Old Coupes and Coaches

8

#84 NVRA

Guest
Do you have memories of old straight axle Coupes and Coaches battling on the track? How about 55-56-57 Chevys and Fords running side by side. Did you ever see them as a kid or even wonder what the races were like back then?

If you live in middle Georgia you have a chance to see the cars of the past compete again September 14th at Cordele Speedway in Cordele, Ga. The National Vintage Racing Association will be at Cordele Saturday night September 14, 2002. The NVRA will be racing cars from 1930-1957, with four different classes of cars involved. 22 Vintage cars were at the Cordele track in June and should be more there for this race. Some of these cars are original Vintage racers, some are replicas of an old racer and some are Vintage cars just built to be a Racer. Some of our Drivers are old NASCAR members, some are old short track Champions and some are just racers that can't let their favorite times die.
 
Forgot to say, I'll add a new picture each day up to 9/14/02.

My car. It will not be at Cordele, it has a rod sticking out of the bolck right now.
 
Tried to run an engine that way once myself. Top end power was waaaaayyy off!:D

Haven't been around Cordele (Core-Deal for those from other parts) in a coons age. Sounds like fun.
 
Seen a black and white pic of my pops in a coup he raced in the late 60's early 70's. I think he was dirt trackin it in the Carolinas. He tells stories how the King, Richard Petty and Cale Yarbrough used to show up and clean house.
 
www.volunteerspeedway.com

Check out the Remember When section, some great older cars there. I remember numerous 55 - 57s running there. Ah, the good old days, when you could actually tell the cars apart without having to scan the front nose for a decal.
 
This car belongs to NVRA member Bob Furnad out of Social Circle, Georgia. It's a 1934 Ford Coupe with a SBC V8 and runs in the Modified Sportsman Class.
 
In this area we have Greenville Pickens speedway, second oldest NASCAR sanctioned track. The backstretch wall has all the past track Champions. You see a lot of NASCAR's greats listed on that wall, past and present. Even without a championship people like the Petty's, Pearson, Yarbough, and Earndhart would come down to compete.
 
Greenville Pickens has a long history with NASCAR at the Winston Cup (or Grand National) level.

Trivia: The April 10, 1971 race there was the first NASCAR Winsotn Cup points race to be bradcast in its entirety on network televison. Bobby Isacc won it in a Dodge. Not a whole lot of folks watched, but a new era was coming for NASCAR coverage.
 
Ran a 55 with a 265 block back in high school. E Stock. Hit a 14:56 with it.

Not bad, and not as quick as the 64 Nova (327) or the 68 Chevelle (454) but for a 16 year old high school kid it wasn't bad.
 
Here's Monday's picture. This super sharp 55 Chevy is a Late Model Sportsman in the NVRA. It's owned by Ron Dykes of Warner Robbins, GA.
 
#84 NVRA, thanks for the memories. Grew up in The Upper Penninsula of Michigan 20 miles from 2 quarter mile dirt tracks. My Mom's cousin was track champion for a lot of years in the sportsman division running middle 50 Fords inthe early 60's. We went to the races weekly. Miss those alcohol burning 32 Ford and Chevy bodied modifiedswith the velocity stacks sticking out of the hood. Thanks for the great pic's.
 
be9ak7ts16,
There is a group in the Northeast that still race the old supermodifieds. Big Blocks with Fuel Injectors, old Coupe bodies breathing fire. Argh! Argh! Argh! Argh!!! Gets me all excited just thinking about them.
Try this site it has tons of old modified pics. www.vintagemodifieds.com
 
1937 Ford Coach - Limited Sportsman, owned by Freddie Brookshire and driven by Jeremy Fowler of Greenville, SC. This car is a restored version of Maurice "Mad Man" Greorge's Greenville Pickens racer.
 
Thanks for posting these, it's really enjoyable to see these older body styles at the track again. Brings back a ton of memories.
 
This if Jeff Hawkins in his re-styled 37 Ford Coupe. At this time this car was running a Ford Flathead V8. #99jr is owned by Freddie Brookshire.
FYI: Jeff Hawkins won five championships during a six year peroid at Greenville Pickens Speedway. His string of consecutive wins was broken by Ralph Earnhardt.
 
For Wednesday I've selected from Anderson, SC, "Gentelman" Joe Evans 1957 Chevy - Limited Sportsman. Joe and his Wife built this car back in the sixties and have been racing it ever since. It may have a few dents, but you can't get more original.
 
