Meyer Speedway 2005

[mfbarnes]

[mfbarnes]

Dirty Dick Smith from Lubbock, I am guessing 73 or 74

 

Jumpin' Jack Watkins in 73

 

This is none other than John Mc Claren in one of his radical expirementals, they wrote the rule book to slow this guy down!!!!!!

 

This is Kent Lewis Sr. and get this this old fart is still running 360 sprints to this day in the ASCS Gulf South Division!!!!!!

[mfbarnes]

txtom:

 

I attended the Space City 300 at Meyer Speedway in Houston on Wednesday night, June 23, 1971. I don’t believe the event was a sanctioned NASCAR Grand National race (now called Nextel Cup). NASCAR did help conduct the race as a market research project to measure possible full sanctioned return races to Houston. NASCAR never returned to Meyer Speedway. Bobby Allison won the race. Richard Petty lost the lead when he had to pit for electrical system repair. Allison and Petty drove 427 CID Hemi Dodges.

 

 

Neil Upchurch

I beg to differ:

 

1971 Space City 300

Winston Cup race number 25 of 48

June 23, 1971 at Meyer Speedway, Houston, TX

300 laps on a .500 mile paved track (150.0 miles) Time of race: 2:02:28

Average Speed: 73.489 mph

Pole Speed: 78.226 mph Cautions: none

Margin of Victory: 2 laps +

Attendance: 9,000

 

 

 

Fin St # Driver Sponsor / Owner Car Laps Money Status Led

1 1 12 Bobby Allison Bobby Allison '70 Dodge 300 2,200 running 253

2 14 48 James Hylton Hylton Engineering (James Hylton ) '70 Ford 298 1,500 running 9

3 11 30 Walter Ballard Ballard Racing (Vic Ballard ) '71 Ford 292 1,000 running 0

4 3 64 Elmo Langley Elmo Langley '69 Mercury 290 700 running 0

5 5 36 Frank Warren H.B. Bailey '70 Pontiac 289 650 running 0

6 7 24 Cecil Gordon Cecil Gordon '69 Mercury 286 550 running 0

7 2 43 Richard Petty Petty Enterprises '71 Plymouth 279 475 running 38

8 10 19 Henley Gray Henley Gray '69 Ford 270 450 running 0

9 8 77 Charlie Roberts Charlie Roberts '70 Ford 254 425 running 0

10 6 70 J.D. McDuffie J.D. McDuffie '69 Mercury 249 400 running 0

11 4 8 Ed Negre Ed Negre '69 Ford 239 370 running 0

12 12 00 Ronnie Chumley R.B. Chumley '69 Ford 136 360 transmission 0

13 9 14 Fred Hill '69 Ford 116 350 rear end 0

14 13 3 Pete Arnold '70 Ford 58 340 steering 0

 

 

This was sanctioned and it was a points race, it's the only NASCAR race ever held there

[mfbarnes]

Former Winston/Nextel Cup Tracks (alphabetical, by state)

 

 

 

