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History Detroit Dragway

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by ned5049, Nov 28, 2019.

  1. ned5049
    Joined: May 9, 2009
    Posts: 413

    ned5049
    Member

    We went to Detroit Dragway many ,many years ago, in the 60's! Was trying to find the location on Maps. Heard it's now a housing tract. My memory thinks it was Sibly and Dix Rds. There's homes there now you can see. Am I close? Have found the former Niagara Dragstrip which is still there, what's left of it. Thanks for any help. Ned
     
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  2. KevKo
    Joined: Jun 25, 2009
    Posts: 926

    KevKo
    Member
    from Motown

    Sibley and Dix. It’s an industrial park now. I grew up a few miles from there.
     
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  3. You won’t see any houses..just an industrial complex...it makes me sad when I drive by there...it’s sad for the Detroit area...we’re know as the Motor City and the closest Drag strip is near the Ohio Border in Farm Country..you would think the Big 3 would want a strip near by to show off their Demons, Hellcats, GT 500’s, SS’s,.....nope they’ve lost their soul...it’s all about spitting out what they can, until they can force feed you an electric pile of shit, cut more jobs, and line their pockets with more money....

    Fire up the damn time machine....
     
  4. GearheadsQCE
    Joined: Mar 23, 2011
    Posts: 3,375

    GearheadsQCE
    Alliance Vendor

    @loveoftiki,
    Don't hold back. Tell us how you really feel.
    I do agree, though. The MOTOR CITY and we have to go 80 miles to see a drag race. But, unless it is nostalgia drags, I can't get too excited anyway,
     

  5. Yeah...I know I get a little heated over this topic..we loved going there as teenagers in the 80’s...I go to all the nostalgia events at Milan...and I will admit to digging those Friday Heads up races for the raw speed and amazement of a 10.5 inch tire car running some of the numbers they do....it’s a fun way to spend a nice Friday night during the summer months..I take my nephews and they love getting on the wall by the lights during the heads up cars...
     
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  6. ned5049
    Joined: May 9, 2009
    Posts: 413

    ned5049
    Member

    Thanks guys. One of our trips there was Aug 1964. All the 'Big' guys were there. Ohio George carried the front end of his Willys what seemed like half way down the strip. First big meet we'd been to. Seems like it ran way late. Had to get our girlfriends home before their dads came looking for us. I had relatives in Detroit and Troy. So I was there alot til Uncle Sam and life happened. Good memories. Thanks again and Happy Thanksgiving. Ned
     
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  7. pirate
    Joined: Jun 29, 2006
    Posts: 1,024

    pirate
    Member
    from Alabama

    There is a very large trucking terminal sitting on what used the be the quarter mile. I’m originally from the Detroit area and the location was just east of Dix with the entrance off Sibley Road. I was told by a friend the only thing that remains of Detroit Dragway is a short piece of the shut down area near King Road. Spent many days and evenings there in my youth.
     
    Last edited: Nov 29, 2019
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  8. Silverplate
    Joined: Mar 4, 2011
    Posts: 237

    Silverplate
    Member

    Spent a lot of time at Detroit Dragway when I was a kid. Incredibly great memories. Is Milan Dragway still up and running, spent some time there to.
     
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  9. Detroit Dragway, as said, is now an industrial complex . One building, originally made batteries for the Chevy Volt and is now a Amazon facility. Sign of the times.
    Milan is still operating a hosts a Detroit Dragway reunion every year.

    Edit: GM cut number of employees in battery plant in half last year but still occupies the building next to Amazon
     
    Last edited: Nov 28, 2019
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  10. southcross2631
    Joined: Jan 20, 2013
    Posts: 4,413

    southcross2631
    Member

    Used to run at Detroit Dragway and the dragstrip out by Marine city in the summer of 1969 when I worked construction in the Detroit area. Wasn't it called Motor City dragway ?
     
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  11. pirate
    Joined: Jun 29, 2006
    Posts: 1,024

    pirate
    Member
    from Alabama

    It was called Motor City Dragway. Was there in the early Spring of 1965 when The Little Red Wagon made its debut. Originally never intended as a show/wheel stand vehicle but as an all out race car. Jay Howell was the driver and in the first of several attempts did these huge wheel stands. Never could get under control from wheel stands and the rest is history.
     
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  12. southcross2631
    Joined: Jan 20, 2013
    Posts: 4,413

    southcross2631
    Member

    Yeah, Motor City . I remember one time a guy blew up his 440 Road Runner and when the cleanup crew got down there where the parts were. He made them sweep everything into a bucket .
    So he could tow his car out to the road about a mile from the track so he could dump the parts on the road and call the dealer and preserve his warranty. That 5/50 warranty about killed Mopar.
    The service departments knew what was going on, but the sales dept's didn't care. They were putting butts in seats.
     
