Hallsville Raceway Racers Reunion

Dragsinger · 01-16-2014, 09:15 AM

We are doing an experiment Saturday Jan 18th in Kilgore TX.

Robert Kornegay who began management of Hallsville Raceway 40 years ago is holding a Hallsville Racers Reunion. Even though the track was closed about 2005 it is still revered by East Texas racers.

Hallsville Raceway was in continuous operation from 1972 through 2005. During those years it hosted races featuring all the Division 4 greats. But most importantly, it provided the local racers a place to learn and enjoy drag racing.

We are expecting a large turnout and a great day of "bench racing" If you want to know more check face book under "Hallsville Drag Strip" After this weekend stories and photos will be posted on the page.

Larry Woodfin

Adger Smith · 01-16-2014, 11:53 PM

I sure hope he has a stack of Name Tags... after 40 years I bet we have all changed just a little! See you there..

MWNorris · 01-17-2014, 08:05 AM

how cool. 1st trip down strip there in the 70s. I have all kinds of pics if can find . had to sneak off so my so my parents didn't know.
Then started loading slicks in back seat of my 70 1/2 Trans Am to drive down . They've accepted it now, I hope...lol

Ed Wright · 01-17-2014, 09:14 AM

A fellow racer & myself talked about that track on a trip to Eastexas Racecars Tues. we used to have Div 4 points races there. I tested there a couple of times in '04. Shut down is a little short for the faster cars now.
Hope you guys have a great day.

Adger Smith · 01-17-2014, 10:53 AM

Interesting you mention the shutdown. It was over the hill and down hill so you couldn't see the start line from the end of the track. At a Pts. Meet I was at the end turn around with my dragster taking care of the chute and Bobby was hooking up the tow. All of a sudden we heard a high winding SBC going through the 5 speed gears. Wow, it was sounding so good and buzzing only like a Comp SBC 5 speed can do. As it came over the hill it started gearing down and braking hard, tires skidding and no chute out. It was buzzing almost as hard as when it was going down the track. He slid around the turn around and headed up the return road without ever checking up, poping a few gears. I knew the driver and when we got time we went over to his pit area and ask what all the gearing down was about. It was the pit area of our famous Div. 4 stick driver Keith Hall. He said he forgot to pull the safety pin on the chute so he just geared it down. I didn't know you could do a clutchless that way. Sure sounded like Keith knows how!
I'm sure Bobby Jackson and I will talk about a lot of memorable things that went on at Hallsville.
I just got off the phone with Troy Zimmerman and he said he would be there with some special history of Hallsville. A few years ago Dave Botking gave him the original "Official NHRA Flag set" used before the lights & timing were installed at the first Hallsville track. The first time he brought them to the shop he said Harold Hayes had told him there was one part of the set missing. The .45 he used for settling finish line disputes!!

Ed Wright · 01-17-2014, 11:37 AM

Downhill shut downs don't help stopping any. LOL

56sedandelivery · 01-18-2014, 05:07 AM

I went to X-Ray school in Tyler, Tx., 82-84, and most of my free weekends during racing season were spent at I-20 or Hallsville, both managed by Ken Hall at the time. I also got around to several other tracks, but Hallsville was my favorite. I remember when Hall booked in a jet car that almost burned down the big tree right behind the start line area, and scared a motorist driving by on the road so bad, he wound up in a ditch. The tree never recovered. I'm glad someone mentioned the "first" Hallsville Drag Strip, most don't even know about that track, and that it was downhill from the startline. After Hallsville closed, and was put on the market sometime later, there was a a group of HAMBER's (yes I know, HAMBER's) that were talking about how it would be neat to buy it, live on the property, and have a drag strip in your backyard, along with a shop in your yard, or a large common shop area. None of them were offering to kick any real money into the deal they were talking about, a few thousand at most, and I offered 100K (my wife did't know about that!!!), and suddenly, everyone seemed to lose interest in the thread. Butch/56sedandelivery.

