Jive-Bomber submitted a new blog post: The Kansas City Timing Association - Drag Footage! Continue reading the Original Blog Post
Hello, Wow, nice footage, although a little fuzzy, the clarity might be able to get some adjustments on some modern day photo editing software. The activity is pretty cool. True early hot rodding at the drag strip. Yes! This film shows how the early hot rod guys/girls took their cars, roadsters, trucks and sedans to race as is. We saw the end of this era at Lions Dragstrip in 1957-60, before the strict rules started to apply and change the was the guy on the street could race his hot rod. It is amazing that the 1953 time period is full of Oldsmobile sedans. It must be a special class just for Oldsmobile sedans. The “rocket” power shows its stuff. Jnaki My brother would have liked those races when he got his 1951 Olds Sedan at age 15.5. (It was pale yellow when he bought it) He never told me that he raced his Olds sedan at Lions. (no documentation) But, on the street, that was more of a possibility. The Lime Green paint was done in the last year prior to selling the sedan to a friend. during 1956-late 57. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjRSpxDwNxA
Great stuff, thanks Jay. Here's what Ray said about the KCTA in those days: I thought just for the record I would write my memory of the history of the KCTA here in K.C., Mo. I might be off a little on dates or something, but here goes. In 1952, the KCTA was a small hot rod club of enthusiasts in the Kansas City area. We contacted a lawyer and got the K.C.T.A. name incorporated. Then we held drag races at an old "World War II " emergency air field. This was a very large airstrip complex. We, the club, rented the strip from the "Chamber of Commerce" in Edna, Kansas for $35.00 a month. We held officially sanctioned and insured Drag Races, with classes of cars and safety inspections. All sanctioned through "NHRA" the National Hot Rod Assoc. We even held a " 4 State Regional Championship Meet." In 1955, Kansas City had a problem, as did many other American cities, with drag racing on the street! Obviously, this was very dangerous. At this time, our club had the yearly elections and I was elected President of the KCTA, then still just a club of about a dozen members, not including wives and girl friends. The K.C. Police Dept. had an official named Major Eugene Pond, chief of detectives, who asked for a meeting (at the Masonic Temple at Linwood and Paseo in K.C.) for all interested parties and car enthusiasts to attend to discuss the street racing problem. He said we needed proper clubs and one association of same clubs to deal with the Police. Our club informed Major Pond that our Club was already incorporated and actually had the perfect name of "KANSAS CITY TIMING ASSOCIATION". We gave our name and incorporation to the program. We then voted on proposed names for our club, which became "The Cranktwisters". Major Pond got the K.C. Southern Railway to lease some property to build a dragstrip on Front Street near the River. He then got "Midwest Precote" to build the drag strip. This was to be paid off from gate receipts collected from spectators at the races. At that time, I was elected by a vote of association club officers to be Pres. (I was also Pres. of "Cranktwisters".) Things were kind of busy. Along with Major Pond, I signed a note for $60,000 to build the drag strip. In 1956, NHRA wanted to hold official "National Drag Races" in K.C. at our new strip. However, they wanted the strip longer and wider. So, Major Pond and I signed another note for $10,000 for improvements. The 1956 National drags were held very successfully with huge crowds. In 1957, I declined renomination as family and work were pressing me for time.
It may well have been Ray's buddy Don Broderick riding one of the motorcycles in the film. Here's what Ray said about it: Here is a picture of Don Broderick (who ran the motorcycle through the quarter at Edna, KS when the flywheel blew up.) That’s Don sitting on the tire of my ‘34. The other guy is me, Ray Erickson. This was 1954. I ran the 275 c.i. flathead with 2 carbs back then. Later I tried 3 carbs. Finally my wife gave me a Phil Wieand 4 carb manifold and I ran 4 stromberg 97's jetted for a V8 60. Worked perfect including for all the street driving that I did back then.
More from Ray about KCTA: Here is picture from the K.C.T.A. Guide-booklet published back in 1956. It is the club officers back then. They got my middle name wrong, it's not "Lee". My middle initial is "G", for Gustaf, my Dad’s name. Erickson, I am half Swede, but my dad was a full Swede. His folks came over from Sweden. He could cuss you out in Swedish and you didn't know what the hell he said. He would just laugh! Bob Taylor was Pres. when we held drags at Edna, Kansas when the club was still the KCTA. Back then he had a "crotch high" ‘32 roadster. A deep-stepped frame with that flathead in it. He died many years ago from a brain tumor. Lee Dorrell, Liaison Officer, was a K.C. Police Officer who answered to Major Pond, Chief of Detectives of the Kansas City Police force. Lee Williams and Bill Rogers were members of the "Dragsters" club. Myself, Ray Erickson, and Bob Taylor were members of the "Cranktwisters" club. We chose “Cranktwisters” for our new name when we donated the incorporated name of "KCTA" for the new drag strip and associated clubs. We had already paid for a lawyer to become "incorporated" so we could have drags in Edna, KS. The Dragster club had other members, Bob Sullivan, Bob Rodgers, Bob Reid, Bill Crutchfield, Don Schliecher, Dave Waldo, Bob McConnell, and Don Broderick. Don’s son is Kevin Broderick of "FABRICATIONS UNLIMITED--STREET ROD SPECIALTIES". I’m sure I've forgotten some of their names after all these years. Lee Dorrell was a member of the "DynoBusters" club, along with Wayne Colby and Buzz Pond, Major Ponds’ son. Major Pond and his son had a Hemi-powered '36 Ford 3 window coupe.
Great video, the white coupe towards the end is very cool!!! Sent from my moto g(7) using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Outstanding footage! Stuff like this makes me hungry for August and MoKan. Just hope the guys get a full 1320 to run down this year. -Dave
Unique timing Jay......I just came across my newspaper snippings that I found at an estate sale years ago. I will get pix of them & share them in the next couple of days. Chris Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Yes Junji, these are two things that popped out to me also. Sort of reminded me of the Spectator Race at the local dirt track, just take the family car out on the track.
WOW ! Really gets to the heart of the early days; will need to further elaborate with regards to those days when the Oldsmobile, as well as an occasional inline G.MC. were showing some muscle, & not to forget the big Mopar Hemi's making waves while the common mans affordable flatheads were hanging tight with the overheads nipping at their heels ! Well done.....
One of the cars that I lusted after as a kid, and owned later sported a car club plaque from the Quarter Horses Kansas City. Ring a bell for any of you KC guys
Got a buddy who was an original member if you want to chat him up next time your in town love seeing this stuff
You sure are right about it being too bad Ray can't chime in. Ray was one of the coolest guys I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. Even in his 80's he was sharp as a tack and could tell you every owner Racer who ever ran at the old dragstrip. He was a hell of a custom builder as well. Have you ever seen his Crosley powered lawn mower? I was just thinking about him yesterday. If he was watching this film the info he could give us about every car and driver would blow your mind. I really miss him. I am obsessed with the KCTA myself. John had the original old KCTA sign from the old track that was sponsered by Coke and for what I was told it brought at the auction that he had I wish I would have been there as I would have paid double what it sold for. He got it out of the dumpster when they closed the track and brought 435 through front st.
Too cool !!!! Some great rods in that film. I'm surprised at how many "new" cars were making passes... and that little red Studebaker must have ended up a high mileage car..a 1/4 mile at a time
Greetings WasRobert Taylor the same ‘Bob Taylor’ who won A/Stock at the Nats in 65 in a white Plymouth wagon?
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