Yes Dixie. Unless We have a Vintage race somewhere, I'm normally at Laurens in the stands at turn 1. I'll miss this weekend, we'll be in Cordele, GA. And I'll miss the last race because we will be at Anderson for our last show of the season.
 
1934 Ford Coupe - Modified open class, owned and driven by Dennis Griffin of Rocky Face, Ga.
 
Are you gonna be at the second to last race????????????
 
K I MIGHT WALK UP N THE STANDS AND C YA!!!!! IM A BLONDE! LOOK FER ME!!!!!!!!!
 
Owned and driven by Kevin Brookshire the #00 is a very fast 1936 Pontiac Coach that competes in the Modified open class.
 
#SR22(sponsored by an insurance co) 1950 Ford - Modified open car of Bryan Fowler from Taylors, SC.
 
1955 Ford with a big block Ford V8 of Bob Ward from Sugar Tit, SC.
 
Hey now thats muh home town!! Sugar tit Speedway! So many rednecks round here! (HEHEHE PAUL)
 
how original PAUL! Nothing new over this way! But u know i don't think sugar tit is n e where close to bein on the map but NICE CAR #84
 
This may not have been done in the North, but was a common practice in the South years ago. Sugar was placed into a cloth and twist wraped. This was given to the little ones to suck on as a pacifier, hense the term Sugar Tit. Sugar Tit, SC is a small community between Spartanburg and Greenville. They even have thier own speedway there, well go-kart track anyway.
 
This is what they called a Georgia Skeeter. Normally chopped and narrowed with custom frames and as much horsepower as possible. Bob Moore of Warner Robins, GA runs this 1932 Ford Coupe in the Modified open class. Added note: Bob is President of the Georgia Automobile Racing Hall of Fame.
 
Here's another Skeeter, #75, 1932 Ford Coach - Modified open of Sam Odom from Macon, Ga. He put this one on it's side last time we were at Cordele.
 
Looks like Hanna is going to tinkle all over our parade, doesn't look as if we'll be able to race at Cordele tonight. Promoter will not make a decision until later, but it's a six hour ride down there for us. This is but one of the joys of a traveling series.

In the mean time here's a look at Perry Oakley from Townville, SC, 1955 Chevy - Late Model Sportsman.
 
Some long needed rain finally came to the South, unfortunately it canceled our Vintage race at Cordele Motor Speedway. Quite a few members looked at the weather and decided not to tow, but there were still 14 die hard Vintage racers that sat in the rain chomping at the bit waiting for a break. There was even talk of breaking out the grooving iron to make some rain tires. I think if we had dirt tires with us, we would have found an empty field to play in. Talking with the track Officials we reached an agreement and will return on October 12th. Between now and then, the NVRA is scheduled to make our second appearance at Anderson Motor Speedway in Anderson, SC, on September 28th.
 
Racing????????????.................. Sorry but yall don't race yall just ride around on the track! When ya'll come i finally get some rest sleeping in the truck,,,,,,,, NO OFFENSE!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Beg to differ with you Dixie. If you had stayed awake when we were at Laurens you should have noticed that our Modifieds were turning times comparable to the cadet cars and faster times then some of the late models. Unfortunally we only had 11 cars at Laurens. Come to a track were the promoter pays our regular purse watch the show and then try to say we don't race. If you have been around Laurens long enough then you should know of the Fowlers. There were three of them there, now are you going to say the Fowlers don't race. Check the list of Champions on the front wall.
And no offense taken, I personally don't care for four cylinders but to each his own. I do watch them and sometimes enjoy a close race.
 
OMG im So sorry i didn't mean to upset u its just that it doesn't seem like they do much racing and u might be right it may be because of a low car count but that was muh opinion. NOW they might put on a good show with a high car count but i will have to see fer muhself!

Again SRY!!!!!! OH an its DAisy
 
Dixieracer, you didn't upset me. We have heard that before but normally the people are talking about other Vintage series. A few years back when these cars started appearing again it was just ride around and show them off. Things have changed, as more and more of the "retired" racers join in they find that competitive edge that used to excite them is still there. We try not to hit each other, but it happens. We normally tear up at least one car per race. Yes normally when things get tight one of us will back off, but not always. Sometimes you get run over and sometimes you leand on someone you didn't mean too.
 
Speakin of i didn'y even seee ur car out there racing i seen it there but not racing!!!!! Where were ya??????????
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom