marvinmcgee Posted August 11, 2008 Report Share Posted August 11, 2008 Okay Guys and Girls. I am trying to put together the most complete history of the old Austin Speed-O-Rama, alias Paramount Speedway, Longhorn Speedway that I can before we all get to old to remember it! Starting with when it was built up to when it last closed. Promoters, Track Champions and related years to start with and then deeper into famous names who ran there in years past ... Any and all info will be appreciated. Would like to get copies of any old programs that anyone may have!!! Thanks!!! marvinmcgee@sbcglobal.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwracingmom Posted August 11, 2008 Report Share Posted August 11, 2008 We have a whole box of programs from Longhorn Speedway. I will get them out and see what we can come up with. Will get back with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted August 11, 2008 Report Share Posted August 11, 2008 Owner A.B. Wusterhausen began construction on the asphalt track in 1959. It was completed in the spring, 1960. His son, Louis Wusterhausen, was track manager. Two classes were run at the track during the 1960 season. They ran modifieds and hobby stocks. The 1960 track champions were Waldo Harper (modifieds) and Bud Simpson (hobby stocks.) The original name of the track was indeed, Austin Speed-O-Rama. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvinmcgee Posted August 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2008 Anyone have any Speed-O-Rama history to share??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted August 12, 2008 Report Share Posted August 12, 2008 Here is a pic of the championship modified Waldo drove, from that first year ....................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakdad Posted August 13, 2008 Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 No telling how great Waldo would have been if he had a steering wheel...................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted August 14, 2008 Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 Yeah, a seat would'a helped too! The photo was taken at Stelfox Body Works on Barton Springs Road in Austin. It looks like they just rolled the car out of the paint shop. No seat or steering wheel in it. The owner of the place was Dude Stelfox. Yap, that's right, his name was DUDE! Waldo was the wrecker manager there for many years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazyhorse Posted August 14, 2008 Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 more modern.......but speaking of Dudes , dude ferris. early to mid 80's. always admired him , had to dislike him because he raced against my step dad and grand father....but always thought,,,damn that DUDE is cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robwhite Posted August 14, 2008 Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 Remember him well Crazyhorse , had the pink colored car. some good racers in that particular time frame.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted August 14, 2008 Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 I remember a kind of pink colored car at speed-o-rama way back there. I don't remember the number. Probably no one does. Track announcer Arleigh Duff quit refering to the car by number, just by its color. He just referred to it as "Muckeldy Dunn." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Posted August 14, 2008 Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 Yeah, they just don't make 'em like that anymore, do they! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RETrott Posted August 14, 2008 Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 I attended one racing event at Speed-O-Rama/Austin in about '64. Probably because he had raced in Houston, I only remember Waldo Harper by name. He was driving a Stock Car, I believe a '54 Ford, and possibly the same car I saw him race in '66 at Pan American Spdwy/San Antonio, but by then it had a wing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvinmcgee Posted August 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2008 Who can tell me who was the promoter of Speed-O-Rama? From the beginning to the last year. I know names of a few but cannot but years to them? Luis Wusterhausen 1960-? Rici Ware (Paramount Speedway) Jake Wallace Alvin Stewart Jerry Green (Nascar) Sam Hill Ron Chambers Anyone have Alvin's phone number?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txtom Posted August 16, 2008 Report Share Posted August 16, 2008 Lee Machen had it a couple years either before or after Jake Wallace. I will find out and let you know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted August 16, 2008 Report Share Posted August 16, 2008 I'm believe Ed Siegmund was the first to run it after Louis passed away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txtom Posted August 21, 2008 Report Share Posted August 21, 2008 Here is a little promoter information; From some 30 year old memory banks, so it may have an error or two....... It is believed the first race was about the third week of April, 1960, about the 22nd or 23rd. A.B. Wusterhausen built and promoted it, along with his son Louis. Ricci Ware had it from about 73 or 74 until the middle of 1976; I don't remember if it reopened that year. 1977, Ronnie Smith (Ronnie's Auto Parts