My first drag race was at Langhorn Speedway in the PA town of the same name in 1958. I was 14 and had my mom, dad and grandmom haul my skinny but out there from Jersey. I found these 3 shots including the Philly Modifiers altered, a really scary dragster, and a pair of period correct HAMB coupes. How else has photos from that little drag strip in the middle of the famous oval speedway?
Cool pics, Rich! They just put a marker on the site of langhorne, it's a kmart now. Reedmans chevy across the street. My hero, DD harris used to run there. Thanks for the pics!! gaspumpchas
There is a book in the works about the History of Langhorne Speedway, should be out by the first of the year.
I found the rest of the photos, but the cars are really small. I gotta figure out how to enlarge and crop out all the grass. I believe it was an 1/8th mile or less.
was that the Track that they Raced Motorcycles on Fastest 1/2 mile track on the East Coast! <br> and they Stopped the Races after 3 Racers were killed in 58 or 59 2 were beheaded ?? <br> is the Race track on US 1 <br>
Langhorne dragstrip was an 1/8. The Phialadelphia Modifiers are still a street rod club with 60 plus members, we meet in Langhorne, not to far from the track. The 34 coupe was built by Ray and George Bowers, original members since 1955 and are current and active members in our club. The 34 coupe was rear engine and banned from the Hatfield, Pa. Speedway for being too radical. Ray and George built a Fiat bodied dragster with a 346 Olds, crank driven blower, finished 2nd at Indy I think in 1962. Our club, Philadelphia Modifiers, put on Old Time Drags at Atco Dragway, N.J., spring and fall, next on Oct. 19,08 Tony A.
Langhorne Speedway raced Sprints, midgets, Indy cars, Nascar, dirt and asphaly modifieds, and motorcycles. Check out 3widespicturevault.com for pictures from Langhorne, Trenton, Flemington, East Windsor, Reading Speedways that now no more. About Langhorne pits, there were no rest rooms, alternative, refrigerator boxes with doors cut in for privacy. These were the original port o potty
About the motorcycle racers, according to my father, 2 were killed during the race and another on Rt.1 in front of Reedman's and front gate of track, and that was the last race for motorcycles. Joe Leonard, known for Indy cars, won that last race.
I work in Langhorne and my maintenance manager tells me stories about sneaking into Langhorne to watch the races. I also just bought some old WAYNE literature from 1953 and there is a testimonial from Steve Danish of Pleasant Valley Garage in NY about how well he was doing at Langhorne with his Wayne 12 port head.
Hi Tony! Welcome to the HAMB, always good to get more first hand history. Was Great Meadows and ATCO the same drag strip? I'm restoring the Danbury,Connecticut Modifiers Lyndwood rail that won Low ET at Great Meadows on October 16, 1960, beat the Gianinni Brothers Chrysler HEMI powered Lyndwood.
Yo Bob...Island Dragway was and is located in Great Meadows, in north Jersey right up the road from Hackettstown...Atco in south Jersey. I knew some of the Modifiers would jump in. As a Fiat guy I've loved that altered for 45 years. Still have the little mag with it on the cover. Thanks for the details, now how 'bout some photos.
Wasn't the Langhorne speedway called the "Langhorne Left" by the NASCAR drivers back in the day? Reason, it was just a big circle with no straight sections.
I was in the navy with a guy from Langhorn named "DAVE BROOKS" I've been trying to locate him for 39 yrs!! anyone from that area know him, he would be in his late 50's.I know he lived at 23 pembrook dr, or st.something like that. i would be forever in anyone debt if that could help me out. Also my cousin ran a few cars at ATCO, he ran a brown 61 ply, 413, then a vette( never saw that) his name was steve cafasso he lived in Glouster city, near Al-Jo's, then somewhere else in that area. Any info would really help me get my Karma in order!!lol jimV
Great pictures. The picture of the 52 olds racing the 56 chevy, may be father in the olds. We lived in Bristol, PA at the time and I don't remember what color it was before he painted ( Earl Shibes -$20 ) black. His name is Art Hale. He use to hang around with Jack Kulb who had a garage in that area. Does any of this ring a bell with anyone?
Some cool YouTube video of Langhorne here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zexVJj-BLY&feature=related Is also VIDEO of the "Golden Submarine" in this clip! Look through the related videos for more from Langhorne. Enjoy!
I recorded a 15 minute clip on the speed chanel once , called the langhorn thriller. an old race mostly all 30's and 40's fords, towards the end about 3/4 of the field crashed all at once, something like 50 cars crashed!
Haler 1, Jack Kulp was a legend back in the 60's. His shop was on Bath Rd. in Bristo. Jack was famous for using blown Olds in his cars. The neatest thing was his chase car/truck, a Divco milk truck with a blown Olds. Jack was tech adviser for the Standard Auto Parts AA/ fuel dragster, with George"moving van" Van the driver. The last I saw Jack was on Memorial Day weekend 1970, Numedia Drag Strip in Central Pa. That was with Standard's fueler and Ed Fox's Hi Roller.
weathrmn I was aware of his liking to the blown olds. I remember my father telling of of the milk truck and how one night he stayed up working on it because had made a bet that he could beat another Bristol, pa resident Ralph "Striper" Hardt and his I beleive 54 olds. Do you know anything about a simca he built?
I worked for Jack Kulp in the mid to late 80's at his transmission garage. He told some great storries. Sadly Jack is no longer with us but his son still has some great parts and photos. Also the trophy for beating Mickey Thompson at York US30
Heywood65, is there anyway you could put me in contact with Jack Kulps son? I'm looking for any pictures of my fathers 52 olds he raced along with Jack in the late 50s.
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