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12-19-2023, 09:50 PM | #1 |
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Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Montclair, Ca
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My time in Ohio
I had an opportunity to visit family in Columbus, OH for a birthday earlier this month and couldn't wait to get there. Because I knew we'd be close to National Trail Raceway, and I made it a MUST stop..at least for me , on this mini vacay. As a kid watching Diamond P religiously, I remember how treacherous the top end was to the fuel drivers. I couldn't wait to drive on Refugee Rd. and explain why there's a traffic light on a narrow, single lane road. The last pic is proof I was there, sharing the pump misery to my fellow Californians.
It's a bucket list track I'd love to race one day. It'd be great to read anyone's best..or worst..experience at National Trail Raceway. Give us something good to read in the off season.
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7350 Stock Eliminator Quite possibly the only member to REDLIGHT their join date |
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12-20-2023, 12:38 PM | #2 |
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Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Modesto, CA
Posts: 602
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Re: My time in Ohio
How fun, Justin! I love to visit tracks I’ve only heard about!
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Julie Jordan 7549 STK |
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12-20-2023, 01:22 PM | #3 |
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Re: My time in Ohio
No really negative memories about racing there, but the thing that stands out most was the mini lakes (OK, ponds) that would appear every year before they made major changes to the pits.
Though the track was usally fine to race on, I can't put out of my mind that year when the left lane had two PS cars crossing the finish line on their roof. |
12-20-2023, 02:01 PM | #4 |
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Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
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Re: My time in Ohio
I love this track. It will never be a Maple Grove (as good as it gets), or an Englishtown (RIP). But they have made very substantial improvements to this track in the past few years.
Although I will say, I really miss the "pavilion" which hosted the band during all the sports nats, the pizza fests sponsored by Jegs, and a nice under-roof area for tech, (still don't know why they got rid of it), it has become a much, much nicer facility overall in the past few years. Yes, shutdown is tight, but its really not an issue other than the fastest cars. Certainly not a problem for us, but there have been some TS/TD cars that got into trouble if their chute didnt deploy. The crop dusting airplanes coming in very low just over the track are also a pleasant bit of entertainment while waiting to be called up to the lanes. Kp |
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12-20-2023, 02:52 PM | #5 |
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Location: Cornville
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Re: My time in Ohio
the track of my youth-raced my street cars, parents station wagon in high school, and began my addiction to drag racing there. Met Dick Baker and many other div 3 standouts there as well as they were schooling me with repeated whoopings LOL
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Scott McIntyre-Cornville-retirement at last! 2015 Chevy SS. LS3/ 6 spd Stick-Wolf in sheeps clothing! Last edited by stage1scott; 12-20-2023 at 02:54 PM. |
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12-20-2023, 03:25 PM | #6 |
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Join Date: Jul 2003
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Re: My time in Ohio
Grew up on that track. First as a spectator in 72 when the Springnationals showed up. In 1973 I would drive my 69 RS Z-28 and bracket race it. The 302 had been replaced with a 427 and 11.80s for a highschool kid was a pretty good gig. Back then NHRA had just switched from Class racing on a weekly basis to bracket racing. John and I ran 'Bracket 1". Later, a 383 package Lingenfelter Corvette that ran 11.50's and got 24 miles per gallon did the duties. By then they had switched from Bracket 1/2/3 to the now popular Super Pro, Pro, Sportsman, and Street. I represented them 3 times at the Bracket finals @ Indy. It was funny over there when the pit stewarts wouldn't let my street driver in the lanes because "Street Class was being run later". (It ran Super Pro). LOL.Then my cousin Wayne Campbell talked me into buying his Superstocker. At that point I was into it hook, line and sinker. That's when I met all you fellers. Since Johns death last year and the selling of the car to the Huntzberrys, I'm still at that track every couple weeks tuning on somebody's fuel injection. I have had a steady diet of NTR all my life. I have to say, it's been a constant improvement the last few years. They are REALLY trying to make it better. You can see changes monthly.
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Jeff Niceswanger 3740 SS Last edited by Jeff Niceswanger; 12-20-2023 at 10:27 PM. |
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