@andy-tillman12 years ago
Great Job Bugs! Wouldn't it be great if more people would rebuilding some of the old REAL race cars from the 1960"s and 70"s.
@richard-gouldman12 years ago
Yes, Snakebite II to be precise. I have a black and white picture of the original Snakebite taken in the South Boston infield. I could be wrong but I think that car was built primarily for dirt track. Ted dates the picture to '59 or a little later because his IH pickup truck is in the background, and he purchased that in '59.
@dave-fulton12 years ago
Thanks again for keeping alive the memories of the great modified racing days in the Richmond area.
@richard-gouldman12 years ago
Dave, I have a DVD that Ted gave me of the rebuild of Snakebite. It is nothing short of amazing. It is a weekly chronicle taken by Ted's daughter with somenarration. When this car was brought home from the mountains (West Va I believe) the body was rotted half way to the windows, roof was all caved in from kids jumping on it, frame was in two pieces, simply a disaster. Ted said it would take a week to fix it well enough for the scrap yard to accept it. Bugs, with the help of friends, slowly brought this car back to it's original lustre, fabricating body panels, reconstructing the frame and roll cage, floor pan, dash, firewall, etc. Another friend donated the quick-change. They rounded up a Hilborn, old Ford front axle for the rear bumper, made every fender, and once the paint went on they called on "Fumes" for the lettering and art work. He did the lettering originally back in 60 or so. My copy does not include some footage of the car on it's maiden test and tune at Southside, where this picture was taken.Awesometalent involved in thisendeavor. No one else, I believe, would have attempted to use what they started with.
@dave-fulton12 years ago Ray Platte MemorialNASCAR Modified race Langley Field Speedway, Hampton, VA October 25, 1964 200 laps on 0.4 mile dirt oval; 80 milesFin St Driver # Owner Car Laps Money Status Laps Led 1 8 Ted Hairfield 4 200 1,000 running 2 15 Earl Moss 300 3 24 Bobby McGinnis 98 4 10 Dennis Zimmerman 69 5 3 Gene Lovelace 85 6 18 Frankie Burnham 33 7 Bud Moore 55 8 19 Eddie Crouse 31 9 5 Al Grinnan 39 10 Jimmy Torie 11 4 Bill Lorah 59 12 25 Bob Coward 2 13 23 Jack Mulligan 25 14 Bud Elliott 15 21 Shelton McNair 3 16 11 Lennie Pond 58 17 Harry Theobald 18 2 Doug Yates 1va 19 6 Earl Pangle 107 20 27 Jim Williamson 30 21 30 Runt Harris 301 22 16 Ray Hendrick 11 23 17 Guy Wallace 88 24 1 Sonny Hutchins 90 25 20 Ralph Rose Z-1 26 9 Bill Champion 43 27 22 Dickie Layne 157 28 Mack Hanbury 29 29 Bruce Warren 41 30 14 Bill Dennis 54 31 12 Butch Torrie 57 32 Al Tyndall 33 Bill Babb 34 7 Jackie Falk 400 35 Bill Hoff 36 28 Jim Bray 139 37 13 Red Foote 8 38 Eddie Williams 21 39 26 Skinny Bartlett 00 40 Ed HendrickPole Speed: 20.83 seconds Attendance: 5,000
@richard-gouldman12 years ago
Dave, there are a lot of interesting names in this line-up, besides Ted of course. I happened to notice Ed Hendrick in 40th, who you probably know was Ray's brother. Also, Skinny Bartlett in 39th place. I had mentioned here before that I carried newspapers to Skinny when I was a kid. He's the one who never had my paper money because he spent everything on the race car. Ha!I found some pictures that Ray Lamm posted of Larry Manning. I have some input for what it's worth on Larry and the cars. I will address this when I get home from work tonight.
@dave-fulton12 years ago
Richard, the only time I ever saw Curtis Turner in a modified was on a very cold March night on the Richmond Fairgrounds dirt and Paul Sawyer had him in Ed Hendrick's modified.A family relation's (by marriage) business, Hart Auto Glass sponsored the Larry Manning Chevy for at least one GN race. Interested to hear about the Larry Manning deal.
