Forum: Racing From The Past (go)
Moderators: Racing From The Past

A group comprised of open wheel racing enthusiasts is organizing a tribute to those who raced on Texas/Oklahoma racetracks encompassing four decades.

Texoma Dirt Track Racers is hosting a reunion Saturday, Sept. 29, 2007 at The Elks Lodge in Wichita Falls, Texas for racers who competed in open wheel dirt track cars from the 1940's through the 1970's.

The program and luncheon being planned gets the green flag at 11:00 AM, and highlights those pioneers who raced wheel to wheel at The Wichita Falls Speedrome. Lloyd Ruby, Rodger Ward and Ralph Parkinson are among those who first turned a competitive wheel at the Speedrome. Other racers being recognized include those who raced at TheWichita Falls Speedway, The Lawton Speedway and The Red River(Tanner's) Speedway. The program will feature memorabilia, an era specific race car display, photo opportunities, slide and video presentations, and a "Champions Tribute".

All former competitors and interested parties are encouraged to contact: Don Phelan 940-733-7031, Steve Young 940-692-1215, Jerry Douglas 940-691-3657, James Skinner 940-781-4641, or Alan Liebl 940-855-5120.

Reservations must be made by Sept. 15, 2007.

Please don't think I am hogging this site, I want them to see what they missed last year. It's worth the trip.

The car in the foreground came from between OkC and Tulsa and is owned now by someone in Wichita Falls. Those GT-40s in the background? Oh that's nuthin. Just the cars that Lloyd Ruby, Parnelli Jones, Bobby and Al Unser showed up in. Lone Star JR and Jim MacElreath also were there. Carroll Shelby couldn't make it so they had to have a backup plan. The cool cars were inside.

The no. four is a Kurtis, no.5 (left) is a Lesovsky laydown, this is the car Tony Bettenhausen was to drive when he got killed doing a shakedown run in the Stearly Motor Freight Special(#28 below, don't know if it's the actual car or a representation), and the #5 on the right upper picture is a Watson(1958). A Zink car, it was built in house by Watson when he worked for them. Ed Elisian was driving this car when the notorious wreck of '58 occurred at Indy. This car went on to win at Monza with one of the Rathmann brothers. The #28 is an Edgar Elders model.

I got to meet Freddy Street, James Skinner, Steve Young, Ralph Parkinson Sr, as well as meet several new friends. This year it will be about the cars and drivers we grew up watching or in my case, hearing about.