I was having a conversation with @Jeff Norwell about Comp Coupes and shared some history of Fonda Drag strip which was N.A.S.C.A.R. drag strip. I wondered how many remember or knew N.A.S.C.A.R. had a Drag race division? Fonda speedway/drag strip is about an hour north of me. The strip is still here, it is the black top in the infield. The start lane was by turn one and two. (In the foreground in the first photo) A Comp Coupe couldn't get slowed down, hit the banking of the oval track got airborne and hit the Cow Place. That put an end to the drag strip. They still run Stockercars every Saturday night, no longer N.A.C.A.R. Shirley Muldowney's home track- This is Utica-Rome speedway view from the back stretch- The oval track was 1/4 mile asphalt. With the starting ling of the drag strip just turns 1 and 2. The track became 1/2 dirt and expanded over the strip. What is left of the drag strip can be seen starting in turn 1 and running into the woods. AA/SA at Utica Rome Dragway Win stickers-
I went to 2 Nascar drag races during Speed Weeks at Daytona in the mid 60s. One was at Spruce Creek which is a WW2 landing strip but is now a fly in community. The 67 race was at the Deland Fl. airport. They were 2 of the greatest races Ive evr been to and Ive been to a ton of them
My dad remembers reading about them in Super Stock magazine, but couldn't recall what drag strip, Thank-You for the information. My family were always oval track racers, however we follow all forms of auto racing.
Montgomery NY was a NASCAR track when it opened in '58 or 59. I was flagman there on opening day and after that for a while. There were posts here about this track some years ago. Should be in the archives. This was the first track I remember paying appearance money. Garlits and Arfons both ran there and Garlits set an E.T. record there. Several natives from the village of Montgomery were trying to write the history of the strip. I told them lots of stories and sent them the opening day newspaper clipping with a picture of me flagging off two '55 Chevys.
The Deland race in 67 was the best race Ive ever been to, all the big time match racers & factory SS cars were there. It was cold & damp with a light fog. Ive told this story before but we flat towed our P/S 59 Biscayne 283/185 4 speed car with my new 67 GTO HO, 4 speed. yes the tow car was faster then the race car but we won class [only car}in what was almost a light rain it was so foggy. The 59 would hook in a puddle of snot so it didn't matter. A drunk died of hypothermia when he passed out over night in the stands, it was down to the mid 30's. Ive never seen so many people at a race since then
No, not Stewart AFB. It was an old WWII airfield just outide the town of Montgomery. It was a triangular layout. The main runway was the hypotenuse and was used as the dragstrip. There had been sports car races there earlier - early to mid-1950s.
This is the Fonda drag strip trophy. The man who gave it to me said he won it in the early 60's. He was racing a 57 or 58 Chrysler 300 in stock class. I need to clean it and reattach the plate.
my 61 ford starliner, 390cu in, 375 hp was delivered a week befor the 1961 speed wks at daytona. a coupl guys and i loaded up my liner, took off the mufflers and headed to daytona, crusing the beach and went to the drags at the speedway. the strip was from the 3rd. turn back toward the 2nd turn. don't remember much more than that, have pix of some girls though.that was when nascar was real...
Mtkawboy I was at both those races! I dont live 10 miles from there now.Remember at the Deland race they had Ej Potters allison powered 57 plymouth?
My trophies from the NASCAR track in Montgomery NY circa 1958 were also marble but were not engraved. Bummer.
Charlie Gault, driving The Agitator, out of Birmingham, Alabama won these trophies. In '65 they raced every day. Charlie won Middle Eliminator on 6 of the 7 days. These were the daily trophies and he won a much larger overall trophy for the meet.
There were so many big time racers at Deland it would make your head spin, everyone that was anyone was there, match racers, factory cars you name it. Between racing, drinking and trying to keep from freezing it was a blast. It was like heaven must look like to a drag racer
I raced my 58 Chev Delray there in 1960. Being from Jersey only spent one season there as a track opened, Island Dragway, closer to home. Frank Carey, post: 11493994, member: 95012"]Montgomery NY was a NASCAR track when it opened in '58 or 59. I was flagman there on opening day and after that for a while. There were posts here about this track some years ago. Should be in the archives. This was the first track I remember paying appearance money. Garlits and Arfons both ran there and Garlits set an E.T. record there. Several natives from the village of Montgomery were trying to write the history of the strip. I told them lots of stories and sent them the opening day newspaper clipping with a picture of me flagging off two '55 Chevys.[/QUOTE]
A buddy of mine from Ohio, Dave Ehrmann, just gave me a recent copy of Gasser Wars that has a neat article inside on his H/Gas car from the 60s. They did win one NASCAR drag event. They are looking for his old car, if anyone knows where it might be. Thanx, Gary
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