Yesterday I went over to 75-80 Dragway in Md. and took some photos. I'll post them later. They haven't torn up the track yet, The old Wilcom Inn located at the intersection of Rt. 75 and 80 is still up and running. I'm sure we can recall a lot of good times their. My first time would have been July of 1962 with a 348 1961 Impala running E/S. Those were the days....JT
There is talk it may not be dead yet... I'm hearing there may be another track operator coming on board and racing in 2014. Fingers Crossed!! My Dad was there on opening day in 1960 and I grew up racing there to. I guess we'll see. Lots of history made at that track. It is the first place Ronnie Sox ever was paid to match race. (1963)
Yeah that sucks - I got my "Final Call" T-Shirt on my last run there last September. So much for "Progress" Although it has closed before and come back from the dead if I remember correctly. I will keep my fingers crossed!
I've always loved the place and the Wilcoms....we were there again this summer for the Rodders Journal photo shoot....Same old great place.....Long may it live......Fred
In the 60's when I lived in Wheaton, we used go drag racing at 75/80 all the time. I believe it was located in Monrovia, MD. Saw my first Cobra, Hemi under Glass, Gas Coupes there. I ran my 1958 Turquoise Impala there in H/SA class. Ran 16.50's all the time with a 283 PowerPac & Powerglide. The only problem was a guy in a 1965 Belvedere with a 3-speed Torqueflite that always beat me out in the last 100 feet! Damn! Great old Dragstrip!
Hi Guys, Any of you have photos/memories from those times in the 60s? I'm asking because I'm interested in finding out more about the the Quarter Milers, who were based out of Garrett Park/Kensington Maryland and then at the old Congressional Airport. I know several members drove at 75-80. I really don't know much about the cars they drove as the only information I have comes from a local newspaper written by someone not too familiar with cars and drag racing terminology (and honestly neither am I). This is straight from an article from May 7, 1962 , so please forgive any typos. "Participating at local drag strips will be Elgin Etchison with his 1955 Chevrolet-Corvette powered, Bob Blinkhorn with his 1961 red Galaxy, Bill Stottlemyer with his 1959 Chevrolet, and Tom Kennedy in his '60 Chevrolet Impala. Cary Linton and Todd Pendleton are getting a '39 ford pick-up and a '32 Ford coupe ready for next years hot rod activities." On December 3, 1962, an update on the Quarter Milers mentions that "Elgin Etchison won his 8th trophy in drag-racing at 7580 dragoway, Damascus, Md." I honestly don't know if the '39 pickup and '32 coupe were for racing or for show because this is the first and last mention I could find of those cars. There was another member who didn't race but had a show car. This was John Walter who had a "lime gold 1940 Ford" -Abigail
It's the only race track that I ever floored it on. We called it 75 & dirty.. I spun a bearing on a Wed nite test and tune. Our club had an outing there one Weds. This is a dead ringer for the car that I blew at 75&80 I always liked the way that the tire cleaning burn outs seemed to be coming from the back of that bar. I put a 327/350 in it after that. I was so impressed with the hole shot that Sox and Martin had the year that they ran a Mercury 65ish? It left the line like a frog that just got poked in the ass. Still have that mental picture burned into my brain.
Yeah, I was at that 1963 race at 75-80! Ronnie Sox matched raced "Dyno Don" Nicholson on a Wednesday night, and the place was packed. Both ran white, Z-Eleven Impalas. Funny thing is I can't remember who won the "best out of three" match. Probably each won at least one. The best thing was neither car would use the return road (it was pretty bad) and after each blast down the quarter mile they would come back using the race track. In those days the hot setup was to jack the front end up in the air while the car was sitting still. It was a sight to see those Z-Elevens come down the track the wrong way with the front ends sticking up in the air. Years later, I asked both Ronnie and Dyno who won, and they both said they did! I guess they ran so many match races they couldn't remember either. Sadly, both my 4-speed shifting heroes are gone.
I remember Bill Yaden from Glenmont ran his white turbo spyder corvair every weekend and won his class. One time a bunch of us were indulging a little, and we all pee'd in his gas tank. We thought that our pee was 90% alchohol (probably was close) and it would give him the advantage. He still won his class! The stupid things we used to do.
Don't think they will tear the track up for a while. The tv show, Motor Week, still uses the track to test new cars. Saw an episode last week, testing the new Jaguar and they were still using 75-80. Too bad, someone can't bring the track back to life. There aren't many drag strips left.
The Jalopy Journal
