This video is priceless...totally priceless!! In color to boot! Us old guys ( I'm 76) sorta remember those days, but our memories are getting foggy. This helps a great deal. Thanks for a good time!
WOW, I grew up there. That's the best old film I ever seen, clear and not choppy at all. I got to ride in Red Farmers car one night and see all the pros come through.
For historical reference, 311 is a 1937 Chevrolet, the driver is drinking a can of Schlitz, and the baby in his Mom's arms is probably turning 70 in 2023.
This is the kind of racing I grew up with, and the memories are dear to my heart. We lived in Toronto, and of the several tracks around the Saturday Nite Goto was @ Pinecrest, in the upper NW of the city. We also had places like Flamboro over to the west. They still have a class here in Ontario called the Canadian Vintage Modifieds for cars like the lead #9 car, using straight 6s. They are often at Flamboro, which somehow still exists. It's a great show!
Great video !! Clearer than some of the videos from the 70’s. My dad ( Freddy Fryar) started racing B’ham around this time frame although I don’t see him in this video.
This is great. I have lots of black and white photos of his hotrod but had never seen the actual color. Lots of talk amongst the old timers about how cool it was and different it was at the time. It's nice to see it in color footage. Kind of came to life for me for the first time.
I grew up going to the Birmingham Fairground raceway, later the Birmingham International Raceway (BIR), and seeing all of these cars run. This film is actually before the Allisons and Red Farmer arrived in Hueytown.
We used to go to this track on the weekends or the cup races at Talledega. Fun to watch ,and met Donnie Allison there on one visit.Was going there in the 80's and 90's. The track closed in 2008. Originally opened as a horse racing track in 1906.My Dad took me there for my first race in 1963.
Went to this track from mid 60's till it closed. A lot of great memories. Helped my uncle when he raced in late 70's to early 80's, even drove in a few races.
This is awesome! Grass Roots stock car races, demo derby, and drivers signing autographs after the races were over! The kids nowadays have totally missed this kind of fun and entertainment. I started racing in 1980 and continued until 2006. When I started in street stocks at Albany-Saratoga Speedway, racing started at 8 PM on Friday nights and was through by 11Pm. Three divisions, I remember signing autographs for kids regularly back then. Lots of fans in the pits afterwards. I progressed to modifieds a few years later and it was pretty much the same. By the time I stopped, there were 6 divisions, racing started at 7 PM and was done around midnight...not many fans came into the pits anymore, as it was late and people went home with their kids, I do believe something was lost from back then to now.
My Dad brought me here to the races in the later fifties. I remember a wheel came off a car and flew across the parking area due to the canvas wall just as we arrived. Jazz is a local feed company of the era, don't know connection or not. Some of the drivers were Nero Stepto as mentioned below by someone, Freddy Friar, Sonny Black, Pap Tucker, a friend of Dad, not well known, Maybe I can remember a couple more if my memory starts working a little better.
You are right. That car was bought in a junkyard 1953/54 and fixed up to race via Cosby Hodges, who had Jazz Feed Co. My Dad, Ed Samples drove the car. I found the old 16 mm reel in our attic. ?
i am 73. and when I first went to the races at about 6 years old, this is what they looked like. Amazing video, considering it was probably shot on an 8mm camera.
Around the 1:44 mark, you see the steering wheel. It reminded me that the steering column was a steal shaft. A head-on collision would send that steal shaft right through the driver. These were scary times with precious few safety measures taken. Cool video!
At .22 seconds of the video, you see a guy drinking a cup of coffee he got from the trunk of his car. It's a special kind of coffee, if you put a match to it, it will burn.
Oh WoW! I went to the races there back then. What an event. Does anybody remember Nero Stepto? He could build a flathead that gave Allison fits. Nobody could set up a car like him. His 327 gave Red Farmers big block ford all he could handle and then some. It was a better time then.
Where did you get the film? I’ve got a friend that knows most of the drivers and car owners. He’s got some the cars from the film. He would like to talk to you.
Cleaning out closets etc....Dad's old house. He was the driver of the 311 so I assume maybe the car owner did the film? I don't know the process of talking to someone about such but would be glad too. Thanks
What a clear,vivid color vid of my home track,Birmingham ! Anyone know the drivers names ? A little before my time but the "hog barn" & drive in movie screen shown outside the back stretch still remained when i raced there in the 1980's Thanks for this.
