JAMES HUFF

[Guest HUFF MOTORSPORTS]

1956 JAMES HUFF BUILT HIS FIRST MODIFIED AND RACED AT NORTH HOUSTON SPEEDWAY LOCATED AT LEE & GREENS ROAD.

 

MODEL A BODY, SHORTENED PICK UP FRAME WITH CHRYSLER FLAT HEAD 6 MOTOR. HE TRADED IT FOR A TRIUMP MOTORCYCLE KEPT IT FOR A WEEK & SOLD IT FOR 75.00.

 

NOTICE HOW THEY TOWED THE CARS TO THE TRACK BACK THEN, THE CAR PULLING RACE CAR WAS A 1949 CHEV.

 

 

 

JAMES SAID HE DID NOT BUILD THIS CAR. A GUY NAMED JIMMY WILLIS BUILT IT

AND JAMES BOUGHT IT FOR $ 45.00.

[57Tbird]

I think that's a '52 Chevy doing the towing.

[Guest HUFF MOTORSPORTS]

57TBIRD,

 

JAMES SAID IT WAS HIS '51 CHEV. HE ONLY OWNED A '51 & '49.

WILL BE POSTING SOME MORE PHOTO'S IN A DAY OR SO.

 

 

THANKS,

[jakdad]

Park lights look like a 51.

[57Tbird]

I had a '51... my first car. The '52's were just like the '51 except they added the ribs to the center horizontal bar in the grill that you can see in the picture.

Here's an old ad for a '52...

 

My '51...

[RETrott]

Is the track photo at North Houston Speedway? If I can find it, I have a video transferred from film made there in the mid 50s with Foyt, Rackley, Pierce, Wade, and probably the Burton brothers racing, among others. I remember attending a Modified Stock Car race there in the 50s that I believe was won by Harlan Richardson, but I'm not sure. I also recall someone ending up in a pond outside turn one. The way I remember, the speedway was about 1/4 mile paved oval running east/west, but I'm having trouble with which side the grandstand was on. I'm thinking north. When I attended an exhibition Stock Car race there in early '63, the grandstand was no longer standing.

[Guest HUFF MOTORSPORTS]

RETrott,

 

JAMES SAID YOU ARE RIGHT. DEL RAY MCKINNEY WAS THE FLAGMAN.

DID NOT HAVE A FLAG STAND DID THE FLAGGING FROM INSIDE THE TRACK.

ONLY WALL WAS THE ONE IN FRONT OF THE GRANDSTANDS. PITS WAS

LOCATED AT THE WEST END OF STANDS. HE SAID IT WAS CALLED A 3rd

MILE TRACK & WAS D- SHAPED.

JAMES WAS 19 YEARS OLD IN THIS PHOTO.

[RETrott]

Janette, I recently Yahoo Satellite Mapped the old North Houston Speedway area and you can still see an oval/D shape of the trees on the NW corner of Greens & Lee Rds.

[jakdad]

Janette, I recently Yahoo Satellite Mapped the old North Houston Speedway area and you can still see an oval/D shape of the trees on the NW corner of Greens & Lee Rds.

Hey Larry,

I see the trees you're talking about. Look due west of there. That looks to be another 1/4 mile asphalt track. Were there two tracks out there? I raced at a track called Northside Speedway around 1957 or 1958 but I didn't recall it being D shaped. I remember it had long sweeping turns. Seemed like you were in the turn forever and then the straightaway jumped up. Well it's only been 'bout 50 years

[Guest HUFF MOTORSPORTS]

I'LL GET ON YAHOO AND LOOK, THANKS.

JAMES SAID HE DOES NOT REMEMBER A 1/4 MILE

TRACK BEING AROUND THIS ONE.

[Guest HUFF MOTORSPORTS]

THIS IS JAMES FIRST STOCK CAR # 40.

1938 CHEV - RACED AT NORTH HOUSTON SPEEDWAY

AND ALSO A DIRT TRACK IN TEXAS CITY JAMES DOESN'T

REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE TEXAS CITY TRACK.

ENGINE WAS A 216 CUBIC INCH MOTOR.

THEN HE WENT TO A 53 MODEL 235 STRAIGHT 6, HE

WAS DISQULIFIED WITH THIS MOTOR BECAUSE IT

HAD SIDE MOTOR MOUNTS. SO HE PUT A 302 GMC

MOTOR IN AND IT WAS LEGAL, IT DIDN'T HAVE THE

SIDE MOTOR MOUNTS " FIGURE THIS ONE OUT" .

THE UP SIDE DOWN PHOTO JAMES BROKE HIS COLLAR BONE.

