Dirt Track Memories

Joplin Sports Hall Of Fame

2019-05-05T10:01:00.002-05:00

The Tullis family is proud to announce Fred Tullis' induction into the Joplin Sports Hall Of Fame

Muskogee Speedway 1968

2019-04-03T15:29:00.001-05:00

Fred Tullis driving hard in the turn at Muskogee Speedway in 1968

A Winning Combination

2019-03-02T09:26:00.001-06:00

Corky & Fred made a winning combination for 22 years!

Fred Tullis

2019-02-03T21:37:00.001-06:00

Fred Tullis before race time in 1967 at 32 years old

The Jeeps!

2019-01-02T17:24:00.000-06:00

Shown in the picture is one of the Jeeps that was used at the Ozark Speedway. These guys would help clear the track, push-start cars and pretty much go where needed!

Trophy Dash Win

2018-11-03T13:20:00.003-05:00

Fred wins the Fast Trophy Dash!

Tulsa Speedway 1971

2018-10-02T08:05:00.004-05:00

The crew unloading Fred Tullis' Chevelle at the Tulsa Speedway in 1971. Car Owner Corky Felker is leaning into the car with Choppy Crain beside him. Lenny Sneider is at the quarter panel. Tullis won the season championship at Joplin's Ozark Speedway and the Neosho 71 Speedway driving this super fast #14. Many thanks to Mike Pogue for the picture!

Crawford County Speedway 1967

2018-08-25T13:24:00.001-05:00

Fred Tullis and Duane Beckham tangle in the turn at the Crawford County Speedway. Fred is driving the "GO~Town U.S.A." Modified Car #14 which incredibly, still survives to this day!

Fred Tullis Springfield Fairgrounds Speedway

2018-07-12T09:00:00.002-05:00

Here's Fred in the pit area at the Springfield Fairgrounds Speedway in 1969

My Debut!

2018-06-09T12:59:00.001-05:00

My first race car was a slick looking, fast 1969 Mercury Cougar. I loved that car! I found the race car in a field in Commerce, OK and bought it for 350 dollars. My crew chief and master mechanic was Don Thornton. Don rebuilt the engine and modified the transmission. Fred Sr. helped me set the car up. He also took it for a test drive on the dirt roads behind the auto salvage yard which left me in a state of shock!

Dirt!

2018-04-13T13:07:00.002-05:00

We still have Fred's helmet. This dirt came out of it!

Thank You Mike Cornelson!

2018-03-07T14:11:00.003-06:00

I received another welcome surprise recently. A gentleman from Wichita called me on the phone and said he had several Speed Sport News, (a national racing publication) articles about races in and around Joplin, dated from the 60's and 70's. He donated them to me! Many thanks to Mike Cornelson from Wichita, KS

Fast Car Heat Race Winner

2018-02-07T07:22:00.001-06:00

Fred wins the fast car heat race at the Springfield Fairgrounds Speedway - 1969

Mystery Solved!

2018-01-03T16:29:00.000-06:00

In 1973 Fred Tullis took over as driver for the Graves Brother's race team from Springfield, racing on asphalt at the Fairgrounds Speedway. Emmit and Pete Graves built the car #99 for a driver out of Eldorado Springs but I never knew who the driver was. For several years I searched for the driver who drove the 99 for the Graves Brother's. I found this picture owned by Lynn Sanders, President of the Ozark's Area Racers Association showing Hank Allison and I compared it to a picture of Fred Tullis in the #99 Camaro. Although their different race cars I think the mystery has finally been solved!

Racing Legend

2017-12-01T12:37:00.003-06:00

In 2006 Fred Tullis was inducted into the Ozarks Area Racers Association and also received the Racing Legends Award. This is the write-up from the Ozarks Area Racers Association's program at the awards ceremony. Fred has also since been nominated for induction into the National Dirt Late Model Hall Of Fame and the Joplin Sports Authority's Hall Of Fame

McWethy Donation!

2017-11-07T16:06:00.000-06:00

A few months ago while I was on a jobsite, I met a super nice couple who knew and remembered their favorite race car driver, Fred Tullis and the “good 'ol day's” of watching him race. George and Roberta McWethy shared memories with me and they had some very interesting stories to tell! At one point George mentioned to me that he had some memorabilia stashed away in the way of old speedway programs and such. He said if he could ever find the box of stuff he would contact me. A few weeks later a package was left for me at the front counter here at work. I opened the package to find that George & Roberta had stopped by and left me this part of a 71 Speedway shirt that the track officials wore. I was surprised and amazed but most of all, thankful to the McWethy's for their kindness! Blessings!

