Meyer Speedway

[mfbarnes]

Definately better than the old homeys shot with the old Bell and Howell double 8 camera. They had nice professional camera crews out the that day. Sad they never had more of them out the during the good ole days, because there were some really great runs out there that are nothing more than a foggy memory of some saggy old farts, that sit around straining trying to remember, and post on the Internet...... Oh shoot that's us! Damn..........

[jakdad]

What you mean US!!!

Oh, We yam US!!!!!!!!

Edited October 22, 2009 by jakdad

[jakdad]

Anybody talked to Roy Tuley recently? Haven't seen or talked to him in years . He may have knowledge of the whereabouts of a couple of these old cars. Meyer and Playland both. Maybe he can post in this forum. Like I said, its been many years and a lot of things could have happened.............................

[Midget 85]

Jim,

 

Haven't seen or heard from Roy Tuley in years.

 

I would certainly love to see one of those old modifieds restored but I would say the chances are slim.

 

I think one would have showed up by now. The best chance we have would be to build a clone.

 

Unfortunately, many were sent to the bone yard and even sadder probably crushed and and has been melted down and made into one of the import Toyotas you see on the Freeways.

 

Now that will cork you!

 

I was speaking to Danny Bolton the other day and how he wishes he would have kept his old modified. As the 60's began to close out, many of the old 37-38 Chevy coupes were decapatated into roadsters. He does however still have one of his old Winged Modifieds sitting his garage along with a few pictures of Page Reynolds hanging on his office wall. Page worked at his shop a few years back before passing on us.

 

Forsight to one of these cars being saved was not in mind at that time. It's our misfortune..

 

I still think Plowman's or Schilds modified would have been awesome. Even Red Garner's old coupe mod would be cool to see restored.

 

Who knows, maybe there's one out there somewhere. Just have to keep our fingers crossed..

 

Happy Holidays to all!

[jakdad]

Anymore videos around for Meyer races in the 60s. Broncos, Modifieds, Midgets or Sprints. I can't get enough! Really enjoyed the last one that Randy Posted. Others said they had photos they were going to post. Many thanks to Mark for all he posted. Thanks to all..................................

[mr427]

Here's a picture of one of Joe's Torino's, For some reason, I think this one was aquired from Banjo Mathews, and it was 351 on the hood as well as under the hood. Pretty sure this one had a 351C beneath the bonnet. Joe Plowman was always fast in everything he drove.

 

 

 

Haven't been on the forum in a while. Been pursuing a hobby I started as a teen and

took up again since I retired a few years ago,that of building models of 60's and 70's era

race cars from Meyer Speedway and other southern tracks I visited.

One of my latest is a tribute to Joe's #28 Torino.I started this project in May of last year

and completed it a few days ago.

Couldn't find any more pictures or any decals to exactly duplicate it but I tried

to get as close as I could. I did extend the red on top out to the body line and put a

grill in it.(hope Joe doesn't mind). Again not exact but a tribute to a great racer who gave a lot of people a lot of good times and fond memories through the years.Thanks for the memories Joe!

With all the great pics here on the forum I hope to do some more tribute models of Meyer Speedway greats.

 

Oh ,here is my latest;not a Meyer car.Anyone remember this one?

 

 

[jakdad]

Man, Those are great. I'm sure Joe would like it a lot. Keep us up to date on progress of all you models.

Thanks,

Jim

[txtom]

Oh ,here is my latest;not a Meyer car.Anyone remember this one?

 

I'd ID this one, but that wouldn't be fair, since I saw it on Randy's forum...!

 

Don't remember the exact post it is on, but there is a pic of a restored plowman Mustang on this forum.

It did not say which car it was, but I do know the last car I saw him in was a Mustang built by Bobby Allison, and he brought it to San Antonio, maybe 1981 or so.

[nightmoves 99]

the 21 car is the Wood Bros. modified ,I believe .

[mr427]

Right you are sir! I did a lot of research on this car

It has an interesting history I have an information sheet

and a bunch more pictures if anyone is interested.

Thanks for looking!

[PAPA]

We're all interested. Please post all ya got. Thanks

[Hoop98]

One of the 6 cyl Broncos from 79, we ran 24's with Hoosiers, 25's with the later tire.

 

 

 

That's my daughter Susie, the "Nothing Special" came from my dad's Playland Park sponsorless car...

 

 

Robert ..Hoop..Hooper

Edited March 4, 2010 by Hoop98

[darrellk54]

the 21 car is the Wood Bros. modified ,I believe .

Right you are sir! I did a lot of research on this car

It has an interesting history I have an information sheet

and a bunch more pictures if anyone is interested.

Thanks for looking!

 

Mr427

 

Great looking models. I built model cars from age 11 and still have a closet full. I haven't built any in many years but I still keep up with the hobby. I don't know if you've seen Mr. Nascars Neighborhood at www.ovaltrackmodels.com but there are tons of great looking models there. Also there are several web sites for decal makers. I believe if you can send them pictures of the car you are building they will make the decals for you in any scale. The're not exactly cheap but they sure make a difference in the model you're building.

