Gateway done! - Page 5

Nitro Joe Jackson · 11-11-2010, 10:17 PM

downfall of St Louis track was when they turned the track the other way, man i have great memories of the old AHRA days of the Gateway Nats and one of the first drag strips in the country that had a bar & restaurant right by the starting line.
Bret remembers those great days also!

CycloneFE · 11-11-2010, 11:00 PM

Bret,

My Dad said he used to go to Cahokia in the 1950's to Park's Air College where they used to run on the air strip. He told me that Lawrenceville was run on the air strip there also. He attended it a lot. He saw Garlits, Arfons, and the "Bustle Bomb" back in the day. It must have been quite a time back then.

Steve

k.pascoe · 11-12-2010, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nitro Joe Jackson

downfall of St Louis track was when they turned the track the other way, man i have great memories of the old AHRA days of the Gateway Nats and one of the first drag strips in the country that had a bar & restaurant right by the starting line.
Bret remembers those great days also!

Joe,

That club, bar, restaurant, went by the name of "Stages". It...., was a local legend.

Bret Kepner · 11-12-2010, 12:02 PM

It actually started out as a "real" restaurant called Shooter's Steakhouse in 1976. After that went out of business, it was rented out and renamed Stages which was a bar/nightclub. Stages was shut down by law enforcement for admitting underage kids in 1993. The building was vacant from '94-'96.

k.pascoe · 11-12-2010, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bret Kepner

It actually started out as a "real" restaurant called Shooter's Steakhouse in 1976. After that went out of business, it was rented out and renamed Stages which was a bar/nightclub. Stages was shut down by law enforcement for admitting underage kids in 1993. The building was vacant from '94-'96.

Bret,

I can still hear in my mind the best line ever at a drag race by a track announcer at The Swamp. (I'll leave he name out, just because.)

"So and so just won more money than his whole house is worth!!!"

michael mercer · 11-12-2010, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bret Kepner

It actually started out as a "real" restaurant called Shooter's Steakhouse in 1976. After that went out of business, it was rented out and renamed Stages which was a bar/nightclub. Stages was shut down by law enforcement for admitting underage kids in 1993. The building was vacant from '94-'96.

Wasn't it being opperated by the Fed's trying to get some of thier money back at the
time it was busted?

Bret Kepner · 11-13-2010, 01:20 AM

Huh?

michael mercer · 11-13-2010, 07:48 PM

Bret, you have a PM

11-11-2010, 10:17 PM	#41
Nitro Joe Jackson VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Loudonville, Ohio or where ever the Nitro Lounge is parked Posts: 2,293 Likes: 57 Liked 67 Times in 19 Posts	Re: Gateway done! downfall of St Louis track was when they turned the track the other way, man i have great memories of the old AHRA days of the Gateway Nats and one of the first drag strips in the country that had a bar & restaurant right by the starting line. Bret remembers those great days also! __________________ Nitro Joe Jackson STK 3431 nitrojoe@neo.rr.com

11-11-2010, 11:00 PM	#42
CycloneFE Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Decatur Illinois Posts: 634 Likes: 0 Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Gateway done! Bret, My Dad said he used to go to Cahokia in the 1950's to Park's Air College where they used to run on the air strip. He told me that Lawrenceville was run on the air strip there also. He attended it a lot. He saw Garlits, Arfons, and the "Bustle Bomb" back in the day. It must have been quite a time back then. Steve

11-12-2010, 12:02 PM	#44
Bret Kepner Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Saint Louis, Missouri, USA Posts: 418 Likes: 1 Liked 11 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Gateway done! It actually started out as a "real" restaurant called Shooter's Steakhouse in 1976. After that went out of business, it was rented out and renamed Stages which was a bar/nightclub. Stages was shut down by law enforcement for admitting underage kids in 1993. The building was vacant from '94-'96. __________________ Bret Kepner BRETKEPNER@Prodigy.net Saint Louis, Missouri, USA

11-13-2010, 01:20 AM	#47
Bret Kepner Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Saint Louis, Missouri, USA Posts: 418 Likes: 1 Liked 11 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Gateway done! Huh? __________________ Bret Kepner BRETKEPNER@Prodigy.net Saint Louis, Missouri, USA

11-13-2010, 07:48 PM	#48
michael mercer Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: southern illinois Posts: 49 Likes: 9 Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Gateway done! Bret, you have a PM