Budman Posted May 7, 2005 Report Share Posted May 7, 2005 Can someone clear up a bit of confusion on my part? I seem to remember at Pan-Am Toepperwein (as opposed to Pan-Am Austin Hwy.), that the exit from the pits to the track was a little road that ran along in front of the grandstands, above the track surface until you got near turn one before you actually entered the track. That doesn't seem to be the case in any of these photos. What's up with that? Or, has my memory totally failed me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txtom Posted May 7, 2005 Report Share Posted May 7, 2005 You're doing just fine, Budman! Pan Am Toepperwein, that was open from 1965 to 1978 was the track with the road. On the picture Papa posted, look at the layout of the wall, it looks like 3 sections. The bottom portion where the horizontal line is about halfway up the windshield on the car, is the vertical track wall. The next section up, to just above the car, is actually sloped or angled back towards the bleachers. The very top section, with the smallest height, is the berm for the road that the cars came down on their way to the track. The angle the photo was taken at is why you don't see the road. The photo was probably taken by the late Ted Hood, and all of his picture archives are in the possession of Ricci Ware, JR, and Harry Kinsey. Ricci told me they are looking at some kind of on-line site, but nothing concrete at this moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txtom Posted May 7, 2005 Report Share Posted May 7, 2005 Bud, Here is a picture previously posted here that shows a car on the road in relation to the car on the track. This is Buddy Woodall, early 70's. In this picture, the middle or sloped section of the wall was dirt. It was concreted over around '74 or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted May 7, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2005 Oh, an optical contusion. Thanks Tom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted May 7, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2005 tps22, For us old guys, ya gotta be specific about WHICH old Pan-Am you're talkin about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tps22 Posted May 7, 2005 Report Share Posted May 7, 2005 you're righy budman. the only one i remember is the one off toepperwein. i had heard it was still in fairly good shape. they put a trench across the track to keep the kids off it. if it was in decent shape, would it be feasible to restore her? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texrebb Posted May 7, 2005 Report Share Posted May 7, 2005 The Pan American Speedway (toepperwin) Parking Lot is being used as an overflow lot for the Gun Chevy. The track is still thair it is over grone with grass and brush. A couple of year after it closed they dug trinchis acros the begining and exits of the corners to keep kids for runing on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAPA Posted May 7, 2005 Report Share Posted May 7, 2005 tps22 I dont think the noise police would allow it to re-open. There's a hospital right down the street and all kinds of new developments and homes around there. But it would be cool to revisit it . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texrebb Posted May 7, 2005 Report Share Posted May 7, 2005 It is also in the city limist of Live Oak now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProTree Posted May 7, 2005 Report Share Posted May 7, 2005 i remember ricci jr. in his mini stock pinto in the mid 70's-red and white-fast little car-between him and the mazda rotary(old yellow hummmmddiiinnger-sounded like a swarm of bumble bees) i think that was driven by gary banks,they use to have some battles on the track-when they retired the yellow hummdinger and built a new mazda, i was working at mazda with them at that time and they said the car was cursed-i remember when it caught on fire they had a picture of the driver climbing out the window with his chest on the ground and his feet still in the car and the car was a blazing big time-they said for some reason the car was attracted to walls and did weird things on its own-it was said they took the new mazda to the car crusher and put it out of its misery before it killed the driver or somebody else- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KISS_Racing Posted July 27, 2005 Report Share Posted July 27, 2005 I can remember going as a kid... I remember Joey Chipwoods Thrill Show coming and some guy doing wheelies around the track... If I'm not mistaken somewhere back in the 80's after the track was closed, there was a car that flipped out there. The police and medics had to wind there way around to even get to the track. Like you'll were saying, I guess they had to keep the kids out... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
302cominthru Posted August 5, 2007 Report Share Posted August 5, 2007 Bud, Here is a picture previously posted here that shows a car on the road in relation to the car on the track. This is Buddy Woodall, early 70's. In this picture, the middle or sloped section of the wall was dirt. It was concreted over around '74 or so. This is a great photo! Thanks for sharing it with everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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