If You Could Race At 1 Historic Closed Track? - Page 9

Manny Sousa · 02-03-2011, 08:45 PM

I would love to race at the old Connecticut Dragway. Really need to get to Epping one day.

Manny Sousa

Bret Kepner · 02-03-2011, 09:20 PM

Casey: I'm hangin' in there. I consider myself far better off than other folks with problems. Thanks for asking, though!

Ed: If not, it was the first straight road out of Mesopotamia!

Bill Ringer · 02-03-2011, 09:42 PM

Add my name for CDR - Continental Divide Raceway near Castle Rock Colorado. This track is even HIGHER altitude than Bandimere, it was above 6000 ft!
I have some great memories and home movies from that place and I would have loved to race there.

Bill Ringer

joe huestis · 02-04-2011, 04:30 PM

Dover Drag Strip - Wingdale, NY . So I could run the likes of Lee Valentine and Allan Peters again. Lost to both in final rounds of Stock Eliminator in the mid -seventies before track closed for good. Remember "Wild Willie" Borsch and the "Winged Express" running there and laying down 2 solid black patches of rubber the length of the entire 1/4 mile !!
Connecticut Dragway - lots of fond memories there. Spun my '69 Camaro stocker in the traps, tripped the timers on 2 wheels going sideways.
NY National Speedway - to have the chance to see my good friend , Fred Rice defeat Richie Zul with his '71 Pinto stocker again while bracket racing there in the '70s. He was not happy and came over to us to let it be known.
West Hampton - had a ball there. Fun place to race. Stayed at my wife's uncle's house nearby when we drove the 3 plus hrs. from Dutchess County.
Joe Huestis
"Annie's Song" L/SA 9724
Wake Forest, N.C.

doublet · 02-04-2011, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philip Saran

Lions Dragstrip would be first choice, it was before my time.

I did make some pass's at Orange County Raceway in a street car
back in the late 70's.

Bought my 1973 340 Duster stock eliminator car the week after the
last race at OCIR so it got raced at Famoso, Pomona (once) and
the old Vegas track.

Was the old Vegas track in the same spot as The Strip is now? I was there in about 1972, but I don't remember a lot about it other than it ran in the same direction (I think).

Frank Castros · 02-04-2011, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joe huestis

Dover Drag Strip - Wingdale, NY . So I could run the likes of Lee Valentine and Allan Peters again. Lost to both in final rounds of Stock Eliminator in the mid -seventies before track closed for good. Remember "Wild Willie" Borsch and the "Winged Express" running there and laying down 2 solid black patches of rubber the length of the entire 1/4 mile !!
Connecticut Dragway - lots of fond memories there. Spun my '69 Camaro stocker in the traps, tripped the timers on 2 wheels going sideways.
NY National Speedway - to have the chance to see my good friend , Fred Rice defeat Richie Zul with his '71 Pinto stocker again while bracket racing there in the '70s. He was not happy and came over to us to let it be known.
West Hampton - had a ball there. Fun place to race. Stayed at my wife's uncle's house nearby when we drove the 3 plus hrs. from Dutchess County.
Joe Huestis
"Annie's Song" L/SA 9724
Wake Forest, N.C.

My father took me to me first drag race at Connecticut Dragway on Fourth of July weekend (1968?) and I saw "Jungle Jim" Lieberman for the first time.

The first time I went to Dover Drag Strip (1969?) Roland Leong (The Hawaiian) lifted up the fence at the far end of the "Hot" pits and let me sneak in.

I saw Grumpy's first Vega, Sox & Martin, Fast Eddie Schartmann and Hubert Platt match race at New York National Speedway.

Those where the days!

Tom P · 02-06-2011, 03:00 AM

I got to make a pass at Niagara in '04. It's still very smooth all the way down but the rental car was only going about 90.

I had to seek permission to go through the gate there but many other i've been able to just drive on in.

I guess if I could choose a historic closed track that isn't still just sitting there i'd say Orange County.

hemidup · 02-06-2011, 04:15 AM

I'd liked to go back to MN Dragway's. When I was a young teenager, I remember ditching my bike in the wood's right off the CR/242 RR tracks and then sneak in over the fence. John Hagen, Gene Pearson, Denny Mothershed, Keith Newstrom, Don Baierl, Bill Shifsky, John Rivers, Chuck Lofgren, where some my track hero's back then. I remember when I got my driver's license and I could finally enter the the west side pit access. Life was good back then. I remember during a time trial, my M/SA 65 Plymouth was in the oposite lane vs Gene Pearson's "Impossible Dream" B/MP Camaro............That was an eye opener, lol

Nico · 02-06-2011, 02:38 PM

I'm sure no one knows or remembers the Van Wert Dragway in Van Wert Ohio. Not a classy place, had gravel pits and a poor shut down area, but its where my dad raced in the late 60's & early 70's. It was an IHRA track where my dad set the stock national record with his 69 Z/28. A lot of good memories there.

jerry witzel · 02-06-2011, 08:26 PM

I remember Van Wert. My dad used to race there in the 60's and 70's also. I got to make 1 pass there in a factory V8 Chevy Monza in the mid 80's, smoked the rear tire most of the way down.