Track Name Location First Race Last Race

Chisholm Speedway Montgomery, AL 1956 1956

Dixie Speedway Birmingham, AL 1960 1960

Fairgrounds Raceway Birmingham, AL 1958 1968

Huntsville Speedway Huntsville, AL 1962 1962

Lakeview Speedway Mobile, AL 1951 1951

Montgomery Speedway Montgomery, AL 1955 1969

Arizona State Fairgrounds Phoenix, AZ 1951 1960

Tucson Rodeo Grounds Tucson, AZ 1955 1955

Memphis-Arkansas Speedway LeHi, AR 1954 1957

Ascot Stadium Los Angeles, CA 1957 1961

Bay Meadows Speedway San Mateo, CA 1954 1956

California State Fairgrounds Sacramento, CA 1956 1961

Capitol Speedway Sacramento, CA 1957 1957

Carrell Speedway Gardena, CA 1951 1954

Eureka Speedway Eureka, CA 1956 1957

Marchbanks Speedway Hanford, CA 1951 1961

Merced Fairgrounds Merced, CA 1956 1956

Oakland Stadium Oakland, CA 1951 1954

Ontario Motor Speedway Ontario, CA 1971 1980

Riverside International Raceway Riverside, CA 1958 1988

Santa Clara Fairgrounds San Jose, CA 1957 1957

Willow Springs Speedway Lancaster, CA 1956 1957

Thompson Speedway Thompson, CT 1951 1970

Beach & Road Course Daytona Beach, FL 1949 1958

Five Flags Speedway Pensacola, FL 1953 1953

Golden Gate Speedway Tampa, FL 1963 1963

Palm Beach Speedway W. Palm Beach, FL 1952 1956

Speedway Park Jacksonville, FL 1951 1964

Titusville-Cocoa Speedway Titusville, FL 1957 1957

Augusta International Raceway Augusta, GA 1964 1964

Augusta Speedway Augusta, GA 1962 1969

Central City Speedway Macon, GA 1951 1954

Columbus Speedway Columbus, GA 1951 1951

Hayloft Speedway Augusta, GA 1952 1952

Jeffco Speedway Jefferson, GA 1968 1969

Lakewood Speedway Atlanta, GA 1951 1959

Middle Georgia Raceway Macon, GA 1966 1971

Oglethorpe Speedway Savannah, GA 1954 1955

Savannah Speedway Savannah, GA 1962 1970

Valdosta Speedway Valdosta, GA 1962 1965

Santa Fe Speedway Willow Springs, IL 1954 1954

Soldier Field Chicago, IL 1956 1956

Funk's Speedway Winchester, IN 1950 1950

Playland Park Speedway South Bend, IN 1952 1952

Davenport Speedway Davenport, IA 1953 1953

Corbin Speedway Corbin, KY 1954 1954

Louisiana Fairgrounds Shreveport, LA 1953 1953

Oxford Plains Speedway Oxford, ME 1966 1968

Beltsville Speedway Beltsville, MD 1965 1970

Norwood Arena Norwood, MA 1961 1961

Grand River Speedrome Grand Rapids, MI 1951 1954

Michigan State Fairgrounds Detroit, MI 1951 1952

Monroe Speedway Monroe, MI 1952 1952

Lincoln City Fairgrounds North Platte, NE 1953 1953

Las Vegas Park Speedway Las Vegas, NV 1955 1955

Linden Airport Linden, NJ 1954 1954

Morristown Speedway Morristown, NJ 1951 1955

Old Bridge Stadium Old Bridge, NJ 1956 1965

Trenton Speedway Trenton, NJ 1958 1972

Wall Stadium Belmar, NJ 1958 1958

Airborne Speedway Plattsburg, NY 1955 1955

Albany-Saratoga Speedway Malta, NY 1970 1971

Altamont-Schenectady Fairgrounds Altamont, NY 1951 1955

Bridgehampton Raceway Bridgehampton, NY 1958 1966

Civic Stadium Buffalo, NY 1958 1958

Fonda Speedway Fonda, NY 1955 1968

Hamburg Speedway Hamburg, NY 1949 1950

Islip Speedway Islip, NY 1964 1971

Monroe County Fairgrounds Rochester, NY 1950 1958

Montgomery Air Base Montgomery, NY 1960 1960

New York State Fairgrounds Syracuse, NY 1955 1957

State Line Speedway Busti, NY 1958 1958

Vernon Fairgrounds Vernon, NY 1950 1950

Wine Creek Race Track Owego, NY 1952 1952

Asheville-Weaverville Speedway Weaverville, NC 1951 1969

Bowman-Gray Stadium Winston-Salem, NC 1958 1971

Champion Speedway Fayetteville, NC 1958 1959

Charlotte Speedway Charlotte, NC 1949 1956

Cleveland County Fairgrounds Shelby, NC 1956 1965

Concord Speedway Concord, NC 1956 1964

Dog Track Speedway Moyock, NC 1962 1966

Forsyth County Fairgrounds Winston-Salem, NC 1955 1955

Gastonia Fairgrounds Gastonia, NC 1958 1958

Greensboro Fairgrounds Greensboro, NC 1957 1958

Harnett Speedway Spring Lake, NC 1953 1953

Harris Speedway Harris, NC 1964 1965

Hickory Speedway Hickory, NC 1953 1971

Jacksonville Speedway Jacksonville, NC 1957 1964

McCormick Field Asheville, NC 1958 1958

New Asheville Speedway Asheville, NC 1962 1971

North Carolina Speedway Rockingham, NC 1965 2004

North Carolina State Fairgrounds Raleigh, NC 1955 1970

North Wilkesboro Speedway North Wilkesboro, NC 1949 1996

Occoneechee Speedway Hillsboro, NC 1949 1968

Raleigh Speedway Raleigh, NC 1953 1958

Salisbury Speedway Salisbury, NC 1958 1958

Southern States Fairgrounds Charlotte, NC 1954 1961

Starlite Speedway Monroe, NC 1966 1966

Tar Heel Speedway Randleman, NC 1963 1963

Tri-City Speedway High Point, NC 1953 1955

Wilson Speedway Wilson, NC 1951 1960

Bainbridge Speedway Bainbridge, OH 1951 1951

Canfield Speedway Canfield, OH 1950 1952