  13. Todd553
    Joined: Feb 16, 2005
    Posts: 534

    Todd553
    Member

  14. Todd553
    Joined: Feb 16, 2005
    Posts: 534

    Todd553
    Member

    I remember these old radio commercials for Detroit Dragway when I was a kid.
     
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  15. jimdillon
    Joined: Dec 6, 2005
    Posts: 3,291

    jimdillon
    Member

    Drove by the other day and had not seen it in quite some time. Looks like a different world there now. I remember spending four days a week on occasion. They had a Tuesday or Wednesday night deal that we used for testing when we thought we needed it. The track was certainly not a very nice facility (think of the pits) but had a bunch of fun and great memories there. Motor City could be a bit dusty but Milan with all of the grassy pit area was nirvana IMO.
     
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  16. ned5049
    Joined: May 9, 2009
    Posts: 413

    ned5049
    Member

    Thanks Todd for that website. Sure brings it all back. Wow!
     
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  17. THE FRENCHTOWN FLYER
    Joined: Jun 6, 2007
    Posts: 5,367

    THE FRENCHTOWN FLYER
    Member
    from FRENCHTOWN

    Here's me in the early '70s in my first T roadster at The Dirty D. Note the Bell helmet getting pulled off the back of my head.
    I took the car up at a one time when cars were required to have headlights. After going through tech I removed the headlights to run. Gil Cohen, the owner, noticed it and asked my friend who was the tech guy "Who let that car in without headlights" "He had them on when he came in" was his reply.

    It had a 337 SBC w/ duntov cam
    Muncie 4-speed (note one hand on the shifter and one hand on the steering wheel)
    Ran a best of 10.30s @ 130+ ccr01_1.jpg
     
    Last edited: Nov 29, 2019
  18. Last edited: Nov 29, 2019
  19. upspirate
    Joined: Apr 15, 2012
    Posts: 2,299

    upspirate
    Member

    My early memory of DD was my brother took me there very early 60's. They had the Orange Crate on disply, not sure if it made any passes. I got so excited about being there that I threw up. My brother didn't know what to do and took me home. Saw some passes though
     
  20. ramblin dan
    Joined: Apr 16, 2018
    Posts: 3,609

    ramblin dan

  21. derbydad276
    Joined: May 29, 2011
    Posts: 1,336

    derbydad276
    Member

    I helped rebuild the timing tower in the late 80's
    The D is gone along with Motor City ... Lapeer came back but is now on Life Support
    all that we have Now is Milan and Clowns own it
     
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  22. ned5049
    Joined: May 9, 2009
    Posts: 413

    ned5049
    Member

  23. southcross2631
    Joined: Jan 20, 2013
    Posts: 4,413

    southcross2631
    Member

    I had a 65 Comet convertible with a Hipo 289 . cammed up with dual quads .
    Ran M/S formula 1 at he AHRA tracks. Ran D/MP at nhra tracks. So I ran mostly AHRA back then.
    Was at Motor City in the summer of 67 when Arfons brought his Green Monster . He made a pass in the left lane and hit that dip , more like a hole right at the traps . I remember seeing his car with all 4 wheels in the air with the chutes out.
    He got back to the pits and loaded his car and told the track owner he would never come back to this shit hole place until they repaved the track.
    Saw Wally Booth bring his brand new rebodied Camaro out. He changed it from a 68 to a 69 For the brand new pro stock class. He made some quick test passes and loaded up.
    Made me want a big block Camaro . So that fall I bought a brand new 396/375 RS/SS hugger orange Camaro from Merolis Chevrolet . Probably spelled that wrong.
     
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  24. Gene Merollis what a great, great, guy....can still here the commercials in my head...any pics of the Comet?
     
  25. ned5049
    Joined: May 9, 2009
    Posts: 413

    ned5049
    Member

    There's a YouTube video : Hot Rod Culture [1959 Documentary Show]. Shows racing there.
     
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  26. rd martin
    Joined: Nov 14, 2006
    Posts: 2,463

    rd martin
    Member
    from indiana

    looking for pictures and or video of this car at detriot 59 threw 64, first ran a flathead ford, wheel openings closed painted orange number 70 on it. then later orange with hemi power, number 120 on it.owned by nace, ruietz and

    bohls from niles south bend area. any help would be great. 74393322_2542730935784807_1613275873421557760_o.jpg
     
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  27. 31Apickup
    Joined: Nov 8, 2005
    Posts: 3,366

    31Apickup
    Member

    Grew up in Trenton, about 2.5 mils away as the crow flies. You could hear when the top fuel dragsters ran from the house.
     
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  28. 55Belairman
    Joined: Jan 11, 2013
    Posts: 445

    55Belairman
    Member

    I grew up in Lincoln Park, a little farther away than you were. We could still hear the fuel cars from our house. I got to go there many times as a spectator.
     
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  29. 1934coupe
    Joined: Feb 22, 2007
    Posts: 5,051

    1934coupe
    Member

    This was posted on the 33-36 Willys thread.

    Pat
     

    Attached Files:

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  30. Ditto.
     
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