Aquasco Speedway
 

Anybody remember the Aquasco Speedway in Southern Maryland?

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Sure. Why?

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I use to race my 65 Plymouth 426 street wedge there all the time. Won a drag times Jr. stock meet there in 65. Made my first runs down a drag strip in my 53 flat head Ford in 1964 at a blazing ET of 20.24.....LOL. . Great place at the time. Saw many of my heros race there like Dave Strickler in his Z-11, Ronnie Sox in his 64 Comet, Dick Landy in his AWB Dodge, etc. It was where I went on Sundays.

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My former boss used to race there a lot. I was fortunate enough to hear many many stories! His name was Jay Fisher.

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Hey Terry-----That was way too long ago. Me and George Cox's Honey Wagon 56 and I know you recognize Gene Collins in the old Pegasus.

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I remember Aquasco well, Leon Miranian would race his '58 Belair 283 H/S 4 speed car there on Sundays after racing at 75-80 on Fri. and Sat. nites and I'd go along. Was already announcing at 75-80 but one Sunday they had no announcer so I filled in that day. Got to do a couple of more weeks til someone was hired. This track was fast, near sea level, excellent crowds, was easy to get to from D.C. or Prince Georges County. A lot of fast cars there. Like Terry Bell stated, many big name racers ran there. I remember the two Ramcharger '64 Dodges, max wedge blower cars, really exhibition cars, not tremendously fast but ran high tens, 130 mph. Can't believe I spent 3 or 4 days a week at the track, loved every minute of it! I think this track opened in '56 and ran til '71 or maybe '72. Someone can correct these dates.

Mike Bassin

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Malcolm Durham ran a green Chevelle there a few times. Aquasco had a really raw ol boy as an announcer for awhile. He would start OEM wars in the crowds and call out racers over the PA System. I seem to remember a little gambling now and then as well.

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Yeah...That was in rhe stone age.....LOL. Yepper I remember Genes cars.He has passed away from what I heard. The old 65 Plymouth was maybe 6-8 months old. Had M/T headers, 4.56 gears, JC Penny 2 grove slicks, Had some Casler recaps I bought from Bruce Conyers(off of Pop Kennedys 62 Red GP that he bought) but they were way to tall. OEM converter (nothing was avaliable at the time). Had the heads done and that was about it. I still have the Drag Times Plaque hanging in my garage I got from the win. It was about the only time I won anything with that car except some class trophys from Capitol Raceway. I was to dumb to build a GOOD Jr. stocker. Drove it to the track and to work. Then got drafted and gave it to my dad to trade in on 66 GP.

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If you google Aquasco Speedway, there are some cool photos, past/present. Looks like the track is still there.....just abandond.

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That was the first track I ever went too, I think in the early 60's sat at the finish line to watch, loved the 61 ford starliners one was black with Mr. 390 on the door Terry may remember. In the later 60's went there every week with Tommy Cooksey and the Mustangs won a lot I think the payout was like 100$ to win.
Dale

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So that's where my slicks went :-) I bought the Grand Prix about thirty years ago from Bruce after he let it sit under a tree for about ten years. Then I let it sit under another tree for another five years untill somebody wore me out to buy it. Got a call from Frank telling me to come by and get some original paper work he had for the car but never did. Last time I saw him , Jack Cassedy and I went to see him in the hospital just before cancer got him. Strange, now cancer's taken Jack too. Don't know if you knew Eddie Lawrence 63 Pontiac sw Wampum Wagon , cancer got him too just after Jack. If you add in Juice (Bob Maxie) and Max Sterling (White Lighting) damn cancer has sure been hard on my old Pontiac boys. ---------At one time I had Franks GP Gene Calhoun's Arapaho and Al Sylvesters 62 Super Duty-----Boy would I love to have them back!--------Danny

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Dale-----What's Cooksey doing? I wonder what Debbie looks like 40 years later and your memory's going away with your hair :-) -----$50.00