Grew up there, my dad and I sat in the trees in turn 1 because we couldn’t afford tickets, it was great until Johnny the flag man told the drivers while hotlapping to spray us out of the trees. This was during Bobby, Donnie Allison, and Red Farmer days. Good memories. BIR is long gone due to stupid politicians. Most people don’t realize it started out as a horse track.
I work with Georgia Public Broadcasting. Can I get permission to use a this clip for a story we are doing on moon shine runners and their transition to stock car racers?
@@jimeditorial Those tires weren't worn slick, those were recaps on some good tires. They probably had them made at one of the local Atlas recappers and could tell them how soft they wanted them, just like the drag racers did into the mid 70s.
This video is priceless...totally priceless!!
In color to boot!
Us old guys ( I'm 76) sorta remember those days, but our memories are getting foggy. This helps a great deal.
Thanks for a good time!
Glad you enjoyed it. I'm 74. Amazing what you find digging around your parents old homeplace.
@@acidtest1081 really glad you found it.
WOW, I grew up there. That's the best old film I ever seen, clear and not choppy at all. I got to ride in Red Farmers car one night and see all the pros come through.
Wow, what a great video! The clarity and colors are amazing. Thanks for posting this!
Great post, great video, well probably 35 mm film, well captured, and well preserved. A true piece of history. Thank you for sharing.
For historical reference, 311 is a 1937 Chevrolet, the driver is drinking a can of Schlitz, and the baby in his Mom's arms is probably turning 70 in 2023.
yep i am ,turning 70 in Aug. 1st
@@thankswillie Ha! Happy Birthday!
This is the kind of racing I grew up with, and the memories are dear to my heart. We lived in Toronto, and of the several tracks around the Saturday Nite Goto was @ Pinecrest, in the upper NW of the city. We also had places like Flamboro over to the west. They still have a class here in Ontario called the Canadian Vintage Modifieds for cars like the lead #9 car, using straight 6s. They are often at Flamboro, which somehow still exists. It's a great show!
Flamboro's a fantastic track, especially when the Modifieds are racing.
That was a great film...excellent. Thank you for posting this.
Great video !! Clearer than some of the videos from the 70’s. My dad ( Freddy Fryar) started racing B’ham around this time frame although I don’t see him in this video.
99 was my grandfather’s car!!
Scott Mayes was my grandfather. He always spoke very highly of your grandfather. He loved working on those race cars.
14 jr was my uncle
This is great. I have lots of black and white photos of his hotrod but had never seen the actual color. Lots of talk amongst the old timers about how cool it was and different it was at the time. It's nice to see it in color footage. Kind of came to life for me for the first time.
I grew up going to the Birmingham Fairground raceway, later the Birmingham International Raceway (BIR), and seeing all of these cars run. This film is actually before the Allisons and Red Farmer arrived in Hueytown.
Such a great job by cameraman.
There are a couple of really cool hot rods parked in the infield.
We used to go to this track on the weekends or the cup races at Talledega. Fun to watch ,and met Donnie Allison there on one visit.Was going there in the 80's and 90's. The track closed in 2008. Originally opened as a horse racing track in 1906.My Dad took me there for my first race in 1963.
Went to this track from mid 60's till it closed. A lot of great memories. Helped my uncle when he raced in late 70's to early 80's, even drove in a few races.
This is awesome! Grass Roots stock car races, demo derby, and drivers signing autographs after the races were over! The kids nowadays have totally missed this kind of fun and entertainment. I started racing in 1980 and continued until 2006. When I started in street stocks at Albany-Saratoga Speedway, racing started at 8 PM on Friday nights and was through by 11Pm. Three divisions, I remember signing autographs for kids regularly back then. Lots of fans in the pits afterwards. I progressed to modifieds a few years later and it was pretty much the same. By the time I stopped, there were 6 divisions, racing started at 7 PM and was done around midnight...not many fans came into the pits anymore, as it was late and people went home with their kids, I do believe something was lost from back then to now.
Amazing show. This kind of racing is what got me started.
Excellent BIR video!!!
My Dad brought me here to the races in the later fifties. I remember a wheel came off a car and flew across the parking area due to the canvas wall just as we arrived. Jazz is a local feed company of the era, don't know connection or not. Some of the drivers were Nero Stepto as mentioned below by someone, Freddy Friar, Sonny Black, Pap Tucker, a friend of Dad, not well known, Maybe I can remember a couple more if my memory starts working a little better.
