Video: Junior Johnson’s ’64 Galaxie On Dirt

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Is there anything better than watching an old-school NASCAR stocker run sideways on dirt? See Junior Johnson’s ’64 Galaxie tear it up at Ascot Park.

 

 

We’d know this setup anywhere: pale yellow Ford Galaxie, Holly Farms Poultry signage, number 27 on the door. This is Junior Johnson, NASCAR legend and 50-time Grand National race winner.

Except it’s not. In reality, this little film clip is from Redline 7000, the 1965 racing film co-written and directed by another legend, Howard Hawks. And if you look closely, the name painted over the door is not Junior Johnson but Mike Marsh, the character played by James Caan in the movie. The venue is Ascot Park, a storied Los Angeles half-mile dirt track that, alas, no longer exists.

We don’t know who’s actually behind the wheel of Junior’s Galaxie here—a stunt driver, it’s safe to presume—but he gasses it and hangs it out real good. And for your added viewing pleasure, there’s some great audio and in-car footage. Have fun, watch this.

 

6 thoughts on “Video: Junior Johnson’s ’64 Galaxie On Dirt”

  1. Cool video, did anyone else catch the brand new Honda “Sport 90″ at 9 seconds? I used to help my ex-brother in law race at Hales Corners Speedway, in Hales Corners, Wis. (obviously) racing his 1965 Chevy on the 1/4 mile dirt. Hanging out the rear was standard . I don’t remember the tires screeching on dirt however, I think that was added, like Dukes of Hazzard. Hales Cprners Speedway too, is long gone, now a Menards, but at least it’s called ” Speedway Menards”.

    • Oops, correction, Hales Corners Speedway was 1/4 mile, opened June 18th, 1950 until 1974, when it was expanded to 1/3 mile, and closed Aug. 31st, 2003.

  2. Yes, it’s possible to get tire squeal on dirt but I would call that a little overdubbed. Engine sounds good though.

  3. Not for an argument, but to me there was never anything better sounding that a 427 FE motor.

  4. This is the car I always see in my mind when Junior’s car is mentioned. Even though NASCAR has “hit the big time”, we used to get a lot more movies about racing. Naming only NASCAR-based movies, I remember Speedway, Fireball 500, Greased Lightning, Last American Hero and Thunder Road

    I also have to chuckle when I remember how simple things used to be on pit road. As can be seen here, it was often just a 4×4 that separated the track from the pits, a tool chest, a simple white shirt and a jack. No lofty pit wagons with umbrellas and six monitors.

    Sure wish I had that Cadillac ambulance in the lead photo.

  5. I trying to imagine 43 of those era cars on that dirt track. Awesome!
    Now, all the NASCAR races, the cars are single file going in circles.

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