 

[resized by Nick Holt, 11/13/07]

 

 

[Guest HUFF MOTORSPORTS]

1967 EAST SAN JACINTO SPEEDWAY

HWY 59 BETWEEN SPLENDORA AND CLEVELAND

# 110 - 1953 CHEV / FIGURE 8 CAR

HAD TO BE BONE STOCK

 

PHOTO # 110 LOADED ON TRAILER WAS WRECKED

AT MEYER SPEEDWAY RUNNUNG CRAZY 8.

[Guest HUFF MOTORSPORTS]

1967 MEYER SPEEDWAY

# 75 OWNED BY VAUGHN BRUNE & HUGO

1955 CHEV - RACED BRONCO CLASS

DRIVER: JAMES HUFF

 

 

LEFT SIDE PHOTO: VAUGHN BRUNE RIGHT SIDE PHOTO: JAMES HUFF

THIS WAS HIS RACING SUIT.

[RETrott]

Janette, I recently Yahoo Satellite Mapped the old North Houston Speedway area and you can still see an oval/D shape of the trees on the NW corner of Greens & Lee Rds.

Hey Larry,

I see the trees you're talking about. Look due west of there. That looks to be another 1/4 mile asphalt track. Were there two tracks out there? I raced at a track called Northside Speedway around 1957 or 1958 but I didn't recall it being D shaped. I remember it had long sweeping turns. Seemed like you were in the turn forever and then the straightaway jumped up. Well it's only been 'bout 50 years

Jim,

What I am looking at shows an east/west configuration with turns 3 & 4 about 2/10 mile west of Lee Rd and the backstretch about 1/10 mile north of Greens Rd. It's really impossible to tell whether or not it is D shaped, but if it is, to me the D would be the backstretch. I'm not sure if he is saying an actual D, or semi D shaped. The times I was there, I was in/near the grandstands on the front stretch, and the tape I have was filmed mostly from the grandstand area. But it does seem to have sweeping turns that would create somewhat of a D. Now I am curious and hopefully will find that tape. As for '57/'58, I went to at least one event in that era and saw a Modified race. Harlan Richardson had a former and repainted Billy Wade car and was fast, but I don't remember if he won or not. In about February '63, some of the newly started Houston Bronco Stock Cars got together and held some races there for fun. No grandstands, and attended by a few fans but mostly family and friends of the racers. I think it was organized by Bob Derrington with flagman duties by L J Honeycut. If my memory is correct, Roy Tuley was in the car formerly driven at Meyer by Tommy Tilotta Jr, and he was fast. But I don't think he won, possibly helped into a pond by another racer.

[jakdad]

Janette, I recently Yahoo Satellite Mapped the old North Houston Speedway area and you can still see an oval/D shape of the trees on the NW corner of Greens & Lee Rds.

Hey Larry,

I see the trees you're talking about. Look due west of there. That looks to be another 1/4 mile asphalt track. Were there two tracks out there? I raced at a track called Northside Speedway around 1957 or 1958 but I didn't recall it being D shaped. I remember it had long sweeping turns. Seemed like you were in the turn forever and then the straightaway jumped up. Well it's only been 'bout 50 years

Jim,

What I am looking at shows an east/west configuration with turns 3 & 4 about 2/10 mile west of Lee Rd and the backstretch about 1/10 mile north of Greens Rd. It's really impossible to tell whether or not it is D shaped, but if it is, to me the D would be the backstretch. I'm not sure if he is saying an actual D, or semi D shaped. The times I was there, I was in/near the grandstands on the front stretch, and the tape I have was filmed mostly from the grandstand area. But it does seem to have sweeping turns that would create somewhat of a D. Now I am curious and hopefully will find that tape. As for '57/'58, I went to at least one event in that era and saw a Modified race. Harlan Richardson had a former and repainted Billy Wade car and was fast, but I don't remember if he won or not. In about February '63, some of the newly started Houston Bronco Stock Cars got together and held some races there for fun. No grandstands, and attended by a few fans but mostly family and friends of the racers. I think it was organized by Bob Derrington with flagman duties by L J Honeycut. If my memory is correct, Roy Tuley was in the car formerly driven at Meyer by Tommy Tilotta Jr, and he was fast. But I don't think he won, possibly helped into a pond by another racer.

Yep, Sounds like Roy. The race I ran was stock cars. I had a 49 Chevy with a 216 engine and finished second. My car had a roll bar made out of an old steel head board from somebody's bed that Bob Bartlet installed for me for free. He was trying to get a class going out there to compete with Playland. Needless to say, that was a failed project but a lot of fun.

