JACKSONVILLE SPEEDWAY
Johnny Mallonee
Wednesday May 27 2009, 1:30 AM
It was in the 60's just before they closed the track in town,we had pulled down for a special sat night race and it was packed.---I had just repainted my car Eastern Airlines White which is bright white,now mind you the track is dirt and its treated with,none other than oil,it stcks to everthing--- now along with an afternoon shower and we were in for a fun night that night. With time trials over I was in the middle of the pack for the feature so there was work to be done in the drivers seat.---IT took several tries before everyone got the hang of staying out of trouble(including me).--About half way through the race it got to the point you couldnt tell one car from another and mine started off orange inside but that changed to charcoal grey,including me. ---About 2/3 rds through a good wreck happened,no one hurt,but we stopped and they had a heck of a time getting the right car in right spot but after a few we were back at play. well it got over with no further problems and everone had a good time considering .--Now the story changes,the cops had to come down to a local car wash and direct traffic because we were trying to halfway clean up for sundays race in waycross .there were hot rods scattered all up us1 from jax to waycross .--they parked everywhere you could stop to get a little shuteye---.It rained later on that night and morning and if things werent slick enough that did it because oil,water and black sand makes a mess we were a miserable site sun in waycross but had a fun day racing--thats worth all the flustration we had --------------------more memories
Jack Walker
@jack-walker   15 years ago
Must have been Jacksonville Speedway Park
Bobby Williamson
@bobby-williamson   15 years ago
Johnny, great story.................I'm still use the local car wash. After a really muddy night at the local bull-ring, it'll take more than $10.00 in quarters to get'er done.
Johnny Mallonee
@johnny-mallonee   15 years ago
you are right back over in town off of normandy and edgewood just south of interstate 10 tommy moon had a wrecker shop just west of speedway in marietta on north side of interstate,he was a heck of a nice guy and could run with the best of them,a wreck at track put him in wheelchair but he still built and maintained his car up to the end of jax speedway park--- they were yellow with 00 on side --- more memories
Johnny Mallonee
@johnny-mallonee   15 years ago
oh one thing else jack i met a beautiful girl from horry county from up there ----after i met her and married her wow-------------------- that was 39 years ago,but the wonderful part of it she is setting in the den as i type this --------good memories
Bobby Williamson
@bobby-williamson   15 years ago
Johnny, y'all ever listen to WAPE.......... 690 AM the big APE in Jacksonville? It's signal was clear as a bell in SE NC coastal area back in the day. They used to advetise JAX Speedway on the big APE.
Johnny Mallonee
@johnny-mallonee   15 years ago
the only station that had any distance to it,----i wasnt a country bumkin so i searched around but--------------the GREASE MAN yup thats him,i can hear that ape hollering in the background now,---or how about Allen Moore? i can remember him saying this is -------------long pause--------- alan moore wow another flashback -------------memories
Johnny Mallonee
@johnny-mallonee   15 years ago
hey ----any of you guys ever go to a track on the s.west side of woodruff s.c. i ran there a frw times in the 70's and was a heck of a bull ring.for the cars i ran into there they were dang fast--the track was always in good condition and the racers totally cool and good natured----another track was west of columbia sc on 20 up on north side of interstate,around gilbert i think--it was thunderbolt speedway---i ran into people there from all over---one guy we run with the week before in fla was there and dang if i didnt see him next weekend in pheonix city al over at tri county speedway---small world with a lot of tracks --------and a lot of memories-----gonna have to reinvent that delorme car in back to the future---bet yall couldnt wait to go"LETS GO RACING BOYS"----o the memories
Henry Jones
@henry-jones   15 years ago
Johnny, I believe this is the track SW of Woodruff, SC. What was the name.Also, I am going to start a Blog for old tracks as I have a lot of photographs. Would everyone enjoy the effort of posting?Henry
Bobby Williamson
@bobby-williamson   15 years ago
Henry, I've found a bunch of ghost tracks in the Carolina's. Got 'um posted on Local Race Chat.com they have a special section for them.
Jack Walker
@jack-walker   15 years ago
Johnny - The track 20 miles or so from Columbia was probably "Thunder Valley".Jack
Jack Walker
@jack-walker   15 years ago
Johnny,Have you ever run in to a guy by the name of Speedy Spiers in Jacksonville ? He was a master car builder going all the way back to the Fireball Roberts days. He's a real nice guy, with a bunch of stories.Jack
Henry Jones
@henry-jones   15 years ago
Thanks Bobby and it looks like I will be spending some time checking them out as several are ones I have been trying to locate.Henry
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