In the 70's their was a drag strip and motto cross track in OKC , I think it was called Stars & Stripes Dragway but can't be for sure and maybe it was west of OKC ?? Anybody remember ??

It was off of Council Road south of I-40 behind where the truck stop is at 1-40 and Council. It seemed like they even had some outdoor concerts there. There is an RV park by the place it was located. I never went to any events there but I grew up close to there so I do remember it.

Bigray in Ok

It was off of Council Road south of I-40 behind where the truck stop is at 1-40 and Council. It seemed like they even had some outdoor concerts there. There is an RV park by the place it was located. I never went to any events there but I grew up close to there so I do remember it.

Bigray in Ok
I think it's first name was "Sand Valley"

I think it's first name was "Sand Valley"

That was a big bitch that hurt the track since the pits were sandy.

Thanks for the info, I had some good memories their but didnt remember the name and location.

The drag strip south of I-40 & Council was Sand Valley until @ 1968. It
became the Oklahoma Raceway well into the 70's.

Willowrun was at I-40 and Choctaw Road.

Thunder Valley was in Noble, OK.

The drag strip south of I-40 & Council was Sand Valley until @ 1968. It
became the Oklahoma Raceway well into the 70's.

Willowrun was at I-40 and Choctaw Road.

Thunder Valley was in Noble, OK.

What was Jimmy Nix's place called?

What was Jimmy Nix's place called?Sand Valley was Nix's place.

BTW, Jimmy's dad was named Jimmy also and Sand Valley was family owned.



James Garner (the actor) had Willow Run Raceway built around the same time as when he made the movie Grand Prix. It was supposed to be much bigger and include a roadrace track, but there was some problem with the builder and the money going away before it was finished.

Willow was a much better track than Sand Valley because it had "better air", didn't have sand on the track all the time and the runs were made from SE to NW instead of west to east like at Sand Valley.

What was Jimmy Nix's place called?
Oklahoma City Raceway. I think he changed the name from Sand Valley when
he bought it.

In the late 60's I won my class trophy (Village Idiot was there) in a time that NO ONE has ever won then or since. I had a '65 Corvette Coupe and had all the bells and whistles....I pulled up to the line and the lights changed and away I went. By the way, did I tell you NO One else was in the class so I raced alone. Listening to the Beach Boys, I drove down the strip and collected my trophy....29 seconds flat....Still have the following weeks paper. Kinda funny at the time...little embarassing now...

Sand Valley was Nix's place.

BTW, Jimmy's dad was named Jimmy also and Sand Valley was family owned.



James Garner (the actor) had Willow Run Raceway built around the same time as when he made the movie Grand Prix. It was supposed to be much bigger and include a roadrace track, but there was some problem with the builder and the money going away before it was finished.

Willow was a much better track than Sand Valley because it had "better air", didn't have sand on the track all the time and the runs were made from SE to NW instead of west to east like at Sand Valley.
The only bad thing about Willow Run was the hot lane came from the east and you had to make a hard right to the lights

Sand Valley was Nix's place.

BTW, Jimmy's dad was named Jimmy also and Sand Valley was family owned.



James Garner (the actor) had Willow Run Raceway built around the same time as when he made the movie Grand Prix. It was supposed to be much bigger and include a roadrace track, but there was some problem with the builder and the money going away before it was finished.

Willow was a much better track than Sand Valley because it had "better air", didn't have sand on the track all the time and the runs were made from SE to NW instead of west to east like at Sand Valley.


jimmy nix had a lake house close to where I grew up at Tenkiller, I remember some cool stories about him from when I was growing up

Oklahoma City Raceway. I think he changed the name from Sand Valley when he bought it.I'm pretty sure old man Nix bought the undeveloped land and built the track for his son to manage after young Nix broke his back in a racing accident.

You are correct that it was called Oklahoma City Raceway at some point.

Anyone remember the dragstrip in Moore?

It was before my time, but I think it was called the Moore Airpark Raceway. It was the old airstrip just east of Broadway on the north side of 12th Street. (NE corner of the railroad tracks and 12th st)

I'm pretty sure old man Nix bought the undeveloped land and built the track
for his son to manage after young Nix broke his back in a racing accident.

