Texhoma Racers Reunion & Hall of Fame

Texhoma Racers Reunion & Hall of Fame Ruby was on hand for the dedication along with Al Unser, Bobby Unser, Johnny Rutherford, and Parnelli Jones. The idea of a reunion was conceived on the spot.

Texhoma Racers Reunion & Hall of Fame is an organization of racers and fans from Texas and Oklahoma who memorialize all aspects of automobile racing from the area. About Texhoma Racers Reunion & Hall of Fame

The idea of the Texhoma Racers Reunion was inspired during the Lloyd Ruby Overpass dedication in Wichita Falls, Texas in 2006. There were also several vintage Indy roadsters at the event that were driven around the streets of downtown Wichita Falls by the world-renowned drivers. The one-of-a-kind event brought together racing enthusiasts that had not seen one another in many years. The first reunion took place later that year and has continued every year since. Don Phelan, a local racer from the 50's and 60's, organized the first reunion with help from many other race supporters and local businesses. The first year of the reunion was small but attendance steadily grew as it turned into a charity event. The Elks Lodge in Wichita Falls graciously hosted the event for 16 years, and all proceeds went directly to the Elks Children’s Charities. The reunion grew into one of the charities’ top contributors. In 2011 the reunion expanded with the creation of the Texhoma Racers Hall of Fame. The hall of fame was formed as a way of preserving history and honoring the legacy of racing in the Texhoma area. Texhoma has a rich racing history with iconic racetracks such as Devil’s Bowl Speedway, Lawton Speedway, and Taft Stadium. The area has also produced legendary names in racing such as Lloyd Ruby, Johnny Rutherford, Jim McElreath, George Barringer, Ralph Parkinson, Ted Johnson, Lanny & Beverly Edwards. By 2022 our event had grown to the point that we needed a bigger venue. With the help of Charles Lupi the Comanche County Fairgrounds Complex in Lawton, Oklahoma was secured and became the new home of the annual Texhoma Racers Reunion & Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Keeping with tradition we also partnered with a local children’s charity. All proceeds of the reunion are donated to the CHILDRENS STARLIGHT FUND benefiting children and families of Comanche County Memorial Hospital. 2023 marked our first year at the new venue and it was a great success. We look forward to many more years to come. We welcome your input on anything we might do to improve or grow.

We would like to thank Indiana Racing Memorial Association - IRMA for this kind post honoring the legacy of the McElreat...
02/11/2026

We would like to thank Indiana Racing Memorial Association - IRMA for this kind post honoring the legacy of the McElreath family.

A poignant photo. Young James McElreath poses with the trophies from his budding sprint car career, as his father, Jim, proudly looks on. James had won the 1974 Devils Bowl Speedway Championship and would take it in 1975 as well. He had so much potential. James died, however, in a sprint car crash at Wi******er in 1977. Compounding his tragedy, Jim then lost his daughter, Shirley, married to Tony Bettenhausen Jr, in a plane crash in 2000. After dealing with all that, Jim took care of his ailing wife until his death on May 18th, 2017. Jim McElreath was a hero on and off the track.

Wichita Falls, Tx native and Texhoma Racers Reunion & Hall of Fame inductee Junior Parkinson pictured on this day in Tam...
02/06/2026

Wichita Falls, Tx native and Texhoma Racers Reunion & Hall of Fame inductee Junior Parkinson pictured on this day in Tampa, FL with the IMCA 1972. Junior is still racing sprint cars to this day. You can catch him this season on the Missouri bullrings.

Texhoma Racers Hall of Fame recommendation bios needed. 🏁Know a driver, owner, mechanic, official, or supporter who dese...
12/07/2025

Texhoma Racers Hall of Fame recommendation bios needed. 🏁

Know a driver, owner, mechanic, official, or supporter who deserves to be recognized? Here’s how to submit a recommendation (no self-recommendations, please):

📄 What to send:
Mail or email a one-page biography and a cover memo by March 1, 2026 to:

Texhoma Racers Hall of Fame
P.O. Box 3520
Lawton, OK 73502

✉️ Email: trrhof@gmail.com

Submissions must be emailed or postmarked by March 1, 2026.
** We also have a fillable pdf. Reach out if you would like one.
Help us honor the people who built Texhoma racing! 🙌🏁

Race Day 1941 Indianapolis 500: Wichita Falls native and Texhoma Racers Hall of Fame Inductee George Barringer looks dow...
11/01/2025

Race Day 1941 Indianapolis 500: Wichita Falls native and Texhoma Racers Hall of Fame Inductee George Barringer looks down at his race car that was among the cars destroyed when the garage area caught fire on the morning of the race.

Wilbur Shaw, with his foot on the car, looks over the remains of one of the cars lost in 1941 Gasoline Alley fire. The fire started early on race morning and quickly spread through the old wooden garages. The men are looking at George Barringer's revolutionary rear engine, four-wheel drive Miller, sponsored by Gulf. It was completely destroyed in the fire and did not start the race. Wilbur Shaw, starting on the outside of the front row appeared to be on his way to his third consecutive 500 win, when a wheel collapsed, putting him into the wall. He had not gotten one of his wheels to balance and had marked it with chalk. He always believed that the chalk had been washed away by firemen's hoses. George Barringer in the hat. Driver, Deacon Litz, is the other man.

It was an honor to share this moment with Shane Carson and our friends at Amarillo Area Motorsports Hall of Fame and Mus...
10/19/2025

It was an honor to share this moment with Shane Carson and our friends at Amarillo Area Motorsports Hall of Fame and Museum

Celebrating Legends and Preserving History

𝑯𝒊𝒈𝒉 𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔 𝑻𝒉𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝑩𝒐𝒏𝒖𝒔! ⚡️

Kevin Thomas, Jr. picked up an extra $2,000 for his efforts this weekend.

He earned the most combined points between the races on Friday at Dodge City Raceway Park & tonight at Route 66 Motor Speedway.

Tonight in Amarillo, he led 15 laps & finished 2nd.

Texhoma Racers Hall of Fame – Recommendation ProcessWe’re now accepting recommendations for the 2026 Hall of Fame class....
10/05/2025

Texhoma Racers Hall of Fame – Recommendation Process
We’re now accepting recommendations for the 2026 Hall of Fame class. To make it easy, we’ve attached:
• Nomination Guidelines – who’s eligible and what we look for
• Step-by-Step How-To – what to include and how to submit
• Sample Biography – a clear example to follow

If you’d rather type directly, we have a fillable PDF nomination form available. Email us at (trrhof@gmail.com) and we’ll send you a copy.

Your stories and submissions help preserve our region’s racing history—thank you for being part of it!

Address

Lawton, OK

Telephone

940 781 4641

Website

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