@richard-gouldman12 years ago
Well, don't hold me to any of this, but I think I know what I'm talking about. If you check this site for Larry Manning pictures, both Ray Lamm and Randy Gilbert have posted. The #09 Chevrolet was owned,sponsoredor in some way affiliated with Bill Croxton, who was a long time salesperson for Martin Chevrolet, and later involved in real estate. I can recall visiting Total Service Garage run by Red Britton (?) at the corner of Walmsley and Newby's Bridge Road when Red housed and prepared the car. (later he was Red's Hitch and Trailer) I believe that little tin building may still be there. I guess that was 1964, and then Robert Adams of Adams Heating & A.C. was preparing a Mopar out of his shop on Hull Street Road, with the help of Larry's Father-in-law at that time, Dick Hamm, and others of course. Robert Adams has been a backer,sponsor, and all around friend to many racers around here for years. Larry ran something like 71 Grand National races. I went to school with Larry's first wife, who is still a friend. I knew Larry and even raced karts with him in the early 80's. He also ran in the modified division locally, but I couldn't tell you who's car(s) it may have been.On the Robert Adams thing...he prepared cars for Larry Manning, Ray Hendrick, helped tosponsorTed and Bugs Hairfield and many other local drivers. Bob has been a long-time racer and racer's friend. I know at least one of his employees was a state champion kart racer back when I was involved with karts.
@dave-fulton12 years ago
Thanks, Richard for the info on Larry Manning racing efforts. I was aware of the Bob Adams connection, but not familiar with Bill Croxton name. Our 1957 Chevy was purchased at Martin.
@richard-gouldman12 years ago
Dave, I really enjoyed the lineup from Langley. There are a number of drivers names that I amfamiliar with, have known and/or done business with. I'll save the story for later of Runt Harris' dog attacking me. (he was about as mean as Runt) That is really a pretty amazing list of names, far too many that are no longer with us.I see on your page that you attended your first Grand National race in '64 at the fairgrounds. My first race was '61 and I went with an older friend. He put me in the trunk of a black '57 Chevy and we had to wait for practice to end before we could cross over into the infield. It was late summer and I damn near suffocated before he got into the infield and let me out. My memory of that race was Richard Petty won, Lee Petty had crashed at Daytona earlier that year and didn't make this race, Ned Jarrett was driving a '61 Chevy convertible that caught fire in the pits but continued on, Rex White getting two tires and a swig of Old Crow about every 20 laps, and Herman Beam running the inside apron at 55 (?) MPH the entire race....and the dirt I wore home.Gosh!! Those were the good times!!!I attended other earlier races at Richmond....spur of the moment...took my family and parked in the infield.... sat in lawn chairs in the back of a pick-up.....raced over to watch the pit stops, brought home a hefty helping of red dust..... and loved every minute of it. I can't really say that my more recent attendance was as memorable or pleasant even, but I am still a fan.
Great Job Bugs! Wouldn't it be great if more people would rebuilding some of the old REAL race cars from the 1960"s and 70"s.
Snakebite
Yes, Snakebite II to be precise. I have a black and white picture of the original Snakebite taken in the South Boston infield. I could be wrong but I think that car was built primarily for dirt track. Ted dates the picture to '59 or a little later because his IH pickup truck is in the background, and he purchased that in '59.
Thanks again for keeping alive the memories of the great modified racing days in the Richmond area.
Dave, I have a DVD that Ted gave me of the rebuild of Snakebite. It is nothing short of amazing. It is a weekly chronicle taken by Ted's daughter with somenarration. When this car was brought home from the mountains (West Va I believe) the body was rotted half way to the windows, roof was all caved in from kids jumping on it, frame was in two pieces, simply a disaster. Ted said it would take a week to fix it well enough for the scrap yard to accept it. Bugs, with the help of friends, slowly brought this car back to it's original lustre, fabricating body panels, reconstructing the frame and roll cage, floor pan, dash, firewall, etc. Another friend donated the quick-change. They rounded up a Hilborn, old Ford front axle for the rear bumper, made every fender, and once the paint went on they called on "Fumes" for the lettering and art work. He did the lettering originally back in 60 or so. My copy does not include some footage of the car on it's maiden test and tune at Southside, where this picture was taken.Awesometalent involved in thisendeavor. No one else, I believe, would have attempted to use what they started with.
Amazing story.
