Early Match Race Action from Phenix City

By Jerry Battle

Mr. Norm's Grand Spaulding Dodge takes on Hubert Platt at Phenix City.
Photo by Jerry Battle

At the smaller drag strips back in the 60s many had replaced the green flag with more up-to-date devices such as the surplus street signal light used at Phenix City Dragway, Phenix City, Alabama. The car in the left lane will be familiar to old-timers like me, as it was one of many built by Mr. Norm at Grand Spaulding Dodge in Chicago. [The car on the right is Hubert Platt's Georgia Shaker (ID courtesy of Joel Naprstek) -- bp]

The Phenix City pits in 1965 were sparse indeed. Photo by Jerry Battle

The "Golden Ram" as I believed the car was called was the big attraction the day the photo was taken. We had all heard about Mr. Norm from listening to commercials on the Dick Biondi show on WLS AM radio. 

As you can see, the pit area as well as facilities for race fans were about as modern as the starting system, or maybe still in the green flag era. 

Jerry W. Battle, Sr.
www.jerrybattle.com
www.georgia-motorsports.com
www.americus.net/~jbattle
phone: 229-928-9664