Gatornationals from the past...
 

Trivia I suppose but the Gators is indeed a special race. The 50th being celebrated this week is going to have a lot of hoopla (legends in Toyotas? Really NHRA?). I first attended in 1971, driving my little Plymouth all day from Murray, KY to get there and pulled into town late at night at a small two bay gas station (the norm of course 'back in the day'). It appeared to be closed (it was 3AM) but inside was the Mopar Missile and they were crawling all over it. Always known for their hard work that one image has stuck with me all these years. Lots of memories from the Nationals going back to 1967 but my first Gators will always be memorable.

Anyone else with a special Gators memory?

Re: Gatornationals from the past...
 

Went as a crew person around 1984. I Drove the tow suburban a lot on the trip down from NJ. Cold up here.....

The weather was fantastic every day. Low 80's, low humidity and you could not ask for a better week of weather.We managed to get to the 4th or 5th round in S/G.

I was standing behind the starting line numerous times watching every category......Pro Stock and Super Stock especially.....I was standing right next to the Grump for some runs out there in Pro Stock....I kept getting as close as I could to the action absorbing it all.....

I was rooting for the red SS/HA Camaro of Wise and Meredith. A very fast car back then...It was doing great wheelstands and went deep in eliminations.....He did not win though......

It was a very memorable event and the group I was with almost left me there !

I was sun drenched and I did not want to leave.....they were rolling thru the pits and I was hanging out watching as long as I could...…

We had a great time...….as we always did.....

I've been there about 3 times and once the weather turned very bad...….Nothing ever matched that first time there.....loved it...

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The 1970 Gators was the first race I worked with Buster Couch on his starting line crew. Lot of great memories at the Gators and the other events back then. Think we got $40 for the race. Wish I knew about sun screen and ear plugs back then.

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My only time to Gainesville was 1992 ? to watch Bernstein break 300.
Remember it was C C Cold out all week.

Re: Gatornationals from the past...
 

Who remembers 2003 when we raced at Orlando?

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2003 Orlando, I was there in my I/S Camaro. Lost in the semi's. Has a great time. Great people. 2006 was the last one I raced at. My favorite class win. tks jeff

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1976, traveled in a convoy with Bud & Dewey Cook. Stopped at Barnett's and followed Bagwell on down to the Chrysler test at Bradenton. Lost in class to Sherwood Allen. It was a fun trip even on the way back home for some young KIDS from West Virginia. I have some pics but can't get them to reduce to post.

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I remember, won class, but not the same in Orlando as it would have been in Gainesville.





Bret Velde
2003 ??

Re: Gatornationals from the past...
 

Anybody else remember not being allowed to stay in the track at night? You had to leave and come back the next day. Jim


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i remember it VERY well Bill.

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I raced at the first Gators in 1970 but didn't qualify. If I remember correctly it was the 64 quickest qualifiers off the records. I also ran the first divisional at GV in '69, Bobby Warren and I were in the final of stock at that race.

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Dear Jim, Funny you should mention 1971, I attended also to watch. I think Jerry Stein won stock that year. I attended at least 7 more times in the eighties. I remember one year maybe 1984 I took my nephew Ron who was 17 years old at the time and had never been on a plane. We had to take a puddle jumper prop plane in a bad storm from Jacksonville to Gainsville. I was so glad when we landed for his sake, the race was postponed that year because of all the rain. Forgot to mention I am in South Carolina right now should be there tomorrow to watch, looking foward to 49 years later. Thanks Joe.

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Jimmy ----- What was the outcome ?

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Joe---I was there in 84 never seen so much rain. The ditches had four or five feet in them.

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I attended in 1973 with my newly built '65 Plymouth hemi, ss/ba, first time out with new car. Raced off national records then and no breakout in final round but if below existing nat record a new one was established. Old record 10.70 or 80 and Butch Leal won with (ss/ba Hemi) with a 10.34! Obsoleted my car...

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That is way cool! Got to work with Buster that’s awesome!

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Danny, it's a long story but in the end I was awarded the win.


Jimmy

Re: Gatornationals from the past...
 

Built my 71 GS Stocker in the fall , winter of 75. Had never raced a NHRA race before but after I received my Permanent number they sent me a entry for the 76 Gators ,so we entered.Quite a learning experience.We had not even weighed the car before we got there. Had only a couple of runs on it.Then it was all out on the index.No dial ins till the next year. After the first run found out we were more than 100lbs lite. Tech guy asked me how I was going to make weight since no ballast was allowed in those days. I told him a little fuel, some floor mats etc. After we got back from the gun store we made the weight ok.lol Did run the index,but lost to Rock Running in the first round. Had fun,and got away from the nasty Illinois winter for a few days.Went every year till the late 80s. Got down to 3 cars one year,and lost on a heads up run. Really got me working on the car so that would not happen again.