roddingandracing
.PHOTOS

2015 HOT ROD POWER TOUR

CAR SHOW COVERAGE






































































































I usually post Houston area car show coverages in the order that we covered them but every once in a while, we have to get off queue. A very large show in Tomball the previous weekend should be next (below) but I opted for a show in Rosenberg that we covered this past weekend (March 28). Hopefully Tomball will be posted on my next update April 5.













































































































SHOW COVERAGE
COMING SOON!





.....DIECAST, PLASTIC MODELING, ARTWORK COLORING BOOKS
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Current status of the Pro Street Chevy Pickup I'm building from an MPC



"HULK" 1/32 scale model kit (above, left). Front grill assembly is painted and detailed and front bumper mounting holes filled in. Massive rear wheels and tires are from a 1/24 scale dragster kit. I even used a section of the dragster frame to construct the rear bed roll cage support bars. Still waiting on the resin 1/24 scale blower assembly I ordered (above, right).


Before ordering the MPC custom Semi Rig (left), I had ordered 1/24 scale wheels and low-profile tires for it and as you can see on the right, they're way too big; looks good but not the look I wanted. Also left are similar wheels I


just ordered but in the smaller 1/32 scale. I have my fingers crossed because not only do they have to fit inside, they also have to fit each other since they're mounted in tandem. Kit has separate chassis, axles (3) and engine and I really like how it all looks, especially since the cab and bed flip up.

Although I don't buy as much diecast as I used to, I did buy quite a bit over the years. Recently I was on the internet and saw this older, custom 1937 Ford that I don't have so you guessed it, I picked it up. 1955 Chevy Flat Bed Transporter I already had.


Since I didn't cover any car shows in 2020 and very few in 2021, I decided to join several private and public Facebook Groups to share my old pictures, some going back 50 years! Below are the latest images I shared.









Before heading out to cover the NHRA Hot Rod Reunion in Bowling Green (KY) back in 2018, I made some prints of a handful of pictures that I had taken of "Big Daddy" Don Garlits. He had made surprise appearances in the past so I was hoping that he would show and I could get the pictures





autographed. As you can see above and right, he did and so did I. My old images, now autographed, were taken years ago at Alamo Dragway in San Antonio and Green Valley Race City in Fort Worth (top row). Both bottom images were taken at Eastex Dragway in Porter just north of Houston. Now as far as the political bumper sticker above, Garlits ran for Congress in Florida back in 1994.

After a couple of years with a two-door 1962 Chevy Bel Air which I wish I still had, I bought my first brand new vehicle; a 1972 Datsun pickup (left). Once I got used to working the manual shift, I slapped on some big-meat Goodyears on Ansen wheels. It got plenty of attention

whenever I picked up my younger siblings at Junior High and High School.
Check out my admission ticket from Houston International Speedway (above). Not sure of the year but only $3.00, it had to be from quite a while back.










Right after the Pandemic shut everything down, I joined several Private Facebook Groups to share my old images. As I share, usually 8-16 per week, I also post them further above. Before the Pandemic, I

also had a "RACING" page where I posted my old racing images. I've decided to post a condensed version of that page below. What I'm trying to show is the variety of motorsports that I frequented back then and as you can see, it was quite a few!
































































Yes, all the images above were taken by me over the years but this image was not. It's the only image I've ever seen posted that actually has me on it!

That's me on the right side (w/beard) leaning on the trailer at Eastex Dragway when Don Garlits was there.



Although I never use my camera's motor-drive feature, I do get lucky enough sometimes to get an action sequence.



GREEN VALLEY RACEWAY HISTORICAL AREA
Several years ago, I received an email from someone on the North Richland Hills (TX) City Council concerning a Green Valley Race City Historical site that was in the planning stages. They were asking permission to use several


of the images that I had taken at the track back in the '80s. I of course told them that it wouldn't be a problem. Below are the latest images of the site that were posted on a Green Valley Race City Facebook Page.







A quick check of the three information boards that are already put up (top, right) shows eleven of my images! I posted those images below and I hope I can make it up one day to check it out. (On the right image, you can see some of the original track that's still there)













It was a lot more fun to be 20 in the '70s than to be 70 in the '20s!


Time is precious,
Don't waste it.

2018 NHRA
HOT ROD REUNION

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Before heading to the NHRA Hot Rod Reunion in 2018 (Bowling Green, Ky), I decided to make some enlargements of images I had taken over the years including some of "Big Daddy" Don Garlits and Tom "the Mongoose" McEwen in hopes of getting them autographed. They had both showed up in previous years so I decided to give it a shot. As you can see above (left) and below, Garlits did show up and I was able to get some of my personal images signed. Not sure if he had planned on showing up or not but sadly, McEwen passed away three days prior at the age of 81.




All the images above were taken at Texas tracks that I frequented when I was a lot younger. Left to right...Alamo Dragway in San Antonio, Green Valley Race City in Fort Worth and the final two were taken here (Houston) at Eastex Dragway in Porter. The tracks have been closed for years.







