More Photos from Speed-O-Rama/Hwy. 16

[MonaB]

After careful study and research:

 

Pictured on the left appears to be David Trueper (once a co-operator of Longhorn Speedway with Alvin Stewart). In the center is Leroy Farmer and Don Chrudimski on the right for sure.

 

The #22 Vita Fresh Camaro shot was taken during a Texas Race of Champions event at Texas World Speedway. I am sure the car was driven by Jimmy "Fireball" Finger of Austin.

 

#12 picture was taken from outside of turn #1 at Austin Speed-O-Rama aka Longhorn Speedway. I don't think the car was being driven by Bobby Allison. To my knowledge, Bobby's races in Texas were only at Meyer Speedway, Houston, Texas World Speedway NASCAR, USAC, ARCA and Texas Race of Champions events.

 

 

Neil Upchurch

Former Race Director - TROC at TWS

Former track announcer, Austin Speed-O-Rama and Longhorn Speedway

 

Neil, you're right on some of the stuff. The picture of Jimmy Finger was taken at Hwy. 16 in San antonio.

The #12 car was being driven by Bobbie Allison on a special appearance at Longhorn Speedway on June 2, 1979.

[NeilTPS]

Mona: I've got to disagree with you on the track where #22 was racing. I see a concrete wall in the background, like TWS had.

 

Highway 16 Raceway walls were always boilerplate sheet metal, never concrete.

 

I was unaware that Bobby Allison ever raced in Austin. I bow to your judgment.

 

 

Neil Upchurch

[MonaB]

Mona: I've got to disagree with you on the track where #22 was racing. I see a concrete wall in the background, like TWS had.

 

Highway 16 Raceway walls were always boilerplate sheet metal, never concrete.

 

I was unaware that Bobby Allison ever raced in Austin. I bow to your judgment.

 

Neil Upchurch

I went back and checked my records and The picture of Jummy Finger was taken on July 29, 1978. I was there taking pictures (which I took this picture myself) because Freddy Fryar was there also. It is definately Hwy. 16.

I did take a few pictures at TWS one time but, this is not the roll of film I took there. I will post some of the pictures from TWS when I get a photo program that will let me resize and fix the colors in the pictures. Some of them are turning funny colors and I'd like to correct that if possible, such as in the picture that has a red/pink tone to it.

When I post the pictures I took from TWS, you'll notice the stands in the background. Those pictures I too coming out of turn 4. The pictures I took at Hwy. 16 are inbetween turn 1 & 2. I don't know what the walls are nowbut, back in those days, the wall was concrete and banked to where it would launch a car over the wall if you hit it just right. Seen one or two get launched out into the parking lot myself because of the way the wall was angled.

[txtom]

Bobby Allison did compete in a regular Friday night program the weekend of the Winston cup race held at TWS in 1979. I remember him running about third in the feature. In those days, a promoter could pay Bobby (and others) to show up and run a show, like the one mentioned here.

I specifically remember this race; He gave me about 5 of the Alabama Gang stickers we used to see back then, and he gave Lee Machen a hat with the same logo. One of those stickers is on my toolbox in the garage.

And no, the rest ain't for sale.

 

On the subject of the Jimmy Finger picture, I think if you take a close look at the wall, you will see that it is the boiler plate of Hwy 16. Look along the top edge of the wall; you will see evenly placed dark spots. Those are the tops of the wooden poles that the plate was attached to. If you look straight up from the rear of the car, you can see two vertical lines on the wall. On those lines, You can see evenly spaced "dots". Those are the bolts attaching the plate to the poles. Actually, below each pole spots, there are the "dots" that are the bolts.

Also, Look directly up from the front tire. You can see a splice joint in the wall.

Note also the corner drain on the inside of the track. TWS has no drains that close to the racing surface.

Another couple things I see; the radius of the corner in relation to the car, and the width of the track. It is too narrow to be TWS, and there are no white stripes like the TWS corners had.

 

The wall has always been boiler plate, and was originally built vertical to the ground, not the track.

It helped vault several cars out.