[RETrott]

I don't have any recall of East San Jacinto Speedway, but I would think that's kind of close to the Cleveland Speedway. I'm trying to remember exactly where the track in Cleveland was, but I am having difficulty. As for the track in Texas City, I did go there once in about '58. I think Tater Pete had something to do with it, but I'm not sure. When I was there, I saw Don Burton and Bob Bruce in a torred battle in what appeared to be team cars. Both cars were # 92. But hey, they were race cars going around a track, and that is what mattered.

As for the Bronco Stocks at Meyer Speedway in '67, I recall that the car count (45+) for weekly events was so high, an A Feature qualifying format was put in place to reduce the field and a B Feature was held for the non qualified cars. Similar to NASCAR, the top points cars/drivers were automatically in, and remaining spots filled by heat race finishes, and the previous week B Feature finish. This method did not apply to time trialed events. The Martin "Bubba" Ligotino accident was in the B Feature on 8/5/'67. I started 6th, and Bubba started 8th, and while lined up on the Crazy 8 track I remember looking in my mirror and being concerned about the car being very fast and the driver racing in only his 2nd week. Fortunately I had made a move on the outside at the start and was running 2nd down the back straightaway when the red light came on in turn 3, so I did not see the crash and stopped on the front straightaway. It was somewhat surreal, my brother and crew came out to talk to me during the red flag period but didn't give me any details, and by the look on their faces I knew not to ask.

[jakdad]

I don't have any recall of East San Jacinto Speedway, but I would think that's kind of close to the Cleveland Speedway. I'm trying to remember exactly where the track in Cleveland was, but I am having difficulty. As for the track in Texas City, I did go there once in about '58. I think Tater Pete had something to do with it, but I'm not sure. When I was there, I saw Don Burton and Bob Bruce in a torred battle in what appeared to be team cars. Both cars were # 92. But hey, they were race cars going around a track, and that is what mattered.

As for the Bronco Stocks at Meyer Speedway in '67, I recall that the car count (45+) for weekly events was so high, an A Feature qualifying format was put in place to reduce the field and a B Feature was held for the non qualified cars. Similar to NASCAR, the top points cars/drivers were automatically in, and remaining spots filled by heat race finishes, and the previous week B Feature finish. This method did not apply to time trialed events. The Martin "Bubba" Ligotino accident was in the B Feature on 8/5/'67. I started 6th, and Bubba started 8th, and while lined up on the Crazy 8 track I remember looking in my mirror and being concerned about the car being very fast and the driver racing in only his 2nd week. Fortunately I had made a move on the outside at the start and was running 2nd down the back straightaway when the red light came on in turn 3, so I did not see the crash and stopped on the front straightaway. It was somewhat surreal, my brother and crew came out to talk to me during the red flag period but didn't give me any details, and by the look on their faces I knew not to ask.

Bill was driving my car by then. He nearly ran over Bubba on the back chute. I brought him in and we talked it over. He was done for the night. I also told him we wouldn't put another driver in the car, it was his ride. We loaded it. I never told anyone at the track but that's why we wern't in the field for the restart. In fact, I don't remember much about the rest of that night.

[RETrott]

I don't have any recall of East San Jacinto Speedway, but I would think that's kind of close to the Cleveland Speedway. I'm trying to remember exactly where the track in Cleveland was, but I am having difficulty. As for the track in Texas City, I did go there once in about '58. I think Tater Pete had something to do with it, but I'm not sure. When I was there, I saw Don Burton and Bob Bruce in a torred battle in what appeared to be team cars. Both cars were # 92. But hey, they were race cars going around a track, and that is what mattered.

As for the Bronco Stocks at Meyer Speedway in '67, I recall that the car count (45+) for weekly events was so high, an A Feature qualifying format was put in place to reduce the field and a B Feature was held for the non qualified cars. Similar to NASCAR, the top points cars/drivers were automatically in, and remaining spots filled by heat race finishes, and the previous week B Feature finish. This method did not apply to time trialed events. The Martin "Bubba" Ligotino accident was in the B Feature on 8/5/'67. I started 6th, and Bubba started 8th, and while lined up on the Crazy 8 track I remember looking in my mirror and being concerned about the car being very fast and the driver racing in only his 2nd week. Fortunately I had made a move on the outside at the start and was running 2nd down the back straightaway when the red light came on in turn 3, so I did not see the crash and stopped on the front straightaway. It was somewhat surreal, my brother and crew came out to talk to me during the red flag period but didn't give me any details, and by the look on their faces I knew not to ask.