 

Darrell Koebelen - Meyer Speedway 1976-1979 bronco number 54.

[darrellk54]

I'm going to give this a shot and post a few picks..I hope. This is from 1976.

 

Darrell

 

[mr427]

I remember the 98 and the 54. Wasn't there another "team" car in your colors?

Remember the #27 bronco and the #4 late model. I was part of that group.

Used to live in the Heights and bought stuff from 15th & Yale Auto Supply.

There are so many great cars that ran at Meyer; lots of subjects to choose from.

Most of the broncos and late models could be done with enough pics.

The old modifieds are another story because the bodies were so uh..... modified.

Thinking of trying to do the #3 mod that Billy Peren drove.(Those Falcon

fenders are available,it once had the ol Dearborn Sledgehammer(427 Ford)

and I have seen a few pics here on the forum . HUMMM

Edited March 5, 2010 by mr427

[jakdad]

Hi mr427, Somewhere in all these posts, I put up some information that I had asked Red about. The frame, rear end and some suspension info. If you do a replica, might be helpful to have. Good luck.

[darrellk54]

Yes, my brother Dale and Don both raced. Dale was number 52 and Don was number 56. I'll post a few pictures of them too. I also have a few from Shrevsport when we ran the support show for the late models. Great times and great memories. Wish I could do it again.

[mr427]

We're all interested. Please post all ya got. Thanks

OK Papa here you are!

The Wood Brothers Modified

 

In 1966 Ford Motor Company boycotted Grand National racing due to Nascar outlawing their new 427 Single Over Head Cam engine while allowing Chrysler cars to use the 426 Hemi. To lure Ford back to competition Nascar allowed Ford’s teams to run the 427” Tunnel Port” engine in the lighter and smaller 66 Fairlane which came to be known as the “half chassis” car. It was so named for its 65 Galaxie frame snout connected to the Fairlane’s unibody with square tubing. This was the beginning of the fabricated chassis, a form of which is still in use today

 

I always wondered what a Nascar team would build if they decided to "go back home" only to discover the Wood Bros. answered that question during the boycott.

 

Being diehard racers the Wood Bros. built this modified to give them something to race until if and when Ford rejoined Nascar competition.

The Wood Bros only ran the car a year or so. It was raced at their “home track” of Martinsville and other major modified races but not on a regular basis at a local track. The car initially had a 289c.i.engine with fuel injection; it was later replaced with a 427 with 4 Weber carbs. (Aka the Dearborn sledgehammer! The Wood Bros had just come back from Lemans where they learned a LOT about the Webers). Leonard Wood used a highly modified 65 Galaxie chassis from a now year-old race car The independent front suspension made the car push really badly so it was changed to a straight axle setup like other modifieds of that era and it was much faster The rear suspension was leaf springs with a Nascar type rear end.

 

The car was very competitive and had several different drivers including Sonny Hutchins, Donnie Allison & Eddie Royster. For a time the restored version was on display at the Wood Bros museum in Stuart, Va. and is now reportedly for sale for 25000.00

The restored version in the WB museum in Va.

An early version of the Wood Bros.

Over the top of the car scratching his ear is a one of the Wood brothers

Far left leaning on the truck is Sonny Hutchins,the driver. This is a very

early version with injected 289 and coil spring front end

Haulin the mail!

[PAPA]

I love this stuff. The pics are great but the stories are the best. Please give us more.

[JohnnyMac]

More Arrowhead trivia................................

 

Eighteen year old AJ Foyt won his first race, a 5 lap trophy dash in a midget event at Arrow-head Speedway in Houston, TX (7-11-1953). On 9-22-1953 Foyt made his AAA debut in a midget event at Oklahoma City, OK. He was 28th fastest in quals and finished 4th in the semi-feature.

 

From:

http://www.crucean.com/timeline2.html

 

While this may have been AJ's first race in a midget, his first race was at Playland Park Speedway in a coupe when he was 16 and he won every race he was in that night. I was there and knew at that point that bigger and better thing were in store for him (to say the least, LOL).

