This year’s reunion was special because there were six restored races cars there and one that needed a little more work.
Ken Gray along with his three sons brought his father’s two vintage racecars. Ken dad, Doug Gray of Tallassee Alabama, raced at Mobile and Pensacola Fl back in the day. After his retirement, he started building the cars he wished he had when he was racing. In 2001 he built the #88 which he modeled after a car Donnie Allison drove. It’s a 1933 Chevrolet coupe with a 350 Chevy. In 2003 he built the # 3 for his wife. This car is a 1928 Ford with a 327 Chevy motor. Although these cars are replicas of vintage cars, they both look and sound good.
Mr. J.D Parker's #12 was there alone with Buddy Taylor's Miss Chicken #34.
Garrette and Frieda Dylewski of Mobile Alabama brought his Vintage early 1960’s Sprint car. This #11 raced the dirt tracks of Indiana and Ohio. It is one beautiful car!! Unfortunately none of my pictures of the car turned out. If anyone has a picture they would like to share, please send it to me.
Donald Weathersby brought the shell of Doc Bass’ old Modified #1 that raced in Jackson around 1959. The old body needs a lot of work but where there is a will there is a way.
The highlight of the reunion (for us Ole Mississippi Racing Buffs) was when Donnie and Rhonda Bean of Meridian pulled in. He unloaded what I would call the Holly Grail of Mississippi’s Historic race cars. It was the Saik brother’s record setting Super Modified #44.
The Saik’s brouthers car is a super star in Mississippi racing History. It was drive by legendary drivers like Ival Cooper, Bobby Harrell, Armand Holley, Wayne Holland, Johnny Barr, Tommy Noblin and Mike Johnson. The car was built by Bobby Harrell and owned by Charles, Nathan, and Emile Saik. The mechanics were Bobby Day, Billy Tucker and Bobby Harrell. The story goes that on July 11 th, 1970, Ival Cooper was late getting to the track and would miss the time trials. Bobby Harrell stepped in for Ival to qualify the car. Not only did Bobby put the car on the pole, but he set a new World Record for a 1/2 mile track that stood for 7 years. That day he made a lap around Jackson International Speedway in 16.78 seconds.
It was also a special treat when Ronald Dearman and Jim Neidemeyer unloaded their awesome collection of vintage model racecars. Here is a pictureof just a few of the models they brought. It is amazing to see the detail he put on every car. I’ve only seen many of these cars in black & white pictures. It was neat to see their true colors.
This year’s reunion had over 150 folks in attendance. There were l ots of racers again from Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama and Florida. For the 2nd year in a row we have had racers from Tennessee.
The Parker Family would like to thank everyone who came out. J.D. and Doris Parker said that when your in the area, please stop by house for a visit and a cup or two of coffee.
