how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

i know I'm not a true stock or super stock racer but i am a true fan and would love to hear some of you guys replies.
well i think that it would have to be my dad! might of been growing up in a gas station with a dad that raced,yes full service (fill up your car wash the windows,check the tires, and oil) for you young people , i remember going to the track mom, dad ,my brother and i in a 55 chevy truck 235ci 3 on the tree, open trailer 1966 chevelle 327 th400, mom and dad slept on air mattres in back the truck, my brother and i slept in a tent we were in heaven. when i turned 16 we got to the track my dad said where are you going i said going sit on the starting line with the starter, he said you are driveing the chevelle today!! i went 12.85 and was hooked.
going to southland drags in houma i only remember 3 distinct cars
1 the candies family funny car
2 a man named Murphy with a bright yellow 41 Willis
3 and one of the many southland flyer hemi cars
and i was hooked!!!!!!!!!!!

thanks Aaron

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

My dear old Dad got me hooked, took me and my siblings to the track for the first time when I was 3 years old
-I can still hear the Modified Eliminator cars and the 5 digit RPM's on the starting line.....

What is funny is Mom at times was the one to encourage both Dad and myself to continue racing when things werent so great

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

They built a drag strip outside of the town
I grew up in.
Got to ride on the grader while they built
the track. Worked at the track from the early
60s thru the 70s

Hammer

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

i was born into it, my dad started in the mid 60's

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

My dad got me hooked when we raced our bracket car at Centerville and Prescott raceway here in AR. He also took me to the divisionals and nationals in Memphis nearly ever year where I got to watch Comp, Super Stock, Stock, and Pro Stock; I was then hooked for life.

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

Watching high rpm, wheel standing stick shift cars back in the mid to late 70's at local drag strips with my dad....those were the days!!! I miss the real racing from back then. I have had the drag racing bug ever since! :cool:

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

Being in school at the height of the Musclecar era and reading little Hot Rod magazines long before I could legally drive a car pretty much set the hook....

One trip to the local drag strip when I was about 13 or 14 pushed me to get into it and I quickly made friends with others who were already racing...

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

In 1962, at the age of 15, a few of my friends took me to Dover Drag Strip in Wingdale, NY. I was instantly and completely addicted. Next month, on April 11, I will be 66 years old; and I love the sport even more than I did then. Drag racing is truly an addiction for which there is no cure!

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

OPEN TRAILERS!!
I live 60 miles from Brainerd, MN. I would see cars drag go by on trailers. And I wanted to go see them race. My brother Brad took me to my first drag race in 1985
IT WAS AWESOME !
The div. 5 NHRA at BIR I will never forget it. As I watched I heard the announcer say,
"Here is Lawrence Line from Wright, MN".
I said to my self...Wright, MN,.. we play little league baseball against Wright.
They were very a good team, the one no one wanted to play because we got blown away every time! What a pitcher! (I'll let you figure out who that was).

Well, any way I'll give you two guesses who the Wright little league baseball coach was.
He had a 1967 chevy Impala marina blue with satin finish centerline wheels and M/T slicks.
Wow! Some body who drag raced FOR REAL from Wright MN.
I thought maybe someday I could go with him to a race. That would be cool.

One thing lead to another and I got a car. A 1969 Impala. It had auto transmission trouble. Every one said take it to Lawrence Line. I said the guy who drag races?
They said YUP! that's the guy.
Upon arrival it was obvious that winning was a part of life here. One look at all the trophies on the shelf along the wall in the shop, baseball, blowing, and drag racing.
I could see that this was a place of high standards.
After having some "self induced" trouble with the transmission I had Lawrence fix for me, I stopped in again.
This time it was a Friday night. I learned that not only did Lawrence race, so did his son Lance, but for some reason, he had a green Mustang not a Chevy ( I'm still confused about that).
They had open trailers and pickups to tow with "these guys were serious!" WOW!

Then all at once I hear another car fire up with open headers and back out of the shop.
It was a beautiful 68 Chevelle lite blue with a white roof. I had seen the car before but had no Idea it was from the Line Auto shop.
It was Jason. He asked me to go to the races with them on Sat.
I meet them at the track in the pits. I had never been that close to the racing action before. It was exhilarating. All the awesome cars, some I had seen on trailers going by my house. The sound of open headers the smell of race gas, tire smoke and the energy in the air.
Then I see this 70"S ish burgundy Oldsmobile 4 door roll up. original hubcaps, velvet seats, bone a stock grandma's car.
Jason said that's my sister she is going up to run now, we can go up and watch her.
I said, "she is going to race THAT?!" Jason said ya, that's the family car she runs in bracket 4. I thought what in the heck kind of a deal is this?
Jason was then kind enough to explain the fine points of bracket racing to me and it all started to come together for me.
Jason raced in bracket 3 that day. He had a leak in one of his slicks.
I was nominated to run back and forth to fill the air tank and re-fill his slick.
went on to win, It was cool.