Ray Platte MemorialNASCAR Modified race
Langley Field Speedway, Hampton, VA
October 25, 1964
200 laps on 0.4 mile dirt oval; 80 milesFin St Driver # Owner Car Laps Money Status Laps Led
1 8 Ted Hairfield 4 200 1,000 running
2 15 Earl Moss 300
3 24 Bobby McGinnis 98
4 10 Dennis Zimmerman 69
5 3 Gene Lovelace 85
6 18 Frankie Burnham 33
7 Bud Moore 55
8 19 Eddie Crouse 31
9 5 Al Grinnan 39
10 Jimmy Torie
11 4 Bill Lorah 59
12 25 Bob Coward 2
13 23 Jack Mulligan 25
14 Bud Elliott
15 21 Shelton McNair 3
16 11 Lennie Pond 58
17 Harry Theobald
18 2 Doug Yates 1va
19 6 Earl Pangle 107
20 27 Jim Williamson 30
21 30 Runt Harris 301
22 16 Ray Hendrick 11
23 17 Guy Wallace 88
24 1 Sonny Hutchins 90
25 20 Ralph Rose Z-1
26 9 Bill Champion 43
27 22 Dickie Layne 157
28 Mack Hanbury
29 29 Bruce Warren 41
30 14 Bill Dennis 54
31 12 Butch Torrie 57
32 Al Tyndall
33 Bill Babb
34 7 Jackie Falk 400
35 Bill Hoff
36 28 Jim Bray 139
37 13 Red Foote 8
38 Eddie Williams 21
39 26 Skinny Bartlett 00
40 Ed HendrickPole Speed: 20.83 seconds
Attendance: 5,000
Dave, there are a lot of interesting names in this line-up, besides Ted of course. I happened to notice Ed Hendrick in 40th, who you probably know was Ray's brother. Also, Skinny Bartlett in 39th place. I had mentioned here before that I carried newspapers to Skinny when I was a kid. He's the one who never had my paper money because he spent everything on the race car. Ha!I found some pictures that Ray Lamm posted of Larry Manning. I have some input for what it's worth on Larry and the cars. I will address this when I get home from work tonight.
Richard, the only time I ever saw Curtis Turner in a modified was on a very cold March night on the Richmond Fairgrounds dirt and Paul Sawyer had him in Ed Hendrick's modified.A family relation's (by marriage) business, Hart Auto Glass sponsored the Larry Manning Chevy for at least one GN race. Interested to hear about the Larry Manning deal.
Well, don't hold me to any of this, but I think I know what I'm talking about. If you check this site for Larry Manning pictures, both Ray Lamm and Randy Gilbert have posted. The #09 Chevrolet was owned,sponsoredor in some way affiliated with Bill Croxton, who was a long time salesperson for Martin Chevrolet, and later involved in real estate. I can recall visiting Total Service Garage run by Red Britton (?) at the corner of Walmsley and Newby's Bridge Road when Red housed and prepared the car. (later he was Red's Hitch and Trailer) I believe that little tin building may still be there. I guess that was 1964, and then Robert Adams of Adams Heating & A.C. was preparing a Mopar out of his shop on Hull Street Road, with the help of Larry's Father-in-law at that time, Dick Hamm, and others of course. Robert Adams has been a backer,sponsor, and all around friend to many racers around here for years. Larry ran something like 71 Grand National races. I went to school with Larry's first wife, who is still a friend. I knew Larry and even raced karts with him in the early 80's. He also ran in the modified division locally, but I couldn't tell you who's car(s) it may have been.On the Robert Adams thing...he prepared cars for Larry Manning, Ray Hendrick, helped tosponsorTed and Bugs Hairfield and many other local drivers. Bob has been a long-time racer and racer's friend. I know at least one of his employees was a state champion kart racer back when I was involved with karts.
Thanks, Richard for the info on Larry Manning racing efforts. I was aware of the Bob Adams connection, but not familiar with Bill Croxton name. Our 1957 Chevy was purchased at Martin.
Dave, I really enjoyed the lineup from Langley. There are a number of drivers names that I amfamiliar with, have known and/or done business with. I'll save the story for later of Runt Harris' dog attacking me. (he was about as mean as Runt) That is really a pretty amazing list of names, far too many that are no longer with us.I see on your page that you attended your first Grand National race in '64 at the fairgrounds. My first race was '61 and I went with an older friend. He put me in the trunk of a black '57 Chevy and we had to wait for practice to end before we could cross over into the infield. It was late summer and I damn near suffocated before he got into the infield and let me out. My memory of that race was Richard Petty won, Lee Petty had crashed at Daytona earlier that year and didn't make this race, Ned Jarrett was driving a '61 Chevy convertible that caught fire in the pits but continued on, Rex White getting two tires and a swig of Old Crow about every 20 laps, and Herman Beam running the inside apron at 55 (?) MPH the entire race....and the dirt I wore home.Gosh!! Those were the good times!!!I attended other earlier races at Richmond....spur of the moment...took my family and parked in the infield.... sat in lawn chairs in the back of a pick-up.....raced over to watch the pit stops, brought home a hefty helping of red dust..... and loved every minute of it. I can't really say that my more recent attendance was as memorable or pleasant even, but I am still a fan.