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Lost Drag Strips

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by BobG, Nov 30, 2008.

  1. We also lost the old Islip Speedway 1/8 mile and NY National Speedway to an adult community.
     
  2. Boodlum
    Joined: Dec 19, 2007
    Posts: 353

    Boodlum
    Member

  3. Ramblur
    Joined: Jun 15, 2005
    Posts: 2,101

    Ramblur
    Member

    This track survives today albeit as an outlaw 1/8th mile. Back in the day
    hosted some of Garlits fire burnouts.

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  4. I have a businesscard from Dean Rollins, I believe this is who you are talking about. I talked with him a few years ago because I have a bunch of footage from Minnesota from the 60's that I want to make into a couple of DVD's and talked to him about donating some pics. He has a huge table at many of the swaps and sells pictures. I bought a few, pretty cool stuff. There's another gentleman that was going to write a book about drag racing in Minnesota that has a bunch of stuff also.
     
  5. bill wallace
    Joined: Oct 26, 2006
    Posts: 104

    bill wallace
    Member

    come back to central Indiana. We still have some of those & its like it was back in the day.
     
  6. 54BOMB
    Joined: Oct 23, 2004
    Posts: 2,109

    54BOMB
    Member

    This past weekend my parents were in town and we were flippin through some Rodders Journals and my mom was talking about working the snack bar at Fontana and how one time they had a real bad wreck and some poor guy lost his head, literally. Any one remember that? Maybe '66 or '67?
     
  7. Mazooma1
    Joined: Jun 5, 2007
    Posts: 13,598

    Mazooma1
    Member


    That was Les Richey, shown here at LIONS in his SOHC Mustang just weeks before his death at Fontana. Les' son still tunes Gas Ronda's 2007 street Mustang.

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  8. Herdez
    Joined: Feb 21, 2007
    Posts: 357

    Herdez
    Member

    [​IMG]
    Double eagle San Antonio Texas
    SA's first purpose built dragstrip opened in 1957 co manged by Chuck Oliver & wife Shirley Oliver for owners Bill & Dorthy Mclure drag racing enthusiast who ownerd a dairy farm outside Fort Worth Tx.

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    Martindale Airstrip San Antonio Texas- Olin Davis A/Altered gold class winner with "Red Riding Hoodlum" -safari drag events issue 1955 Hotrod Magazine.


    A few goodies from Texas..
     
  9. BobG
    Joined: Oct 22, 2008
    Posts: 350

    BobG
    Member

    You say it's still in operation as an 1/8 mile?


     
  10. SquashThatFly
    Joined: Nov 24, 2005
    Posts: 723

    SquashThatFly
    Member

    these pctures are a year or so old but the track has been shut down for a few years. the weeds are as high as the top of the stands now. Downed wires everywhere. It looks a lot worse now than it does in these photos

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  11. Eightydeuce
    Joined: May 10, 2007
    Posts: 322

    Eightydeuce
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  12. cruzingratiot
    Joined: Oct 2, 2008
    Posts: 345

    cruzingratiot
    Member
    from Detroit MI

  13. Angry Frenchman
    Joined: Feb 12, 2006
    Posts: 1,775

    Angry Frenchman
    Member

    I think it BS that the public can't race here anymore! :mad:
     
  14. KING CHASSIS
    Joined: Aug 28, 2005
    Posts: 1,862

    KING CHASSIS
    Member

    That much of White Hall still exists? Why isnt the Reunion held there?

    Get a weed eater and I will match race the Suicide King there next year!!

    We had fun at the reunion last year, but this would take the cake.
     
  15. KING CHASSIS
    Joined: Aug 28, 2005
    Posts: 1,862

    KING CHASSIS
    Member

  16. KING CHASSIS
    Joined: Aug 28, 2005
    Posts: 1,862

    KING CHASSIS
    Member

    Cool web site. You guys need to check it out!!
     
  17. MUNCIE
    Joined: Jan 24, 2006
    Posts: 2,347

    MUNCIE
    Member
    from Houston

    Anyone have any shots of the old drag strip in Porter Texas ?
     
