Old National Trail Raceway Photos - never before published

Lots of cool dragster photos. Any superstockers??

 

A photo of Ben Rader (at left) with NHRA Division 3 Director Bob Daniels. Oh, and with a handwritten note from Wally Parks at the bottom.

 

Stockers? Sure! Actually I have my photos somewhat organized by car type in my files, and I was coming to the end of that group of rails and into the door car files.

 

The wheels on the '59 just turn my crank!

 

more diggers!

T. Hilton

 

Check out the smoke rollin' as the Mustang launches. Nowadays if a racer in a 9-second car feels so much as a wiggle he is in Race Contol, getting all red-faced with the track officials.

 

Wagons, Ho!

 

I think a ........John Hilton, once drove a gas dragster for Jim English of Louisville befor English went into partnership with "Frakes & Funk".........with a Fraks, Funk & English AA Fule Dragster

 

My grandpa John sold Bill English a Woody chassis that was previously Otie Smith's top gas car....Bill wanted a Garlits engine, so he got it. They called it the "Swamp Elephant" because it had a Big Daddy built 426 in it...Anyways, Bill never drove, so my grandpa drove it at the first Gatornats, did a bitchin wheel stand against Al Bergler...drove it all that next summer...i got a pic of that wheel stand ill have to scan up...

T. Hilton

 

Great shots Royal. Love them Stock, Super Stock cars!

 

Glad you guys are enjoying them.
Here's Paul Richardson with the SS/AA "Hustlin' Hemi"

 

Not sure when the pic of the Nova and Camaro was shot, but I'd say we are getting into the latter '70's. To make up for getting sorta o/t I present to you the "Little Blue Bird" early Barracuda and the Big Bad Dodge

 

Clark JR. flipped that car back in the early 90's going down the strip but it was not too badly hurt-neither was he. A tie rod broke and it went over and ended up in the grass.

I worked for the National Muscle Car Association (NMCA) back in 90-94. It happened at our race there in 93 or maybe 94. Can't remember. Sunday afternoon, the event was over and he went down the track by himself. I don't think the christmas tree was not working-or they already put it away.

Car would have had worse damage but it flipped in the grass. Glass was broken out and the roof had some buckles in it.

He was not wearing a helmet. I think he ended up with a bloody nose or a cut on his head. I don't think he was wearing his seat belt.

I have some pics of the wrecked car somewhere. I think we posted a pic of it in the NMCA Fast Class monthly magazine as well.

 

The "Billy the Kid" Barracuda, owned by the Infamous Bill Stepp. I could try to tell you what Bill was like, but it would read like pure fiction. For a little insight into one of the more colorful characters that raced at NTR, follow this link:
http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2008/12/12/ddn121208steppobit.html

 

Hey! That thing got a Hemi?

 

I hated when they desided to do away with the walk over at the stageing lanes.

 

Yeah, I remember being up on that walk when I was a kid and thinking it was so cool. In their defense, it was in pretty bad shape when it was finally taken down. And the current configuration really does not have anywhere to put it.

 

Chesrown is an Oldsmobile dealer, actually 2 dealers: David Chesrown in Newark, Ohio and his brother Norm in Columbus. Both dealerships still exist and are still owned by the same family, but (obviously) not as Oldsmobile stores. Chesrown entered a car just about every year into the '70's, generally driven by Ron Garee. Someone told me recently that they went to look at a pretty shabby 442 ('67 I think) in the Brownsville, Ohio area and it turned out to be an old Chesrown race car. He's supposedly working on a deal to buy it.

 

I grew up in WV just down the street from a guy who drove a dark blue '66 442 who eventually got sponsored by Chesrown Olds. Man did we love hanging around drag cars growing up. Anyway, it looked a lot like this '67. Name was Tom Bishop. He moved to the Columbus area. I wonder if this may be a newer car he owned and drove.

 

Yep, Tom Bishop was a friend of my brother's. Tom used to work for Chesrown in Newark, I have not seen him for years.

 

The "Happy" Morrison Dodge

 

This is just a really cool shot of a 1968 Hurst Olds launching.

 

One of the best race car names ever...

 

Guys, this is going to have to do it for me until the end of the month. I've got my bags packed and I'm headed to Vegas. Going to catch the "Mopars at the Strip" , then do a little partyin'. See ya when I get back, I still got a ton of pics to post.

 

Whats the deal with the cowing over the motor? Primitive streamlining?

 

Perhaps there is a mild small block under there so he decided to intimidate with a huge molded engine cover. Kinda like wearing a padded codpiece.

 

I ran a car there early 80's late 70's can't find a good track shot. "Naders Nightmare" Corvair small v8. damn miss that thing.

 

Do you have any photos of any altered's running at the trails ? I just bought a 27 t about 30 miles north of there !! Thanks Mike

 

thanks for posting all these great pictures! I want an STP t-shirt!!!

 

The Camaro pic had to be 1975 . The index on the window was the spot a SS/K car would get from an A/Dragster (the fastest handicap head start class at that time) ( .000 index).
That's the only year NHRA did that . See Corvair pic, this page.
The 68 Chevy II was local engine builder Tom Elk, pretty sure (SS/J)