Hot Rods 2025 George Rays

Mark your calenders for June 14th and 15th ParagouldArkansas. George Rays will have a nostalgia race. It will feature six of the original guys that were there on day one. Herb Mcandles will be one of them. He is bringing a few cars i was told.
For those unfamiliar with George Rays Hot Rod Wildcat Dragstrip here's a few highlights.

George built the track with his own hands in his back yard.
The races were flag started by George for years.
The winner had to run George in his roadster for a final run.
The track was originally 1/4 mile as the cars got faster it became 1/8 mile.
It's a unsanctioned track.
The iconic tower was rebuilt with the cat walk.
The track is the original concrete poured in 1962.
You have to see the place to believe something like this exists in today's world. I have run there many times. The track was featured in Hot Rod Magazine many times. Brett Keptner did a TV show on the track. George passed a few years ago. The racing tradition goes on with his grandson taking over.
This track should be on every racers bucket list. Rumor out there a fire burnout or two might happen.

 

Old school at its finest!

 

Thanks for sharing the info and the pics! That place brings back memories!

 

I watched an old video from around 1973, shows Dick Landy and Bill Jenkins at a small Canadian strip, they were both laying rosin down to prep their lanes, quite entertaining.

 

Wow! Sounds like a great event! If you have not experienced George Ray’s Wildcat Drag Strip you haven’t lived. One word of caution that Brian told me before my first visit…. “Don’t eat the hot dogs!” “ The red comes off in your mouth!!!” ( joke!)

 

George didn't spend much money on meat. That's what I was told.

 

Damn!! This had to fall on the same weekend as The Wally Parks Nationals at Bowling Green Kentucky. We’ve already got rooms paid for in Bowling Green, is there any other races scheduled at George Ray’s next year?

 

What a memory-have heard of that place like forever. We had something similar in the outskirts of Houston, trees along both side, dirt return road, asphalt, and very close to the other machine on the track. Pits were a big party, always. Now.... concrete, cars, houses, soccer moms, etc. Grandkids now say "there goes that old goat again with another wild tale he made up". Places like George Ray's sure seem to not be real.

 

Bowling green ends Saturday afternoon. There's plenty of time to drive over to George Rays for the Sunday festivities.

 

Man I've wanted to visit George Ray's since I first heard about it here. That's my kind of place !

 

We can do some flag start racing using the original flags from 1962. Tyler inherited his grandson father's peril handled revolver. It's cool to see. George always had it on him. It doubled for snake killing when one got on the track and to uphold the law.
The stories from this place are second to none.

 

If you like moon shine the best you will find is waiting for you down there. I'm no moon shine snob but I do know great shine when I taste it. I know I'm coming back home with a few pickle jars full. I highly recommend the peach. The sampler pack is great to. It's all part of the experience.