Post by dragnews on May 25, 2009 19:03:50 GMT -5
On this Memorial day I found it appropriate to address a individual who imposed a question on one of the major Hot Rod publications I also write for.
I was explaing to one of the readers the significants of our Hot Rod Reunions at Ardmore and all the history behind it.
A person, wrote in on my sight and explained to the readers he once visited Ardmore Drgaway and the race surface was nothing but cow chips and we probably did not even remember Lee Shepherd!
Well it has taken me about a month to calm down and reply.
No I wasn't upset over the cow chip's. Johnnie and I scraped many a fresh load off the track on Sunday morning, it was even kinda cool to scoop a load into your parachute then listen to my mom gripe for having to pack it.
No it upset me that we might have forgotten Lee.
I want to take everyone back to around 1972, when everyone that drag raced did it for the love of the sport. Lee was driving a orange Ford Maverick with a Chevy small block in it. The car was formally campaigned by Bobby Cross and his father. In those days we still push started the dragsters and the fast door cars would tow down the fire up road and self start behind the bleach box. This was happening at Green Valley, Dallas International ect.
Well my dad drew Lee and David Reher to race and they too was as poor as us. We had to borrow brake fluid and help Lee bleed the brakes on their old Suburban just so the could tow down and eventually out run us.
When I was just starting to drive Lee would come up with the Texas connection as I called them. Cross & Corzine, Shalino & Coleman, Luce & Williams, Brad Klein, John Turley, and some new guy from Oklahoma named Mike Edwards and they would spend Saturday just testing and hanging out.
Lee asked me one day how my season was going? I explained I was doing ok but I had one guy name Tom Bowling I just could not get out of my head. He whipped me and would beat me out of the points that very year.
Lee picked up a stick and started drawing in the Ardmore dirt.
He said this is how I get to Glidden. We park next to him, I time trial with him, if he leaves the trailer I make sure I am walking with him.
The next season I won my first of three Cowpastures and won the points championship. Tommy and I are the best of friends but he never out ran me after that day.
Do I remember? I still have a singed check from Lee for winning that first Cowpasture I never cashed, I have my first Competition license he signed,and sometimes I just sit at the first turn off and hang out.
To all the racers and race fans of Ardmore Dragway that have passed on and blessed us with there life ..We pay tribute to you on this memorial day...God Speed and thanks for the memories.
Rob
I was explaing to one of the readers the significants of our Hot Rod Reunions at Ardmore and all the history behind it.
A person, wrote in on my sight and explained to the readers he once visited Ardmore Drgaway and the race surface was nothing but cow chips and we probably did not even remember Lee Shepherd!
Well it has taken me about a month to calm down and reply.
No I wasn't upset over the cow chip's. Johnnie and I scraped many a fresh load off the track on Sunday morning, it was even kinda cool to scoop a load into your parachute then listen to my mom gripe for having to pack it.
No it upset me that we might have forgotten Lee.
I want to take everyone back to around 1972, when everyone that drag raced did it for the love of the sport. Lee was driving a orange Ford Maverick with a Chevy small block in it. The car was formally campaigned by Bobby Cross and his father. In those days we still push started the dragsters and the fast door cars would tow down the fire up road and self start behind the bleach box. This was happening at Green Valley, Dallas International ect.
Well my dad drew Lee and David Reher to race and they too was as poor as us. We had to borrow brake fluid and help Lee bleed the brakes on their old Suburban just so the could tow down and eventually out run us.
When I was just starting to drive Lee would come up with the Texas connection as I called them. Cross & Corzine, Shalino & Coleman, Luce & Williams, Brad Klein, John Turley, and some new guy from Oklahoma named Mike Edwards and they would spend Saturday just testing and hanging out.
Lee asked me one day how my season was going? I explained I was doing ok but I had one guy name Tom Bowling I just could not get out of my head. He whipped me and would beat me out of the points that very year.
Lee picked up a stick and started drawing in the Ardmore dirt.
He said this is how I get to Glidden. We park next to him, I time trial with him, if he leaves the trailer I make sure I am walking with him.
The next season I won my first of three Cowpastures and won the points championship. Tommy and I are the best of friends but he never out ran me after that day.
Do I remember? I still have a singed check from Lee for winning that first Cowpasture I never cashed, I have my first Competition license he signed,and sometimes I just sit at the first turn off and hang out.
To all the racers and race fans of Ardmore Dragway that have passed on and blessed us with there life ..We pay tribute to you on this memorial day...God Speed and thanks for the memories.
Rob
