familiar with Cotton Grable, and we love history and pictures.

[mfbarnes]

Here's a picture of Cotton doing his thing out at Playland.

 

 

 

And you talk about a cut up, between Cotton, Billy Arrington, and Johnny Corbett out at Meyers in those days, it just wasn't safe from a practical joke being played on you. Bill Baily use to announce all the races for a while, and he was forever involved in setting someone up to have some stunt pulled on them for a good laugh.

 

Did someone mention Texas Terry?????????

[mfbarnes]

One of the better Photos of Phil and his Crew.