The Houston International Speedway, later known as the Houston International Raceway and then Houston International Dragway, or the "Freeway Dragstrip", as well as other various names in its lifetime, was built and opened in 1957. It was considered one of the nation's premiere drag strips during its time as a member of the NHRA's Division 4. The Dragstrip was located on the east side of Interstate 45, south of Houston, near Dickinson, Texas. The current intersection is I-45 and 16th St (also FM 646). Land for the track was donated by the Fingers Furniture family.

How the Houston Freeway Dragtrip came to be:
- Local Street Racing - The "Road Kings"
- Westbury - back of the subdivision, before homes were built - what is now Burlinghall Dr was the old drag strip, from Dunlap to Renwick
- Richmond & Post Oak - concrete slab for racing found while leaving Westbury races
- GHTA - the Greater Houston Timing Association
- The Blimp Base - Hitchcock, Texas - John Mecum family
- June 1956 - '34 Ford Race Car - blow flathead with slicks
- August 19, 1956 - Houston College of Drag Racing - learning how to properly time real drag races
- Ellington Field event - 20,000+ people
- Houston Freeway Dragstrip - Opens in Fall 1957

"This was our last car. We were at the old Houston Texas Gulf Freeway drag strip near Dickinson, TX. That's me guiding the car to the line. The late Terry Simmons was doing the driving because my wife was pregnant and she had ask me not to drive again until the baby was born. Just goes to show you that "back in the day", a couple or three young guys could in-fact get together, pool their change and build a car to compete." "The entire car, including the chassis, was built by us in our single car garage in LaMarque, TX. Completely gas welded except for the roll bars. Note the latest technology in breather caps. The damn thing kep blowing the caps off, so we used red rags and black tape. Worked good." - Brian aka "Beep" (12)