Messages

1

Vintage Racing Shows & Events / Re: 1950-1960 Vintage Stock Car/ Jalopy Racing

« on: November 10, 2010, 05:15:10 PM »

Love your car. I hope you find a lot of places that will let you at least run around the track and show the younger set what it all used to like.

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Vintage Racing Shows & Events / Re: Winchester Speedway show.

« on: November 10, 2010, 05:08:56 PM »

Great pics guy. I'd love to see that Torino up close. And some of those cars look a lot like the old 'Super Modifieds' from here.

3

Paved Oval Tracks / I-70 Speedway, Odessa MO.

« on: November 05, 2010, 02:10:56 PM »

Anyone have memories of I-70 Speedway? A fast high-banked joint that could reach out a bite you anywhere on the track. I loved it when they ran the Nascar Modifeds there and later when they had the Whelan Tour cars. And Larry Phillips who drove the 66 car was always a force there.

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Dirt Tracks / Re: Pennsboro Speedway

« on: November 05, 2010, 01:57:20 PM »

3-wides picture vault site might have some of the information your looking for. They seem to know a lot about the tracks, present and past, in that area.

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Dirt Tracks / Re: York Fairgrounds - 1915

« on: November 05, 2010, 01:55:22 PM »

What is it that made these old fairgrounds tracks so special? The Big Names that came for the fair week shows? The real stadium feel? The fact that they were horse tracks and the surfaces groomed out so well for auto racing? Or was it some combination or something else entirely?

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Dirt Tracks / Re: Topeka Tracks: Gone...

« on: November 05, 2010, 01:50:52 PM »

I liked racing at the old Shawnee Fairgrounds. I started out there in a 1964 Pontiac Tempest in Street Stock. All I had for an engine was a Sprint 6, an inline 6 cylinder with a 4 barrel and factory spit exhaust manifold. You had to run an engine that matched the body and frame and that thing wass NOT a 1/2 mile runner.
I got the handling down on it and finally got it to run with the 'Big Dogs' in the corners and the first 1/3rd of the straights then they would just run away. It was better suited to Shawnee Speedways tight 1/4 mile dirt. By the time all the big blocks got traction and wound up they were in the next corner. We had a 12" tire rule and I was hooked up. Down the straight they would catch me going in the corner and I'd just drive awaay thru the corner and take off down the straight, passing people trying to get some bite.
No one wanted to claim the engine because they all ran Chevys, even on the street at that time. They sometimes used Ford trucks for towing but that was about it.
But at the fairgrounds it always felt special just to be out there on a track where I'd watched some really great drivers from all over the country race. I always wanted the cars to look good, look stock, because it just seemed right somehow. Like a tradition. I always managed to have the 'underdog' fans.

7

General Racing History Topics / Re: Open Trailers vs Enclosed Trailers

« on: October 24, 2010, 02:27:11 PM »

I flat towwed to the races with my Pony Stock VW Bug most of the time in the 90s. Clamp on lights on the back bumper that plugged into wires plumbed permanently all the way thru the car to another plug that hooked to the truck.
UNLESS the track owner or promoted hadn't mowwed 'my' pit spot for a while. Then I borrowed a flat trailer and loaded my riding mower and mowwed spots for me and my friends. Mowwer was painted to match the race car which entertained my neighbors no end! Officiaol came over one night and said I needed to pay another entry fee. WTH? "And I don't think your 2nd ride had enough cage to run with the Micro Midgets!". HarDeeHarHarHar!

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General Racing History Topics / Re: Anyone remember slot cars?

« on: October 24, 2010, 02:06:48 PM »

I'll throw something in here that is sort of related.
One year when Heartland Park Topeka's Road Course was free a promoter ran a race for the Modifieds and Late Models. IMCA Mods turning right and shifting was a lot of fun to watch! And the Late Models put on quite a show. The only 'stinker was a couple of guys that brought asphalt LMs to a field full of dirt cars.
Yes, dirt cars on a big old road race track. One driver I know said "I put on a dozen tear offs and lost them all on the back straight-away!" LOL! The car looked like it was shedding clear confetti all the way!
I'll do a couple of paint schemes and see what I think.
KilRoy AutoGraphics rides again!

9

1/2 (or lower) thru 20 / Re: #4

« on: October 22, 2010, 03:02:27 PM »

Wow! Nice to know someone famous drove the 4u. I did because when I started in Pony Stocks at Topeka Raceway there was a #4 Mustang of Richard Herd and and a 4v Volkswagen Bug. I liked it because I could tell fans "This car is For You" and sponcers like it when the car says "Joe's Ice Cream For You" with the placement of the number.
I also was the 1st in our area to use BIG letters on the doors for the sponsor names. You could easily read them on the back straight. I had D.A.R.E. on  the front fender and got invited to schools by the cops. Had a good line about "If you want to race someday you need to be sharp. Drugs and racing don't mix".
Hope to hear about more '4u's.

