HeadlandRam's Travels
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After being gone and busy with work and doing a couple things to the ranger, But I am About to start my new job for a Fire dept, I will soon be a career firefighter which means I won't totally have to work my ass off at 3 jobs anymore! But the next few slides are gonna be my small trip to find an old dragway, the Dale county Dragway. I was operational from 1960's till 1990 when it was closed and never reopened, I actually stumbled across it while messing around on the internet. it's kind of crazy you find out some stuff even though you have been living close to the area for 7 years (Even though I live in a neighboring county, You usually can hear about the stuff from the old guys) The way I came across from it is kind of morbid, I saw a video of an accident and wanting to find out some info on the incident, I came across this:
Ken Caddis Born: Died: October 9, 1988 Buried: Age: 32 Full Name: Kenneth Wayne Caddis Nickname: Drag Strip: Dale County Dragway, Alabama Event: Accident Date: October 8, 1988 Car: 1988 Pontiac Trans Am Mountain Pro Stock Biographical: After his car ran out of control and flipped over, he was transported to a local hospital. With severe head injuries, he was then flown by helicopter to Southeast Alabama Medical Center where he died early the next morning. He was from Duncanville, Alabama. Sources "Lakeland woman dies in Alabama highway crash," Lakeland Ledger, October 9, 1988 "Six killed in accidents," Florence Times Daily, October 9, 1988 After that, I did more searching and found the newspaper article, My second job is in Dale county (I work with an ambulance service) and there is a little "Band Aid" hospital we take the majority of patients to So that is where this gentlemen would've been taken, the issue know is where the old drag way would be located, Another search turned up the Town of Newton (Ironically, My first code even was in newton) and Finally after some talking with local friends, I found the road it was on, Armed with my truck, Camera and 12 gauge in the pickup just in case, I headed off to Newton. Newly painted hood https://www.ranger-forums.com/attach...ine=1349322592 back shot with the reverse lights: https://www.ranger-forums.com/attach...ine=1349322592 Facing east in Downtown Newton: https://www.ranger-forums.com/attach...ine=1349322592 West https://www.ranger-forums.com/attach...ine=1349322592 Newton Has been around for quite a while, There was a even a Battle here in this town on the hill Back in the civil war and some other neat tibits, I will post some links if some people are interested, or I may just wait till another time to make a small trip some places personally, But on to the Dragway. Looking out https://www.ranger-forums.com/attach...ine=1349322592 https://www.ranger-forums.com/attach...ine=1349322592 After a few minuets i found the Road to go on, Paved... https://www.ranger-forums.com/attach...ine=1349322592 To Dirt. https://www.ranger-forums.com/attach...ine=1349322592 A couple turns, I found it, Though it was kinda Melodramatic, it was just there. A Steel rusty gate preventing anyone vehicular access to the Undergrowth overtaking history. I thought of Hopping the gate and I still may, But I didn't. I thought of how many people, Spectators and racers, Came out here on the Friday and Saturday nights, To hear and see some High horsepower, louder than hell, Car's tear up the Quarter mile.I could hear the cheer's,the hollering and the Loud V8's echoing thoughout the woods. I also thought of that fateful night in 1988 of the wreck, About that crew probably on standby at the track not expecting anything but some good ol racing, Only to be running to the Closest hospital with someone circling the drain and that hospital being so far away. here is the entrance: https://www.ranger-forums.com/attach...ine=1349322592 After that, I traveled down and took some pictures at a tressel, And I went Home, I was short on time that day, Tressel: https://www.ranger-forums.com/attach...ine=1349322592 https://www.ranger-forums.com/attach...ine=1349322592 Standby for part 2 |
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Part 2.
So it leaves us here, Today, I had time after I worked out to go back out there, I figured while I was out I would go find another dragway, and take some pictures of a couple FD's while I am out. i don't know why, I guess it is the history buff in me, but I like hearing and seeing old racing history, it just reminds me of the time's Me and dad went to the track (Sunshine Speedway) in Florida before it shut down and the time's my granddady and sometimes dad would go out the 2 Open tracks here in alabam, it just reminds me of younger and less busy times. The Smell of the exhaust and the loud engines at the tracks just make me feel at home, This time I took a different way to see if there were any other access point's, but did'nt find any. Again Paved.. https://www.ranger-forums.com/attach...ine=1349322653 To dirt: https://www.ranger-forums.com/attach...ine=1349322653 Tressel Shot https://www.ranger-forums.com/attach...ine=1349322653 I did't Hop the fence, One day I will, Just I don't feel like getting shot. https://www.ranger-forums.com/attach...ine=1349322653 Here are some lights in the Distance and the brush https://www.ranger-forums.com/attach...ine=1349322653 After that, I went back to home passing though a couple small towns, The first one is the Town Of Pinckard, I decided to take some shots at a couple old buildings and my "Staging station" When I work the county, I jike around and call it the "Possum Creek VFD" Old Merchantile place. https://www.ranger-forums.com/attach...ine=1349322653 https://www.ranger-forums.com/attach...ine=1349322653 Town of Pinckard Public work's building/ Police department and Fire deptment. Build on the site of the Old Pinkard high school: https://www.ranger-forums.com/attach...ine=1349322653 The rest of the lot/ Old Ball field https://www.ranger-forums.com/attach...ine=1349322653 Sign: https://www.ranger-forums.com/attach...ine=1349322653 Here is the fire department we stage out of, We took over for the Now Defuct Dale county rescue, We cover the county from 9-9 everyday, anything after that, we come from ozark. https://www.ranger-forums.com/attach...ine=1349322653 After that, I hear of the old "Rocket Speedway" here in Dothan, I didn't spend much time there like I wanted but I am gonna go back at some point. https://www.ranger-forums.com/attach...ine=1349322653 Long distance shot of some buildings https://www.ranger-forums.com/attach...ine=1349322653 Oh, Since I didn't get a shot of the lights, here are the lights Lit up, i wired them up to the revers lights https://www.ranger-forums.com/attach...ine=1349322653 Shot on a dirt road home https://www.ranger-forums.com/attach...ine=1349322653 Well, Kinda quick but that is it for today, Hoping within the next month to have An Expo rack on the truck, A brush guard, Some more lighting and the old 8.8 in. Stay tuned |
You should write a book because you tell a pretty good story! Very interesting!
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Good luck with your career, be safe.
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This thread was actually pretty awesome.
Thats cool that you did some research, and went out to explore. As Adam said, your adventure should be put into (at least) some sort of short story. |
I enjoyed the stories. Keep it up.
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If you would like to know more information about the Dale County Dragway a very good person to talk to is Billy Pilcher. As a kid he used to race there alot until he himself had an accident there which if I am not mistaken was a main reason for the closing due to improper construction of the safety rails on the strip. He could tell you more...he almost lost his legs because of it. I think law suits were involved. But thats only as I have heard it happened. Billy and his son Johnny are still very active in the drag racing world but only Johnny races. Pilcher Racing - Johnny's World They have a shop by Battens Crossroads. Super nice people.
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