Meyer Speedway 2005

[RETrott]

I remember it being there in '61, but I don't know for sure after that.

[RETrott]

The Figure 8 Track was called The Crazy 8 Track. The Crazy 8 did not use the oval track turns, as normal, but used both flat straightaways creating a slower and almost u-turn to avoid high speeds.

[RETrott]

(Photobucket.com)

 

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

Not that I am real smart, but I believe this turn 1 & 2 flip is from 1961.

[RETrott]

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

From what I remember, there had been a scheduled NASCAR GN/Cup race at TWS in College Station that had been cancelled that contributed to an available date in the racing schedule. However, in order to have enough entries for the event, it was held mid week when the teams were traveling back across country from the California event. Otherwise, it is doubtful that any teams would make the trip for what they would consider a "minor" event. Racing in NASCAR was quite different then from what it is now. Many similiar events were held, but much closer to their operations base/race shop. Very few, if any, raced in all events for that reason. As for the question about being a points paying race, as I recall, Frank Warren "tired" during pace laps prior to the start and was relieved by H B Bailey in a Pontiac GN/Cup car owned by H B Bailey with the points going to Frank Warren since he "started" the car. Frank Warren more or less raced full time and needed points, but apparently in the days of 1 or 2 car race teams his car couldn't make the show. H B Bailey only raced in NASCAR GN/Cup races part time, and the points had no value to him. It was a 2 car race for the win between Richard Petty and Bobby Allison until Petty lost about 25/30 laps during a long green flag pit stop. I read a post that said Petty's car had electrical problems, but I thought they had to change the carburetor. I was in the grandstand so I am not sure. After Petty's pit stop, Allison was able to pace himself but Petty returned "flying", often putting his left side tires in the grass exiting the turns and made up about 5 laps as I recall. Meyer Speedway ran NASCAR santioned Late Model Sportsman and Limited Sportsman Stock Car races from '69 thru '74. At that time, NASCAR's top division was called Grand National and the 2nd tier was the Late Model Sportsman division. Meyer Speedway held LMS National Championship 200 lap races in '70, '71, '72, and '73. Also, at that time the 300 mile race that for awhile was called the Permatex 300 that is/was held at Daytona Speedway the day before the Daytona 500 was comprised of the LMS cars.

[RETrott]

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.

That top picture is much prettier than the bottom one! In the words of the late great Mickey Newbury, "Sweet Memories".

[RETrott]

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.

After the Crazy 8 Track was added to the infield in the early/mid 60s, the X area was also used for a paved pit area. This picture is Larry Schild and Rush Johnson's Nova Late Model Stock Car in about '77/ '78 parked on the Crazy 8 exit to the front straightaway. In the background is the speedway turn 4, with possibly part of turn 3 approaching the soreboard from the right. The camera is facing mostly north towards S Main, aka Hwy 90A.

[RETrott]

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.

Another poster inquired about a bicycle track. The 1960 time frame photo shows the bicycle track outside turn 4, which is bottom right of the oval.

[RETrott]

Nightmoves,

Do you remember when George England and H B Bailey got together approaching turn 1 causing Tony Barcelona to spin sideways into the infield and hit the light pole with the right side. The light pole, aka a telephone pole, broke halfway up. The red # 8, a '64 Ford, I believe was a former NASCAR GN/Cup Stock Car. The car was destroyed, it had a horseshoe look. Fortunately, Tony was not seriously injured. The year, as I recall, was '71.

[nightmoves 99]

RETrotter i can't remember that but about that time i was a working man ( teen) ,i always wondered what happened to that ol' red #8 ,i thought it was a pretty cool car.

[RETrott]

Jim,

While looking at an entry list for Modifieds in the '62 program on the Nifty 50s site, I saw an entry for a # 88 car with the driver listed as Dave Bierma, and that seems familiar regarding the prior year accident. The '61 era Meyer Speedway Modified Stock Cars were under new rules, seeking identity and were somewhat variable. My memory is a Henry J bodied car in the accident. I was in the front straightaway grandstand, last section. There was an incident ahead of the 88 Car and he braked and possibly struck another car and spun around and struck George, who more than likely had turned around for the incident and had his back towards oncoming cars for a split second. I did not see the initial impact, but I did see George flying/sliding across the track and into/under the pit road guardrail. Although many years after this accident, I do believe George Tennison Jr has passed away, some years back. I don't know if his death was "related" to long time chronic pain or not.

[jakdad]

That's quite possible. Roy drove a #88 modified for someone, could have been Bierma. Also it may have been mid sixties before Roy drove the car. If I remember right, the 88 was a strange looking car. Maybe Roy aided in the build

[A-ROCKET]

The # 88 car of Roy Tuley was similar in appearance to Joe Plowmans car (# 28 I think) except "The Galveston Gambler", Plowman, his car looked better and was definatly a whole lot faster.