The next race I raced my car, man it was slow! It seemed so fast on the street? I thought, this track must be way too long, or something. Needless to say by the next race the Line Auto crew helped me get my car running better and I won the second race I had ever entered in, bracket 4 champ.
That was it ! I've been totally hooked ever since!
Not to mention I gained a second family and we have had a good life drag racing together all over the country.
Jason of course has gone on to do great things in Pro Stock.

So the moral of the story is,enclosed trailers are very nice, AND NEEDED but they have taken away a certain element of our sport that we will never have again. I am glad I got to be a part of it when it was the way it was.

Glen DeMenge

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

Street racing in the '60's turned into regular trips to Atco and on from there.

JimR

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

1969 @ CDR - Continental Divide Raceway in Castle Rock Colorado. I was 14 and my big brother took me there. Walking in from the spectator parking we came over a rise by the top end of the track. Just then a pair of Chevys were screaming through the finish line and I just couldn't believe how awesome it was. Of course they were running something like high 12's but they seemed like rockets to me. This place was HIGHER than Bandimere's- 6000ft.

Bill Ringer

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

Growing up in the 50's and 60's around 3 uncles who were Hot Rodders .
I learned my love of Stockers and SS cars from one , Comp cars ,Altereds and Gassers from another , and customs and lead sleds from the other.
My earliest memories of going to the drags are of Vargo Dragway in '59 with my uncles '50 Old's C/Altered.
My other friends had Lincoln Logs and Tinker Toys, I had Dual Range Hydros torn apart in a pile in my Grandmothers back yard.

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

My father raced and at the ripe age of 10 in 1966 he took me to Atco Dragway. I decided right then and there that this is what I wanted to be around the rest of my life !!!

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

Reading car mags, hanging out at the local speed shop, finally got my driving permit, started street racing and after various unpleasant and costly incidents went to local tracks.

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

My brother Joe took me to Dover Drag Strip in Wingdale, NY whan i was 14, and gave me the Drag Racing disease. Now at 60 and I am riddled with it.
Bob Lasko

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

For the folks that did not have family involved in racing....friends involved in racing....or neighbors involved in racing....which I had none of these. It was seeing the cars on open trailers...the crager wheels and M&H slicks were about eye level while riding in moms car. Then you go to the store and buy Hot Rod, Car Craft, and the coolest Super/Stock with your grass cuttin money. Sit down at the end of the road and watch the Corvettes, Road Runners, Mustangs, Chevelles, GTOs and on and on! That's how I got it

Wade Mahaffey

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

A guy I knew in High School had a 69 Pontiac LeMans that he took to the High School Drags. Went to Seattle International Raceway in 1986 as a spectator.

Soon after I bought my first muscle car, a 1970 Chevelle SS396. It was a basket case, but I loved it. Sold it to buy a 68 Charger, followed by a 84 S-10 with a circle track 350 in it. Sold that to buy a 68 Pontiac LeMans. Then sold that to buy my first bracket car, a 64 Malibu SS.

Started racing in 1991. Been hooked ever since.

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

Started off in the late 60's with car models,hotwheels and magazines. Then in 69 went to the local chev dealership when i was 8 and i still have my camaro broshure. In 74 or 75 went to the old Mission raceway on a sunday to watch motorcross but picked the wrong weekend. It was dragracing. Watched it for awhile and was hooked. Been playing with cars eversince.

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

this is me right before 1964 Nationals, and also me at the 1970 nationals, i dont think i need to say how i got the bug, lol
http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto..._6122756_n.jpg
1964
http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto..._8181137_n.jpg
1970

