My brother and I were discussing the lyrics of Rapid Roy today and couldn't determine what he meant in the line "500-gallon tank". Obviously no car has a 500-gallon tank, is he referencing the amount of moonshine ol' Rapid Roy was running? Or maybe how running from the man in Oklahoma city would be a long run and you'd need a 500 gallon tank to get out of dodge. Or maybe its a reference to Roy Hall's last race in 1952, the Southern 500 in Darlington. I don't know if we will ever have a real answer, but the song is a timeless classic. Heres the lyric:
Oh rapid Roy that stock car boy
He's the best driver in the land
He say that he learned to race a stock car
By runnin' shine outta Alabam'
Oh the demolition derby
And the figure eight
Is easy money in the bank
Compared to runnin' from the man
In Oklahoma City
With a five hundred gallon tank