Dayton Speedway Dayton, OH 1950 1952

Fort Miami Speedway Toledo, OH 1951 1952

Powell Motor Speedway Columbus, OH 1953 1953

Oklahoma State Fairgrounds Oklahoma City, OK 1956 1956

Portland Speedway Portland, OR 1956 1957

Bloomsburg Fairgrounds Bloomsburg, PA 1953 1953

Heidelberg Raceway Pittsburgh, PA 1949 1960

Langhorne Speedway Langhorne, PA 1949 1957

Lincoln Speedway New Oxford, PA 1955 1965

New Bradford Speedway Bradford, PA 1958 1958

Pine Grove Speedway Shippenville, PA 1951 1951

Reading Fairgrounds Reading, PA 1958 1959

Sharon Speedway Sharon, PA 1954 1954

Williams Grove Speedway Mechanicsburg, PA 1954 1954

Coastal Speedway Myrtle Beach, SC 1956 1957

Columbia Speedway Columbia, SC 1951 1971

Gamecock Speedway Sumter, SC 1960 1960

Greenville-Pickens Speedway Greenville, SC 1951 1971

Hartsville Speedway Hartsville, SC 1961 1961

Lancaster Speedway Lancaster, SC 1957 1957

Newberry Speedway Newberry, SC 1957 1957

Piedmont Interstate Fairgrounds Spartanburg, SC 1953 1966

Rambi Raceway Myrtle Beach, SC 1958 1965

Rapid Valley Speedway Rapid City, SD 1953 1953

Boyd Speedway Chattanooga, TN 1962 1964

Kingsport Speedway Kingsport, TN 1969 1971

Nashville Speedway Nashville, TN 1958 1984

Newport Speedway Newport, TN 1956 1957

Smoky Mountain Raceway Maryville, TN 1965 1971

Meyer Speedway Houston, TX 1971 1971

Texas World Speedway College Station, TX 1969 1981

Langley Field Speedway Hampton, VA 1964 1970

Norfolk Speedway Norfolk, VA 1956 1957

Old Dominion Speedway Manassas, VA 1958 1966

Princess Anne Speedway Norfolk, VA 1953 1953

South Boston Speedway South Boston, VA 1960 1971

Southside Speedway Richmond, VA 1961 1963

Starkey Speedway Roanoke, VA 1958 1964

Kitsap County Airport Bremerton, WA 1957 1957

West Virginia International Speedway Huntington, WV 1963 1971

Road America Elkhart Lakes, WI 1956 1956

Canadian Exposition Stadium Toronto, Ontario 1958 1958

Stamford Park Niagara Falls, Ontario 1952 1952

[Budman]

AWESOME PHOTOS MARK. Do you know about what year those were from?

 

(Nevermind, found the dates. Looks like '73-'74)

 

 

Thanks for you help posting that photo on that other forum.

[NeilTPS]

mfbarnes:

 

OK ... so my memory was correct except that the 1971 race at Meyer Speedway was a NASCAR sanctioned points race.

 

However, I was correct in recalling that NASCAR wanted to conduct market research to measure possible future races at Meyer Speedway. I knew this from talking to Bill France Sr when he was at one of our NASCAR races at Texas World Speedway.

 

 

Neil Upchurch

Former Race Director at TWS

[Budman]

Mark,

 

That 1962 Meyer Speedway Program page with the drivers names on it is an absolute "Hall of Honor" of Texas drivers. It's difficult to read but I think I've got it .........

 

1962 Driver Points, Meyer Speedway (Top ten)

 

M.J. Burton....................................854

Charles Schild...............................776

George Nash................................744

Ronnie Chumley...........................732

Walter Ballard..............................684

Bill Blumrick..................................668

Billy Griswold...............................592

Billy Wade...................................592

Sonny McDaniels.........................568

Leon Larose................................478

 

And Look at the Track Record Holders

 

Sprints

1 Lap .....................Don Branson

8 Laps....................Parnelli Jones

10 Laps .................Leon Clum

30 Laps..................Don Branson

50 Laps..................A.J. Foyt

 

Late Model Stocks

1 Lap......................Curtis Turner

100 Laps................Harold Smith

200 Laps................Ernie Derr

 

Modified Stock Cars

1 Lap......................M.J. Burton

4 Laps....................Buddy Evans

6 Laps....................Buddy Evans

7 Laps....................Billy Wade

8 Laps....................Billy Wade

10 Laps..................Buddy Evans

20 Laps..................M.J. Burton

30 Laps..................George Nash

35 Laps..................Chas Schild

40 Laps..................Billy Wade

50 Laps..................M.J. Burton

100 Laps................M.J. Burton

150 Laps................Buddy Rackley

 

Midgets

1 Lap ....................Jimmy Davies

6 Laps...................Lloyd Ruby

8 Laps...................Jimmy Davies

50 Laps.................Dale Swain

[txtom]

Buddy, A lot of those pics posted by Mr. Barnes are on the Nifty Fifties site:

 

Meyer

 

Enjoy.

[Budman]

Mark, Here is the only photo I have from Meyer from that era. It is the late Waldo Harper, with his son. Photo was taken in '71. What a great one he was!