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check that out two of my personal hero's (Uncle Danny and Dale) talkin bout the ol'times in one thread... George told me you asked about me the other night Danny, thanks for checking in on me. I start back at AED this coming monday, Geo is gonna try and have my machine work and heads done in March so i can get back to racing. I'll keep in touch..Oh by the way I heard from Tommy Cooksey about a week or so ago. Hes doing good, sold the race cars and got a motorhome just out camping...Talk to you soon
Lil Duane
p.s. Aquasco was already closed when i was born, but ive heard plenty of stories about it from when i worked for Gene Calhoun before he closed his speed shop............

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Cooksey is retired and like Dwayne said camping in a nice MH pusher with all the slide-outs. (ruffing it) have not seen Debbie for yrs. moved to fredricksburg. Remember the old black mustang the day the steering came out of the column and I wouldnt drive it and you got in held the wheel down and made a pass. Remember a lot of good times with you guys in Va.

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lol................

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Yeah.......The good ole days. Lots of fun for not a lot of money. I remember all of those Pontiac guys except Eddie Lawrence but I remember the car. I would love to have Al Sylvesters SD Cat. today alo. I also remember Sam Samuels 60 SD star chief. I also remember Pop Kennedy always dressed like a gentelman. Nice clothes and wore a dress hat to the track. Threads like this always brings back memories.
P.S. Im into street rodding now. Lots of fun. I have a 1935 Chev. 3 window coupe with a ZZ4 crate engine and 700R4. Air, heat, CD, power windows, Same color as my Harley(Black Cherry color with flames). Beats watching TV. I wish all of us left good health and long happy lives. To many have passed away.

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Duane-----Glad to hear you're heading back to AED and things are looking up (but you probably need some new heros :-) ) Dale-------- Yes I remember that day well. You said "bring it out on the floor and shift it at 9500!" for somebody that shifted at 6200 those numbers made me pucker! it still went in the tens at about 3000 feet. That old Ford would outrun my Olds with two dead cylinders :-) Terry------I'm jealouse as hell ! you're the example I use when I describe the perfect way to retire. Lots of good times and great people from when we all had more hair and less chins.---------------Danny

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For you viewing pleasure

http://www.atomicpinup.com/Aquasco_Speedway.html

Got this from Mr. Bill Goodwin, he probably shot some of the footage

Wade Mahaffey

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Danny....I forgot to tell you....My ZZ4 CHEVY crate engine has old 56 Oldsmobile valve covers on it with adapters.....LOL. A lot of guys who look at it at shows think it really is an OLDS......I just tell them yeah, its an Olds....Heh Heh

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hello terry, duane and danny, when you mentioned al sylvesters sd pont, he drove that car to the track and towed the super stock 426 ply with a buick, i went with al and unbolted his cutouts, one night at manassas he blew the pontiac , so we towed it and drove the ply back to al's mom house in dc, those where the days, see you this summer, bill and barb

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WOW,sure do like those days.
Thanks for the pictures.

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Track is still there, kind of overgrown :( I have several 8MM movies and a bunch of 35MM slides that I need to get transfered to "modern" media. My only trophy is from Aquasco and it is sitting right in front of me :) The track is right in the center on this Google view, running from top to bottom next to Neck Rd

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=20601&...gl=us&t=h&z=15

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Ferd and his Bull
http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/g...usack/Ferd.jpg

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Gene's injected small block
http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/g...k/GeneMori.jpg

Malcolm's Chevelle
http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/g...ck/malcolm.jpg

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Jim Swagler
http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/g...JimSwagler.jpg

Tommy Kivett
http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/g...ack/Kivett.jpg

Richie Zul and Dyno
http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/g.../RichieZul.jpg

