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Lost Drag Strips

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by BobG, Nov 30, 2008.

  1. BobG
    Joined: Oct 22, 2008
    Posts: 350

    BobG
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    Nailhead A-V8 likes this.
  2. Torkwrench
    Joined: Jan 28, 2005
    Posts: 2,713

    Torkwrench
    Member

    Thanks for the pics. Has anyone ever heard of Boondocks dragstrip near Peoria Ill.? Or have any pics? One of my older brothers raced there a bit in the early 70's? Here is a pic of his 57, taken at Midstate Dragway, in Havana Ill, about 1972.
     

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  3. Bainbridge
    Joined: Feb 23, 2008
    Posts: 23

    Bainbridge
    Member
    from Illinois

    I haven't heard of the Boondocks dragstrip, but there used to be one in Assumption IL, don't have any pictures though

    edit: Just saw you had pictures on your web site, should have looked at that first
     
  4. 61TBird
    Joined: Mar 16, 2008
    Posts: 2,640

    61TBird
    Member

    Here's one my Brother took of Fremont Dragstrip.
    The city did this to stop "Midnight Runs" down the closed down strip.

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 1, 2014

  5. halfcockedcustoms
    Joined: Jun 5, 2007
    Posts: 640

    halfcockedcustoms
    Member

    its nice how the beardstown strip made a nice floor for that farmers machine shed,,drive by it all the time,,
     
  6. Torkwrench
    Joined: Jan 28, 2005
    Posts: 2,713

    Torkwrench
    Member

    I'm not sure if Boondocks was the actual name or not. It was a strip out somewhere west of the Peoria airport. Off of Smithfield road? I think it was started by a Peoria area car club, back in the 50's. My brother always said that it had a REALLY short shutdown area, part of which was dirt? He also blew up a rear end in his 57, there. Didn't have any spare rear end lube, so he strained the old stuff through his white t-shirt. Mom wasn't very pleased.:eek::eek::eek:
     
  7. adamabomb76
    Joined: Aug 5, 2007
    Posts: 280

    adamabomb76
    Member
    from York, Pa

    I'm curious about the US 30 pic. It isn't a drag strip anymore, but hasn't been left to ill repair. It's only 5 mins. from my house. It's called Thomasville Airport now.
     
  8. Here's Connecticut Dragway as it appears today, been closed to the public since 1985 or 86. Now part of Consumer Reports auto test.
    -Dean
     

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  9. V4F
    Joined: Aug 8, 2008
    Posts: 4,382

    V4F
    Member
    from middle ca.

    "Here's one my Brother took of Fremont Dragstrip.
    The city did this to stop "Midnight Runs" down the closed down strip."


    damn i raced many times there !! vacaville & lions also . those were the days for sure !! ................ steve
     
  10. Mazooma1
    Joined: Jun 5, 2007
    Posts: 13,598

    Mazooma1
    Member

    LIONS NOW...all shipping containers from the port
    [​IMG]

    LIONS THEN
    [​IMG]
     
  11. V4F
    Joined: Aug 8, 2008
    Posts: 4,382

    V4F
    Member
    from middle ca.

    bummer on lions ! vacaville has been gone for many yrs ! oroville / vina / so many are gone ! heck west capital was the hotest round track in the west , now a parking lot ... steve
     
  12. bryan6902
    Joined: May 5, 2008
    Posts: 1,137

    bryan6902
    Member

    Minnesota Dragways is long gone, but there's a guy around here who was the track photographer? I think? Getting to the point, he still has all the negatives from the 60's and has been running off new prints and selling them around here at swap meets. Maybe someone from around here (MN) can help us out with a name or web site.
     
  13. BobG
    Joined: Oct 22, 2008
    Posts: 350

    BobG
    Member

    Here are a few more, Beardstown Dragstrip in Beardstown IL, Motion Raceway in Assumption IL.
    Yes the track in Peoria was named Boondocks and I was told for the most part it's still there all grown up in weeds
     
  14. BobG
    Joined: Oct 22, 2008
    Posts: 350

    BobG
    Member

    pictures of Beardstown as it is now, Lakeland in Memphis, a couple of Assumption and one of Pittsburgh Int'l
    also Yellow River Dragstrip in Covington Ga, the circle shows where the funny car happened crash that killed 12 people in 1969
     

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  15. BobG
    Joined: Oct 22, 2008
    Posts: 350

    BobG
    Member

    I think your refering to York US 30. The US 30 pics here are from US 30 near Gary Indiana it's still there just grown up with weeds and trees.



     
  16. don't forget about balboa dragstrip that WAS in oregon but the friken goverment tore it out!
     
  17. BobG
    Joined: Oct 22, 2008
    Posts: 350

    BobG
    Member

    Here is a shot of then and now of Drag City in Springfield IL this was the track that the Chi-Town Hustler did the first long smokey burnout (full 1/8 mile) and started the long F/C burnout craze.
    Back then the burnouts were fairly short.
     

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  18. AHotRod
    Joined: Jul 27, 2001
    Posts: 12,216

    AHotRod
    Member

    .....and the old Brooksville, Florida Drag Strip that BIG Daddy set records on back in the day.
     
  19. fanspete
    Joined: Oct 22, 2006
    Posts: 686

    fanspete
    Member

    Aww, come on Bob! Surely you've got a shot for me!?!

    (gonna call you tomorrow)
     
  20. firingorder1
    Joined: Dec 15, 2006
    Posts: 2,147

    firingorder1
    Member

    Fontana "Drag City". Always hated that name but loved the strip. In my teens it was my second home. The trees in the background are still there but the dragster would be rippin' up some front yards if he was making that pass today. Progress my ass!
    [​IMG][/IMG]
     
  21. 1967gmc
    Joined: May 17, 2008
    Posts: 9

    1967gmc
    Member

    lakeland in memphis is now a subdivision,the drag strip is now a neighborhood street,speed limit is now 20mph now.like the song goes"tare down paradise to build a parking lot"
     
  22. Boodlum
    Joined: Dec 19, 2007
    Posts: 353

    Boodlum
    Member

    Last edited: Dec 1, 2008
  23. West Hampton Oval, upper right shut down in early 70s. The drag strip a few years ago. There is a housing complex here now. To the right you will see some buildings, these building housed ICBMs. A company I worked for was hired to deliver sand to fill the ICBM tombs. The missiles laid flat on a scissor like jacking system and the pits were filled with sand the capped over with concrete. What was amazing was the pit we picked the sand up from had an old junkyard in it and they were shredding every piece of VT in the place. I offered to buy an old Ford, 35 if I remember correctly but was told, nope, everything goes by this afternoon. Nothing is sacred anymore.
    [​IMG]
     
  24. 5 minutes? More like 500 miles! The pictures are of US 30 in INDIANA.
     
  25. Boodlum
    Joined: Dec 19, 2007
    Posts: 353

    Boodlum
    Member

    Oh yeah, almost forgot about Cedar Hill Drag Strip. About fifteen miles SW of Dallas. Raced there a few times in the early 1960's. Had this big-ass dip in the track about halfway down that gave your suspension a good workout. Ran a '56 Chevy 150 Sedan that had a straight axle, tilt-up front sheetmetal and a 265 that would wind up tight in front of 5.13 gears.
    [​IMG]
     
  26. R.Allan
    Joined: Sep 28, 2008
    Posts: 412

    R.Allan
    BANNED
    from Ca

    it so just makes me want to open a strip . old school style . 2 lane . no BS just run it . for fun or for money . .. just meet up . no worries . just race .
     
  27. One of my old hangouts, also. Had some great times there.................
     
  28. BobG
    Joined: Oct 22, 2008
    Posts: 350

    BobG
    Member

    You asked for it..... you got it.
    This is all that's left of the White Hall Drag-O-Way in White Hall IL.



     

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  29. I think if you Google "Big Yohns" it will connect you to his site. He has a lot of Minnesota Dragways history there plus a great coverage of his Cacklefest activities.
     

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