60'-70's Vintage Oval Track Modifieds

posted these before..

 

Bill Wimble. John Grady photo

 

The Bill Wimble photo was my first post on here. How do I make the photos larger? Thanks, Allen Clark

 

For all of you out there we still run em' here in California on a limited basis. I was really surprised that no one had posted this site before. Hm did any of you guys see the article Traditional Rod and Culture did a few years back? Well my 2 bits.-Weeks

http://okiebowlhardtops.com/


"The Great Depression, like most other periods of severe unemployment, was produced by government mismanagement rather than by any inherent instability of the private economy.-Milton Friedman, vote wisely!"

 

I thought I might add a few photos if I may. This is one of the tracks that Charging Charlie J. #1 called home. The old, now defunct 1'5 mile oval. Islip Speedway. NASCAR also ran a few races here back in the early 60s. Bobby Allison and his traveling buddies ran their modifies here also.

 

Jimmy Tylor at Riverhead Raceway sometime around 1970 or so.

 

An early superspeedway modified. This was when they raced the full 2.5 Pocono track.

 

I believe this is an OLD Thompson Speedway shot.

 

Randomrodder,
You should have pointed out that Islip was also used for Figure 8 racing. That was a crazy bunch.

 

Wasn't one of Slaters better days.

 

I don't have any info on this photo other then he didn't win the race. Anyone here have any ideas?

 

This is a picture of my Dad building his first car. He raced at Husets Speedway and Lake county. Primitive, but that's how it was out on the farm. The only 220 was at the poll where the power came in. The welder was a Wards, and my brother still has it.

Here is a couple of the car. Wish I had the quarters today for a coupe I have now....


Progress through the years.....




I'll try to get more. My brother has a bunch.
Jeff

 

No ideas on that one, but I don't think this guy won his race either.

 

Oh my god! Emil on the HAMB ? Is there no place safe anymore?

The picture is of the famous Vinny Green wreck at Wall Stadium, New Jersey during the Turkey Derby, I think the year was 1981. Wicked wreck on the back stretch. He walked away, a true testament to the quality cars built by Troyer Engineering. Back then I was a photographer, and of course I was standing in turn one and missed the shot of this horrendous wreck....Lenny Sammons publisher of AARN caught the whole sequence and it may be on line somewhere.

 

About Islip Speedway

• 1/5 mile banked short-track, with figure 8 course and drag strip​
• Developed many innovative divisions, including the demolition derby and Figure 8's​
• Held Events for the NASCAR Grand National Division, the precursor to the NASCAR Winston Cup Series.​
• Opened in 1947 and closed in 1984.​

I ran the 1/5 mile drags a few times back in the late 60s.
The late great Larry Mendleson started the Figure 8 and it soon became a novalty for Wide World of Sports. A friend, Bobby Lane won the World Championship four times I believe.

It was great place to bring up your kids and to be brought up yourself.
Great place to spend time in the pits also.​

 

Richie my Man, you know you can't get away from me, we go back way too far. Thanks for filling in the blanks. Have you gone to my kid's site yet? He cover's the action at Riverhead with video interviews and bench racing. http://www.pitstoppitbull.com/ You have to send him video of your grandson and his ride.

My son is looking for vintage videos for his site. If you would like to send something in, check his site out. Sorry, I didn't mean to spam this thread at all.

 

Great thread. I've always loved these cars. Grew up in Albq. and we would go Albq Speedway every weekend. We'd see the Unsers and my favorite, Johnny Caples.

 

Your Right this is turn 4 at Thompson before the retaining walls going out on this turn would put you out in the publick parking lot at the time.The public could park right up to that chain link fence I saw modifieds out in the parking lot on more than 1 occassion.going out on turn 3 would put in into the upper part of quadic Lake in about 4 feet of water before the shallows there got filled in

 

At Riverhead Raceway on Long Island, there was a swamp just the other side of turn four. Yes, many a car found themselves in the swap come raceday. Those were the day.

 

This 37 Ford the J-2 was out of Ct. and driver Melvin "Red" Foote. Does any one out know this car and driver ? Early 1960's was the hay day .

 

This 37 Ford the J-2 was out of Ct. and driver Melvin "Red" Foote. Does any one out know this car and driver ? Early 1960's was the hay day .

 

A real pair of tag toting Edmunds supermodifieds, 6 and 8 speed shop. From Racing From The Past

 

At the top of page 21 is a picture of Wild Bill Slater's V-8 on fire.
This was at the Trenton 200 modified race in 1964.
Joe Kelly won the race in Don House XL-1; FORD power.

What strikes me about this picture is the number 83 dirt modified sitting behind the pit wall.
Jackie McGlaughlin died in that car that Sunday night after the Trenton race at the Nazerath 1/2 mile dirt track. Jackie asked my father to tow the car to Nazerath and have it ready for him.

Tony A.

 

Kenny Weld

 

I am a member of the Reading Fairgrounds Racing Historical Society

I will start posting items from Reading

 

Reading was one one my all time favorite tracks. The heavys were great to watch but USAC coming to town was something else. Man they all let it hang out on that track. Can't wait to see more pictures.

 

I'll be posting a number of photos. I hope they are not duplicates or a copy of any posted here. IF any are, please except my apologies now. Enjoy.

Emil