Re: Connecting Highway
 

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

Re: Connecting Highway
 

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

Re: Connecting Highway
 

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! :D:D

Re: Connecting Highway
 

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 :(

Re: Connecting Highway
 

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.

Re: Connecting Highway
 

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?

Re: Connecting Highway
 

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.

Re: Connecting Highway
 

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.

Re: Connecting Highway
 

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!!

Re: Connecting Highway
 

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":confused:. 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.