Ahra (1969)
 

AHRA MAJOR EVENTS

Winternationals
Bee-Line Dragway
Phoenix, Arizona
January 23 - 26

Grand Nationals
Detroit Dragway
Detroit, Michigan
May 23 - 25

Spring Nationals
Bristol International Raceway
Bristol, Tennessee
June 6 - 8

Summer Nationals
New York National Speedway
Center Moriches, New York
August 15 - 17

World Championships
Green Valley Raceway
Green Valley, Texas
August 20 - 24

Points Finals
Kansas City International Raceway
Kansas City, Missouri
October 3 - 6

World Finals
International Raceway
Tulsa, Oklahoma
October 18-20

Re: Ahra (1969)
 

I still have photos in basement (I think) from both Beeline & KCIR that year.

We drove on black ice for over an hour on US 54 west of Pratt Kansas on our way to Beeline...... NEVER forget that night

Unk

Re: Ahra (1969)
 

UNK,

I'm pretty sure the AHRA had '11' Big Events in 1969.

"7" Majors

Plus '4' Mid-Level Events
AHRA Super/Stock Nationals @ Fremont, California
May 18, 1969

Re: Ahra (1969)
 

My Dad, a couple of friends and I went to Beeline that year. Drove all night from Kansas City to Phoenix, then down to Tucson where a friend had a house we stayed in, commuted every day from Tucson to Beeline.


The race in KC was a no brainer since the track is only about 17 miles from the house.

Miss Jim Tice and the old AHRA.

Unk

Re: Ahra (1969)
 

UNK,

At the 1969 World Finals, did Stockers compete.
I know the top class of Super/Stockers ran in SS/E.

The AHRA did a good job back then, in getting out many events.

The NHRA only had '4' major events.
not come to exist in 1970.
Even the 69' Super/Stock Magazine Nationals (August 9-10) weren't
an NHRA sponsored event.

NHRA MAJOR EVENTS

Winternationals
Pomona, California
January 31 - February 2

Springnationals
Dallas, Texas
June 13 - 15

Super/Stock Magazine Nationals
York, Pennsylvania
August 9 - 10

Indy Nationals
Indianapolis, Indiana
September 6 - 8

World Finals
Dallas, Texas
October 11 - 13

Re: Ahra (1969)
 

Was the "Sport" of drag racing better then or is it just the memories?

Then we had touring pros, regional pros, local funny cars, T/F,Pro Stocks, plus all the sportsman classes running at LOCAL tracks everywhere almost every weekend.

Re: Ahra (1969)
 

Give it to the "memories". Drag racing is drag racing. Money, technology and electronics, not necessarily in that order have changed the way we race.

Re: Ahra (1969)
 

Re: Ahra (1969)
 

Why did AHRA go out of business?

D

Re: Ahra (1969)
 

Here's how it started:

http://www.dragracingonline.com/spec...story_1_1.html

And one description of the ending:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America...od_Association

Re: Ahra (1969)
 

The Wikipedia account is reasonably accurate but fails to include a few key developments which hastened the death of the AHRA as a National Series.

No mention is made of the fact many of the members of the AHRA Regional Vice Presidents board secretly courted Ruth Tice to gain the entire association for themselves. The infighting was ferocious and Ruth was trapped in the middle. This was the main reason Garlits advised Ruth to sell to Mike Grey. Garlits had nothing to gain and knew the AHRA would be in better hands if it was sold to a party outside the circle of turmoil created by the AHRA RVP board.

Also, no mention is made of the fact the AHRA RVP board, phenomenally mad at Ruth for selling to somebody else, created the ADRA with the express purpose of running Mike Grey out of the business. Since the AHRA lost the opportunity to race at KCIR, Spokane, Tulsa and Dragway 42, Mike Grey had very little with which to work and his 1984 "half-season" consisted only of races at St. Louis, Gary (IN) and Eunice (LA).

The biggest factor in the AHRA dying at the conclusion of the World Finals at Eunice was not just the lack of attendance at the event but the fact every check paid from the race was bad paper. Grey covered some of the debt but the track owner, who was liable for the majority of the expenses, actually dug the grave.

Mike Grey was so disenchanted he dumped the whole mess only a few weeks after the event.

...and that, as they say, was that.

Re: Ahra (1969)
 

Rod Saint, a very poorly named man.