mfbarnes Posted May 7, 2009 Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 Larry, I am pretty sure that was Charles "Doc" Kulhanek. He was one heck of a driver. (pronounced Cull-a-neck). Doc is dead, died in 2004. I believe him and Ray Gene Sr. were first cousins. The Original Hot Rod Hill in Bryan out on Hwy 21 West, was on Doc's Dad's property, and his father was the promoter there. I think his fathers name was Samuel "Sammy" Kulhanek. They called him "Doc" because of his skills with a wrench. He could do wonders with a small block Chevy. He helped me acquire a motor from Smokey Yunick. That 302 was one of the finest motors I have ever had. As a matter of fact that engine is still alive and well to this day. First time we ever tore that motor down, we all just looked at each their and shook our heads. There were things done to that motor that no one could begin to explain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakdad Posted May 8, 2009 Report Share Posted May 8, 2009 I think that Charlie raced stock cars at Playland. Seems like he had a 39 or 40 Ford coupe with a Flathead. Been a loooonnng time....................................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyD Posted May 8, 2009 Report Share Posted May 8, 2009 Hey thanks for those shots MF!! Did he have more than one Torino??? I seem to remember one that was all white, except of course for the numbers on the hood. Maybe Sam will have some photos that she can upload!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbPlowman Posted May 8, 2009 Report Share Posted May 8, 2009 Going to try and get to Dad's house this weekend and get some photos. Thanks everyone! I am enjoying the forum! Samatha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RETrott Posted May 8, 2009 Report Share Posted May 8, 2009 Mark, Sounds as though there are several of those guys to choose from. As for Smokey Yunick, didn't he build a 7/8 Camaro Trans Am Car back in the "stock" days? In any event, I'm sure he had confusability in his engines. Back in the early '70s, Smokey paid a visit to Meyer Speedway one evening to check on one of his motors running in a NASCAR Late Model Sportsman car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightmoves 99 Posted May 8, 2009 Report Share Posted May 8, 2009 Retrott, Smokey built a 15/16 chevelle ,the story I read was that he borrowed the templates from a Nascar official to be sure the car was legal.No one had any idea he would make an entirely different of templates to fit his smaller car . when they put them on they fit perfectly only thing was Smokey had made them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted May 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2009 Joe Plowman 1965-67 AKA "Galveston Gambler" We would like to thank Barb for sending this photo of Joe. It's one we have not seen before and we are happy to post to the forum. The famous "White 1937 Chevy Modified" is perhaps one of the most favorites of mine that raced at Meyer Speedway. The White Body and White Wheels accented with Red numbers and Black centerd wheel hubs made this car really stand out on the track at night. It was simple and clean but most of all mean! I simply loved to watch this attractive, well engineered and thought out modified on the race track. The engine was also painted red to match the Red numbers painted on the side. Yes, it's true..an attractive paint scheme would always win the heart of the spectators along with a great driver! I only wish this car was still around to restore. It was awesome! The last year this Modified ran at Meyer Speedway was 1967.. If I recall correctly this Mod was built for the 65 season and ran approximately 3 years before the non coupe modifieds appeared in 1968 and began to phase out the legend coupes. Probably due to availability to find them any longer. There were many that made their last appearances on the circle tracks.. Joe's driving groove would find this modified coupe diving hard into the lower edge of the turns at hard throttle and then drifting up high on the banks near the guard rail where he would then hammer the 427 Ford power plant down the back stretch after setting up his launch! From the grandstands, it appeared the modified would drift or skate sideways up on the banking and then the roar from the acceleration and the music was awesome from that Big Block! Still see and hear the action of this popular driver and modified..what a site. Thanks for the spectacular shows ..JOE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfbarnes Posted May 9, 2009 Report Share Posted May 9, 2009 Retrott, Smokey built a 15/16 chevelle ,the story I read was that he borrowed the templates from a Nascar official to be sure the car was legal.No one had any idea he would make an entirely different of templates to fit his smaller car . when they put them on they fit perfectly only thing was Smokey had made them. You are correct about it being a Chevelle, but whether it was 15/16 scale or 7/8 scale, will always be a mystery, because Smokey never let anyone put a tape on it. But according to Smokey's book it was 7/8 scale, and dubbed "the Lil' 13" NASCAR used very limited templates back then, basically they only had one that checked the Hood/Roof line, and rake of the windshield, because quite a few, (namely