Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

From the west coast a few more names....

Bob Mazzolini, still races once in a while.
Al Etter, was smart enough to retire.
Don Studley...RIP

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

Started in 68, same car since 71, at Lancaster Dragway and Niagara Drag Strip in NY. Tried to pass it on to my son but he's too smart, he took up golf instead. now lets see if my racing buddies own up! LOL

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

1960, 1950 Olds 88 2 dr hard top. Wish I had it today, traded it in on my first 1956 Chevy. Raced that one too. LOL

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

Read with excitement on the sports page an article with a picture about the "rail dragsters" exceeding 100 mph at Akron Municipal Airport in the late 50's. It was an amazing feat; over 100 mph in less than 13 seconds from a dead stop in only a quarter mile!!! And in those days, the airport was the only place that this kind of racing could occur.

Took my first car to the track (Dragway 42 in Ohio which, back in the day, even actually hosted NHRA Nationals) I was there in 1961, with a 1961 Ford Falcon (140 cubic inches of "nothing but slow"..but it ran, so I raced it. And I actually beat a corvair once) , followed a year later by a 1956 Chevy hardtop with a 283 carrying 327 350 heads, and dual quads whose powerglide transmission was good for two runs before low range was gone..... and then in 1963 I was back with the falcon and a 260 V8, and ran C/MP.

I continue to laugh at the time that Shirley Muldowney went past the finish line, through the gravel and fence at the end of the track at Dragway 42, across the road, and into corn field on the other side. Her car was stripped of most of it's paint by the corn stalks, and she was mad as hell about the whole thing. If you ever meet her, ask her about it. And then get ready for an explosion.....

Frankly I never enjoyed night racing at Dragway 42, which was slightly uphill at the end, and poorly lighted. So it was like driving into a black hole even with your headlights on. But still.... it was a place to race.

Then life got in the way and I wasn't back at the track until my son Chris got a car that he wanted to run. It was a 1967 Ford Galaxie with built 351 Cleveland. It ran surpisingly well actually hitting 12.99 once.

And I took my 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 there with him also. I got pulled off the track, when Chris had left an ice bag on the motor, and water was dripping out. I just came upon a video of him as he was videoing and narrating that embarrassing event.

Memories are good....

David
The New Hemi Guy

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

1967 (I think) DesMoines dragway with my ist car- '52 Olds Super 88 with 3x2s and Hydamatic (not to mention pinstriped dash...man I miss that car). Then 1968 (pretty sure) NEITA with a friends '61 Ford Galaxie with 406, dual quads with tunnel-port heads and 4-speed. We left three rear-ends at the track that summer....brutal torque.

Those were FUN days, flat towing. The biggest thrill was making it there without crahing or having a couple flat tires ;-)

Jok Nicholson

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

My record against her, must have been better than yours! I even beat her for the Div. 5 championship in 1977, she red lighted in a run off, when we were tied for points, after the last race at Rocky Mountain Dragway. Eddie Rezac

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

My first was a '50 Olds convert with a '57 J2 with an Isky roller in it . thought I was hot stuff running 13's on Atlas bucrons in '69 !
By chance ,I saw the car in back yard with a tree growing thru it about 15 years ago, guy chased me away when I asked about buying it!

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

Okay, I've missed this thread some how. I took my first trek to the drag strip in 1963 Shuffletown Dragway outside of Charlotte. Yes sir Mr. Watson, I took my beatings from those guys when I moved to Raleigh. I moved to Raleigh and my first trip to a drag strip in this area was to Person County Dragway, young folks know it as Roxboro Motorsports Park, my first round loss was to Mr. Ronnie Sox. We remained good friends for many years.

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

Yours was a lot faster than mine!

I used Atlas Bucrons on my first '56. Forgot about those. We could buy some that had been adjusted under warantee here for $15.00 each. had "ADJ" burned into then in the white wall with a branding iron. Turned the white wall to the inside anyway. Mounted on another pair if stock 15" steel wheels. Had me some "slicks". LOL
Changed them at the track with a bumper jack. Thought I had arrived. Set the track record for my class at 15.05, @ 90 MPH. Dang! Thought I was flying, running 90 MPH in the 1/4.
That was in 1961

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

Mr. Bud Rowe, not sure when he started but I am sure it was before I was born 41 years ago but he can still mow it down. Just ask everyone from the CCRA race at Fayetteville last year.

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

LEW ok your just a kid
on my 58 pontiac i had sear M/T slicks with a red sidewall

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

1962 Dover drag strip with my 55 Chevrolet 265 k/s still going strong and having fun.

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

Beginning in '66, would get dropped off at Dover Drag Strip on Sundays to watch the likes of Sir Tom and Lee Valentine, Clem LaChance, Bill Casey, Jim Lovallo, the Terenzio Bros. etc. Started crewing for a neighbor with his brand new '68 Camaro in 1968 already hooked, Got my drivers license in '71 and drove my '57 Chevy Wagon straight to Dover. Took it off the road and have raced continueously since '72. Enjoy it today as much as I did over 40 years ago !

