If You Could Race At 1 Historic Closed Track? - Page 11

Doug Blackley · 04-09-2011, 08:12 PM

Wish York US 30 was still open, would really be cool to run there with all the history that happened there.

Sam Murray · 04-09-2011, 09:59 PM

X3 0n Sanford, Maine!

Four wide Pro Stocks, @ or below sea level, great traction and Bruce Wheeler @ the mike!

Mark Yacavone · 04-09-2011, 10:03 PM

I did get to race at a lot of the East Coast tracks... A few I missed:

Charlestown, R I

Orange Ma.,

Norwood,Ma.

Sanford, Me.

John Leichtamer Jr · 04-10-2011, 09:29 AM

Akron Ohio Municipal Airport Dragstrip.
Watched Art Arfrons and the Green Monster
Make alot of passes there.
The backdrop was Derby Downs.

Remember that one Brett????????

Hammer

Floyd Staggs · 04-10-2011, 10:06 AM

I can barely remember racing at the original Pomona in the late 50's with a flag man starter. I remember the first green light hanging over the track and the first christmas tree. Pomona isn't closed but it might as well be with only 2 races a year.

Jeff Lane · 04-10-2011, 11:02 AM

Puyallup Raceway was a pretty cool place in the day. It was the first drag race I went to (1975) and got a ride in Ken Dodgion's SS/GA 63' plymouth Belvedere. I went 11.27 / 117.63 as a passenger with no seat belt. Watched Gaines Markley's "Assasin" and the "Rain for Rent" teams run 5.70's in Top Fuel. I watched many races but never got to drive at Puyallup and wish I could have.

Also, a couple historic tracks in the Washington area before my time were Arlington and Shelton. They both have reunions each year.

Sam Murray · 04-10-2011, 08:51 PM

Hey Mark, You can get your chance at Orange, MA they are having their second reunion there on Sept 10th. With Drag racing.

http://johnscustomrods.com/drag_reunion_2010.htm

Sam

GarysZ24 · 04-11-2011, 10:29 PM

Given I'm from Colorado, I'd have to go with Century 21 Speedway (Aurora, Co), with Continental Divide Raceway (Castle Rock, Co.), being right there too! I was 3yrs too young for CDR's last divisional race, and I'm not sure when Century 21 closed down, but I did have a chance to run my former '66 Impala 396/325hp down the track before they completely lifted the asphalt from it....born too late (they made a song saying that, albeit not for the same reason I had)...lol

Mike Schwartz · 04-12-2011, 12:57 AM

I would say Old Bridge Stadium Speedway in New Jersey I grew up 16 miles from it, but it had already closed when I first became interested in drag racing.

DrHP · 04-12-2011, 02:31 AM

I would say Fremont #1, it was a mine shaft in the evening - set a F/S record there that lasted all of 20 hours, John Dusenberry from CO took it the next day with his FE Ford. At Fremont my Z28 would run way over 8000 RPM out the back door, talking about taking it to the limit in '81 - had to change the valve springs very often! Another few strips that I attended were; Alaska Dragway that was close to Anchorage,it ran a couple of years in the early '60's got shut down by the lack of planning committee. Went to Arlington WA, Shelton and Deer Park just watching in '66 or '67. Worked at the original Bonanza Dragway here in Walla Walla Wa when I was a kid. Lot of memories when I chased points in Div 6 in the 70's! - Calgary, Edmonton - man those where long trips , nowdays driving 1200 miles on the interstates in a day doesn't seem that bad, but at that time grinding along narrow roads towing at 50 to 60 sure was.

04-09-2011, 08:12 PM	#101
Doug Blackley Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Hanover, MA Posts: 430 Likes: 3 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: If You Could Race At 1 Historic Closed Track? Wish York US 30 was still open, would really be cool to run there with all the history that happened there. __________________ Doug Blackley 1697 STK

04-09-2011, 09:59 PM	#102
Sam Murray Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Cummaquid, Mass Posts: 445 Likes: 417 Liked 60 Times in 29 Posts	Re: If You Could Race At 1 Historic Closed Track? X3 0n Sanford, Maine! Four wide Pro Stocks, @ or below sea level, great traction and Bruce Wheeler @ the mike! __________________ Sam Murray 1616 STK