You are correct that it was called Oklahoma City Raceway at some point.

It was around 1968 when the name changed.

I'm pretty sure old man Nix bought the undeveloped land and built the track for his son to manage after young Nix broke his back in a racing accident.

You are correct that it was called Oklahoma City Raceway at some point.
Is that the same Nix that had Nix Lumber on NW 10th Street in the same area as JR Chicken Ranch, Nicolosi's and Parr Automotive.

Is that the same Nix that had Nix Lumber on NW 10th Street in the same area as JR Chicken Ranch, Nicolosi's and Parr Automotive.
Nix Supply on S. Prospect, If my memory serves me!! Had a wet bar in the basement or back room!!! What a thing to remember....

Is that the same Nix that had Nix Lumber on NW 10th Street in the same area as JR Chicken Ranch, Nicolosi's and Parr Automotive.

Nix Supply on S. Prospect, If my memory serves me!! Had a wet bar in the basement or back room!!! What a thing to remember....He had several businesses, but not that lumber company. The only one I remember specifically is Nix Supply around SE 17th and I-35 where they sold oil field equipment and supplies. The young Nix had a bunch of rental property and the older Nix had a machine shop, rental property and was a business partner with Larry Wilson of Wilson's Salvage.

I'm pretty sure old man Nix bought the undeveloped land and built the track for his son to manage after young Nix broke his back in a racing accident.

You are correct that it was called Oklahoma City Raceway at some point.

Spent a lot of time at that track in the late 60's early 70's. Was there the dayof the only fatality I believed ever occured there. I'm not sure but I think it was a top alchohol dragster, not fuel, coming down the hot lane and the driver "goosed it" just a touch and the throttle stuck and he went through
the chain link at the back of track(where you drove around to leave from the pits) I won't get too specific but one of the fence poles went through the drivers seat area. I was sitting in my car near the front of the stock class lanes and got over there pretty quick but track personnel were there and wanted everyone back so I know it was bad. A very devastating event to see unfold. You out there any in those days Frisky?

Spent a lot of time at that track in the late 60's early 70's. Was there the
day of the only fatality I believed ever occured there. I'm not sure but I
think it was a top alchohol dragster, not fuel, coming down the hot lane
and the driver "goosed it" just a touch and the throttle stuck and he went
through the chain link at the back of track(where you drove around to
leave from the pits) I won't get too specific but one of the fence poles
went through the drivers seat area. I was sitting in my car near the front
of the stock class lanes and got over there pretty quick but track
personnel were there and wanted everyone back so I know it was bad. A
very devastating event to see unfold. You out there any in those days
Frisky?

I was there, too. August of 1969. The driver was James Cagle from
Odessa, TX. He was getting ready for a practice run and was driving a AA
fueler. The throttle stuck as he was testing the engine on the fire strip.
Most drivers would burn rubber and really fly down that strip before the
turn. He wiped out a bunch of trees as well as the fence. He died from
head injuries. Maybe the fence pole did it. The scene was rather solemn
for quite a while.

OMG, I remember that, I had totally forgot. I was there and so was a couple of my buddies that were racing. I wasn't, it was my first date with my future wife. WOW old memories.

I was there, too. August of 1969. The driver was James Cagle from
Odessa, TX. He was getting ready for a practice run and was driving a AA
fueler. The throttle stuck as he was testing the engine on the fire strip.
Most drivers would burn rubber and really fly down that strip before the
turn. He wiped out a bunch of trees as well as the fence. He died from
head injuries. Maybe the fence pole did it. The scene was rather solemn
for quite a while.

Thanks for the name of the driver. I couldn't remember. I think they changed
procedure after that about the hot strip in front of pit stands. Think they might started bringing them around back but I don't remember. Since you have mentioned it the fence pole did catch him in the head and they say he died almost instantly. Sad day. If I remember right as speeds increased for top fuel they fazed those out as the strip was kinda short. We did a lot of bracket racing from then on, something I really enjoyed.