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

My first pass was in 1967 in my mom's 61 Buick Skylark at Bowling Green. That car had a 221 cu. in. All aluminum V8 with a very small afb carb. Took the air cleaner off so in could hear that afb.

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

Well not as old as some of these farts, but my older brother took me to Dover Drag strip in the mid 60"s and then i Started to race my car in 1970 and at Dover and Connecticut Dragway .AND STILL DOING IT, AS AN OLD FART!!!!!
Bob Lasko

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

My father/brother started racing 64-66 in Max wedge Plymouths. I started in 73 with a steet driven VW that ran 13's in 1/4 eventually graduating to a Max wedge SS/EA and then an A/SA which Kasse/Corda can talk about. Quit for some stupid reason only to resurface in 2001 for a short stint in F/SA only to quit mainly for the loss of my brother but will soon be back with the best car ''I" hopefully have put together. Rick

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

I am just a kid! First time down the strip was at Thunder Valley, Marion S.D., in 1972 with a '66 Fairlane 289....trophy stock....

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

1959 Old Dominion Dragway Manassas, Virginia 1/5 mile. My Pop's 37 Packard convertible . Hope he doesn't read this , 89 years old and he would still beat my ***** and ground me.

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

After reading most of this, I feel pretty young....first time to the drag strip I snuck into Person County Drag Strip (now known as Roxboro) riding in the trunk of my brothers car. Must have been 1974....I was back in a few weeks with my car and still going.

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

1966 quaker city, salem, ohio
terry dye

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

On & off since 1962 at Westhampton and Islip on Long Island, NY...........

In 1965 my job changed and headed for (what Hot Rod Magazine call the Pebble Beach of dragracing) Half Moon Bay, CA........

Raced at the tracks that aren't around anymore.......

Race car is sitting and we will be back.....again

Bob

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

Raceway Park 19........197............197 crap I can't remember.

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

1964, deer park wa.55 chev/265/ 3 spd. still at it,today.

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

1964 Flemington Dragway N.J. and Island Dragway with a 1955 Plymouth Savoy K/SA. Still at it today for the fun and good times bench racing with other "old timers" when the race day is done. I'm the only member of the Brew Crew who remembers a flag man.

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

Wow John, you've got me beat. My first pass was mid May 71 in my 63 Dodge at West Hampton, later in 71 I was running the Sport Fury in F/SA with a 361/305, the local tech man entered the car as a 62 rather than a 63 so I could run the four barrel.

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

is that upper washington state looks like a airport i went past it in nov when i was on vaction north of where they made that one movie

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

been racing off and on for 45 years first race car was 64 gto b/s 4spd tri power at 131 drayway in mich i still races there lots of old timers up here including dave bortman

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

early sixty's.......started by a flagman, 5 bulb tree then 3 bulb tree with incadescents ...now led's ...what's next?

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

Enough sense to quit ? Why in the world would I want to as I'm having the time of my life every time I go .................................Been at it since the late sixties w/ Tommy Goldman at Mountain View Speedway near Wind Gap , Pennsylvania .

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

1974 mason dixon, 1972 340 4sp duster

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

Ellensburg international Raceway
Ellensburg , WA June 1962 (56 Ford convertible vs Bob Neely 55 Chev)

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

Farmington , New Mexico on the Bluffs in a 1955 chevrolet stocker in 1963 I was sophmore in High school:):p Will not quit until I forget who i am or run out of money and even then My daughters :) will remind me who i am Yea Kati and Jeni

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

hi, yes it was an airport, you pitted and raced on cement. also, they used flag start. they had two guys line you up on the start line, early stagers, lol

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

After college I bought a new GTO (Tri-power, 4 speed etc ) and went to Sanford Dragway in Maine in 1965. I've raced every year since and can't stop!!

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

Starting in 1972 I would go to Ohio Valley and enter stock. If no other cars in j/sa I'd make a single and take my trophy to the drive-in with the shoe polish on the windows. I loved to act all bad *** even though I couldn't out run anybody. Come to think of it, that last sentence is still valid.

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

Off & on since 1963 Charlestown, RI. 54 Chevy 6 cyl. 3 speed. Used to have to run against flathead Fords. You know how that worked out!

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

My first race at a drag strip was when I was in the Canadian army stationed at Chilliwack, British Columbia in 1955
I had a 1937 chev with split manifold and 2 single barrel carbs, me and a buddy went to an old air force base in Abbotsford, B.C.
I think this drag strip was the forerunner to the Mission Dragway.

BTW, I think they put me in G/Gas and I ran way over the record at an astonishing sub 20 second run at just over 65 mph.

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

Stationed in N.C. 1963 ran several tracks ,Holly Ridge,flag start, old airstrip. Kinston was big time with christmas tree.

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

1960 Langhorne speedway Langhorne Pa. With a 1954 Mecury Sun Valley. Wish I still had the car.

Re: Old Farts that don't have enough sense to quit
 

You just turned on the way back machine......

I remember driving out to Reedman Motors in Langhorne with my brother to pick up his new car in the 60's.....

Seems like yesterday...

Bob