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First met Al when I was about 12 years old. He worked at Phelps Roberts machine shop in Roslyn ,Va. just down the street from my house. When I was 15 he helped find and overhaul a 56 Buick 322 to go into my 51 Ford. The rebuild cost $110.00 and swept the shop and cleaned parts for a month. When I was 22 he helped me blueprint my 66 W30 motor. Taught me all the basics that I still use today. Spent many nights in his mom's garage helping any way I could and watching him Johnny Walker and Buggs Terry play Tonk. First time he brought the SD to the shop from Bendall Pontiac we all came out to the parking lot to check it out. He said "don't lean on the fender,damn thing's aluminum". He opened the hood and lit it off. I was 17 yrs. old and I thought my heart would stop. The motor was shaking so hard I thought the mounts would break. Al backed it up stuck it in 1st. gear laid the pedal on the floor side stepped the clutch and ruined me for the rest of my life.-----------

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I would sure like to thank ALL of you for this thread...
Aquasco Speedway hooked me on drag racing. I grew up living in Aquasco, we lived there from 1966-1975. We moved back to Lakeland Florida in late 1975 at 15 years old. I used to ride my bike up to MD 381 to watch all the cars going to the track on Sunday, and could hear it all from my house on St Phillips Church Rd. I dreamt of driving and owning something like Malcum Durams "Strip Blazer", or Gungle Jims Nova funny car.

The radio commercials were just as you described them, SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY...
I never got to go to track much, but watched alot of you guys driving by and as you sat in line on the road backed up waiting to get there. I sat at Grimes General Store many a day drueling as you went by.

Thanks
Keith

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That's gotta look pretty cool. Only geezers would even know what they were --------

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What a great thread! Thanks Wade for the history/story and photos of Aquasco. I spent nearly all my time in the '60's at 75-80 but would venture to Aquasco 4 or 5 times a year during the early/mid '60s. About two of the cars mentioned, Al Sylvester's SD '62 421 Pontiac, it was a street driven car, could run 12.70's @ 110 mph on good days, that was real fast at the time. I can remember Dave Strickler's '62 409 and Al heads up at 75-80 on a real hot day, if it had been an 1/8 race Al would have won, Dave just got around at the stripe, that was impressive to me then. Gene Calhoun's "Arapaho" '60 Pontiac tri-power car was real fast also, ran everywhere in Md. There is a re-creation of the car running, can't recall the owner, ran 6.90 at Quarter Aces in 2011 at a Nostalgia event [1/8 mile]. Very period correct car, brought back memories.

Mike Bassin

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My first time to a race track was Aquasco in 1966. My dad took me and I thought it was the neatest thing I had ever seen. My Dad had a different opinion. Phil Bonner was match racing Kenny Waren. My first pass down a race track was in 1970 at Aquasco, in my 1969 AMC Hurst Rambler Scrambler. Two of my favorite cars at Aquasco were Bob Bernardon in Jolly Dolly and Leroy Dewdney in Leroy`s Toy. We sure had alot of fun back then.

Ken Keir
1470 A/SA

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Hey Mike , Great old storys. The owner of the old Arapaho is Troy Tribby. I sold him the remains (pretty rough) along with a nice maroon ventura and several others and a ton of parts about 20 years ago. I believe he used the maroon one to recreate the current Arapaho. I've seen him run it a couple of times 10.00 and shooting for 9's. Really brings back memorys. By the way the name came from Gene's father ( Pappy Calhoun ) a great friend and true gentleman, a mans man and a full blooded Arapaho Indian.-----------Danny

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Kenny, Did you know Bob Bernardon was a tile mason and had a beautiful tile picture of Dolly on the garage floor he parked her on ? ------ By the way you must be Tom and George Cables age. The first time I saw those two was 66 or 67 at Aquasco walking along with big George holding their hands. One of them had a load in his drawers but can't remember which now. If they read this they're going to kill me :-) --------Danny

