Meyer Speedway

[RETrott]

Jim,

After NASCAR was dropped at Meyer Spdwy/Houston, and the Limited Sportsman class disappeared, Ed Hamblen/the spdwy began an entry level Stock Car class as a support series for the Late Model events. The class began in '75, I believe, and continued through the last season of operation in '79. The cars used were Mustangs, Camaros/Firebirds, and Chevy IIs and Novas. Possibly, Chevelles/LeMans and Fairlanes were legal, but mostly the lighter cars were used. Engines were factory matching 250 cid L6s, and 70 series tires were required. For some reason, apparently for name recognition, the spdwy/Ed Hamblen identified this class as "Broncos" also, but basically Street Stocks with 6 cyl engines from larger cars/trucks. I've attempted to cover this subject before, but apparently you missed those posts.

Edited July 30, 2008 by RETrott

[Bobby]

Willie Veach - In regard to "where are they now", Willie and Joe Bob Veach (don't know the relationship) have been racing dirt modifieds and crate models here in Houston the last few years.

[Midget 85]

Darrell,

 

The best thing to do with the "Slides" is to take them to Walgreens or a reputable photo shop where they can be digitized to a CD.

 

I reccomend they be saved to another media form before the slides disappear in clarity.

 

It's a piece of cake after that with your computer

 

PM me if you need additional help in sizing and loading to the forum

 

-Randy

[xzgqh6]

HEY JIM, SORRY TO GET IN ON THIS TOPIC SO LATE BUT I HAVE BEEN OUT OF TOWN AND JUST CAME BACK IN TO READ SOME POSTS. ANYWAY DAD RAN A 4.56 & 4.88 @ MEYER IN THE LAST SUPER HE RACED AND HE RAN A 4.11 (QUICK CHANGE) @ JACKSON, MOBILE AND PENSICOLA. YOU CAN CONFIRM THAT WITH HIM BUT THOSE CARS DID NOT NEED AS MUCH GEAR AS THE OLD MODIFIED COUPES. THE OLD COUPES WERE HEAVY COMPAIRED TO THE SUPERS. I DO NOT REMEMBER WHAT THE OLD COUPES WIEGHED BUT THE LAST SUPER DAD RACED ONLY WIEGHED 1300 LBS FULL OF FUEL AND HAD A 377 SBC WITH OVER 700 HP.

[jakdad]

He and I have discussed this before. Just keep gearin' up 'til somthin' floats..........................

[darrellk54]

Will do. Thanks Randy

 

Darrell

[RETrott]

Mark,

After recently viewing the narrated tape from 9/25/'66, which shows the incident pictured, the driver of the #84 Bronco Stock Car is identified as Roy Everett. To the best of my memory, that is correct. During the feature event, the driver ids seem correct, but at least one Bronco heat race contains errors. Those errors include the #55 Car being id'd as the #5 Car, and Elton Porter id'd as the driver of the #48 Pontiac, that was actually Pat Henry. But, as far as I could tell, the feature ids are correct.

[mfbarnes]

DK, what Randy is telling you is gospel, Walgreens and Photo-mats do good work. I actually bought a slide scanner for under 200 bucks, I just didn't trust letting the old slides get out of my hands. So many deteriorated, stacked in the shoe boxes. The acids that are used in the developing phase, get to eating themselves up with the humidity in our area. So I bought a scanner myself, and saved what I could. Some were just in such bad shape you couldn't make anything out. but I have thousands of slides so it paid for itself pretty quick in saving as well as not worrying to death about some jug head kid losing my slides. The scanner I bought also scans negatives and the software develops the picture into a jpg. I believe it's a Mustek 7000, but don't hold me to that. I just left Indy and am headed over to PA today if my son doesn't flip this motor-coach and kill us both in the Pocono Mountains, I should be home in a couple of weeks if you want more info on the machine by chance.

[darrellk54]

Mark,

 

Thanks for the info. I probably have a couple of hundred slids. Of course most are of my brothers and I. But I do have a few of the Houston late models. The last time I pulled them out to look at them the images still looked pretty good. I'll get them out and go through them this weekend. Maybe even take a few to Walgreens and get them put to CD to see how they come out. If they look good I may go ahead and get them all done.

Again thanks for the info guys.

 

Darrell

[jakdad]

Does anyone remember this exciting music at Meyer Speedway.....................

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znEePD1nJxo

[Midget 85]

Jim,

 

Now you have really stirred up the ghost of Meyer Speedway / Tatar Pete Hunter!

 

I find myself humming all of these tunes as I do replays of the action at Meyer Speedway in my mind.

 

Stars and Stripes was just one of the tunes.

 

I have several albums of Sousa's and they capture all the tunes of Meyer Speedway. Maybe we can get Mark to add the music to the videos that are posted. The video's showing Meyer doesn't have these wonderful tunes behind them and should be played at every race track in America!

