Final thoughts about Old Bridge Township Raceway Park

[Bunkster]

Originally Posted by FECARMAN

We have the memories. They have the cash. Reminds me of a country and western song.

Probably Jerry Reed's: "She Got the Gold Mine, I Got the Shaft"

[modelman1960]

For all you X-mas vacation film fans, my wife and I watch it about once a month. 1 of the things we've learned is when Clark is giving his rant so well described by Mr. Fontana and others, the words were written on the wall of the "alcove" he's standing in above the entrance way to the living room where everyone else is staring at him. Just in case he forgot one.
He didn't forget any BTW.
Sad that E-town is closing. The 73 Summers was the 1st national event I attended.
God Bless all.
Walt

[John Kissel]

How about "She ain't worth the whiskey". By the way , it looks like Alexis DeJouria might be sitting pretty now, as Patron' is being bought by Bacardi for 5.1 Billion. Maybe she wants a dragstrip. John KisselK242

[bmedeirs]

I am not going to make any statements on how we got to this point when a major track in a metro area of the country closes. My final thoughts start from the first time I went to Old Bridge Raceway Park for the Summernationals in 1973. I remember the stop and go traffic from Texas Road to the entrance with a guy selling and buying tickets to the sold out event, Jungle Jim and other funny car drivers working on their cars in the parking lots of the motels in Edison, when it rained all night in our tent pitched next to Pension Road and we let the bikers who had no protection sleep in our tent, the HEAT, the fresh squeezed lemonade from a whole lemon and the Race Zone Bar and Grill on Englishtown Rd.

In the 90s I was not racing, but brought my sons to the Funny Car Reunions a couple of years. I saw Bruce Larson backed up by Pam Hardy and he made a wheel standing run.
When I returned to racing in 2006 and returned to Raceway Park it felt like stepping out onto the field at Fenway Park. This arena ,Raceway Park had the history were great people raced and competed and historic automotive events happened. I was lucky to race there and compete competitively because there was that extra incentive to compete and do well at Raceway Park. I was an honor to compete there.

Video of a memorable ran at Raceway Park with thanks to Lewis Bloom for the great announcing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7BHyD1A72c&t=266s

[Mike Jones]

There is another thread about the "Hemi Challenge at Indy" on here. It reminded me about something I saw at the Summernationals I wonder if anyone remembers an A/G Hemi Cuda that blew the clutch, so violently, it literally blew the dashboard, windshield, back of the block etc. etc. It was a miracle the driver survived. It had to be late 70`s. I can`t recall the drivers name, maybe someone else can chime in.
Mike A114

[Pete Lanciers]

Originally Posted by Mike Jones

There is another thread about the "Hemi Challenge at Indy" on here. It reminded me about something I saw at the Summernationals I wonder if anyone remembers an A/G Hemi Cuda that blew the clutch, so violently, it literally blew the dashboard, windshield, back of the block etc. etc. It was a miracle the driver survived. It had to be late 70`s. I can`t recall the drivers name, maybe someone else can chime in.
Mike A114

Mike are you thinking of John Archambault's 68 Cuda, I had thought it was a A/MP though not a Gasser... I believe after the incident you refer to he put in a ClutchFlite...

[Mike Jones]

Originally Posted by Pete Lanciers

Mike are you thinking of John Archambault's 68 Cuda, I had thought it was a A/MP though not a Gasser... I believe after the incident you refer to he put in a ClutchFlite...

Pete, I cant be sure. It could have been A/MP. I cant even remember the color, much less anything else. All I remember was looking inside the car. The destruction that explosion caused was shocking. Maybe someone has pictures. They run those AH cars to the edge. But I`ve never seen anything like that.
Mike A114

[larrylomascolo]

This is sad news, (They paved paradise and put up a parking lot)Joni Mitchell

[jwsamuel]

Originally Posted by larrylomascolo

This is sad news, (They paved paradise and put up a parking lot)Joni Mitchell

It was already paved. Now they are parking on it.

[richie 2]

Originally Posted by larrylomascolo

This is sad news, (They paved paradise and put up a parking lot)Joni Mitchell

you never know what you've got till it's gone.