George Rays Drag strip

[Guitar Jones]

Thanks for the pics memike! I liked that old Starliner and the Buick that had a real Buick engine in it.

I've seen that track in magazines and on Hot Rod TV also I think, or maybe it was Horsepower TV. Either way it's a neat old track but looks kind of scary to me. It's narrow and has only cables through large wooden posts for a guardrail.

 

[alleyoopmgv]

Thanks for sharing the pic's memike

 

[ramcharger]

Thank you 6pk2go:happy10: I am glad you seen the old place. And it was a good day to get away from the house.
I am just wishing my camera did not go bad on me, I got some good shots at the line then I came home to find out my camera did not have then and don't work anymore. But I am sure there is a back up camera here at the house :happy10:

6pk,

I dig the new avatar, lol!

Mike,

Hope the camera thing 'aint serious.

 

[memike]

Bandimere has changed hands, but it remains in the family, John Bandimere Jr. now runs the show.

That is an old track and a very nice one Joe :cheers:
It looks like he purchased a parcel of land on the west side of Denver in 1958 Thanks for sharing =P~ Looks like they spent $4 million on it and over 45 years as a successful full-time racing facility and look forward to many more years in the business. That place will hold a bunch of folks =P~

 

[memike]

6pk,

I dig the new avatar, lol!

Mike,

Hope the camera thing 'aint serious.

Thanks Joe, But hey :happy10:
Its just a camera :toothy10: I lost some good shots but I am home safe and enjoying this great site.

 

[memike]

nice pix mike. i told the wife that i was going to take her out one weekend comeing soon and she asked were to, lol i looked at Mafia and smiled. lol she didnt think it was funny as i did .8)

Glad you enjoyed them clairday, It was a good day, a little warm ! But we have got to get used to that don't we.

 

[memike]

Thanks for the pics memike! I liked that old Starliner and the Buick that had a real Buick engine in it.

I've seen that track in magazines and on Hot Rod TV also I think, or maybe it was Horsepower TV. Either way it's a neat old track but looks kind of scary to me. It's narrow and has only cables through large wooden posts for a guardrail.

Thank you Jones, And I agree the Buick was very nice and very good looking job some one did on it, Jerry Allison was at his trailer :cheers:

 

[memike]

Thanks for sharing the pic's memike

Glad you enjoyed my day with me alleyoopmgv. :happy10:

 

[ramcharger]

That is an old track and a very nice one Joe :cheers:
It looks like he purchased a parcel of land on the west side of Denver in 1958 Thanks for sharing =P~ Looks like they spent $4 million on it and over 45 years as a successful full-time racing facility and look forward to many more years in the business. That place will hold a bunch of folks =P~

It's a top notch facility. I was used to running at Great Lakes and when I went to Bandimere, I was a little intimidated. ale:

Thanks Joe, But hey :happy10:
Its just a camera :toothy10: I lost some good shots but I am home safe and enjoying this great site.

You have your priorities straight my friend. :thumbrig:

 

[daredevil]

too many chevys mike, some good pics tho. i liked the little rr that was packing an rb. thanks for sharing

 

[memike]

too many chevys mike, some good pics tho. i liked the little rr that was packing an rb. thanks for sharing

I hear ya daredevil, It about 30 to 1 there But a lot of fun, The road runner is a nice car the young boy has been doing a good job on it, He slowed it down to an 8.0 car so he could send all the furd home when the money run at the end of the day came, One of my favorite drivers there.:cheers:

 

[Kevin D.]

Thanks mike, I dont live that far gotta go! How do you know when they are gonna run. I am trying to get ready for mopars at centerville dragway june 6-7.Thanks Again Kevin.

 

[Moparboyz01]

I was there also got there kind of late was dissappointed when i found out that the tree was not working wanted to see some good racing but it still was fun to watch the ones that were there that hadnt left yet cars ran pretty good tho if yall want to see more pics and the guy arm dropping cars just go to Midsouthracers.com and go to the George Rays Dragstrip thread. Hope to have mines there pretty soon.

 

[daredevil]

I hear ya daredevil, It about 30 to 1 there But a lot of fun, The road runner is a nice car the young boy has been doing a good job on it, He slowed it down to an 8.0 car so he could send all the furd home when the money run at the end of the day came, One of my favorite drivers there.:cheers:

mopar,massively over powered and responsive.you can slow em down and still win money lol

 

[memike]

I was there also got there kind of late was dissappointed when i found out that the tree was not working wanted to see some good racing but it still was fun to watch the ones that were there that hadnt left yet cars ran pretty good tho if yall want to see more pics and the guy arm dropping cars just go to Midsouthracers.com and go to the George Rays Dragstrip thread. Hope to have mines there pretty soon.

Cool I seen a lot of new old rat rods there today I have never seen before.
Do you know me. ? or see me at the end of the track on the right side in this 66 Valiant.

