today Picton Ontario Sept 25 2010. It was like turning the clock back 50 years. Several hundred people and about 90 to 100 cars gathered today for a first ever drag race at the old Picton Ontario Army Base. Thanks to the Arm drop guys from armdrop.com something we never imagined came to our county. Picton Amry base is located high above the town so no noise gets heard below. The old runways that used to ferry bombers and transport planes up till the late 1960s were still in good enough shape to have a decent racng surface. Many first time racers showed up. No. John Force nor Warren Johnson were not there although there were a few "funnny " cars for sure. The arm drop guys were there in full force of course but very graciously opened it up to the rest of us as well. Many old school racers showed up and some were guys who hadnt run their cars in years. Lots of us went to watch as well. I wished I had taken my rail down. Doornbos was there with his cool old school FED. It would have been fun to run them together despite his large HP advantage over my tiny six. Here is the first pics from there. iIwill sort them out later and post them. If you were there and have photos ,this is the place to post them. Feel free. If you are a competetive "in the points " kind of racer this wasn,t your deal but if you are a run just for fun guy I think it was perfect. Traction on a surface never dragged on before was not greatest at first but by mid afternoon one could notice a real improvement. I took mostly video. I will be sorting it out and may take some stills off of it too.
This old rail thrilled the crowds. If you liked old school just for fun racing like it was before it got professional and expensive you needed to be here. Don
Run for Fun!!!! The way it used to be!! A day for the History Books!!! Good for you guys!!! Can't wait to see the rest ---Thanks Dolmetsch!!! We have The Eagle Field Runway Drags in October here in California-----
I will treasure this . I never thought in all my wildest dreams I would ever see a ticket saying Drag Racing, Picton Airport. Thanks again to those who put it on. I heard there were over 1000 spectators who signed in. (It was a requirement to sign in) and over 100 cars racing. To those who didnt go for one reason or another, "sorry for your loss" You missed a piece of rare grassroots drag racing history.
Hi Don You are right I never dreamed I would see drag racing at the army camp. What a thrill to see the armdrop guys had put a picture of my car on the tickets and dash plaque. Some days it pays to be old.
Aint it the truth. I heard you stepped in to help when they were running out of sign in sheets. Way to Go Dave! Don
this event was amazing, that was the first time i took my buick racing ever. i cant wait for next spring, i hope there will be some updates on next years events
I heard 4 events are planned at least. Next time I am taking my rail. Maybe my new one too. It was a blast wasnt it? Don
a blast? it was a pail of nitro and gunpowder using dynamite as stir sticks. wash rinse repeat! picton was a defining moment in my life and hopefully many others. i hope this has started a new movement amoungst the low buck racer scene. i know i have nothing but contempt for the all billet boyd rimmed chip foosed cream puff people who pay 200000 to build a rat rod.
I am right there with ya. BTW Love your Matterhorn Restuarant. Go there often. One of the guys who raced there dropped by yesterday. He is gung ho again too. There is probably nothing wrong with those with too much money racing too . It is often just their attitude that they are somehow better that gets them in trouble. Realistically they should be jealous of grass roots racers but they are not. Their sort of like the guy who loves music with the big stereo and multi$ Cd collection who in fact cant sing a note. Anyway. I am looking forward to next year as well. Don
well, i recall back in the day, the low buck boys like us were frowned upon and if it wasnt billet or boyds it was whatever the custom car magazine was telling you how to and what to do with your car. now the tables are turned, too many of these custom car/reality shows on tv have killed the big buck hotrod scene. nobody wants OCC or american hotrod anymore. too overdone and too far out of reach for the average suburbanite. yes the matterhorn is not bad, its been around a long time.
Yea Don there is nothing like a flag start and smoke in your face, love anyone who puts these kinda shows on so the little guy can have fun, and Fun is what its all about, Eagle Field and Rocky really got me going a couple of years ago and now I am living my teenage years again, and man does it feel good!!!!!
The Jalopy Journal
