Connecting Highway

[hemicop]

I rmemeber the Wetson's but didn't go there much for some reason. I do recall a guy that had an alum. nosed Mx-wedge car that always had the nose smashed up 'cause he kept crashing it (his words). Of course I was lucky enough to go to H.S. near Scott Schafiroff's house so I always saw his Camaro & later his P/S cars parked on/in trailers at his house but never spoke to him, he was outta my league.
I wonder how many of the "old guard" still run or at least play with cars? I was back there last year & was talking to an old friend and he had NO interest in playing with cars, saying he was "too old" for that stuff.
It's funny--I tell even veteran streetracers here, some from Calif or elsewhere, about the stuff that happened just in my little niche of the World and they don't believe it. I guess that's what made apparently made NYC the streetracing capitol. Other cities had there heroes as well & great racing, I'm sure, but the characters & attitude of NYC back then was (and will) never be copied

[hemicop]

Originally Posted by Ed Fernandez

Connecting highway hasn't changed much.Last time I drove through,early last year the only visual change was it's now 2 lanes each way with a shoulder.And of course the exit past the bridge (going towards Bklyn.) has been closed since who knows when.
It's still possible to make a pass.If you can afford the ticket and impound and possible
steel bracelets.

So are they, and where, running now? What's it take to be competitive (besides money) there?

[Lew Silverman]

You're right, NY was kind of special! I get back up there for work every so often and the places have changed - more crowded and all. It was the perfect place for a "car guy" to grow up in the 50's and 60's. Match races at NY National and Westhampton, Wednesday night grudge runs at Raceway Park, and working Connecting Highway on Friday's! Cool!

[hemicop]

Originally Posted by Lew Silverman

You're right, NY was kind of special! I get back up there for work every so often and the places have changed - more crowded and all. It was the perfect place for a "car guy" to grow up in the 50's and 60's. Match races at NY National and Westhampton, Wednesday night grudge runs at Raceway Park, and working Connecting Highway on Friday's! Cool!

I can remember getting up at dawn to go to NY Nat'l. It seemed so far away. Now living in Az. a 200 mile trip is so commonplace a trip to NY Natl. would now seem almost boring.
I remember my first trip to actually race-- I had just gotten my license & my buddy picks me up in the tow-truck, racecar on the back. I'm walking down the driveway & my Mom yells at me : " Have fun! Don't drive too fast!" I looked back at her and remended her just what we were doing & she got beet-red and just started laughing. I dn't think the "fun" factor will evr return

[Ed Fernandez]

Originally Posted by hemicop

So are they, and where, running now? What's it take to be competitive (besides money) there?

Pretty much the only street racing going on around NYC are the fart pipe thug crowd.The guys with real fast cars go to Englishtown/Atco and run no time.Sometimes for money.
You can tell a money run because there's about 100 people around both cars.Most of them have a piece of one of the cars.After they go down the track there's a bunch of trash talking then they go back to the pits.Sometimes they come back out and do it again.
On the street the smart guys keep away.Getting caught is mandatory impoundment of the car and maybe worse.
It's good they're off the strees.Most of them have ***** for brains anyway.

[hemicop]

Kind of a shame, but it DOES make sense. I was hoping there were a still a few hold-outs, ut between the expense, crowds & penalties. BTW, anyone here know what the FASTEST race at Connecting Hwy was?

[Carl Juliano]

Originally Posted by Lew Silverman

Anyone remember running West Shore Road in Port Washington in the late 60's? We used to choose-up at the Wetson's on Northern Blvd. The stretch of road in front of Bar Beach was straight and flat and the top of the hill did help slow you down. There was a primered 55 Chevy coupe (driven by John Balch?) that used to clean-up, and assorted 409's and Max-Wedge's. One night Eddie Akem brought the A&P Auto T/F down and made a short pass, but right after that the Nassau Co. police shut us down.

I work in Port Washington frequently and always wondered if they raced on West Shore Rd. I mentioned it to my father, but he raced in Queens, Bklyn. He told me they also ran on Crossbay Blvd. in Broad Channel, the FDNY used to come and open up the hydrants so they couldnt race.

[Ed Fernandez]

Originally Posted by Carl Juliano

I work in Port Washington frequently and always wondered if they raced on West Shore Rd. I mentioned it to my father, but he raced in Queens, Bklyn. He told me they also ran on Crossbay Blvd. in Broad Channel, the FDNY used to come and open up the hydrants so they couldnt race.

Carl your old man used to race a Studebaker buckboard at Connecting.One HP.They had to sweep the road down after he made a pass.

[Lew Silverman]

Originally Posted by hemicop

I can remember getting up at dawn to go to NY Nat'l. It seemed so far away. Now living in Az. a 200 mile trip is so commonplace a trip to NY Natl. would now seem almost boring.
I remember my first trip to actually race-- I had just gotten my license & my buddy picks me up in the tow-truck, racecar on the back. I'm walking down the driveway & my Mom yells at me : " Have fun! Don't drive too fast!" I looked back at her and reminded her just what we were doing & she got beet-red and just started laughing. I dn't think the "fun" factor will evr return

I had somewhat the same experience - I had been working on my SS396 Chevelle all winter, headers, gears, dual quads (it was 1966!), GK camshaft, etc. The first nice weekend we're loading up and my Mom asks me where we we going. I said "Drag racing at NY National in Center Moriches", and she lost it! I had to explain to her exactly why I had been setting up the car. After a while she got used to it, and even made a few trips out there with my Dad. Funny what you remember after 44 years!!

[hemicop]

the FDNY used to come and open up the hydrants so they couldnt race.[/QUOTE]

AHHH I remember that tactic well! The cops used to do that at Connecting. They'd open up the hydrants on the access road & let it run down onto the highway--got rid of both spectators & racers in one shot. My friend tried to shut a hydrant off one night & the cops arrested him for "Disrupting Governmental Justice". Never heard of it before or since. My sister who was a NYC Prosecutor said there is such a charge--kinda CS if you ask me.