Official: Firebird International Raceway closing april 2013

[Detroit Bob]

My brother owns a home in Queen Creek Az. I go there each winter in Feb, usually around the time of the National or divisional at Firebird depending how they fall on the calendar. While driving around, I noticed a cattle farmer in area posted a large sign, on the edge of his propery that faced a development. Basically it said "this is a working farm, sometimes it stinks, if you don't like it don't move here". Maybe it's something all race tracks should do.

[Pat Cook]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lee

Sheriff Joe is the one who busted the party at Speed World!

Pat,
I grew up racing at Speed World back when it was Phoenix Raceway. Started in '78 or '79 after Beeline closed down. It's always been a great track in my opinion but I never liked it when it turned into Import night (as in ALL night) with DJ's, Bikini contests and mud / Jello wrestling. Now I like pretty girls just like everyone else here but I stayed after a race once to witness one of these events. To say it involves the dredges of society would be a complement. If track management can't see drugs and alcohol are part of the scene, they obviously have a blind eye.

That really sucks.....its that kinda qwap that gives drag racing a bad name. Bob Curly wouldn't put up with it.

Jeff, I worked the starting line at Speedworld when it was Mel Larsons,. Dial in were to the nearest tenth, there was a small aluminum box that had 2 rotory dials that the dials were set to. The Freeman brothers (Jesse & Joe) got really mad at me because I took to much time to put their dial into the box.....the next weekend I was sweeping the starting line and water the burn out box...

Oh yeah that was when they were driving 63 Nova's called "Bumble Bee" they were painted yellow and black and 4 speeds, old 4 speeds like muncies...

I think that is why i like that track, I grew up there....in a drag racing way

[Jeff Lee]

I started when Mike had control. I can't think of his name right now...dangit! It was In 1978 or 1979. Mike Donnelley! Bob Curly followed Mike.
He had a great bracket program that encouraged new racers by giving a trophy to everybody that won 1st round. He did that because by and large, that was the hardest thing for most newbies to accomplish. Of course if you won the finals, you got a much bigger trophy. I've got a lot of those first round trophies in Dad's attic (I hope).
I used to tack pictures there. I had a 35mm with various lenses and Mike never said nothing if I stood just past the 60' mark and stretched a leg onto the track as far as I could reach to get a front end shot as the car was launching. I need to scan those prints someday and get them on here. A few were pretty good. Now all I can operate is my iPhone camera.
And of course we could do burnouts while holding the car in the water box at the quarter panel or even worse, maybe a finger or two along the lip of the rear quarter wheel opening. Yikes!
But one of my best experiences was he let me and Brian Griffey borrow the track for the day FREE and we had the use of the timers. We did everything we could think of to make better ET's. Today, that's a $1500 minimum, if not $5,000 fee!
I know those were the good old days but I surely don't want to see that track go.
And another...I remember the Freeman's but it was when they had that Camaro. Wasn't it a Modified? I ended up working at Lou Grubb Chevrolet as a line mechanic and one of the guys bought that car as a roller. I remember him putting a tired 307 in the car just to move it around and he reved it to the moon and dumped the clutch. It actually pulled the wheels off the ground!
Remember the Knoblock / Yancer / ? (can't remember the third guys name) white mid-year Modified 'Vette? That car got me wanting to build a class car more than anything else in my life. And about 25 years latter Bud Yancer is my engine builder. I think he's one of the smartest engine builders there is. Just slower than molasses on a cold morning.

[aspen7709]

Just got back from a meeting called by Chuck Sundstrom. Firebird operations WILL CEASE as of April 1 2013. However the Gila River Indian tribe is in talks with NHRA to reopen the facility after making improvements. Charlie Allen and Co. Will NOT be building a different facility and WILL NOT be involved with the possible new venture. Chuck could not speculate as to when or if the tribe will reopen the track or who will be in charge. As far as current staff goes NONE of them will be working with the tribe at this time. Firebird will be running a compressed schedule and will be feilding a Summit Series team for the ET finals in 2013 having all the races before April 1.

Long story short the indians are taking over lets hope them and NHRA see eye to eye and no one gets greedy or cheap.......
Word on the street NHRA wants ALOT OF improvements.......
"We shall neither help nor hinder,but wait and see"

Kenny Newsome ?/sa stock eliminator

[Shadylane]

"Remember the Knoblock / Yancer / ? (can't remember the third guys name) white mid-year Modified 'Vette? That car got me wanting to build a class car more than anything else in my life. And about 25 years latter Bud Yancer is my engine builder. I think he's one of the smartest engine builders there is. Just slower than molasses on a cold morning."

The third person involved in the Corvette was Joe Faulkner (the driver most of the time). The engine was a de-stroked small block around 288 CI if I remember correctly. This picture was taken at Pomona in 83 or 84. After one pass Joe showed me the tattle tale on the tach (pre electronic) and it showed just shy of 10,500. Joe was good friend and previously raced a 66 El Camino in partnership with Bob DeYoung.

Kelly Lane