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

In April of '68, I'm in 9th grade and me and a couple buddies have been reading Hot Rod, Car Craft, Popular Hot Rodding and Super Stock & Drag Illustrated for about 3 years already, and I mentioned how cool would it be to go to a drag race if they had any around here. My one friend says they have a dragstrip out in Puyallup! I didn't even know it existed! None of us had a driver's license, so we talked his mom into dropping us off at the gate one Saturday, at the track, which was about 20 minutes away. We walked by the cars in tech, and found our way to the stands, and sat up front across from the tower, as the stands were still pretty empty. I remember the announcer talking to us,, asking how were we doing, if we'd been to the races before, you know, all the usual things you would ask " first timer kids".
The cars started making runs, and soon were we in sensory overload from all the noise, smoke, wheelstands, watching the gearbangers,, all really cool to us!
Some of the cars I recall from that first outing were "Wild Bill" Ireland's '66 Fairlane, Harry Holton's "Hemi Count Down" '65 Plymouth and Crazy Corky's "Charlie Brown" Javelin.
There were lots of dragsters and altereds, coupes and roadsters there too, but I can't recall any of them. It was the stockers and superstockers that impressed me the most, and its stayed like that with me all these 45 + years later.
Thats my story, and I'm sticking to it.
Danny Durham

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

Freshman year of high school, we HAD to join a club. Glee club and chess club really didn't apppeal to me. Some of asked if we could have a car club. We could, but had to follow guidelines like raise money to contribute to the school, plan activities and outings, that kind of thing. We raised the money for subscriptions to Hot Rod and Car Craft magazines for the school library. Our outings were to a car dealer, speed shop, a dirt track stock car race,and Englishtown!
Hung out at Central Jersey Speed & Machine in Fords, NJ.
Senior year I took my 63 Chevy Biscayne station wagon to Englishtown. With a 230 and 3 speed they put me in U/Stock. Runner up the first time running about 20 second ET. Went home and put in a Hurst shifter, won class next 4 weeks running 19's.

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

I started wrenching for the Conserva Brothers on their A/MP and E/MP cars at Englishtown around 1970, and that was that...

Won my first trophy at E-town in 1974 running my 1973 Pontiac LeMans in Q/SA.. me??.. in a stocker??.. IMAGINE THAT!!!

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

4 months after I was born my parents drove out to Columbus, Ohio with my Dad's F/MP Camaro...not that I remember much of the trip, but I guess you could say I was hooked then. I remember spending "Spring & Summer Vacations" not at the beach, but driving down to Gainsville doing the Gators and Walt Disney World and at E-Town parked right next to the scoreboards with the likes of Johnny Bozarth and current TAFC Racer Dan Pomponio. As a kid I used to put my chair out in the field (where the drift track and spectator parking is now) during tech for the Summernationals and wave to all the Pro Teams as they arrived for the weekend....So I guess I can blame my Dad for getting me into this sport, but I wouldn't have met so many good people and friends over the years...Thanks Dad!

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

Since I'm off for six weeks recovering from double hernia surgery, I have time to read and reminisce, and came upon this thread. I grew up in Temple City, Calif, about ten miles from the original Irwindale Raceway. I went there with my brother in spring of '69 or so, it looked like fun, so in the back of my mind, I knew I wanted to race. We read Hot Rod, Car Craft, Popular Hot Rodding, Super Stock, etc. and the muscle car years were in full swing. I never had anything but cheap used cars then, even after I got married, we had good fixers. In 1976, we went to the Irwindale Fox Hunt, the cars, the crowds, the brackets, all that excitement made me decide to try it. My driver then was a '62 Impala SS with a 409 and a 4 speed, so I took it to fun and grudge night, not having any idea what to do. After some embarrasing tire smoking 15 second runs from a 12 second car, I went home and considered what it would take.In went a 12 bolt with 4.88's, an 11 inch Mc Cloud clutch, fenderwell headers, and the like, and the '09 ran a lot better. I bracket raced it after Irwindale was gone at Orange County, and in 1982, Tony Janes and I built a '61 Chevy 283 car for Winternationals. Now, with all our local tracks in So Cal about gone, that was the only show in town, so for the next several years, I raced Stock Eliminator in whatever ride I could line up. I did all my own work, (had to!) Even as a kid, I had Lincoln Logs,Tinkertoys, Erector sets, and the like,and grew up being fairly mechanical. I got an AA degree in automotive tech at Pasadena City College after high school, and went to work at a local Chevy dealer. Not a good job for a young guy starting out, you pick up too many bad habits that way. After a few years there, I left that world for both the county and the City of Los Angeles. Still racing, I've built quite a few stockers, and raced locally, made friends, met fine people,gone places, seen things, and had great experiences that money can't buy. I'm sure most of you could relate.

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

It was in 1966, i was 11, my older brothers took me to Englishtown when the orig. pits
were on the other side.
At that time no one under 17 was allowed in the pits.
So i sat by myself and the cars came pass me on the return road.
That's when they just ran class.
They had it all. A/S Corvettes,
427 Biscaynes, All of the 56 Sedan Delivery Jr. Stockers.
Right then n there, HOOKED...