10

Dirt Tracks / Re: Topeka Tracks: Gone... II

« on: October 22, 2010, 02:43:28 PM »

Believe it or not they closed the track when a tornado tore the roof off of the grandstands. Big sheetmetal monster. They had been fighting complaints of noise for years and put coragated metal fencing on top of the back straightaway fence and mufflers on the cars.
What they could not see was that the concrete grandstands with that sloped metal roof was a giant amplifier and megaphone! I used to sit 10 miles away on Fridays I had to work at the gas station and score the Stock Cars pretty well by the sound! With the roof gone it would have eased the noise, and canvas or something on the sides of the graandstands would have killed it more. All that "Sound Barrier" on the back stretch did was reflect the sound back to the 'amplifier' grandstands!
But they wanted an Expo Center and the State Fair had officially moved to Hutchinson so Bye-Bye race track. The expo showed what happens when little minds think great thoughts. Cost conciderations shrunk it to almost unusable size, under venilation about killed people watching the indoor midget races, and who wants to watch a Monster Truck run 20 feet, jump 2 cars and lock the brakes?
I went out and 'walked the track' a few years ago. When you drive a joint like this you remember it. I could walk around and spot the trees I used to mark turn 3 on dusty nights, Remember how far ir was from the wall in turns one and 2 to the horse and cattle barns (Still There!), and remember even where the back gate was.
What is there now? A parking lot covers the old grandstands site. The last parking anyone wants to use as it's a long walk to anywhere. And Grass. lots of grass where the track was. What a waste.

11

Dirt Tracks / Topeka Tracks: Gone...

« on: October 22, 2010, 02:21:45 PM »

... but not forgotten. The Topeka Shawnee County Fairgrounds. Marshall Teague made a few stops there, Opperman, Ray Lee Goodwin, The Weld tribe, Kenny and "Tiger" Bob Williams, and the list goes on. I wish I hadn't lost all those photos I took or bought there. They and my collection of Speed Sport News all destroyed in an old barn by neglect!
In Stock Cars there were Jim Still, Gerry Harrison and visits by the IMCA great Ernie Derre (Sp?) and the IMCA Stock Car Tour. I tresured an issue of Stock Car Racing that showed Harrison's #98 Mustang (Cougar?) slogging thru the mud somewhere to an IMCA win. I heard him say "I just ran the rears at about 10 pounds and put a skinny Sprint Car tire on the left front until the mud finally packed down some".
The racing was always good with the Super Modifieds, (Early Sprints without wings and bolt on cages). I think it was one of the Welds who showed up with his midget and ran around 'Checking it out'. They let him start it at the back of the feature. "What's that little 4 banger bug going to do? Race against the carburator cars?" He lapped the field in about 4 laps then pulled in! And they were starting at least  25 cars that night!
The smell of alcohol, casterol, oil and maybe a little 'Pop', (Nitro) mixxing with the popcorn and hot peanuts. The cars "WapWapWap"ing as they pushed off mixxed with the calls or "POPcorn, PEAnuts, ICE cold drinks!" and the announcer calling the field. "Gentleman Gene Gennetti on the pole, Ray Lee Goodwin pacing next to him...". Now where is that crazy looking Delorean?

12

Dirt Tracks / Re: York Fairgrounds - 1915

« on: October 22, 2010, 02:04:51 PM »

I like the well dressed gentleman standing on the track as the cars roar by 6 wide in the top photo! And another sporty man walking away from the cars in the bottom photo. On track starters: What a rush!
I knew Wayne Merideth (SP?) as the flagman at the Topeka Raceway/ Shawnee Speedway who started the cars and flagged the winners from on track. I once heard Don Craig, driver of the white with red scallops #75 coupe say "I looked up through the roof hole and saw Wayne's leg and foot over me as he gave me the checkers!".
Of course Wayne always had "Fort Apache" when things got hectic. It was a semi-circle of telephone poles with about  4 foot showing, driven into the ground 2 deep at the start/finish line in the infield that he could take cover in. I saw cars hit or roll over it on several occassions. The cars were always the losers and Wayne would pop up like a ground hog afterwards. If they are racing in Heaven, Wayne is there flagging!

13

Off Road / I miss my Street Baja

« on: October 22, 2010, 01:49:24 PM »

I was a fool to sell it but now I just want to know where it got to.
Doodle: A small square-eyed with Olds Delta side markers for turn lights, custom wide fenders, wide Cragars, big & little tires, Pearl white with 78 Monte Carlo Kelly Green Metallic rear scalloped to the front.
Anyone? Even Pictures would help.
Last heard of in the Topeka, Salina Kansas areas.
Any help appriciated.

14

Stock Cars / Re: 4u Racer Pony Stock VW Bug.

« on: October 22, 2010, 01:45:19 PM »

ADDIUM: Race car last known in Topeka Kansas Area. Baja last seen in Topeka or Salina Kansas area(s).

15

General Racing History Topics / Re: Anyone remember slot cars?

« on: October 21, 2010, 02:53:15 PM »

Dave, What night do the Late Models and Stock cars run?
I used to be a roller skating nut and the rink was over a hardware store. When the store owner sold out the rink ladie's husband started a slot track in the old store. I started out with an "Ol Calhoun" from my Tyco set and was hooked. That big heavy slow car led to newer and lighter cars.
Then I figured out how to vacuform bodies from  my 1/24th model cars! My 1st business at the age of 13, discounting mowing lawns. I showed up with a # 17 David Pearson 64 Galaxie and flat FLEW! I started punching out all kinds of bodies and the track owner started Wensday, Friday and Monday races. Product prizes and chinzy plastic trophies, but we was racing by gumby! Of course I missed Friday nights to go to the REAL races.
Nothing was quite like having someone give you a model kit AND money to mold new bodies for them. The track owner gave me the plastic sheets and $.50 for every body he sold. And he let me have tons of free track time. I may not have been a great businessman but I was having FUN!
By the way, I LOVE the black and yellow 'Batmobile' sports car. And the different light colors for the car make night racing so cool!
This track mentioned had 2 Fullsized tracks, one a road course and the other a high banked oval. Both were about 30 feet long and 25 feet wide. Then he had the 'little' track for the smaller scales which as 20 x 10. Go skate to get warmed up, race for 3 hours, then skate to burn off the Hyper-Energy!