You are right. That car was bought in a junkyard 1953/54 and fixed up to race via Cosby Hodges, who had Jazz Feed Co. My Dad, Ed Samples drove the car. I found the old 16 mm reel in our attic. ?
i am 73. and when I first went to the races at about 6 years old, this is what they looked like. Amazing video, considering it was probably shot on an 8mm camera.
Real cars, real men....real racing!
and beer in the pits!!!!
Around the 1:44 mark, you see the steering wheel. It reminded me that the steering column was a steal shaft. A head-on collision would send that steal shaft right through the driver. These were scary times with precious few safety measures taken. Cool video!
At .22 seconds of the video, you see a guy drinking a cup of coffee he got from the trunk of his car. It's a special kind of coffee, if you put a match to it, it will burn.
I lived down at Rock Creek when they would make that special kind of "coffee"
Can see in the background several times, of what’s likely the radio tower of WVOK
WSGN.WVOK's tower was on Bessemer Super
Highway behind the studios.
Thanks for not messing it up with a bunch of God awful supposed music.
Wow that was so cool to watch.
I love old school racing like this.
Oh WoW! I went to the races there back then. What an event. Does anybody remember Nero Stepto? He could build a flathead that gave Allison fits. Nobody could set up a car like him. His 327 gave Red Farmers big block ford all he could handle and then some. It was a better time then.
Wouldn't have any footage from World Classic 300 1993 Tony Walls was the Winning Driver
Great quality. Love the cars of that era. I see they were running on methanol or at least someone had a 55 gallon drum on the back of his truck.
Nice to see two or three hot rods in the infield, too. Happy days.
Where did you get the film? I’ve got a friend that knows most of the drivers and car owners. He’s got some the cars from the film. He would like to talk to you.
Cleaning out closets etc....Dad's old house. He was the driver of the 311 so I assume maybe the car owner did the film? I don't know the process of talking to someone about such but would be glad too. Thanks
Was your dad Ed Samples?
@@chickencrapoperator Yes
Awesome. Thanks for posting!
You can see my grandfather's Robin's egg blue custom cross the screen at around the 4:27 mark.
Yes that caught my eye along with the red high boy.
Thumbs up and wishing you all a Happy New Years.
What a clear,vivid color vid of my home track,Birmingham ! Anyone know the drivers names ? A little before my time but the "hog barn" & drive in movie screen shown outside the back stretch still remained when i raced there in the 1980's Thanks for this.
Dunno whether those folks crashing into each other were in an organized event or just drunk spectators trying to leave the infield parking lot.
I think they were just looking for the exit.
Enjoyed it so much.
Grew up there, my dad and I sat in the trees in turn 1 because we couldn’t afford tickets, it was great until Johnny the flag man told the drivers while hotlapping to spray us out of the trees. This was during Bobby, Donnie Allison, and Red Farmer days. Good memories. BIR is long gone due to stupid politicians. Most people don’t realize it started out as a horse track.
Great story. Adds so much to the history at the track. Much Thanks
That would have been Johnny Garrison who lived in Trussville. I raced motorcycles with his son John. That was the best film I ever seen of old racing.
I was two years old and turned 70 last August 🤓!
I remember back when I was a kid seeing them race, it was dangerous.
I work with Georgia Public Broadcasting. Can I get permission to use a this clip for a story we are doing on moon shine runners and their transition to stock car racers?
Awesome 🙏😊
👍
I wasn't even born for another 5 years. Crazy I tell ya!
Who was the driver?
Ed Samples was the driver. Johnny Burell was the builder and Cosby Hodges owned the car and also owned Jazz Feed Co.
@@acidtest1081 talented. Look how smooth he was, in a solid axle car on tires you wouldn't drive to Wal-Mart on today.
@@jimeditorial Those tires weren't worn slick, those were recaps on some good tires. They probably had them made at one of the local Atlas recappers and could tell them how soft they wanted them, just like the drag racers did into the mid 70s.
Fantastic video, really good stuff, maybe you could dub in some sound, or a soundtrack, I would recommend rockabilly 😊
Southern Culture on the Skids. Dirt Track Date, Fried Chicken and Gasoline, Eight Piece Box....
Someone had a good budget to be able to run that Stude. He should have spent more to hire a better driver.
They tried some of the best drivers of the time in that car.It had tons of power (supercharged) but would not handle,
Get a haircut
And get a real job!