Bill was driving my car by then. He nearly ran over Bubba on the back chute. I brought him in and we talked it over. He was done for the night. I also told him we wouldn't put another driver in the car, it was his ride. We loaded it. I never told anyone at the track but that's why we wern't in the field for the restart. In fact, I don't remember much about the rest of that night.

That sounds like Bill Mullins. I always felt like he was one of the good guys. By that point, I knew the partnership I was part of would soon be dissolved and the car needed to be sold and was. As for that night, I needed to stay and recapture a few dollars spent racing/repairing. We were set for a possible B Feature win and needed it badly, but a battery cable rubbing against the block took me out shortly after the restart.

[Guest HUFF MOTORSPORTS]

THE EAST SAN JACINTO TRACK WAS ON THE WEST SIDE OF

HWY 59 BETWEEN SPLENDORA & CLEVELAND.

JAMES SAID HE WAS SITTING IN HIS CAR WAITING TO

GO OUT WHEN THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED AT MEYER.

SAID THE SEAT BELTS HAD COME UN-DONE WAS

A VERY BAD ENDING.

 

JAMES SAID HE WRECKED HIS 110 CAR AT MEYER THAT

NIGHT. HE GOT A TRACTOR JACK AND JACKED THE ROOF

BACK UP AND HAULED IT TO EAST SAN JACINTO AND

RACED THAT SUNDAY.

 

I BELEIVE HE IS A DIE HARD RACER, I DON'T KNOW

HOW SOME OF THE GUYS EVER SURVIVED THESE CARS.

[Budman]

Cool stuff on this and that other thread. I'm really enjoying reading and checking out those pics. Thanks.

[Guest HUFF MOTORSPORTS]

Cool stuff on this and that other thread. I'm really enjoying reading and checking out those pics. Thanks.

 

THANKS BUDMAN GLAD YOU ARE ENJOYING !!!!!!!!!!

 

NOW WE ARE GONNA SHOW SOME BIG H MOTOR SPEEDWAY

PHOTOS.

[Guest HUFF MOTORSPORTS]

THIS IS THE 1970 PHOTOS OF BIG H.

THIS IS DEL HARRIS & JANETTE HUFF's BROTHER.

 

CECIL HARRIS RACED THIS CAR AT BIG H MOTOR SPEEDWAY,

WHICH IS NOW HOUSTON MOTORSPORTS PARK.

DON'T REMEMBER HOW LONG HE RACED THIS CAR.

SUPER MODIFIED " FAST" HAD TO RUN WITH SPRINT CARS.

SOMETHING HAPPEN ON THE TRACK AND HE HIT THE GUARDRAIL

HEAD ON WHERE YOU EXIT THE TRACK AT. YOU WILL NOTICE IN

THE TOP PHOTO WHERE IT SPLIT THE POST ON THE RAIL.

WAS TOOK TO THE HOSPITAL AND STAYED THERE FOR A FEW

DAYS SAID HE DOES NOT REMEMBER ANYTHING ABOUT IT

OTHER THAN WHAT HE WAS TOLD AND THE PHOTOS.

ENGINE WAS A 427 CHEV.

[Guest HUFF MOTORSPORTS]

AFTER MY BROTHER CECIL WRECKED THE CAR JAMES BOUGHT

IT AND STARTED RACING SUPER MODIFIED AT BIG H 1970's.

THE # 77 IS MY BROTHER RICK HARRIS AND THE # 9 IS

JIMMY GRISWOLD THE SON OF BILLY GRISWOLD.

I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU I WAS AT THE RACES EVERYTIME

JAMES RACED BUT I NEVER DID LIKE THAT CAR # 7.

[RETrott]

Janette, was Cecil's crash at the end of the front straightaway where the pit entrance used to be? I didn't attend often, but seem to recall Kenny Burns crashing there and being injured. That was late 70s/early 80s.

[Guest HUFF MOTORSPORTS]

Janette, was Cecil's crash at the end of the front straightaway where the pit entrance used to be? I didn't attend often, but seem to recall Kenny Burns crashing there and being injured. That was late 70s/early 80s.

 

 

YEAH RETROTT IT WAS ON THE FRONT STRAIGHT BUT I THINK THAT

WAS THE EXIT OFF THE TRACK. THEY ENTERED ON THE BACK SIDE

OF THE TRACK.

HOUSTON MOTORSPORTS PARK WE ENTER AND EXIT FROM

THE BACK SIDE.

I'M NOT SURE BUT I THINK KENNEY BURNS CAR IS THE # 5.