Great lakes dragaway

Crazy.
I put in my mind that there's a lot of good people out there. So much, that it outweighs a few bad apples, which doesn't apply that the whole world is like this.

 

Mike Davis was the owner of Speed City, I grew up right around the corner from the Kenosha store. Used to run parts from Kenosha to the Waukegan store to pay down my bill ...

 

Does anyone have info on why this track official is wearing a shirt that says "Van's Great Lakes Dragaway"? I have been going to track since early 70's and do not remember anything about Van's, only Broadway Bob. I think this photo is from about 1973.

 

curt r would know.

 

Why did he decide to wear those pants?

 

It was a time of experimentation.

 

Because in 1973 those pants were "groovy" man

 

Grew up just down the road in Burlington from 1966 to 1977 when I moved to Portage. Started hanging out and racing there in 71 when I turned 16. At that time most of the people I was around called it Great Lakes I was always under the assumption that Broadway Bob started the track in 56 or 57 but I do recall it being called Vans in the early 70s and that a guy I went to high school with Jim Herman, his dad had something to with the tracks ownership at that time so maybe he was Van? Jim went on to be a very active racer in the 70's and 80's and maybe longer , I have only been there a hand full of times since I last ran in 1994. And if you think those pants where wild you should have seen the getups old Broadway Bob wore! lol The ultimate showman! God I miss him. Larry

 

When I lived in the Western Suburbs, I'd trek up there quite often. I even have a ball cap with Broadway Bob's signature on it!

 

in the 1970's B Bob partnered up with a guy named ___? Van Daalwyck in the operation of GLD. I don't know when that partnership ended but the Van Daalwyck family now run Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna, Wis., it's a drag strip and oval track complex.
Curt R

 

Thanks for the info on Vans. Still love getting up there to enjoy the races and race a few times a year.
I remember the huge crowds they use to pack in there but now some weekends there are more racers than spectators. Hope they can hang in there financially and stay open. I would miss it.