Jim Hale

SuperStockDodge · 03-20-2011, 04:52 PM

I thought Jim was calling it quits last year? I'm glad he didn't, looks like he is doing a good job and having fun this weekend!

Nitro Joe Jackson · 03-20-2011, 07:18 PM

2 more events he has told me, he will come to Mopars at the Strip event and Houston National event and call it quits in NHRA competition but he told me he wants to run some nostalgia events and start having fun again.

Ed Wright · 03-20-2011, 09:45 PM

Jim was racing when I began trying to get serious about it back in 1964. He was always ready to answer my questions, and offering suggestions or advice if he noticed me doing something wrong. Always had a bad-azzed Hemi. Jim is a really good guy. If you haven't met him, I would suggest stopping by to meet him before he calls it quits. Very nice man!

Adger Smith · 03-21-2011, 02:53 AM

Ask him if he has ever raced on 2 airports in Arkansas? That is before real dragstrips!! :~)

Ed Wright · 03-21-2011, 07:28 AM

Adger, He raced on one in Tulsa also. With a flagman. Used to see Jim at Razerback, in Ft Smith most often.
I raced at Carlisle, where was the other Arkansas air port track? I may have raced on that one too.

Adger Smith · 03-21-2011, 08:56 AM

Hope Ar, airport.
That is where I made my first pass in a Ford that belonged to one of my buddies mom.

Dwight Southerland · 03-21-2011, 08:57 AM

Take your pick: Carlisle, Stuttgart, Hope, Newport were (are) all airports. The track at Little Rock was purpose built to be both a race track and an airport.

Adger Smith · 03-21-2011, 09:10 AM

Dwight,
Are they still running at Newport? I had a customer that raced there, years ago and I think it was run by the Optimist Club. I was talking with Ken Jordan the other day about the places where racing was done in Arkansas and we both had "CRS" about Newport... couldn't even remember the name...Imagine that!! :~)

Ed Wright · 03-21-2011, 10:06 AM

I ran on a 1/8th mile track at Little Rock a couple of times, was that it? Never cared for 1/8th mile. Like stopping in the middle of sex.

Bimbo Jones · 03-21-2011, 01:48 PM

It was the south part of LR almost to Benton on the west side of I-30. I heard in the early days of operation they actually ran 1/4 there. It had a hanger carport pullout near the finish line for a small plane. When they ran Comp Eliminator all the racers would sit at the end of the track until all had ran and drive back on the racing surface. They had a return road paved with roofing tabs and would high center most race cars. The pit area was enteresting as well. You had to park your trailer at bottom of the hill and would pit behind the starting line with only tools and stuff you brought up from your rig. It was the first 1/8th mile track I had ever seen.

03-20-2011, 04:52 PM	#1
SuperStockDodge Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Stickville USA Posts: 261 Likes: 0 Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Jim Hale I thought Jim was calling it quits last year? I'm glad he didn't, looks like he is doing a good job and having fun this weekend! __________________ Sean Fischer 5864 SS/E

03-20-2011, 07:18 PM	#2
Nitro Joe Jackson VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Loudonville, Ohio or where ever the Nitro Lounge is parked Posts: 2,293 Likes: 44 Liked 67 Times in 19 Posts	Re: Jim Hale 2 more events he has told me, he will come to Mopars at the Strip event and Houston National event and call it quits in NHRA competition but he told me he wants to run some nostalgia events and start having fun again. __________________ Nitro Joe Jackson STK 3431 nitrojoe@neo.rr.com

03-20-2011, 09:45 PM	#3
Ed Wright Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Sand Springs, OK Posts: 8,132 Likes: 896 Liked 389 Times in 168 Posts	Re: Jim Hale Jim was racing when I began trying to get serious about it back in 1964. He was always ready to answer my questions, and offering suggestions or advice if he noticed me doing something wrong. Always had a bad-azzed Hemi. Jim is a really good guy. If you haven't met him, I would suggest stopping by to meet him before he calls it quits. Very nice man! __________________ Ed Wright 4156 SS/JA

03-21-2011, 02:53 AM	#4
Adger Smith VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Texarkana Ark/TX Posts: 2,367 Likes: 471 Liked 694 Times in 270 Posts	Re: Jim Hale Ask him if he has ever raced on 2 airports in Arkansas? That is before real dragstrips!! :~) __________________ Adger Smith (Former SS)

03-21-2011, 07:28 AM	#5
Ed Wright Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Sand Springs, OK Posts: 8,132 Likes: 896 Liked 389 Times in 168 Posts	Re: Jim Hale Adger, He raced on one in Tulsa also. With a flagman. Used to see Jim at Razerback, in Ft Smith most often. I raced at Carlisle, where was the other Arkansas air port track? I may have raced on that one too. __________________ Ed Wright 4156 SS/JA

03-21-2011, 08:56 AM	#6
Adger Smith VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Texarkana Ark/TX Posts: 2,367 Likes: 471 Liked 694 Times in 270 Posts	Re: Jim Hale Hope Ar, airport. That is where I made my first pass in a Ford that belonged to one of my buddies mom. __________________ Adger Smith (Former SS)

03-21-2011, 08:57 AM	#7
Dwight Southerland VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Arkansas - In the middle of everything. Posts: 1,983 Likes: 55 Liked 726 Times in 177 Posts	Re: Jim Hale Take your pick: Carlisle, Stuttgart, Hope, Newport were (are) all airports. The track at Little Rock was purpose built to be both a race track and an airport.

03-21-2011, 09:10 AM	#8
Adger Smith VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Texarkana Ark/TX Posts: 2,367 Likes: 471 Liked 694 Times in 270 Posts	Re: Jim Hale Dwight, Are they still running at Newport? I had a customer that raced there, years ago and I think it was run by the Optimist Club. I was talking with Ken Jordan the other day about the places where racing was done in Arkansas and we both had "CRS" about Newport... couldn't even remember the name...Imagine that!! :~) __________________ Adger Smith (Former SS)

03-21-2011, 10:06 AM	#9
Ed Wright Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Sand Springs, OK Posts: 8,132 Likes: 896 Liked 389 Times in 168 Posts	Re: Jim Hale I ran on a 1/8th mile track at Little Rock a couple of times, was that it? Never cared for 1/8th mile. Like stopping in the middle of sex. __________________ Ed Wright 4156 SS/JA

03-21-2011, 01:48 PM	#10
Bimbo Jones Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 109 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Jim Hale It was the south part of LR almost to Benton on the west side of I-30. I heard in the early days of operation they actually ran 1/4 there. It had a hanger carport pullout near the finish line for a small plane. When they ran Comp Eliminator all the racers would sit at the end of the track until all had ran and drive back on the racing surface. They had a return road paved with roofing tabs and would high center most race cars. The pit area was enteresting as well. You had to park your trailer at bottom of the hill and would pit behind the starting line with only tools and stuff you brought up from your rig. It was the first 1/8th mile track I had ever seen.