My brother had a 66 Nova just like "The Grump" 327-350 & actually raced him in class
competition.

EVERYONE flat towed there cars.

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

I was really lucky..my cousin was the anouncer at our track Napierville Dragway in Quebec. Summer of '64 and haven't stopped...crewed on cars in the late 60's and my first trip to INDY was 1970. We had an altered at that time then to modified production. Today I'm still living the dream travelling through Division 1 and 3 with a Super/Stock Camaro.

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

Had been to stock car races in the late 60s and early 70s and I thought they were "neat"-Around 1970-71 my folks my folks took me to Cordova and it was Love at first sight ,I left there that night KNOWING I would be doing that some day!!! Made my 1st. pass down the Cordova blacktop in 1972 driving my 1st car 67 GTO 400 4spd($1100.00-47,000 1 owner miles)wow 41 years later?:eek:

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

i really want to thank you guys for sharing your stories my son and i really enjoyed reading them:)

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

I guess I have to blame John Langdon for getting me intersted in Stock
Elimenator. I ended up buying his brother Chad's I/SA 340 Duster after
it ended up in the hands of Mike Rice (not of NHRA fame) after he bought
the ex Steve Hanna Volare which went on to be owned by the Loge family
as did my Duster a few years later. I guess I could also blame Mike Loge,
GTX John Irving and Mike Graham for this addiction too.

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

The year: 1976
The event: Sportsnationals
The place: Beech Bend Raceway, Bowling Green, KY

The hook: At age 15, it was loud engines, fast Stockers and Super Stockers with shiny paint, polished aluminum, and the smell of racing fuel. :D

I was the only one of the 8 kids in our family to get bit by the drag racing bug.

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

Thank you for the kind words, "Big",, but c'mon now,, tell us YOUR story!
Danny Durham

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

lol mine was the first one i still enjoy going to the races i raced a few cars through the years but i sold my car to buy my son (third gen racer) a jr dragster , but hopefully will be back soon enough.

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

Like many of you, I am a second generation racer. My dad started in 1956 at the age of 14, and raced for 45 years til he was too sick to do it. My first memories of racing were at Dragway 42 with my dad racing a VW Beetle in some oddball class...held a record with it, or so I was told.:D We never had much money, so when bracket racing came my dad found his niche. He had a slant six powered 65 Dart running high 15s, a 318 powered Duster running 14s, and then whatever was the daily driver. One of the more memorable beaters we had was a '73 Pinto Wagon he paid $50 for. 4 cyl, 4 speed, 18.80s all day long. He won 3 races in a row one summer with that, and had a 21 round win streak. I think he made all of $200 for those races.
I made a few passes before legal driving age in 1982 in another beater. First raced regularly in a 70 Fury III with a 318, semi finals my third race ever. Got my first Trophy win in a borrowed 5.0 auto 86 Mustang, first money win in a '72 Dart slant six.
Following in my dad's footsteps, I never seem to have enough money to race much in the last 15 years, though I still go out a few times a season.
I'vr taken over 50 different cars down the track, none of them faster than 14.63. I still manage to get a win here and there in my slow street junk. Now I get as much satisfaction announcing as I do racing, and I am guaranteed to leave the track with more money than I came with!:p

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

My bad,,, Big. I should've went back and checked,,, nice thread, though.
Danny Durham

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

Damn Ed Wright. Saw his 65 Chevelle SS/MA out front of his shop way, way, back in time. Never had seen an NHRA car before. Probably would have been a rich, retired man by now if I never stopped. hahaha

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

I could also be retired now if there hadn't been one for you to see. Lmao

Please give your foxy wife a hug for me. :-)

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

I can remember going to the track with my dad when I was 5 years old. He raced a 69 Biscayne 427 4 speed back then. He had many race cars over the years and I always got to go. So it's been in my blood ever since. My first race car was a 65 Nova 283 4 speed car I got from my dad. My son is a racer too but he went the dirt track route. He does go with me and make all the calls on the car.

Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug?
 

As a spectator at Englishtown on a regular Sunday (Maybe 1988 or so) I witnessed Ronnie Morehead Jr. do a monsterous wheel stand in his SS/GT Camaro during a S/SS combo race....
First thing that went through my mind was "wow that's gotta be a blast"... Second thing was " I gotta have me one of them" ! - The rest is history.