First out was Slick Yoemans in the same car Terry Labonte won the 1977 championship in. Yoemans won the championship in 1979 when the car was owned by Cheathem. When he went out of turn 1, the car was owned by Alan Yates.

[MonaB]

Well, I have to stand corrected on the boiler plate. I've always thought it to be concrete. I didn't think plate could stand up to launching cars of the top without bending. I watched that track get built while at the drag strip, my usual home on weekends (when the Funny Cars ran).

[txtom]

Well, I have to stand corrected on the boiler plate. I've always thought it to be concrete. I didn't think plate could stand up to launching cars of the top without bending.

 

Unfortunately, it holds up very well. Slick went out about 80 or 81, and when the car was sliding along the top of the wall before finally going over, it dang near cut the frame rails in two.

The car did get repaired, and was sold to Jerry Edwards of Corpus, who campaigned it for several years.

[MonaB]

Bobby Allison did compete in a regular Friday night program the weekend of the Winston cup race held at TWS in 1979.

Here's a picture of Freddy and Allison running together. Freddy won the race, of course.

 

 

Well, I have to stand corrected on the boiler plate. I've always thought it to be concrete. I didn't think plate could stand up to launching cars of the top without bending.

 

Unfortunately, it holds up very well. Slick went out about 80 or 81, and when the car was sliding along the top of the wall before finally going over, it dang near cut the frame rails in two.

The car did get repaired, and was sold to Jerry Edwards of Corpus, who campaigned it for several years.

 

The first one I saw go over, I was told, landed on some cars in the parking lot. I didn't go look to see if it was true but, that's what I was told. I know the car didn't ride the wall, it actually launched like in a cannon. Verry scary.

Then I seen another car get it's wheels (all 4) up against the wall and rode the wall from turn one to turn two when it finally camt to a stop coming out of two when it finally rolled over on it's top. That was a really funny thing to watch. Maybe not for the driver but for us watching it. Couldn't believe it! But, it happened.

[NickHolt]

The Jimmy Finger photo has to be at Highway 16 between 1 and 2.

 

I've spent many hours at that end of the track trying to get pumps, drains, etc. to empty out Lake SAS while shooting owl-sized mosquitos out of the sky with a 30-30. Maybe a slight exageration, but if you've even been out there at twilight without massive amounts of "Off" you know what I mean.

 

Nick

[txtom]

The first one I saw go over, I was told, landed on some cars in the parking lot. I didn't go look to see if it was true but, that's what I was told. I know the car didn't ride the wall, it actually launched like in a cannon. Verry scary.

 

You are thinking of about 85 or 86 when Greg Davidson went car shopping with his SLM.

Several cars running close, and they got together, and Greg vaulted off the tires of one of them.

Greg was in a Howe chassis, it held up very well in spite of the damage. I don't think Greg was hurt at all beyond his wallet.

 

I remember it was quiet while they cleaned up everything, and then the track announcer came over the loudspeaker and asked for the owners of certain to report ot the track office. When he listed one license plate in particular, from pit road, you could hear a "awww S%*T!!!"

[RodneyRodriguez]

Pinky Pinkston was second to fly out of 16 I think. I hadn't put anything together but I remember hearing Mona Bateman in the past @ speed o rama, great pictures, I had a stack of those I bought and I remember taking them to Jr High one day (1984 or so) and I never saw them again. Man that sucked! No wonder I never applied myself in school very well after that!!

[MonaB]

The first one I saw go over, I was told, landed on some cars in the parking lot. I didn't go look to see if it was true but, that's what I was told. I know the car didn't ride the wall, it actually launched like in a cannon. Verry scary.

 

You are thinking of about 85 or 86 when Greg Davidson went car shopping with his SLM.

Several cars running close, and they got together, and Greg vaulted off the tires of one of them.

Greg was in a Howe chassis, it held up very well in spite of the damage. I don't think Greg was hurt at all beyond his wallet.

 

I remember it was quiet while they cleaned up everything, and then the track announcer came over the loudspeaker and asked for the owners of certain to report ot the track office. When he listed one license plate in particular, from pit road, you could hear a "awww S%*T!!!"

 

I believe that to be the one! Didn't know who it was but I did see it happen.