[jakdad]

Roy's car was white. I don't remember much resemblence beyond that. Joe if you see this, don't be angry with us......

[RETrott]

As for as a Roy Tuley Modified #88, I'll have to admit I am drawing a complete blank. As for Joe Plowman driven Modifieds, are we talking about the mid 60s '37 Chevy trimmed coupe body car, or the later car that I have no idea what the body was from or what it resembled. Now I'm not saying it wasn't pretty, but I just never understood the concept.

[A-ROCKET]

If I am not mistaken, Plowman was running a white car with a roof line similar to some of the Nance cars of the era, it was a good looking car, the # 88 "Thoede Auto Supply " sponsered car driven by Tuley had a similar design however, again if I remember correctly the roof line was almost cantilevered and looked like an early 60's Mercury Montclair with a sliding rear window. Not the best looking car.

 

Now, also from memory Plowman ran a 289 cid Ford in the white car, I personally do not remember him in a 37 Chevrolet, however I could be wrong. There were some pretty sharp Chevrolets coupes that ran at Meyer it is ashamed that there are no pictures of these cars. I looked at the website mentioned in this thread racingfromthepast.com or something like that as it was mentioned that they had a section on Texas modifieds, unfortunatly under the heading of Texas Super Modifieds what you get is a group of cars that ran in central and north Texas, I could not find a single car from Meyer.

 

What seems strange is everyyear at the Liberty Bell 300 there were always photographers everywhere as cars came from all across the Gulf Coast to race in this annual event, however there are no photographs.

[RETrott]

A-Rocket,

I believe there are some Super/Winged Super Modified pictures from Meyer Speedway in the early 70s posted on the Nifty50s site. If you go to Old Meyer Speedway Pics section here, there are pictures of M J Burton's Modified Stock Car that was new for the '62 season at Meyer. The most popular choice for Modified Stock Cars in Houston during the 60s were '37 & '38 Chevy coupes, with the body reduced to a cover and shortened and narrowed. For the most part, they retained their original form/shape. To me, the only difference between the '37 & '38 Chevy is the grill/nose. The Burton #5 was from '38. Joe Plowman's similiar car from that era appeared to be a '37. It was white, # 28. The Modified you mentioned, I believe was from the next generation, and the trend was smaller/lighter. It had, to me, that going forward while sitting still look. I think I once heard someone mention a '59 Ford, but I was never able to see one looking at that car, which I remember also being white, #28. As I remember, that was about the same time frame that Red Garner had a blue # 3 Modified Stock Car with the body built from four Ford Falcon front fenders. From another poster, I read that the Falcon fenders were on a modified Pontiac frame. That # 3 Car was driven by Billy Perrin, and later by Don Stodder as far as I can remember. I don't recall the specific rules, but I suppose, Red's car was a stock car frame & body, modified for racing. So I suppose the same was true for the new generation Joe Plowman car. The Garner built # 3 Car is shown in a section of Bill White pictures in the blue # 2 Modified Stock Car he raced at Meyer in the late 60s, found in the Old Modified and Super Modified Photos section.

[texastracker]

After spending a couple of hours with Gordon Woolley and hie wife Ann a few months ago, we talked about the autographed pic of Jim in the #23 Sprinter. Gordon said that he autographed sooo many that night that he was autographed out! Even when he was featured at the Knoxville Nationals a few years ago, he didn't get that worn out. Therefore I'm sure there a many more out there in good shape. Although I wouldn't take anything for mine! The 4 names signed that night are all a huge part of Texas racing history.

 

Where is the "Texas Hall of Fame"?

 

Budman, if we all gave a few dollars a week into a secure fund, and a few well to do racers or fans gave some land and a modest building. Folks on this forum could fill it with the material on the Greatest drivers that ever strapped on a helmet

 

This is Bill White in Mobile, Ala. 1967. It was Moble on Friday night, 5 flags @ Pensacola on Sat. and then Jacksonville on Sun.

 

[A-ROCKET]

RETrott, do you have the actual web site for Nifty 50's, I search it and get everything but a racing site.

 

Thanks

[txtom]

A-Rocket,

Here is that link--

 

Nifty 50s

 

You should get an index down the left side of the page, scroll to the bottom for the racetrack pics.