  18. BobG
    Joined: Oct 22, 2008
    Posts: 350

    BobG
    Member

    A farmer owns the old track and property now and I've heard he don't want anyone on the property, When I went out to take pictures I was told by a local guy... if the farmer caught me out there he would have me arrested.... but I still thought what the heck, I wasn't going to bother anything.

    When I went out on the track I noticed he had been changing oil several times near the starting line area (probably on some tractor or ?) he drained the oil on the ground and there were filters laying here and there.

    I took a picture of the mess figuring if he wanted to have me arrested for trespassing I'd bargain with him by saying, I doubt my fine wouldn't be near as high as his.






     
  19. BobG
    Joined: Oct 22, 2008
    Posts: 350

    BobG
    Member

    I was told this was a track in Texas.


     

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  20. BobG
    Joined: Oct 22, 2008
    Posts: 350

    BobG
    Member

    Here's Yellow River in Covington Ga.
    the track is a trailer court today, the curved turn off is still at the very end of the track
    As you can see the track was narrow and the spectators were way too close. In March 1969 a nitro funny car went into the crowd at about 3/4 track, 12 people died and over 50 were injured.
    The track closed that day never to reopen.
     

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  21. Ramblur
    Joined: Jun 15, 2005
    Posts: 2,101

    Ramblur
    Member

    Yes,those pics I took in the late 80's the day it was auctioned.Unfortunately
    it was broken up and the shutdown area is now an industrial park.The circle
    track(barely seen behind the tower) was also sold and brought back to
    operation then a totally new(nice) circle track was built that ran ASA,
    Hooters Cup,and hosted a lot of Nascar testing. Sadly,they just auctioned
    the USA Speedway a couple months ago,right down to taking bids on the
    concrete and asphalt(more warehouses). The dragstrip has been recently
    repaved and updated but it seems(at least to me) that the pressure is on
    to develop? there too.The warehouse outfit paid $6 million for the fiftysome
    acre circle track.:(http://www.lakelandmotorsportspark.com/
     
  22. NapalmKornFlakes
    Joined: Dec 1, 2008
    Posts: 5

    NapalmKornFlakes
    Member
    from Peoria IL

  23. fanspete
    Joined: Oct 22, 2006
    Posts: 686

    fanspete
    Member

    Bob's pretty spot on. Gary's been asked and won't budge. His civic pride is, uuh, somewhat lacking! coughcoughASScoughcough;)
     
  24. VA HAMB
    Joined: Jun 14, 2006
    Posts: 1,377

    VA HAMB
    Member

    Here are a couple pics taken in Feb. of 2007 of the Louisa Drag Strip in Louisa Virginia. It ran from about 1959 to 64-65 somewhere around there. Im standing on the concrete launch pad and the 2nd photo is looking back towards the start. Where the wet gravel starts is the finish line. 1/5 mi. track. The land is now for sale.
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  25. They've added more pictures since I was there last.
    My Dad always wanted to take me there as a kid, but never did. Then, unfortunately, it closed. I remeber there was talk about reopening it back in the late 80's, but it obviously never happened. The timing would have been perfect since I was getting my license back in 86 (hehe).

    It's no wonder I used to make it down to French Road and be "up to no good" until the sun came up back in the day (haha).
     
  26. CGkidd
    Joined: Mar 2, 2002
    Posts: 2,908

    CGkidd
    Member

    Cool pics it is such a shame all these places have been lost. Me and my dad talk about Fontana drags all the time as the was his local track when he was in high school in the mid sixties. He says the worst thing to happen to the track was when Mickey Thompson bought it. He says it lost its appeal to him, since it was run more like a big business rather than a a small one where everyone knew everyone.
     
  27. propwash
    Joined: Jul 25, 2005
    Posts: 3,857

    propwash
    Member
    from Las Vegas

    There is a book that covers virtually every racetrack of ANY kind that has ever existed in the US. It has pictures, and name of the track/town, short blurb.

    If I wasn't so lazy, I'd step away from the 'puter to the bookcase, but I've actually posted the book name/info in here before.

    "airspeed is life...altitude is life insurance"

    dj
     
  28. Lee Martin
    Joined: Jun 17, 2005
    Posts: 739

    Lee Martin
    Member

  29. interesting thread...eerie no doubt!
     

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