Okay, I have a couple of questions.
1. I remember going to Stars and Stripes Raceway I just can't remember where it was. I know it was west on I-40 from downtown and had an oval motorcycle track called Limestone Run. I can remember riding in a riddle run sponsored by That Place Suzuki on South Walker and one of the riddles was "this is where you go fast as you can in a straight line or round and round on a bed of lime. Is this the same place that you guys are talking about? Where was it?

2. I remember hearing about Willowrun when I was little but was never there and had forgotton about it until reading about it here. I now live about 5 miles SE of I-40 & Choctaw Rd. and am curious where was it located? Was it right at the intersection and if so which corner? What year(s) was it open? Any photos?

Thanks Guys

the strip at I40&council had a short slow down area, and it kinda curved a little, to miss the river

i remember willow run mainly because they held some motocross races on the North end of strip during '71~72
dad would let me race, but we couldn't let mom know
in the mid '80s('84~85) it reopened with a limited schedule because of noise concerns, had mainly bracket racing and a few exhibition shows
the land owner originally wanted to used the strip for a "fly-in" community, for for small privately owned aircraft, but the city wouldn't give him proper zoning for that idea, so then wanted to build upscale housing addittion, but they said it was in a prospective flood zone(high water table0 so then he decided to reopen the drag strip
if you drive out there now guess what you'll find ? upscale housing built right up to the creek running through the property and a new addition coming in from the west
the last time i went out ther the two bridges were still there as well as the strip

the strip at I40&council had a short slow down area, and it kinda curved a little, to miss the river

i remember willow run mainly because they held some motocross races on the North end of strip during '71~72
dad would let me race, but we couldn't let mom know
in the mid '80s('84~85) it reopened with a limited schedule because of noise concerns, had mainly bracket racing and a few exhibition shows
the land owner originally wanted to used the strip for a "fly-in" community, for for small privately owned aircraft, but the city wouldn't give him proper zoning for that idea, so then wanted to build upscale housing addittion, but they said it was in a prospective flood zone(high water table0 so then he decided to reopen the drag strip
if you drive out there now guess what you'll find ? upscale housing built right up to the creek running through the property and a new addition coming in from the west
the last time i went out ther the two bridges were still there as well as the strip

So it was south of I-40 on the west side of Choctaw road? I'm assuming south of Anderson Truck stop? The housing addition and truck stop were demolished by a tornado in May of 2010. There is a fly-in community built on an airstrip on the NW corner of SE 149th & Choctaw that has been there at least since the early 70's. I grew up in one of these communities near Goldsby and remember driving to look @ this one with my dad before we built down there. I remember we drove out on I-240 before it was open. My dad drove around the barricades lol. I think all that hadn't been completed was the striping. I don't remember the dragstrip being there then and that was probably sometime between '72-'75. Does anyone remember when 240 opened?

my buddies and i would ride our dirt bikes from del city south along sooner road (in the ditch) all the way to the "new" highway(I240), then head east to draper lake
this was '70~'73, they had started the dirt work and grading for the highway, they had also started dirtwork for the future GM plant, as well as rerouting se74th
willow run closed somewhere in the early/middle '70s because of lackluster turnouts
between then and the mid '80s it was not much more than cow pasture, the bridge decks were either torn off or rotted away because they were one of the first things repaired, the one on the south end (starting line) was wider and heavier built because it was part of the staging lanes

I'm pretty sure old man Nix bought the undeveloped land and built the track for his son to manage after young Nix broke his back in a racing accident.

You are correct that it was called Oklahoma City Raceway at some point.

I've been friends with the Nix family since I was born, and my father has been friends with the family since the late 60's Jimmy taught him all about building hot rod motors.

Yes the Nix family developed the land and it was named Sand Valley. Parts of the strip are still used for the R.V. parking lol. Jimmy Nix II ran the track for many many years and eventually changed the name to Oklahoma city Raceway. I have posters for Friday night races for the old track. I'm hazy on the details of this but I think the track was then moved and run by Jimmy over at the fairgrounds. I know the fair grounds had a 1/4 track for sure and I think he ran it.

His father had a business off of Reno and Lottie building these weird desurger things for pressured systems. I grew up in that warehouse lol.

Yes Jimmy had an awesome lake house I have a pretty awesome picture off the back looking into the lake and a painting my mom did from that window too.