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Lots of great SD Pontiacs at Aquasco every weekend. I tried to buy Sam Samuels 60 star chief ($1000) in 1964 but I wasnt quiet old enough to sign the papers and my dad said no way. So I bought the street wedge instead. Johhny Walker bought it and blew the engine not long after. I remember being there the day a 62 White GP called the White Tornado was DQ'ed for having 1.65 rocker arms after winng F/S one to many times on a 303 HP engine. ....LOL. I should mention Joe Perzan's kicking 60 SD wagon that led the Div. one points for awile back then. Great BB/S runs between Max Sterlings 61 SD (a real one) and the 61 390/401 HP blue Ford called Thunder Road from Greenbelt Md. I dont remember his name though. Most of us drove our cars to the track. only the "PROs" had a trailer. Some flat towed. It was a lot more FUN back then than today. Somebody PLEASE invent a time machine !!!

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I'm working on it Terry! Love this thread, I actually got to Aquasco once.

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We raced Joe Perzan at Capitol during a big $$$ Jr Stock event we drove down to with our sedan delivery. We had to re-run him for some reason and won. I think he was running mid 13's.
We lost to Wheatley bros.....I think.
I saw that white 62 Grand Prix somewhere back then and there were quite a few fast Pontiacs running down at Capitol that event.
Never made it to Aquasco but it was well known and they had a lot of fast stockers running there as did almost every track. Bracket racing didn't exist and neither did the term "bracket racing". "Dial your own" was the first name I knew for that type of racing....York about 1966 or 1967

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Terry-------That would be Norbert Holtzel ( White Tornado ) Alexandria Va. First one was totaled somehow but don't remember now. Second one was built from a total loss purchased from Bendall Pontiac where I worked at the time along with Frank Canaday. Drove it once at Summerduck-----Yes Summerduck dragway remington Va. was pretty fast for that time. That car was sold and he bought the ex baby blue 61 SD catalina sw. from Frank who got it from Mike Miatico and it became the Tornado Wagon. -------Whew! -------Billy-------Let me know when you finish that machine, I would like to be transported back before I became such a grumpy a##hole. 10 years of anger management has helped some though .--------Danny

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Rich----I believe I was there that Saturday, one of the only times I ever saw Joe get beat. 1967 I was at Carlsbad dragway in Cal. ---I saw all these cars with strange classes on their windows , it was BRACKETS! Next year it was everywhere. ---Danny

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Heh Heh I knew his name but just didnt know how to spell Norbert Holtzel.....LOL. Didnt Bob Maxey have a maroon or red 60 SD Catalina with a 4 speed for awhile before he went bracket racing? I kind of remember him saying he blew a stroker motor all over the York US 30 track running Dave Strickler one day. Alum rods bounced all over the place....LOL. I remember Mikes 61 baby blue wagon but didnt know who got it as I was in the Army taking a south east asia "Vacation". I saw it once at Herb Geblers shop with the front end off of it after I got out of the Army. I couldnt believe how much stockers had progressed in the 3 years I was gone. Went to INDY in 68 while still in the Army and slept in the back seat of my 68 Z-28 for about a week. Saw Larry Lombardo win stock over Dave Duell. Hurry up with that time machine Billy. Hope to go back before I get to old and croak.

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Dan..... Frank Canaday was also there that day with that '61 blue wagon.
I really loved old Pontiacs back then and saw so many there at Capitol that day I never forgot it. Perzan seemed like a good guy and I think Bob Maxey was also there with a '60 wagon.
Canadays car was the fastest wagon....D/SA I think....

That was a real fun trip for us flat towing from north Jersey.....

My first nice car was a '58 Pontiac......and I was always trying to make it faster. It ran in the 14's a few times driven to the track with the stock 370 shortblock. AFB carb.....Hydro trans......Ah the 4.56 rear was a little sick on the street though. It was a borrowed pumpkin from Craig Muller......He had a real "racecar" '58 F.I. Pontiac and did the trans in my car.....

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Danny or Terry, what year was Sonny Freemans Olds 50 or 52 loved seeing him getting the big head start against the W30's,SD's and cobrajets
Dale