History Drag cars in motion.......picture thread.

Our engine guy from Blair's Speed Shop, Karnig Karadesian, took a 426 Plymouth on tour of the "east" (anything east of Nevada, for us Californians)...the only place he trophied was at Bunker Hill Drag Strip, and we kept the trophy on the counter at Blair's for years after....Karnig said that the train tracks crossed beyond the shutoff, which was very short, so they had a guy there with a flag...not sure if he was supposed to flag the coming trains (good luck with that!) or the racers...yes, the old days!

 

A Big Shout out to all the contributors to this great thread, and a special Thanks to Tommyd for really keeping this going and at the top with some really great Pics!

 

This thread is like Christmas for me every day.

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

 

That Bunker Hill strip is kind of like the Pond was for us locals, bales on the left and open on the right and as low key as you could get

Plus you could go over and haze your tires for 3 hours, and ' Make your Day ' and that was just Priceless

BTW Merry Christmas to every one here on the great H.A.M.B

DND

 

Merry Christmas, one and all...

 

Grotheer

 

Somebody got a nice Christmas present !

 

[QUOTE="tommyd, Somebody got a nice Christmas present ![/QUOTE]
Hope the kid can see over the Blue Streaks! And reach the Jesus knob..

 

As already identified, the track is Bunker Hill Dragstrip in Bunker Hill, IN. The track was started in 1956 by Jim and Mary Hullinger. Their son Jay Hullinger, who literally grew up at the track since their house was located on the property, is the current Division Director for NHRA's Division 3. One of Jim Hullinger's accomplishments was developing the roller starter system which he built and sold to many dragstrips around the country. Bunker Hill Dragstrip is still in operation running a weekly program.

 

Grass pits, I knew I liked this place...

I can also see that the train tracks have disappeared, along with the power lines.

 

AND......It's for sale.

 

I look out over the pits and see the open fields, there is just something about it that grabs me. Reminds me a little of one of my favorite tracks, Cordova, IL, so close to the Mississippi River, and with fields all around. Different places, different times. I was at Cordova once with some team (can't remember which, it was in the '60's). They were cleaning the track from some guy that oiled it down and I was chatting with Garlits. He pointed off toward the back of the pits, up a little hill, pointing out a tree. He said, "See that tree up there? My daughter was conceived under that tree." Like I said, different places and different times. No motor homes, no toy haulers. If you stayed over night you usually put up a little tent or slept in the bed of your pick-up truck. That part of drag racing will never be like it was back then...

 

I went down to Florida earlier this month to visit a son, we had to go to the Garlits museum He has come home to Texas for Christmas, and this was under the tree from him.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY.

 

Reminds me of nights camping overnight in the pits at big events at Greenvalley Raceway in Smithfield,Tx. in
sleeping bags on the ground. The morning alarm clock would be somebody firing off an altered or a gas car just
after dawn and a bunch of mussed hair guys in greasy jeans heading for the breakfast tent for eggs & bacon.
I don't remember a single camper with a generator and facilities. The most elaborate rig was a pickup w/topper.
Those were the days my friend when the average guy could win a class trophy!
You're right George, those days are gone for good. What a privilege to have been a part of it!

 

Been there, done that.
Seattle Fall Nationals late 70's, but I won't go into the details.
One memory was watching the fuel cars with a hangover.........oh the pain.
Saw Bob Glidden throwing the football with the boys in the rain.

 

Early Norwalk.

 

It's sure nice to know that a place like this still exists.

 

To me, this picture kind of says it all.