 

For some reason..it just made the cars look better as well as the excitement.

 

God Bless "Tatar"

 

Here's a few more song titles that were played at the track..

 

El Capitan

 

Liberty Bell

 

Manhatten Beach

 

Young Cadets

 

King Cotton

 

Washington Post March

 

Semper Fidelis

 

The Thunderer

 

Invincible Eagle

 

Under The Double Eagle

 

Hands Across the Sea

 

There were many more!!

 

Just "Google" the song titles or Sousa and listen while remembering the cars at the track.

 

If you would like a copy, let me know..

 

Gives you goose pimples!

85

[myersjr80]

That brings back memories. As a kid getting there around 5:00 o'clock roaming around the stands I love the music being played.

[Midget 85]

Yeah Don,

 

That is a piece of history.

 

I did the same thing listening to Tatar with his humor between the tunes now and then.

 

Seems like yesterday..

 

Thanks for bringing this up Jim.

 

Music always adds to the life of any event and Tatar made it happen!

 

I guess Tatar Pete was one of the inspirations that led me to my Radio Years in Broadcasting.

 

He and several DJ's from The Big 610 KILT and 1230 K-NUZ gave me the urge to apply for my broadcast license and head for a career in Radio..

 

Announced at several tracks back then.

 

85

[jakdad]

The reason that Stars and Stripes is so vivid to me is that either Ed or Tater put it on the turn table everytime their were no announcements or a break in the action. Same thing at Playland.

RIP to both................................

Edited August 9, 2008 by jakdad

[myersjr80]

The Greatest Day that i still think of is 1964 when my Dad said you need to meet this Race car Driver, I was only 7 years old and it was AJ FOYT HE JUST WON THE INDY 500 TAT YEAR. IT was at the picture stand at Meyer Speedway.

[jakdad]

Don, are you related to the Myers family with the car dealership?

Edited August 9, 2008 by jakdad

[nightmoves 99]

i can close my eyes and see the cars in pits and the stands filling up , my brother and i disagreeing over who would win that night ,the cars lined up at the pit gate ......,man what memories!!! it's amazing how just a little music can bring them back.

[myersjr80]

Jim,

I am not related to the Myers family with the car Dealership. I just spent alot of time at Meyer Speedway with my Dad (Don Myers Sr.) and with my uncles Tracy and Larry Trotter.

[jakdad]

That being said, I probably knew your dad, maybe you too. How old were you during the sixties?

[sprintsrule]

Over 98,000 views in six months. Looks like Meyer was a popular place.

[Midget 85]

Considering the time era of Meyer Speedway in the 60's and 70's, it was the happening place for all out racing!

 

Many big names once raced on that track including AJ Foyt, Loyd Ruby, Tony Betenhausen Sr., Roger Ward, Bobby Allison, Parnelli Jones and many more.

 

It was the place to be on Saturday night to see the 1/2 mile in action.

 

To Houston fans at that time, it was like our very on Daytona Speedway considering that most tracks were dirt or 1/4 milers..

 

Lots of memories and history recorded there.

 

#85

[RETrott]

Jim,

When the 60s began, he was 25 months old.

 

 

 

 

Speaking of radio,

I'll never forgive the powers that be

For the undue demise of K Q U E

 

Ans:

 

Yeah Larry,

 

What happened to Paul Berlin and other great voices. It's hard to believe my ears when I turn to that station now.

 

Unfortunately, money talks..and so the rest of the story for KQUE

Edited August 17, 2008 by Midget 85

[RETrott]

Darrell,

Somewhere among posts is a '62 Meyer Spdwy Program picture with the exact lap time/speed conversion. As for lap times, the '70s NARL Bronco Stocks are fairly similiar to the '60s HBRA Stock Cars. The last '60s era Bronco Stock Car time trials were, I believe, held for the '68 Labor Day Special Event. And, '68 also turned out to be the last year for the Houston Bronco Racing Association. As I recall, Melburn Ready/#44 Car set a new one lap track record of 25:10, and a few minutes later, Don Stodder/#57 Car set another new and forever one lap record of 24:99. I know they were supposedly 265/272 CID stock, blueprinted and balanced with a cam, but them motors had some thick dollars in 'em.

[RETrott]

RE: Post #307:And don't forget Dick Trickle, Tony Bettenhausen Jr, Merle Bettenhausen, Don Branson, Roger McClusky, Jim McElreath, James MacElreath, Freddy Fryar, and Red Farmer.

Edited April 8, 2009 by RETrott

[jakdad]

And Billy Griswold even ran an Olds powered Sprintcar in the USAC race. Johnny Reiff told me during the race "That Olds could be made to run". I think the idea was to let Johnny have it for awhile...............That was a Houston based sprinter but I never knew who owned it. I think it was somewhere around North Shepherd.