DVD - History of Drag Racing in MN - Looking for...

Ok, I was going to do this project a few years ago, but things got in the way and it never got going. But I'm ready to start now. I'm going to do a documentary on the history of drag racing in Minnesota. There were a lot of great drivers from here and Minnesota Dragways drew a lot of big names through the years. The story will start in the 50's before organized tracks and talk about cruising and street racing, then work through roughly 1970 and the organized racing and the tracks here in Minnesota. I have a few friends who are friend's with many of the old drag racers of the day as well as many of the early GSTA guy's who were influential in getting Minnesota dragways going. I have a verbal commitment for a sitdown interview with Doc Halladay and hope to have Hoover and Bill Schifsky along with many, many other people who helped form the scene back then. John Foster Jr., who's dad was in the GSTA in the early days and ran Minnesota Dragways will be going through a bunch of old 8mm film and pictures from back in the day for this project. I also have 30 minutes of footage from Minnesota Dragways from 1959-61 that has early Garlits, Ivo and others on it. I also have 2 hrs of footage from Minnesota Dragways and Twin Cities from the 50's to about 1970 that I'm getting permission to use.

Anyways, I was wondering if there were HAMBer's on here that might have stuff they would like to contribute to the project? What I'm still looking for are three things right now, one are pictures of Twin Cities Speedway and Minnesota Dragways. Not just drag racing pictures, but pictures of things like the tower and the main signage and people, drag racing photos are great too, but I'm really looking for some of the other types of photos. Second, I'd like photos of cars and people and places around the twin cities from back before the drag strips were open. Something that will help tell the story before the drag strips opened. Third, I'm looking for music that I can use royalty free. I'd prefer to have music without singing and music that might fit the era, but it doesn't have to, it's more important to have music without singing, so if there are any musicians out there that would like to contribute to the project let me know. I really think this will turn out to be a cool project and I hope others think so too.

You can post here or PM me with info, but try to post your thoughts and info here to keep this active for a bit so I can get as many people to read as I can.

 

One other thing, if anyone has people that you think might have info that would help this project post it up here or PM me, thanks.

 

I would love to see this happen. My dad tells of his first time racing up there around 64, the stock classes ran 4 abreast!

 

Would love to see this happen also. I ran at Minnesota Dragways in the late 60's thru early 70's. I have a couple of pictures of me racing 4 wide their

 

I sent a DVD of Minnesota Dragways stuff to HAMBer "oldrodslive"....might be something there you can use. My partner and I ran an A/D there from '63 thru '66.

 

I have some old pictures from BIR and could probably find a lot more though friends up in Brainerd. I'll see what I can come up with.

 

JohnnyFast, I'd love to see the DVD, I'm sure there is stuff I can use. Do you have another copy I could get or should I try contacting oldrodslive?

 

That would be great!! Thanks!!

 

I'd love to see those!

 

I've seen some mention of Interstate Dragways up by Fargo/Moorhead in my research and I can't find much history on it, does anyone have some info or links that might help me with the history of that dragstrip? I think my friend knows Duwayne Engness who owned it, but not sure.

I'd also like to find out more about the early days of Donnybrooke(BIR)

Yeah, I'm pretty excited about the project. I work with Ron Braun who used to drive some of the old GSTA dragsters and he's kind of the one who started filling me in on the drag racing scene hear in Minnesota back in the day. I also became a GSTA member a couple of years ago and redid their webite and part of that included a history section that has a bunch of info about the late 40's and 50's and how the GSTA was involved in getting Minnesota Dragways opened.
What I haven't been able to find out is why they thought they needed Minnesota Dragways when there was dragstrip at Twin Cities Speedway already. Anyone have any info on this?

I'm still "chunking" the outline together so I can get a list of interview questions together and have a bunch of smaller "gap" questions like above to figure out.

 

Try contacting him. That's my only DVD. I also have it on VHS tape but I'm reluctant to let that out of my sight.

 

PM JJ Rodder on here. I believe he was the track manager at Donneybrooke when it first opened. He may also have some pics for you, as he was a photographer in the 60's. There is also a guy who sells pics from Minnesota Dragways at the local swap meets. He was the track photographer back in the late 60's-early 70's. One of the local guys may have a name/contact number for him.

 

Talk to Eyeball about the Fargo area.

 

I will, thanks!

I'll will contact him, thanks. I talked to the guy at the swap meets, not sure how interested he was, but he gave me his card and I hope he will contrigute also, thanks for the info!

I'll PM eyeball and see what he has, thanks!

 

Anyone else have any more leads for me to follow?

 

My partner, Roger, has a collection of photos, etc. from back then. I'll P.M. his Email address.

 

I have a couple of brochures promoting a "new" track being built Minnesota Dragways .. I suppose they were a way of gathering sponsers or financial backers ..let me know if ya want copies .. I also have a dozen trophys from there 61-62 .....and some weekly papers from the anoka strip too

I have some asphalt bits from the area near the starting line ? when it was bulldozed for the housing thats there now ..

a friend had Warren johnson's 40 chev racecar (now sold)the one he had before going prostock racing i have a few "parts " from that car and pics from that era 69-70

 

I have Mikes (oldrodslive) phone number if you need it.

Sounds like a cool project, you should head out to a gsta meeting and see if you can get some info on old members and also put an add in the linechaser.

JEFF

 

let us know when the DVD comes out - I sell just about every independent DVD from Lions to the Atomic Hot ROds stuff.............
I will be at the GSTA show this year - I will be selling all the hot rod DVDs there - as well as the World of Wheels show.

Look forward to meeting you

 

Can you PM me your contact info and when I get a chance I can get in touch with, the brochures and trophys would be great to use, thanks!

Jeff, can you PM me the info that would be great. I joined the GSTA through my buddy Ron Braun who drove many of the GSTA dragsters and really provided me with a monster jump start on the project and I have many of the early GSTA members who will be helping with the story. Great idea on the linechaser, thanks!

We might have already met, do you sell all the old DVD's and Rat Fink stuff? If so I think I talked to you about selling DVD's at the Goodguys show or The Pileup.

 

http://www.interstatedragways.net/

I thought they used to have a history page on the web site but I can not find it. Looks like recent ownership change also.

 

Jim- Roll up to Hoovers alignment shop on North 2nd street. Talk to Doc Holiday, your best friend Bob can put you in touch with him. Bruce would be another guy to talk to I can get ya in touch with him. You got my number.

 

Yeah, I got a verbal from Holiday (Halladay, sorry, I thought it was spelled Holiday too) and after that sit down I'm going to talk to Hoover and Schifsky to see if I can get sitdowns with them. I'll get in touch with you soon on that. I'm meeting with Roger Stanke tonight to go over 2 hrs. of footage to see what of it is his and I'll pick his brain for names and info.

 

I've got some photos from the pits...........probably 1974 or so. You know how to reach me.

 

Thanks John! You still slotcar racing, if so I'll have to stop down and get my butt kicked and get some pics.

Jim

 

This would be awesome. I have some stuff, I will post this week-end when I get back home from the road.

 

Sounds Great, thanks !

 

I'm getting alot of great info so far guys, thanks! Is there anyone else who has anything else that I could use for the project?

 

I bought one of the old GSTA dragsters last summer. Its just sitting in my shop taking up space right now. My daughter wanted to race it, but has cold feet now. I'm thinking about putting one of those sbc bbq grills in it LOL. When I bought it I got a DVD of it when it was raced around the Twin Cities back in the late 60s. I could burn you a copy if you like. DAVE

 

That would be great Dave, drop me a PM and we can work out the details, which dragster was it by the way?