Heard from a good source that Island Dragway in NJ will be reopening sometime in July. Wondering if anyone else has heard the same thing. Apparently they have worked out whatever issues brought them to close and they are giving it another go at it. Great news if it is true.
I just did a quick search and yes, they are opening July 5th. They are under new management and have a new website posted. Great news for all Northeast Dragracers.
I'm not there, but I'm glad to hear it. I had heard that Firebird in Chandler, AZ was closing. I was bummed. But then I saw a Bondurant School booth at a race I went to, and he said "nope, just new owners." Man was I relieved! I hate to hear of one going away.
I find it very exciting. My Dad raced there in the sixties and very early seventies. Spent the years after that working and raising a family. Last fall we made it back there to race with our Opel GT. Little did we know at that time it was going to close a few weeks later. Now we are planning to make the trip and enjoy the Island again now that it's reopened.
SWEET!!!! I just saw this post I'm so pumped I'm only 25 minutes from the strip. Can't wait to get back home and head to the races!!!!
been ruunin there since it opened in july of 1960 and went reopening day on july 5th same owners with younger family members running it under nhra . http://www.islanddragway.com/ http://www.nj.com/warrenreporter/index.ssf/2013/07/island_dragways_nostalgia_nati.html http://photos.lehighvalleylive.com/4424/gallery/island_raceway_opening_weekend_2013/index.html#/0
I've got great racing memories from Sundays at Island in early sixties. It would be a really long tow, but I've given thought to hauling my 37 Ford there sometime in 2014.
do you remember a white 54 chevy belair running n/stock? that was me tuning it. national record was 17.4 we got it down to 16.9. or old duke the tech man he was still around there last year .
Sorry, I don't recall your 54 Chevy. But I certainly remember Duke, the long-time tech guy. My memory is clouded after almost 50 years.
we called it the stove bolt. as to duke he is pushing 80 now i'll never forget him telling the worell brothers when they protested me your screwed and handing me the 200 buck protest money. another old one you might remember was a black ford falcon running altered with a 292 inch chevy six in it owned by pete gardner . petes gone a few years now
I remember Pete Gardner when he ran a '57 Chevy. It was a white "fuelie", Belair hardtop. I have a picture somewhere of Pete's Falcon when it was a light blue.
the blue one was the first of several. back then pete would bring his welding truck to island and weld up what ever you needed or fix something so you could drive back home.
This had to have been a particularly gratifying moment. I think the big names sometimes protested to spook the "little guy" into conceding. Particularly if that little guy needed to drive his car home. I recall Duke Syder as a "by-the-book" guy to the current NHRA rules, but always helpful to the competitor in interpreting to best advantage.
lucky for us we always towed to and from. duke remained to the book till last year but pushing the 80 area he was slowing down, didn't see him this year but would not doubt he was around to much racing in his blood
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