Edited March 18, 2010 by JohnnyMac

[JohnnyMac]

Hi,

I'll be 74 this coming 9/11 and grew up going to races in and around Houston and later raced on a few of them. I'm Bill Breshears brother in law. He built and raced Super Modified cars at Playland Park, North Houston (old horse track) Arrowhead and Meyers Speedway. His cars were driven by George Nash, Charles Ray Shiles, Billy Wade, Phil Cronon and Larry Shilds to name a few. He later ran Sprint Cars at Moody Clary and Big H after Meyers closed driven by Larry Shilds, Bill White, Me and I can't remember his name but the track photographer's son. Billy Wade and family spent Christmas with Bill and Elouise (who lived next door to me) just before going to Daytona for the tire test that killed him. I started out in racing by pit crewing for Billy Griswold at Playland Park when I was in my teens. I build my first Super Modified in Bill Breshears shop when I was 30 years old. I always wanted to race but got married shortly after a hitch in the Coast Guard so didn't have the funds till I was 30. Phil Cronon was driving for Bill at the time and his Brother Mike had been driving Broncos and Mike had a friend that would put an L88 427 Chevy engine in my near completed Super if I would let him drive it at Meyers which I did for a while. I decided to race myself so bought a 283 engine from Charles Ray that he had build up for Larry's Bronco and took the car to Moody Clary Speedway in Navatoda. I ran off and on (limited funds) over the next 14 years at Moody Clary then Big H dirt track in North Houston. My last ride in a Modified was the Limited Modified #55 (an old CAE Sprint Car) at Big H. I was competive but not one of the top (limited funds again). I had a brief run in the Midgets at Big H when Honest Al Burnes (Honest Al's Auto Parts) hired me to drive the #53 Kurtis Offy Midget at Big H. The first night we drew for starting positions and old lucky me drew the last starting position. I won my heat and finished 2nd in the feature from the last row. The next week I was 2nd in points so started in the back row again, running 2nd again. This went on for 7 weeks with me running either 2nd or 3rd and only being beat by cars starting on the front row. Just didn't have enough time to run em down. I had twice as many championship points as the 2nd place runner and had won all my heat races when Al fired me because I hadn't won a feature (he had a lot of pressure from Elton Porter to let him drive it). Another owner that had a low dollar home built midget with a Chevy II boat engine in it picked me up (can't remember his name but he pulled it to the track on a little trailer behind and old Chrysler 300) and I out ran the offy with Elton in it the next week, LOL. I'll have to say that's the hardest I ever drove. I was out to outrun that offy as all cost, LOL. BUT my biggest thrill was passing and beating Bill White one night at Moody Clary. Bill was my idol when I was coming up. I've only been to 2 homecoming races since retiring from racing cause I knew I'd be tempted to get in one again and because I was getting up in years knew I had no business in one. I've been racing On-Line on the computer with the Christian Racing League ( www.christingracing.com ) for the last 15 years (keeps my mind sharp). We have members in 4 countries and race NASCAR among other type cars 6 nights a week. I'm still pretty compative at it especially on the Super Speedways. I'm in the top 5 in lap time at a number of the tracks we run on (Not bad for a 73 year old running against the young guys). Not so good on the road cources. Never got the hang of turning right, LOL. OH, by the way I'm John McClellan and raced under the name of Johnny "Mac" McClellan (not to be comfused with the famous "Mac" McClellan that almost lost his life in a midget on a "Saturday Night Thunder" race at Indy Raceway Park.

P.S.

Charles Ray nicknamed me "Slide Rule" because I always carried a tape measure and was always measuring things on race cars that I thought had a good Idea and later incorporated them into my cars that I built (3 over time). LOL. I almost forgot, the last Super I built I ended up selling it to Poncho Lockland and I went with him to the Super Modified Nationals in Fa to help him set it up. Can't remember the driver, just remember he was a preacher (Mc something I think, maybe someone remembers his name). They ran 4th against some of the best Supers from across the nation. The guy with the 4 wheel drive rear engine car won it but they were in the same lap not too far behind.

Edited March 21, 2010 by JohnnyMac

[jakdad]

I think the photographers son is Jimmy McKenzie(sp).

[JohnnyMac]

I think the photographers son is Jimmy McKenzie(sp).

 

You are correct. I knew I'd remember it if I heard it. I'm having "sometimers", I sometime can remember but a lot of times not, LOL.

Edited March 19, 2010 by JohnnyMac

[JohnnyMac]

Several months ago the guys at Christian Racing (On-Line Sim Racing League) knowing that I had driven sprints and midgets decided to put up a World of Outlaws Sim race on the internet server just to see if I was hot air or really drove sprints. I set on the pole, Won my heat and lapped all but the 2nd place car (had 3/4 lap on him) in the feature when a slower car lost it just as I came up on him. I broad sided him, knocking my from wing off with 5 laps to go. If course I couldn't turn it after that and had to almost stop in the corners and lost the race by just a couple of feet. Sure was fun to toss it into the corners and stand on it trowing dirt all the way around. This was at the Taladega Short Track (1/2 mile dirt) and I ran flat footed all the way around. Surpirsed me that I could still do that. The On-Line Simulator is very realistic. Here is a link to a snap shop taken at the end of lap one showing me leading the field.

 

Me leading the field

Edited March 19, 2010 by JohnnyMac

[Griswold]

SAD NEWS!!!! LOST ANOTHER OLD MEYERS DRIVER AND FRIEND. MIKE CROFFORD DIED TODAY. HAD A MASSIVE HEART ATTACK. MAY HE REST IN PEACE.