[RETrott]

Being a long time Houstonian and auto racing fan, I'll try to add my one and a half cents worth. I think most of us saw it coming. It's hard to imagine the weekly attendance of one thousand in the late '70s on a good night, compared to fifteen years of three to four thousand or more regular attendance. As one can see, several USAC events were held early on. Even with good crowds, those events likely lost money. Joseph F Meyer was a race fan. He died in about '62, and from what I could tell, his heirs did not share his enthusiasm for the sport. I understand, at some point, the lease was for one year at a time only, and the owners did not wish to, or could not invest in the facility. Very few improvements were made, and many were needed. The enormous growth in the area, primarily residential, probably increased the property value above the facility value. But getting back to the attendance, car counts had also fallen off. When NASCAR came to Meyer Spdwy, the cost of racing rose considerably. The better cars required very deep pockets. It appeared kind of hard for an independant racer to compete against teams with full time employees prepairing cars, not to mention almost unlimited funding. After NASCAR and some of the deeper pocket teams left, there appeared some hope for less expensive racing, but with the new Big H Spdwy dirt track competing for competitors and no confidence in the future of Meyer Spdwy, racers and fans continued to dwindle. So to me, the lack of fan and competitor interest, owners unwilling or unable to improve the facility, lack of promotion due to circumstances, surrounding property changes and property values, and higher expenses for the competitors all added up to no more Meyer Spdwy/Houston.

[Budman]

RETrott, thats a familiar sounding story ............. Original owners die off, facility taken over by leaseholders, track gets swallowed up by the city. Taxes go up. New codes to be met. Leaseholders reluctant to make needed capital improvements on property they don't own. Crowds, purses, car counts dwindle. Track finally closes. Sounds a whole lot like what happened at the Austin and San Antonio tracks too.

[jakdad]

This is an interesting topic. Nothing has really been done with that property. Mr. Joe Meyer was a great fan, promoter and investor in racing. He loved it. That's why I didn't find it hard to believe the story from a responsible party about Mr. Meyer's will. The most of his estate was handled pretty much as you would expect, other than his provision that the property that Meyer Speedway rested on would never be anything but a Racing Facility. I don't know if the heirs ever got the will broken, but there it sits after all these years with no further development. I guess it was legal to tear the track down but nothing could be rebuilt other than a racing facility. The only member of the Meyer family I ever knew was Mr.Joe Meyer, and we never discussed his will. Anyone near the Meyer family may be able to shed more light on this. The last time I saw Mr. Meyer was shortly before he passed away. Racing lost a good friend when he left us................

[RETrott]

I had never heard that Jim, but it makes sense. My first memory is from about '56/'57, when I was about age 10. Apparently my brother convinced my dad to take a ride out there to check out what was going on and also to watch what I think were Quarter Midgets on a track in the future parking area outside turns 3 & 4. That was a little while before Gingerbreadman started racing QMs, but I remember him being there with his parents. The Meyer Spdwy dirt work appeared complete, but unpaved and no guardrail or grandstands. But, there was a Midget Car hot lapping the 1/2 mile dirt spdwy that was, I believe, being driven by A J Foyt Jr. Also, I remember a white '56 Chevrolet Stock Car # 53, that I recall as being a Billy Wade driven Late Model. If the Stock Car made any laps, it may have been earlier because it was loaded on a trailer sitting in/near turn 3. I have no memory/knowledge of when or where the Stock Car was raced, but I am curious. I would suppose that the track was near completion before any USAC events were put on the schedule, and the Sprint Car race in October '59 was the first event.

[Midget 85]

If I recall correctly, the turns were banked 8 degrees although it looked higher. Somewhere I either read or heard the turns were banked at that degree level.

 

I too visited the track sometime back and yes, it is haunting to hear the thunder and see the action in your mind.

 

My visit there revealed a brisk wind and the sounds of grass hoppers trying to memic the sounds of the thunderous engines that have since gone by the wayside..

 

I think two drivers lost their lives at Meyer. Correct me if I am wrong, but I think one was Phil Harris in a modified circa 1965 during practice or heat race. The other was a Bronco driver maybe in 1967 and I don't remember his name. The stories I have heard claims the accidents were caused by poorly installed seat belt or seat security applications when the cars flipped and the security gave way.

 

Maybe someone can give us more light on the subject as morbid as it may sound.

 

Anyhow, I do beleive there must be ghost there as well. Very strange feeling indeed.

[jakdad]

One thing to remember about Meyer attendance is that when the Broncos were fired, you not only lost fans but probably ten people per car that attended. So many people came because of the wrecks (sad). Then the cars with 2 or 3 guys in the pits plus driver and another 5 to 10 friends and family in the stands. When you dismiss an entire class of cars, dues have to be paid.

 

Another amazing photo! The photo of the Meyer track in 1961. Hardly any housing out there. The school district had not yet built Butler Stadium. I really love that shot with just the track and no clutter from civilization.