there in Austin,) most or all of the season 1978 and 1979, Lee Machen and Special Automotive 1980, Possibly a guy named Ray Moonan; I thought it was Jake Wallace 1981, Jake Wallace. I think Jake may have also run the track for the first year or two (82/83) when they formed the Capitol Area Racing Association; not positive on that. Maybe Maryann can straighten that one out when she gets to feeling better. Jerry Green promoted the track the two years it had the NASCAR sanction; I do not know what the years were. It is thought that Sonny Brown promoted it in 1969. I have also heard Ed Siegmund's name, but don't know where it fits in, possibly between Louis Wusterhausen and Ricci Ware. Louis died October 8th, 1972 at TWS. I am still doing some email and phone research; will add as I get new stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Posted August 21, 2008 Report Share Posted August 21, 2008 I am pretty certain that Ricci had it in '73. There is a picture in this section of Harold Oatmans car, showing my name on the fender and Ricci's van in the background, with Paramount Austin on the side. I am 99.99% sure that was '73. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racer02 Posted August 22, 2008 Report Share Posted August 22, 2008 This is Jimmy Hicks, Marvin; I'm alive and well. Do you remember the night that Jake Wallace, Jr. ran his head in my car cussing me and I gently grabbed him and made a lap around the track with him hanging out of my window? I think Leroy Farmer and Frank Ferris had something to do with running the track in 1983 and maybe 1984. I'm still going to the races and helping my son, Matthew. We have one Nova that we took to Bristol, Tn. last April to the Frank Kimmel Street Stock and I'm looking for one more Nova or Camaro to take to Rockingham, N.C. this New Year's Day 2009. Holler at us if you want to go, got a car, want to help, whatever. My phone number is 817-791-9654 (cell). The last good race I won myself was the Super Stock Spooker Nationals in Altus, OK in Oct. 2006. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke 12 Posted September 2, 2008 Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 Jimmy this is Jake Wallace Jr, Im alive and well also. Jimmy you must be getting old you never grabbed me you just took off when I reach for you. The way I remember it, the old man could not stand it that the young kid(16) won the race and after the race he drove him into the wall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazyhorse Posted September 2, 2008 Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 awwwww yeah! loving it....sounds like a re-birth! if you guys can put down your canes and walkers long enough to get this party hoping again i'd pay whatever the admission. i'll donate the after race oxgen tanks. just kidding...i have respect for both of ya. jake more than you though jimmy....just teasen again,,,,,maybe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chevy2Much Posted September 2, 2008 Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 Crazyhorse, we (Matthew and Jimmy) just returned from the two day show at Wichita Falls which Matthew won. He finally passed Buddy Morgan's good car on the outside off of 4 on the final lap to take the checkered flag. Don't know Jake Jr's exact age in 1984 when we had our little incident but I won a few races in '83 - '84 and don't recall him racing in '83. Can't remember for sure which year that I won 7 feature races in a row but they put out a bounty on me. It seems like Terry Brooks or Terry James or maybe Tim Yahn won the bounty and broke my streak. If memory serves me right I won the track championship in '83 and '84. Must have been oldtimers luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazyhorse Posted September 2, 2008 Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 no oldtimers luck would be to do it now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geowx Posted November 5, 2009 Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 I used to go to Speed-o-Rama in the sixties when I was a little kid. Names I remember were Jimmy Finger(got to ride a slow lap with him-#5),Waldo Harper, Doc Labourn, George Cox, Jerry Stanley, Chief Swinford, Bob Jolley(I think he drove one of Swinford's cars), Jake Wallace, Wade Franklin(flagman)-I was there the night Calvin Gustafson went over the fence and landed pretty close to the mens bathroom. Oh yeah, remember that bathroom? They don't build 'em like that anymore.........We went there one friday night and there was an asphalt X in the middle of the oval-didn't know what it was until they ran their first figure 8 race after the feature. I also have seen a feature that would go about 2 laps and stop, someone would nearly get into a fist fight, they'd restart, same thing happened, we ended up leaving. I remember when everybody went from tri-5's to Novas and Camaros. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullcat Posted November 5, 2009 Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 Jerry GREEN , had slim tell every one at a meeting the track was going nascar 1972 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilmodified Posted November 6, 2009 Report Share Posted November 6, 2009 where is/was speed-o-rama? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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