History Some history from central bama. Circle and drag strip

Visited a guy I know today. He has this old photo album from a long gone friend that raced in the Birmingham area. Both drag and circle.

1958 Birmingham
Possibly Helena drag strip

first year for Lassiter Mt.
the one track we still have

 

Not sure who’s car is who’s. But the time slips are from the guy the album belonged to

Red Farmer and Bobby Allison listed
“Top fuel” with square bars.
57 injected SBC

 

Donnie Allison also listed. The old Alabama Gang.
Thanks for the history.

 

He hooked me up with this Dixy Speedway program

cool ads
The hang out. Varsity Drive In

 

And this post card

 

Nice catch. Missed it

 

Christmas card

Chassis Research

 

Possibly Dixie Speedway . Not sure. Had Birmingham 1958 on the back

mid 60s for the tri 5

 

His old shop is full of stuff even after selling a bunch

has a NOS big mopar intake for sale.
With what’s left of the original box. Shipped to Rocco and Cheaters $400

 

Picked up this junk

bushing and shocks for a 56 Chevy
Oil filter and gen for a FH
Side inlet 2G
A rams horn I was missing and rebuilt drums from a 56

 

Says he pulled these from a dual quad caddy
Any you guys have a clue?

 

‘56 or maybe ‘57 Eldorados came with two 4 bbls

 

This ad shows a different carb though.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...4bbl-carbs-complete-set-up-excellent.1284423/

 

A bunch of cool old history right there!

 

Ahhhhh. The GOOD stuff. Thanks for sharing.

 

Fred Fryar and Dave Mader too.

 

Helena Drag Strip
https://www.google.com/gasearch?q=h...ate=ive&vld=cid:142ce3a2,vid:TvIwkm7jlpE,st:0

 

Yep. And one of the first races at Lassiter Mt.
I think @jnaki identified this ride a while back
The pic from my friend:

from the video

Dave Marquez

 

Hello,

Thanks for remembering that I did a post on an orange and white roadster way back a couple of years ago. The history of that particular roadster was geared toward the Ventura Motor Monarchs Club activities from So Cal. But, they ventured to Kansas for a big time drag race. Your area dragstrip is not that far away for a touring group making the rounds.

The similarities are too close, but, until someone else finds the specific information, it is still a good question.
old Friday Art
We have always liked open, full bodies roadsters over chopped and channeled versions. The race car versions with smooth Moon Discs were at the forefront for the two So Cal brothers. From the time we saw those Moon Discs, we like how they made any car, roadster, truck or FED race cars look so much better. Plus, it did have some streamline advantages.

The bright orange roadster is/was owned by Dave Marquez . It was an outstanding build and won “America’s Most Beautiful Competition Roadster” at 1956 Oakland National Roadster Show.

The old photo color found has been washed out. The color of Fluorescent Orange and white could be a little brighter. It was difficult to bring it back to the original color.


Jnaki

The orange and white roadster is outstanding back then. But, if a version were to be built today, the roadster would be quite notable in its own history. It definitely would deserve a coveted spot in any hot rod/drag race museum main floor, just like in 1956. YRMV

Dave Marquez Photo by Pete Garramone

Dave Marquez with the Motor Monarchs Car Club out of Ventura, CA, at the first NHRA National Event in Great Bend, Kansas. The engine is a fuel burning flat head with an Ardun OHV conversion. This car was immaculate in every detail...

 

That coupe was a goer! High 11's for that car was a big deal then.

 

For many oval race nuts;,
Bama Gang *of Bobby, Donny n Red, don't know, these three n more came from Hialeah Speedway {Miami Florida} Plus Jackie Evens as well. It's longer list then most would think}
Being,it did not seem as far away as now ,to drive up to Bama or Ga for big races { found in Speed Sport News adds } In the late 50s n 60s,I towed my racer up to Bessemer Alabama and raced. Youth did help make driving out off state seem fun ! Pay off was higher then back in south Florida. Hialeah Speedway just on the outer edge Miami,was a 1/3 black top FLAT speedway { a place with Super Stiff Competition}= if a drive n car could win at Hialeah=The combo could win anywere n did...But far south end of Florida raced year around n payout per race was less= Not too many came south and those who did,got out run=Did not come back.
Point is;see Miami as home town=is home track of Hialeah Speedway ,Hollywood n Medley { racing 3+ times a week }plus PBFS ;1/2 high bank on Sundays . There were no speedways in Miami ,all Speedways outside city limits.. Same for Drag strips " Masters Field,later on Hollywood for drags.

 

Don’t forget Neil Bonnet as part of he Alabama Gang from Hueytown

 

My friend said Red Farmer told him the rural tracks was good tracks to make $$$

 

They probably had a good purse structure and management wasn't greedy. More people in the stands put more in the driver's pockets.

Local tracks to me like Freeport and Islip were like that, only that Islip had an ownership change when I was racing and the purses were abysmally small.

Freeport paid well until they folded in 1983. With 4 tracks on Long Island, some drivers drove 3 nights a week and had no day job.

Islip and Freeport ran Saturday, Riverhead on Friday and Westhampton on Sunday.

 

Excellent find! Alabama is a bit of a black hole when it comes to old drag racing photos. Great to see some early stuff....thank you for posting!

 

The golden age of short track. We raced Huntsville on Thursday night, Midfield on Friday night, Montgomery on Saturday night and Birmingham Fairgrounds on Sunday afternoon.

jack vines

 

Ya might like these then. Looking up pics of Dixie Speedway (Midfield) this FB page popped up.

they had a lot of old pics of Alabama circle tracks

Legion Field late 30s
Rocco and Cheaters

 

1954 Birmingham
The demo derby carnage is tough to watch

these were not what I expected to see

 

i have been in bama for 40 years and never heard of a drag strip in helena even from the older fellas. i know two that closed in the last few years like bama and lynn, of course time blends together for me so it could be 20 years ago for them two. i like to go to smaller tracks and want to make it to baileyton some time. as for the round tracks, birminghan international raceway, and jasper super 8 which we raced at. a fella bought the old jasper super 8 and does some kind of racing there but i've not gone over to see any.