[nightmoves 99]

great,great pictures , can anyone remember the lap times the 'supers' were able turn at meyer i do remember they were quite a bit quicker than anything there , once again great pictures !!

[TPS18]

What great history! Thanks to everyone for the pics and information. My dad owned a car driven by Tony Barcelona in the early 60's. He also drove a red 55 Belair with #8 on it. If anyone can find one of those pics, I would be very grateful. The pictures we had got destroyed in a flood in Alvin in 1979. Have heard many stories about MJ Burton and Billy Wade. Have known MJ all my life. I was told that Tony would ride the outside wall and be leading within a lap or two. Dad said he usually either won or crashed. I can remember being there only once when I was a kid. Maybe Earnhardt, Bonnett, and all the other drivers that have left us are running Meyer Speedway on their quest for the Heavenly Cup.

[Budman]

TPS18, Check your PMs.

[TPS18]

Budman, thank you for the pic of Tony B. Great to see he kept the #8. I took #18 for my car because I wanted the 8 in it. Lanny

[nightmoves 99]

i remember batcelona running the 64 galaxie ,the thing looked like a barge out there but was competive if i remember right .

[Budman]

Most of the photos on this page can be seen at PHOTOBUCKET.COM, as are those that follow from Meyer Speedway.

 

Papa, this one's for you. John Rezek:

[Budman]

Larry Schild: (Photobucket.com)

 

Something of interest about the track in the background. It's just about like I remember it in this photo. It was a low banked track. More on the order of THR than say SAS.

[Budman]

(from PHOTOBUCKET.COM)

 

Here's something useful from the '77 Meyer Program, a 1/2 Mile Time/Avg. Speed Conversion Chart ................

[Budman]

(Photobucket.com)

 

M.J. Burton at Meyer in 1962. Looks like he just rolled it. Having a little trouble getting the door open.

[57Tbird]

I am a rookie member here. Budman put me onto this forum from another one, where I had posted some comments about attending races at Playland and Meyer Speedways in the 50's thru the 70's. This topic with the photos of where Meyer used to be interested me, because I lived in a Houston subdivision, Westbury, in the early-mid 60's. Meyer was just a stone's throw southwest of me. When the wind was from the south, it sounded like the cars were almost in my back yard. I've included a couple of pictures below.

 

This is an aerial shot of Meyer and the neighborhood where I lived just north of Meyer across South Main (Hwy 90A) from Meyer. You're looking toward the south in this photo. This is about 1960 time-frame. Hillcroft (not built yet) would come across South Main just to the right (west) of Meyer. Chimney Rock is the north-south street in the left side of the photo.

 

This is a Google Earth shot, similar to a previous post, that is fairly recent and barely shows the outline of the Meyer track where the push-pin is located. For reference, north is up in this illustration.

[Budman]

Welcome to TXSZ 57TBird. I hope you will enjoy this site. Are you still a resident of Houston?

 

I am an Austin resident and native so what I know about Meyer Speedway is very limited. I've been asked on here why Meyer closed. I don't have an answer for that one. I could only suppose that perhaps Houston urban sprawl caught up with it and it got either taxed or zoned out of existance. It seems nobody wants a race track in their back yard. Just in somebody else's.

 

Could you shed some light on this subject for us?

[TPS18]

It's enough to break your heart, isn't it?

[TPS18]

I say we take the infrastructure for sale from Rio Grande Speedway, get the bulldozers out, and repo the track !! We can tear down the football field and build a dirt track, and replace the baseball field with a go-cart track.. All in favor, say EYE !!!!!!! We will even run mufflers. @!* developments !! Just my 2 cents.

[txtom]

Not completely positive about all this, but I seem to remember that the track was built on school district property; Those two ball fields are school fields.

When we heard it was going to close, it was due to expansion of the school athletic activities, but obviously, that did not happen.

I suspect that liability became an issue for the school district, as well as complaints from the housing developements and business parks that surround the track now.

[Budman]

That would do it Tom. If the lease expired, the school district may have simply chosen not to renew it. Meyer operated 20 years, from 1959 to 1979.

[57Tbird]

I moved from Houston, in 1968, a few miles west up Hwy 90A to Missouri City. I could still hear the races at Meyer, even from there. I later moved from Houston to the Lake Belton area in 1978.

To answer your question about the demise of Meyer Speedway... I can only speculate that any or all of the possible reasons posted here might be correct. I never read or heard of anything specific. I do know that the traffic in the area was really heavy on Saturday nights when there was a football game at Butler Stadium next door. I will ask some of my contemporaries if they know. One of my old friends raced in 1970 in what was called the "Hobby" class back then.

I think TWS was just getting off the ground about the time Meyer started going downhill. Maybe the race teams were starting to concentrate on the longer races and bigger purses about then.