01-16-2014, 09:15 AM	#1
Dragsinger VIP Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Liberty City [East Texas] Posts: 1,760 Likes: 5 Liked 99 Times in 60 Posts	Hallsville Raceway Racers Reunion We are doing an experiment Saturday Jan 18th in Kilgore TX. Robert Kornegay who began management of Hallsville Raceway 40 years ago is holding a Hallsville Racers Reunion. Even though the track was closed about 2005 it is still revered by East Texas racers. Hallsville Raceway was in continuous operation from 1972 through 2005. During those years it hosted races featuring all the Division 4 greats. But most importantly, it provided the local racers a place to learn and enjoy drag racing. We are expecting a large turnout and a great day of "bench racing" If you want to know more check face book under "Hallsville Drag Strip" After this weekend stories and photos will be posted on the page. Larry Woodfin __________________ Larry Woodfin 471W

01-16-2014, 11:53 PM	#2
Adger Smith VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Texarkana Ark/TX Posts: 2,446 Likes: 575 Liked 880 Times in 311 Posts	Re: Hallsville Raceway Racers Reunion I sure hope he has a stack of Name Tags... after 40 years I bet we have all changed just a little! See you there.. __________________ Adger Smith (Former SS)

01-17-2014, 08:05 AM	#3
MWNorris Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Atlanta, Tx 75551 Posts: 14 Likes: 24 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Hallsville Raceway Racers Reunion how cool. 1st trip down strip there in the 70s. I have all kinds of pics if can find . had to sneak off so my so my parents didn't know. Then started loading slicks in back seat of my 70 1/2 Trans Am to drive down . They've accepted it now, I hope...lol

01-17-2014, 09:14 AM	#4
Ed Wright Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Sand Springs, OK Posts: 8,132 Likes: 896 Liked 390 Times in 170 Posts	Re: Hallsville Raceway Racers Reunion A fellow racer & myself talked about that track on a trip to Eastexas Racecars Tues. we used to have Div 4 points races there. I tested there a couple of times in '04. Shut down is a little short for the faster cars now. Hope you guys have a great day. __________________ Ed Wright 4156 SS/JA

01-17-2014, 10:53 AM	#5
Adger Smith VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Texarkana Ark/TX Posts: 2,446 Likes: 575 Liked 880 Times in 311 Posts	Re: Hallsville Raceway Racers Reunion Interesting you mention the shutdown. It was over the hill and down hill so you couldn't see the start line from the end of the track. At a Pts. Meet I was at the end turn around with my dragster taking care of the chute and Bobby was hooking up the tow. All of a sudden we heard a high winding SBC going through the 5 speed gears. Wow, it was sounding so good and buzzing only like a Comp SBC 5 speed can do. As it came over the hill it started gearing down and braking hard, tires skidding and no chute out. It was buzzing almost as hard as when it was going down the track. He slid around the turn around and headed up the return road without ever checking up, poping a few gears. I knew the driver and when we got time we went over to his pit area and ask what all the gearing down was about. It was the pit area of our famous Div. 4 stick driver Keith Hall. He said he forgot to pull the safety pin on the chute so he just geared it down. I didn't know you could do a clutchless that way. Sure sounded like Keith knows how! I'm sure Bobby Jackson and I will talk about a lot of memorable things that went on at Hallsville. I just got off the phone with Troy Zimmerman and he said he would be there with some special history of Hallsville. A few years ago Dave Botking gave him the original "Official NHRA Flag set" used before the lights & timing were installed at the first Hallsville track. The first time he brought them to the shop he said Harold Hayes had told him there was one part of the set missing. The .45 he used for settling finish line disputes!! __________________ Adger Smith (Former SS) Last edited by Adger Smith; 01-17-2014 at 10:57 AM. Reason: sp

01-17-2014, 11:37 AM	#6
Ed Wright Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Sand Springs, OK Posts: 8,132 Likes: 896 Liked 390 Times in 170 Posts	Re: Hallsville Raceway Racers Reunion Downhill shut downs don't help stopping any. LOL __________________ Ed Wright 4156 SS/JA

01-18-2014, 05:07 AM	#7
56sedandelivery Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 21 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Hallsville Raceway Racers Reunion I went to X-Ray school in Tyler, Tx., 82-84, and most of my free weekends during racing season were spent at I-20 or Hallsville, both managed by Ken Hall at the time. I also got around to several other tracks, but Hallsville was my favorite. I remember when Hall booked in a jet car that almost burned down the big tree right behind the start line area, and scared a motorist driving by on the road so bad, he wound up in a ditch. The tree never recovered. I'm glad someone mentioned the "first" Hallsville Drag Strip, most don't even know about that track, and that it was downhill from the startline. After Hallsville closed, and was put on the market sometime later, there was a a group of HAMBER's (yes I know, HAMBER's) that were talking about how it would be neat to buy it, live on the property, and have a drag strip in your backyard, along with a shop in your yard, or a large common shop area. None of them were offering to kick any real money into the deal they were talking about, a few thousand at most, and I offered 100K (my wife did't know about that!!!), and suddenly, everyone seemed to lose interest in the thread. Butch/56sedandelivery.