Aquasco Speedway

[Dan Lattimore]

Originally Posted by Mike Bassin

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

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

[Dan Lattimore]

Originally Posted by Ken Keir

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

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

[X-TECH MAN]

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 !!!

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by X-TECH MAN

Somebody PLEASE invent a time machine !!!

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

[Rich Biebel]

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

[Dan Lattimore]

Originally Posted by X-TECH MAN

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 !!!

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

[Dan Lattimore]

Originally Posted by Rich Biebel

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

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

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Dan Lattimore

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

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.

[Rich Biebel]

Originally Posted by Dan Lattimore

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

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.....

[Dale Shannon]

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