Brahma Tales

 

Forum: Do you remember?

TOPIC: 

-1'

Created on: 04/18/09 02:21 PM Views: 4497 Replies: 3
Green Mountain Road Dragstrip
Posted Saturday, April 18, 2009 09:21 AM

Ah...I remember the glory days of drag racing the quarter mile stretch of Green Mountain Road (which I remember calling Green Valley Road as a kid). The whole scene reminded me of the Beach Boy's song "Little Deuce Coupe".  It was out in the country...off of  Nachodoches, past Short's Corner and Comanche Tower.  The quarter mile was painted off with white paint....and there was lots of burnt rubber as evidence of it's constant illegal use by Bexar County teens.  I myself raced all my parent's cars out there...as disgraceful as they were for the occassion.  My Dad's 59 Olds Super 88 had a huge engine with gads of horses and I usually beat whatever stock "family cars" I raced out there.  I also raced their 67 Olds Cutlass.  I recall Barry Bartz mentioning he raced various hot machines there. I recall seeing some of the older bad boys (Edgar Boeck, Pete Ackerman, Tim Mercer, Ricky A., Eddie Olsen, Eddie Kopplow etc) race ....in their hot 55, 56 and 57 Chevys and other hot cars. Tony Degges raced his mother's white 64 Mustang out there and rarely lost.. .he always got second gear "rubber"  with an automatic trans...now that was some tricky shiftin'.  Eddie Kopplow had a souped up Olds 442 , with four on the floor, that kicked ass....today he's a multimillionaire in the construction business in SA.  I also saw other unmentionable activities take place out yonder at Green Valley . Anyone remember Alice Roe?   It was a lawless land.

Roger Barnes

 
Edited 04/20/09 05:53 PM
RE: Green Valley Road
Posted Tuesday, April 21, 2009 03:45 PM

Brings back fond memories of a baby 260 V-8 Mercury with a bolt-on 4-barrell, exhaust cutouts and an aftermarket 3-speed floor shifter that I sacrificed the under the dash air conditioner for - and learning the cost of a new set of Goodyears after I burned off the ones that came with the car (about $100 as I recall - a fortune back then).  The beginning of the evil ways of fast cars with Corvettes, AMXs, Alfa Romeos, Firebirds, Mustangs, Jags, etc. and learning to know the local constabulary all too well!  They've all been red except for the AMX (which I bought as the "family car" for the first marriage!) to make sure they were obvious for the speed traps.  Remember the hot cars the sheriff's deputies drove back then?  They were even running hemis and hell to outrun!  Never could outrun Motorola - finally had to go to fast boats instead to keep my driver's license.......!

Dave Boerner

 
RE: Green Valley Road
Posted Friday, April 24, 2009 09:46 AM

Yes, I remember Alice.

Court T.

 
RE: Green Valley Road
Posted Saturday, July 10, 2010 11:24 AM

A fine topic indeed.  That stretch of Thousand Oaks was flat and straight - and then sloped up east towards the hill.  Just perfect for illicit car racing.  It terminated west at Jones-Maltsberger in a Tee - and the farmer's fence was in a constant state of repair due to miscreats going too fast the wrong way..  I had a girlfriend that lived off Wetmore Rd and we frequented San Pedro Drive-in (a topic for personal discussion, maybe) - so Little Green Valley was a weekend staple.  I had that 396 Camero and didnt trifle with the flaggers or staggering out with an opponent or such - would just rumble thru there on our way home and light the place up a bit.  Some nites it was just all American Graffiti - a real impromptu party scene.  Some nites is was dead - and the Fuzz were usually lurking.  I recall it was euphamistically named for the legit Dragstrip up near Ft Wth Tx - a real institution for Texas drags at the time.  I too remember the Fine Guys that were absorbed in car culture - Al Middleton being left out of the names that I saw above.   Closest thing to this kind of misbehavior these days is People Behaving Badly On Motorcycles - which occurs on many temperate Wednesdays out in front of Specht's Store.  As a now old guy - it all looks mighty irresponsible - and the County Law muzzles it often.   Just the same, does recall easier times when we could raise hell and all they'd do was call the folks - let ole Dad knock your locks.  Nowdays, if a kid smiles to the left - it goes into the "system" and diminishes his/her future in customer service at a Depot Store forever.  Chester..

 
Edited 07/19/10 08:05 AM