 

[Moparboyz01]

No i didnt see u i got there at about 230 and some people were leaving bout time we got there if i would have got there in time to see ur car i would have introduced my self if i noticed ur car u probaly were gone by then because i see u were over by Jeff Long them and i looked over there but didnt see ur car though because my buddy knows Jeff and he went over to talk to him and he did mention that there were a car like mines over there so u must have already left. Would have been nice to meet u tho.

 

[Bigdummy]

Great pic's.One day I'll make it up there!Thanks

 

[memike]

No i didnt see u i got there at about 230 and some people were leaving bout time we got there if i would have got there in time to see ur car i would have introduced my self if i noticed ur car u probaly were gone by then because i see u were over by Jeff Long them and i looked over there but didnt see ur car though because my buddy knows Jeff and he went over to talk to him and he did mention that there were a car like mines over there so u must have already left. Would have been nice to meet u tho.

May be next time Moparboyz01 :-D Looking forward to seeing you there.

 

[Moparboyz01]

Same here memike.

 

[PFogel]

Thanks for the great pictures you have posted for us all here, memike. I sure would like to meet you in person some day - and you too ramcharger. I've talked to friends in my area both young and old and they would like to see more of these kinds of drag strips....1/8 mile, flag or arm-drop starts...guys on each side of the finish line with flags to signal the winner to the tower...no clocks...run whatchabrung....burnouts well across the line...byob and grill...all at your own risk. We just need someone with a piece of land that is crazy enough to do it!
I remember going to a small track with Sox and Martin just like that in NC but I can't remember the name or where. It was just like your place in Arkansas. An old farmer did it right on his land not far from his house. The strip was like a narrow 2-lane road and just blacktop. The starting line stripe was painted with a brush and rustoleum. The tower was like a 2-story out house and there was no PA system. There were flood lights nailed to the tower and a tree on the opposite side. It was totally crude but there was something totally exciting about it...a real outlaw track. No rules and no sanctioning bodies! No grandstands either. He had two outdoor toilets; one for guys and one for girls and you had to have your own toilet paper if you had to do a stinker! Ronnie and Buddy used to race tracks like this a lot in the early days. Ronnie and Buddy had agreed to match race a guy they knew with a big block Camaro for an unknown amount of money (match racing is where they really made their money). We were there with the '68 Hemi Cuda. Both cars were 4-speeds. They did wild burnouts and really put on a show! There must have been 100 black guys standing so close to the cars they could touch them, screaming bets with fists full of cash. The starter guy was afraid to stand in the middle between the Cuda and the Camaro so he got to the tower side to do it. Both left with the wheels hanging in the air and they nearly collided in first gear. Ronnie let off and the Cuda came down hard throwing sparks off the headers. The Camaro drifted off the track to the right and was throwing grass and dirt after he hit second gear so he had to let off. Meanwhile, Ronnie had nailed the Cuda into a re-launch immediately after the smack down, lifted the wheels in second and just got by the Camaro as it got back on the blacktop and crossed the center line. After that, there was no catching that Hemi car. I was sure both car were going to be destroyed. Thank God they both made it in one piece. The shut down area was very short and you could see where a lot of guys had ended up way out in the field. Ronnie had to use up a little of that field too! When he hit it, there was a cloud of dust. We were relieved to see him come out of the cloud and up the return road which was dirt with grass growing in the middle of the furrows. Ronnie got out and looked at the headers. He was very upset that they were smashed. They were beautiful new chromed Hookers too. I had really forgotten about this until you brought it back with pictures of this old outlaw strip, memike. Keep the good stuff coming - we all love you for it!
Pat

 

[ramcharger]

Thank you Pat for the memories. Good stuff!

 

[mshred]

memike these pictures are sweet! i remember watching an episode of horsepower tv ages ago where the mustang guy went to a strip like this (I think this is the one too lol)...like pat said, there is something so old school and kinda crude about just racing on a little two lane strip...awesome man! wish we had something like that close by here in toronto

 

[memike]

Thank you Pat, This old track is all concrete and thank you for that great story from the past, I seen an opel jump on the fence in the right hand lane a few tears back and a rail job lost a front right wheel one day and it was about a 1/2 mile away in a rice field.
I help George keep people and kids back at the line and he is a joy to see after all these tears, He has held my oldest sun 25 years ago while I made a 7.06 run testing to be a back up driver. My fastest pass there.
Thank you again and I am glad you enjoyed it and brought back some happy memories

 

[memike]

memike these pictures are sweet! i remember watching an episode of horsepower tv ages ago where the mustang guy went to a strip like this (I think this is the one too lol)...like pat said, there is something so old school and kinda crude about just racing on a little two lane strip...awesome man! wish we had something like that close by here in toronto

Thank you mshred, George has it in righting that when he passes the track will be closed, So every year I get all I can from the great old guy we all love around here, I was not there when espn did there show there and it was quite a site to say the least

 

[memike]

A couple pictures from last year.
The last picture is George Ray and I enjoying a seat