55 Chevy !!!!

BSL409

BSL409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 6
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T

Trey Ragsdale

Member
W Head said:
Phil, I have heard that story from many people, I never saw him do it. ( believe he could-he was a strong man) Yes he was called Hands, you could put a 50 cent piece thru his HS class ring and while I was at his shop one day, I had my future wife with me and he could put his fingers all the way around her neck and touch the palm of his hand. Also While going down the drag strip, once in 4th gear he would kind of raise up and down in his seat and you could hear the RPMs go up and down. He was a big man!!! He was not to live much past his 20s because of his affection (being so big) but he fooled the doctors and if I remember right he was in his 40s when he passed. His 1/2 brother I think still races (Joe White), but have not seen Joe in years and years. I will see if I can post a piucture of Hands, it may be fuzzy.

W Head

59 Impala 409-2,4s
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His half brother was Butch Lake. Joe White worked at Austin Speed Shop as a kid when August was there. Joe has been out of racing for many years, but builds custom cars and has a beautiful '40 Ford street rod of his own. He still lives in the Austin area. When I was a kid August stayed at our house a few times while picking up my dad, Willis Ragsdale, to tow him to big races like the Winternationals. The ponytail was just his original style. He had it before there was such a thing as hippies. Here are a few pics of him running his gasser and helping Dad at the track.


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Phil Reed

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 10
Welcome Trey!!!! I heard most of my stories about "Hands" from Delmer McAfee. Delmer was a drag racer all thru the late 50's and 60's in West Texas.
 
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Trey Ragsdale

Member
There were definitely some good stories involving August, some of them stretched a little over the years. ;) One of my favorite: Dad was doing one of his between elimination round thrashings on the car in the pits and some guy starts pestering him with questions and he (as politely as he knew how) told him he didn't have time to BS. The guy gets smart with him and as he's about to get into it with him August walks up carrying slicks mounted on steel wheels in each hand and says in his deep voice "What's the problem?" Needless to say the problem was solved.
 
Travis Horton

Travis Horton

Well Known Member
My dad and his friend built the red, white, and blue '55 in the late '60's and ran E/MP until 1972. Brought it back out in the late '70's as a bracket car. It was updated in '84 and re-painted red, white and blue a couple of years ago. It's still winning races!
 
W Head

W Head

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 12
Trey Ragsdale said:
There were definitely some good stories involving August, some of them stretched a little over the years. ;) One of my favorite: Dad was doing one of his between elimination round thrashings on the car in the pits and some guy starts pestering him with questions and he (as politely as he knew how) told him he didn't have time to BS. The guy gets smart with him and as he's about to get into it with him August walks up carrying slicks mounted on steel wheels in each hand and says in his deep voice "What's the problem?" Needless to say the problem was solved.
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Tray, I stand corected. You are correct Butch Lake was Hands 1/2 brother. It has just been so many years, got the names mixed up. I believe your Dad has a blue coupe (Ford ), talked with Willis 3/4 years ago at the Bastrop Vets. Day Car Show. We talked about the many races between he and Leford McLemore in B/Roadster class and re-lived some of the good old days from years pass. Hope you had a great Christmas and Happy New Year.

W Head

59 Impala 409-2,4s
 
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Trey Ragsdale

Member
W Head said:
Tray, I stand corected. You are correct Butch Lake was Hands 1/2 brother. It has just been so many years, got the names mixed up. I believe your Dad has a blue coupe (Ford ), talked with Willis 3/4 years ago at the Bastrop Vets. Day Car Show. We talked about the many races between he and Leford McLemore in B/Roadster class and re-lived some of the good old days from years pass. Hope you had a great Christmas and Happy New Year.

W Head

59 Impala 409-2,4s
Click to expand...

Thank you. Happy New Year to you and yours.
 
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