Super Modified Feature Win 1967

2017-10-13T15:35:00.000-05:00

After a Main Event Feature race all driver's would exit the track except for the winner who would bring his racer to the flag stand where the flagman would hand off the checkered flag to the driver. The driver would then pace the track once more for a victory lap

Neato!

2017-09-08T17:31:00.001-05:00

Here's a few interesting things I found in this Point Standings from 1974. My future to be father-in-law, John Weitzel began racing, shown 16th. I married his daughter, Margaret 8 years later but at the time, we didn't know each other. Dad's son-in-law, Marco Jeffries who married my sister Marcia was in his 1st year of Stock Car racing, shown 36th. Jim McMurray, Jamie's dad, was driver of the car #9, shown 41st.

Ozark Speedway Program

2017-07-21T08:00:00.002-05:00

Here's a Program from Joplin Missouri's Ozark Speedway from August 29th, 1974. Ozark Speedway was located about 1 city block East of Rangeline on 20th Street and on the North side of the road. They held Stock Car Races every Tuesday night. It was a major attraction and drew people from all over the four states area. At that time in history one of our local T.V. Stations, Channel 12, was owned by Gilmore Broadcasting who also owned A.J. Foyt's race team. The T.V. station had a weatherman by the name of Lee George. Lee was very good friends with dad and I remember him coming out to dad's Auto Salvage in his 66 Chevy Impala. One particular summer racing season, each Tuesday evening Channel 12 would have a driver bring their race car to the studio where Lee George would do a short interview with the driver and then promote that nights racing event. A local Radio Station, KFSB had a dynamic on air personality by the name of Don Gross. Don would narrate the races live on KFSB Radio for a time before he went on to be a television sportscaster. It was very seldom we missed a race but when we did, we always tuned into KFSB to here it live. Oh and in case you didn't notice, listed among the officials on the front cover of this program is the Flagman Jim McMurray, Jamies dad!

#94

2017-05-26T12:24:00.001-05:00

Fred Tullis coming out of turn #2 at Joplin's Ozark Speedway in this ''68 Camaro. The year was 1969. This was a sharp fast race car. Notice how Corky ran the headers out of the fender for more horsepower. I Love this picture because you can actually see the acceleration. If you look closely you'll also notice dad's signature uniform, Bell helmet, goggles, red handkerchief, white slacks, shirt and knuckles!

1980

2017-04-24T17:09:00.000-05:00

Fred Tullis at The Fairgrounds Speedway in Springfield, Mo., 1980. Fred raced this car in Springfield and at the Nevada Speedway in Nevada, Mo. The team also occasionally traveled to Fort Smith, Arkansas that year. Fred won the Midwest Dirt Track Championship race in Nevada driving this 1980 Grand Prix

Fred Tullis Auto Salvage

2017-03-11T11:32:00.000-06:00

Fred Tullis Auto Salvage was located on North Main Street in Joplin. Fred was a very innovative mechanic. He was all hands on when it came to building performance race cars and his contribution to the process was invaluable to the team. They often had to manufacture their own race car parts, even tools. Fred Tullis was a genius. His mechanical ingenuity combined with his driving expertise on the track is what made him a racing champion. His quick wit, creativity and personality made him fun to be around! His love for God, for his family and for friends made him a great person

Sportsmanship Award

2017-02-24T11:22:00.001-06:00

Fred wins the Sportsmanship Award at The Fairgrounds Speedway. He was always a good sport. I remember one night when he and Duane Beckham fought a hard battle in the main event. Duane won it by a half car at the checkered flag. After the races when we were exiting the pits dad stopped at Duane's pit area, shook hands with him and told him good job

The Fairgrounds

2017-01-25T07:07:00.001-06:00

Fred gets the race started from the front row, outside, at the Fairgrounds Speedway in Springfield. 1971

Racing History

2016-12-15T07:54:00.001-06:00

There's an interesting Racing Site on Facebook named "Racing in Joplin Mo and SW Missouri and the 4 State Area". The administrator of the site is Tim Belk, son of Joplin's famous race car driver Jack Belk. I would encourage you to join the group. There's a lot of great information and cool stories about the races, the driver's and the history of racing in and around Joplin Missouri