02-03-2011, 08:45 PM	#81
Manny Sousa Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Bradenton, FL Posts: 36 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: If You Could Race At 1 Historic Closed Track? I would love to race at the old Connecticut Dragway. Really need to get to Epping one day. Manny Sousa

02-03-2011, 09:20 PM	#82
Bret Kepner Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Saint Louis, Missouri, USA Posts: 418 Likes: 1 Liked 11 Times in 2 Posts	Re: If You Could Race At 1 Historic Closed Track? Casey: I'm hangin' in there. I consider myself far better off than other folks with problems. Thanks for asking, though! Ed: If not, it was the first straight road out of Mesopotamia! __________________ Bret Kepner BRETKEPNER@Prodigy.net Saint Louis, Missouri, USA

02-03-2011, 09:42 PM	#83
Bill Ringer Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Colorado Posts: 107 Likes: 34 Liked 141 Times in 25 Posts	Re: If You Could Race At 1 Historic Closed Track? Add my name for CDR - Continental Divide Raceway near Castle Rock Colorado. This track is even HIGHER altitude than Bandimere, it was above 6000 ft! I have some great memories and home movies from that place and I would have loved to race there. Bill Ringer

02-04-2011, 04:30 PM	#84
joe huestis Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Youngsville, N.C. Posts: 623 Likes: 280 Liked 409 Times in 113 Posts	Re: If You Could Race At 1 Historic Closed Track? Dover Drag Strip - Wingdale, NY . So I could run the likes of Lee Valentine and Allan Peters again. Lost to both in final rounds of Stock Eliminator in the mid -seventies before track closed for good. Remember "Wild Willie" Borsch and the "Winged Express" running there and laying down 2 solid black patches of rubber the length of the entire 1/4 mile !! Connecticut Dragway - lots of fond memories there. Spun my '69 Camaro stocker in the traps, tripped the timers on 2 wheels going sideways. NY National Speedway - to have the chance to see my good friend , Fred Rice defeat Richie Zul with his '71 Pinto stocker again while bracket racing there in the '70s. He was not happy and came over to us to let it be known. West Hampton - had a ball there. Fun place to race. Stayed at my wife's uncle's house nearby when we drove the 3 plus hrs. from Dutchess County. Joe Huestis "Annie's Song" L/SA 9724 Wake Forest, N.C.

02-06-2011, 03:00 AM	#87
Tom P Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 707 Likes: 30 Liked 239 Times in 94 Posts	Re: If You Could Race At 1 Historic Closed Track? I got to make a pass at Niagara in '04. It's still very smooth all the way down but the rental car was only going about 90. I had to seek permission to go through the gate there but many other i've been able to just drive on in. I guess if I could choose a historic closed track that isn't still just sitting there i'd say Orange County.

02-06-2011, 04:15 AM	#88
hemidup Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Minnesota Posts: 409 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: If You Could Race At 1 Historic Closed Track? I'd liked to go back to MN Dragway's. When I was a young teenager, I remember ditching my bike in the wood's right off the CR/242 RR tracks and then sneak in over the fence. John Hagen, Gene Pearson, Denny Mothershed, Keith Newstrom, Don Baierl, Bill Shifsky, John Rivers, Chuck Lofgren, where some my track hero's back then. I remember when I got my driver's license and I could finally enter the the west side pit access. Life was good back then. I remember during a time trial, my M/SA 65 Plymouth was in the oposite lane vs Gene Pearson's "Impossible Dream" B/MP Camaro............That was an eye opener, lol __________________ Jerry Williams NSS/A, E/S, PRO E.T. And the "Grandaddy" of Gen III Hemi Performance...The fire inside me still burn's. Last edited by hemidup; 02-06-2011 at 04:26 AM.

02-06-2011, 02:38 PM	#89
Nico Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 13 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: If You Could Race At 1 Historic Closed Track? I'm sure no one knows or remembers the Van Wert Dragway in Van Wert Ohio. Not a classy place, had gravel pits and a poor shut down area, but its where my dad raced in the late 60's & early 70's. It was an IHRA track where my dad set the stock national record with his 69 Z/28. A lot of good memories there.

02-06-2011, 08:26 PM	#90
jerry witzel Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Marion, Ohio Posts: 183 Likes: 3 Liked 44 Times in 15 Posts	Re: If You Could Race At 1 Historic Closed Track? I remember Van Wert. My dad used to race there in the 60's and 70's also. I got to make 1 pass there in a factory V8 Chevy Monza in the mid 80's, smoked the rear tire most of the way down.