Jimmy Nix II was an interesting and cool dude. He passed when I was 4 (1994, yeah I'm young) but my dad could tell you all kinds of stories about him!

He had several businesses, but not that lumber company. The only one I remember specifically is Nix Supply around SE 17th and I-35 where they sold oil field equipment and supplies. The young Nix had a bunch of rental property and the older Nix had a machine shop, rental property and was a business partner with Larry Wilson of Wilson's Salvage.

The Nix family has no relation to Nix Lumber off of 10th I use to always ask when I was a kid lol. Nix supply was run by Old man Nix (Great guy). Jimmy II (drag racer) had rental property (still around and tons of cool stuff is hidden away and I have the keys!) and he ran the machine shop. The old Machine shop is still there very very very inactive. Wilson and him were partners on a few things unsure of what though, I know Wilson bought Jimmy's old top fuel shop in the stockyards when I was about 10 in 1999-2000 year range, that was a pita cleaning it out lol!

So it was south of I-40 on the west side of Choctaw road? I'm assuming south of Anderson Truck stop? The housing addition and truck stop were demolished by a tornado in May of 2010. There is a fly-in community built on an airstrip on the NW corner of SE 149th & Choctaw that has been there at least since the early 70's. I grew up in one of these communities near Goldsby and remember driving to look @ this one with my dad before we built down there. I remember we drove out on I-240 before it was open. My dad drove around the barricades lol. I think all that hadn't been completed was the striping. I don't remember the dragstrip being there then and that was probably sometime between '72-'75. Does anyone remember when 240 opened?

X2...I live in that area and haven't seen it. Google Satellite doesn't show me much either.

I remember Oklahoma City Raceway from the late 60's. I went to see Art Arfons and his jet cars. He had a steam powered car( called the Neptune? Hydrogen peroxide? ) that crashed. Lots of noise with the jets.

Mike

here's a google earth image of the area, taxed and oh gawd

Huh...Thanks man.

Wonder if there's any asphalt/concrete left. Might be worth getting down in there to take some pics. Be REALLY cool if I could get my car down there.

Huh...Thanks man.

Wonder if there's any asphalt/concrete left. Might be worth getting down in there to take some pics. Be REALLY cool if I could get my car down there.

last time i was down there(about 3~4 years ago) the pavement was starting to deteriorate pretty bad (40 years will do that)
in '85 when they reopened it, the pavement wasn't in bad shape(plenty of cracks and grass/weeds growing in the seams), but was still reasonably smooth

the neighborhood to the west has a street just a short walk from the strip, depending on whether houses are built there now

The drag strip south of I-40 & Council was Sand Valley until @ 1968. It
became the Oklahoma Raceway well into the 70's.

Willowrun was at I-40 and Choctaw Road.

Thunder Valley was in Noble, OK.

Thunder Valley is still in Noble...

Willow Run was the track I reserrected in 1984. It was still in amazingly good shape after sitting idle for almost 20 years. I fought the city to get all the permits and spent $200,000.00 putting the place back together. It was going to put OKC back on the drag racing map. The investors had committed up to one million dollars for improvements. I had signed contracts with NHRA for a WWCS points race for 1985, a Super Chevy Sunday event, and a major sponsorship from Coors for the track and a funny car series among other things. We staged a test race to show the owners the potential and they gave the green light. Unfortunately they got cold feet and backed out at the last minute. It was devastating for me. NHRA really wanted it to happen also. So sad, what could have been.

Correct. There is a great story about how all that came about and how I got involved.

There was a NHRA division 4 points race there and the promoter took off with all the gate receipts and that was the end.

That sucks man!

I used to go to Oklahoma City Raceway in the summer of 72 and 73 on Wednesday nights.It was called grudge racing and it cost $4 to enter your car. It was handicapped 1/4 mile racing with a dial in. You raced whoever you were in line next to. If you crossed the finish line first and didn't break out, you got back in line until there were only 2 cars left. I'm pretty sure you got to it off SW 15th and Council. And yes if you didn't get shut down you could end up in the river.

We also used to race on NW Highway out by County Line Road. In the east bound lane there was a Start and Finish Line painted on the road.