04-09-2011, 10:03 PM	#103
Mark Yacavone Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Miles From Nowhere Posts: 7,820 Likes: 2,910 Liked 5,127 Times in 1,955 Posts	Re: If You Could Race At 1 Historic Closed Track? I did get to race at a lot of the East Coast tracks... A few I missed: Charlestown, R I Orange Ma., Norwood,Ma. Sanford, Me. __________________ "We are lucky we don't get as much Government as we pay for." Will Rogers

04-10-2011, 09:29 AM	#104
John Leichtamer Jr Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Orange City Fl Posts: 764 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: If You Could Race At 1 Historic Closed Track? Akron Ohio Municipal Airport Dragstrip. Watched Art Arfrons and the Green Monster Make alot of passes there. The backdrop was Derby Downs. Remember that one Brett???????? Hammer

04-10-2011, 10:06 AM	#105
Floyd Staggs VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Cucamonga, CA Posts: 1,522 Likes: 157 Liked 229 Times in 99 Posts	Re: If You Could Race At 1 Historic Closed Track? I can barely remember racing at the original Pomona in the late 50's with a flag man starter. I remember the first green light hanging over the track and the first christmas tree. Pomona isn't closed but it might as well be with only 2 races a year. __________________ Floyd Staggs 787 SST

04-10-2011, 11:02 AM	#106
Jeff Lane Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 49 Likes: 2 Liked 12 Times in 3 Posts	Re: If You Could Race At 1 Historic Closed Track? Puyallup Raceway was a pretty cool place in the day. It was the first drag race I went to (1975) and got a ride in Ken Dodgion's SS/GA 63' plymouth Belvedere. I went 11.27 / 117.63 as a passenger with no seat belt. Watched Gaines Markley's "Assasin" and the "Rain for Rent" teams run 5.70's in Top Fuel. I watched many races but never got to drive at Puyallup and wish I could have. Also, a couple historic tracks in the Washington area before my time were Arlington and Shelton. They both have reunions each year.

04-10-2011, 08:51 PM	#107
Sam Murray Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Cummaquid, Mass Posts: 445 Likes: 417 Liked 60 Times in 29 Posts	Re: If You Could Race At 1 Historic Closed Track? Hey Mark, You can get your chance at Orange, MA they are having their second reunion there on Sept 10th. With Drag racing. http://johnscustomrods.com/drag_reunion_2010.htm Sam __________________ Sam Murray 1616 STK

04-11-2011, 10:29 PM	#108
GarysZ24 VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Tempe, Az. Posts: 1,273 Likes: 922 Liked 242 Times in 95 Posts	Re: If You Could Race At 1 Historic Closed Track? Given I'm from Colorado, I'd have to go with Century 21 Speedway (Aurora, Co), with Continental Divide Raceway (Castle Rock, Co.), being right there too! I was 3yrs too young for CDR's last divisional race, and I'm not sure when Century 21 closed down, but I did have a chance to run my former '66 Impala 396/325hp down the track before they completely lifted the asphalt from it....born too late (they made a song saying that, albeit not for the same reason I had)...lol __________________ Gary Hampton '86 Z24,173 V6 CF/S #5824 (#78 in 2021)

04-12-2011, 12:57 AM	#109
Mike Schwartz Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Maryland USA Posts: 533 Likes: 129 Liked 248 Times in 89 Posts	Re: If You Could Race At 1 Historic Closed Track? I would say Old Bridge Stadium Speedway in New Jersey I grew up 16 miles from it, but it had already closed when I first became interested in drag racing.

04-12-2011, 02:31 AM	#110
DrHP Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Walla Walla WA Posts: 8 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: If You Could Race At 1 Historic Closed Track? I would say Fremont #1, it was a mine shaft in the evening - set a F/S record there that lasted all of 20 hours, John Dusenberry from CO took it the next day with his FE Ford. At Fremont my Z28 would run way over 8000 RPM out the back door, talking about taking it to the limit in '81 - had to change the valve springs very often! Another few strips that I attended were; Alaska Dragway that was close to Anchorage,it ran a couple of years in the early '60's got shut down by the lack of planning committee. Went to Arlington WA, Shelton and Deer Park just watching in '66 or '67. Worked at the original Bonanza Dragway here in Walla Walla Wa when I was a kid. Lot of memories when I chased points in Div 6 in the 70's! - Calgary, Edmonton - man those where long trips , nowdays driving 1200 miles on the interstates in a day doesn't seem that bad, but at that time grinding along narrow roads towing at 50 to 60 sure was. Last edited by DrHP; 04-12-2011 at 02:52 AM. Reason: spelling