Jr. Johnson) were known to lay the "A" post back a little to reduce drag on the super speedways. Well Smokey hand built an entire carbody, which in those day was unheard of, and scaled it down a little, without changing the Hood/Roof line, nor the wheelbase. It was narrower, buy a few inches, as the story goes, and he had managed to reduce the drag by an estimated 25%. The car with Curtis Turner driving, lapped the field during speedweek testing, it had been cited 16 times for various knit pickey violations. Smokey blamed both Ford and Chrysler for putting so much pressure on Big Bill France that he had his tech inspectors overscrutinize his super- slippery Chevelles. They tore the car completely apart twice at the track, looking for anything that looked fishy. Legend has it that Smokey’s ’66 Chevelle picked up sixteen violations that year in prerace inspections, that had to be fixed before qualifying. He got in the car and drove it back to his garage in Daytona with the fuel tank still sitting in the inspection area. His parting shot was, “make it 17 you dumb bastards.” Smokey did it on purpose, just did it to prove a point. Smokey later recanted in his book: "Whether or not I had a gas tank didn’t matter, because that car had an illegal 11-foot fuel line with a 2-inch ID hidden in it that held an extra 6 gallons of gasoline. I will never tell where it actually was hidded, but I could have driven to Jacksonville 90 miles away with the fuel in the line." That's typical Smokey through and through. JOE PLOWMAN 65-67 That is a great shot of the "Galveston Gambler" That Mod was bad fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted May 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2009 Yes indeed Mark.. A piece of Mid Century racing at it's best. Perhaps some of the best lookin modifieds ever built were in this time era. Can't beat an old coupe modified Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supermod Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 MEYER SPEEDWAY- Ricky Otts #61 The modifieds we all loved in the mid-century! MORE...MODIFIEDS! JOHN McLAREN # 13 BUTCH HARRIS # 24 This is not Ival Cooper driving the #61. That is Ricky Otts (me). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geezer Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 Midget85, I had seen this picture on your site, but I just don't remember this # 61 Car. It definitely appears to be an early '60s era Modified Stock Car that raced at Meyer Spdwy/Houston in those days. My first self question was whether or not it was the former # 5 Car that was raced by M J Burton in '61, but I don't think so. Of course, anyone hanging around local auto racing in those days should remember Curtis "Smitty" Smith. Ole "Big Smitty" seemed to stand out in a crowd. The last time I saw him was at Charlie's shop where the McDonalds is now. As for '62, I was thinking Charlie Schild drove the red & silver # 25 Modified that year, and the Cates # 1 Modified in '63, and Ronnie Chumley drove the # 25 Modified in '63. However, I am thinking that the # 5 Modified from '61 was raced by Smitty in '62 or '63, and it was renumbered # 61. The # 61 pictured is obviously a '37 modified Ford body on what appears to be a '30s era Ford frame/suspension, and somewhat similiar to the former # 5 Modified, although the '37 Ford body on the former # 5 appeared stock. I do remember Charlie Schild going over the wall in turn 3 at Meyer Spdwy in that time period, possibly in the Cates # 1 Modified, and I am thinking he was possibly upside down and/or backwards. Trott I don't remember the dates, but Ronnie Chumley drove the #78 Buick powered car that belonged to Joe Foster when we first went to Meyer, Joe was a close friend of Johnny Reiff who helped Joe start racing,Joe had a if I'm not mistaken a Humble gas station on Shepherd & 21st Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RETrott Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 (edited) Geezer, The way I remember, Playland Park Spdwy/Houston held weekly Modified Stock Car events through the end of the season in '60, and beginning in the Spring of '61 a new class of Modifieds, requiring cars made in '37 or later, began racing weekly at Meyer Spdwy/Houston. I seem to recall a Modified Stock Car # 78, but I am short on details. I remember Joe Foster, I just didn't remember him by name. I'm thinking the Humble (Exxon) Service Station as being on the east side of N Shepherd, although I thought it was at 20th, but I am a little fuzzy on that. I'm pretty sure at least one old Playland Modified was updated with a '37 body (Ford) and raced at Meyer in '61. At some point in '62, Ronnie Chumley drove a blue # 16 Modified for Pancho Locklin, but I don't know what the car started out as. I'm sure I have forgotten a lot of cars and drivers from that era, and probably only attended about half of the races in the late 50s and early 60s, but beginning in '63 I attended more often. Hopefully, this will help on the dates/time frame. Edited June 3, 2009 by RETrott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txtom Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 Good to see Supermod,(Ricky Otts) on here. Wouldn't happen to have some pictures you'd like to share here? If you need help with scanning or posting, we got all kinds of folks here that can do it. And are you still racing on the West Coast? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geezer Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 Geezer, The way I remember, Playland Park Spdwy/Houston held weekly Modified Stock Car events through the end of the season in '60, and beginning in the Spring of '61 a new class of Modifieds, requiring cars made in '37 or later, began racing weekly at Meyer Spdwy/Houston. I seem to recall a Modified Stock Car # 78, but I am short on details. I remember Joe Foster, I just didn't remember him by name. I'm thinking the Humble (Exxon) Service Station as being on the east side of N Shepherd, although I thought it was at 20th, but I am a little fuzzy on that. I'm pretty sure at least one old Playland Modified was updated with a '37 body (Ford) and raced at Meyer in '61. At some point in '62, Ronnie Chumley drove a blue # 16 Modified for Pancho Locklin, but I don't know what the car started out as. I'm sure I have forgotten a lot of cars and drivers from that era, and probably only attended about half of the races in the late 50s and early 60s, but beginning in '63 I attended more often. Hopefully, this will help on the dates/time frame. Trott: Like you my memory's a little fuzzy, but i'm pretty sure the 78 car was a 39 chev body, I should remember I worked on it enough. You are right about the station being on the east side of Shepherd but I'm pretty sure it was a block or 2 north of 20th.Iremember that Shorty Lauder lived right off of Shepherd on 20th.I think after Joe decided to quit running the 78 Ronnie did drive for Pancho,if I see him next week I'll ask him.I did drive the 78 a few times but it was never very fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RETrott Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 (edited) Geezer, If you have lunch with that bunch, I hope you ask a lot of questions. I need to find an opportunity and get with Charles Ray, hopefully soon. Edited June 3, 2009 by RETrott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geezer Posted June 3, 2009 Report Share Posted June 3, 2009 Trott Call Ronnie he's in the book in Magnolia or Chumley's wrecker service Magnolia, he can probably hook you up with Charles Ray, or call Foyt Charles Ray stops in to visit him periodically I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RETrott Posted June 4, 2009 Report Share Posted June 4, 2009 Thanks Geezer, but I can find him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted June 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2009 Joe Plowman Photos Meyer Speedway Again, our thanks to Sam and Barb for the photos of Joe Plowman. Never enough pictures of a great time era Appears the White 28 of Joe's had some homework scheduled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted June 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2009 Wonder who the little trophy queen is?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted June 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2009 Joe Plowman This must have been in the earlier days at Meyer Speedway. Note how straight the guard rails were in this photo.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted June 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2009 We are not sure about the story of this photo but we do see the cops on hand.. Maybe we can get the story on this one from Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midget 85 Posted June 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2009 Joe Plowman As I look at this photo, I recall it being available at Mack's photo stand near the main entrance at Meyer Speedway. You could buy this photo for only $1.00 back then. Note the extra padding on the roll bars in this tight fit modified. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfbarnes Posted June 5, 2009 Report Share Posted June 5, 2009 Man those are some great photos of the Gambler, suspect most of those were taken by Mack MacKenzie. So just to keep things in perspective, let's give am atta boy to the man who was always on the job, and ahead of his time in a lot of ways. The late great Mack MacKenzie Here is one of Mack's Cameras mounted on the front of Sonny's #1 Mod I am pretty sure that's Bill's wife working mack's table at the entrance way at Meyer's A bid thanks has to go out to the MacKenzie famly, because if it were not for Mack's work and dedication, a lot of these memories would have faded away a long time ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakdad Posted June 5, 2009 Report Share Posted June 5, 2009 Plus one one that mark. I talked to Mack a few times and told him, he was scaring the hell outta me. Those cars would get out of control and slide his way, with Mack still clickin'. Mack was as large a part of Meyer Speedway and Playland as car owners, drivers and fans............................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RETrott Posted June 5, 2009 Report Share Posted June 5, 2009 You are right Jim. Mack preserved a lot of history for us to enjoy. Speaking of history, I have no recollection of the strange looking #28 Modified. Could that be from '61 before the Chevy Coupe car was built? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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