Nation wide tour
 

Ok I've been dreaming of doing this for a while and need help with some details. Here's the plan (dream) to run all of the national events in the country that run S/St. yep all of them Houston, Atlanta, Epping, Chicago, Denver, Sonoma, & Seattle here's where I need your help. I'm looking for tracks in the area of the National even's (or in the travel route) that are a must race at (nice track, cool place, friendly, just treat you good) also local thinks to do and see and place's to eat at in those area's. We'll probably be on the road for a good part of a year so there;s going to be a lot of time too kill. Any help would be greatly appreciated and this will be a on going post of our adventure. Thanks in advance for your help

Re: Nation wide tour
 

Wow Robbie.


That was always my dream. Motor home, stacker with one or two cars, a stocker and super stocker, and just go south in the winter and north in the summer. Just hit tracks on the weekends and see the sights during the week.


I always figured that seeing the sights out weighted the race tracks that we went to, but hitting some National Events and Divisional events would be too cool along the way.


I hope for you and Teresa, that you can live that dream.


Tom Sr.

Re: Nation wide tour
 

Robbie, What's your race schedule for the rest of the year? Mike McMahan. 2543 H/SA

Re: Nation wide tour
 

Tom been dreaming about this for a while. The race's are the excuse to travel around the country and see the sights plus you meet the nicest people at race racks, Mike this years plan is to run Div race's in NHRA Cecil County, probably Atco and Englishtown and Sport Nationals in IHRA MIR, Pittsburg, Farmington, Piedmont, and maybe Empire. Next year the plan will be to start in January with all the winter races then continue following the national schedule that run S/St. What I hope is to see the sights and the country in the areas where the National events with S/St are. The problem is 4 race's are back to back so there's limited time between race's. We are going to do everything we can sight seeing wise wherever we go plus great place's to eat are a bonus (been watching to much food channel). So any info we can get for these areas would be greatly appreciated. This is a once in a life time trip and I want the do it right. Also I'll do my best to post and document the trip on classracer Thanks Robbie

Re: Nation wide tour
 

Robbie, your trip sounds like great fun. The wife and I travel extensively (this year it's back out west and my 8 year old grandson has joined us to make this one even more memorable). Rather than type a book of recommendations I'll catch up with you at one of the winter races in Florida and make some suggestions. Will say that after the Joliet race make a beeline for Colorado because there are more great riding roads than you can imagine for your Harley day trips. Highway 550 from Ouray to Durango just one of them. Also get your passports because after Seattle you'll want to ride the Icefields Parkway in BC. Lived in Seattle many years and can give lots of tips. A National Park Pass is also a good idea. In the meantime safe travels and good luck at the races and with motorhome tires LOL.

Re: Nation wide tour
 

From Epping you can go about 2 hours north to the White mountain national forest. Franconia notch rt 112 302 Bear notch Rd Franconia notch areal tram mount Washington auto road. If you prefer the ocean a drive up the NH and Maine coast on rt 1 and 1a would be nice as well

Re: Nation wide tour
 

If you are staying the week Oxford plains dragway in Maine is a cool little outlaw track that runs a bracket program Friday nights, Are you at Epping this week? I'll look for you Friday what's the car you drive

Re: Nation wide tour
 

Jim I'll see you this winter, your trip sounds pretty cool especially having your grandson there. A/SA Fairlane no we didn't enter Epping but with the tour we'll be there next year. Here's a photo our car I think you'll like it.
http://i1305.photobucket.com/albums/...psawww8meb.jpg

Re: Nation wide tour
 

When you start planning your Sonoma-Seattle part of the journey, let me know. I can give you lots of places to see, things to do!

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If you're doing this next year, I believe the D5 event would be in Topeka in May and D4 in Dallas in October.

Re: Nation wide tour
 

Julie thanks when time come's I will contact you. Lenny yes the tour will be next year is the schedule for D5 official? A/SA Fairlane Oxford plain would be a cool place to race at and a visit to Maine would be in order.Maybe I could get my buddy Jerry Hatch to give us a tour of the Maine coast line (and where to get a good Lobsta).

Re: Nation wide tour
 

Not exactly on the beaten path but the Mission divisional race is as good as it gets. Crazy fast sea level track with lots of history (first 9 second stock run, first 7 second SS run among others) and the nicest people (racers, staff and spectators) you will ever meet. The spectators are die hard door slammer fans and actually understand class racing. Not a state of the art national event kind of track but definitely a track that needs to be visited if you get the chance.

Jim Caughlin
SS 6019

Re: Nation wide tour
 

Robbie, I'm going to focus on stuff other than the race tracks. Traveling from Florida to Houston along I-10 going thru Pensacola there is an exit for the National Naval Aviation Museum, one of the largest displays of aircraft around. All indoors, free and plenty of parking--go to bus parking area. The museum is located on a military installation. If you enjoy this kind of thing plan on about four hours there. Navalaviationmuseum.org further down I-10 in New Orleans is the National World War II Museum. Incredible displays relating to the Second World War. Nationalww2museum.com If you haven't seen Bourbon Street it can be interesting. Continuing on towards Texas about 20 miles out of the way is the Coushatta Casino Resort. Plenty of parking, they also have an RV park, all the usual casino activities, and Tuesday is Senior Day(55+) $5.55 breakfast and lunch buffets and a free slot tournament. Coushattacasinoresort.com Houston best Mexican food in the country Stan Holt's Lupe Tortilla. Lupetortilla.com South on 146 from the track is Galveston Island nice to visit. Good food at The Spot-great burgers, blackened fish sandwiches, etc. thespot.islandfamous.com between Galveston and the track is Clear Lake home of the Houston NASA facility. Interesting exhibits about Space Flight. Denver, so many things to do. You have to visit Morrison,small town about a mile from track. Tony Rigitonis Italian food, Morrison Inn Mexican food and great roof top bar and dining, Beso de Arte outdoor dining upscale Latin food. Tonyrigitonis.com morrisoninn.com besodearte.com Around the corner from Morrison is the Red Rocks Ampitheatre. Be sure and check their schedule to see who is there while you are in Denver. Great outdoor venue. Red rocks online.com even if you don't go to a show there great place to go see during the day. Almost forgot about the Fort, really interesting restaurant, just look at the website on this one. Thefort.com Don't forget the Coors Brewary tour in Golden. If you are down around Colorado Springs the Royal Gorge and Pikes Peak are worth seeing. I'm sure some of the locals in each area can give even better info but these are places we have found over the years. Hope this helps. Mike McMahan 2543 H/SA

Re: Nation wide tour
 

Go get ya a stocker and do 'em all. I did it in '95 and it was a fabulous experience.
Although, I must say, it looks a lot harder these days !

Re: Nation wide tour
 

Robbie when you are in Kansas be sure to stop in Hutchinson Ks and visit the salt mining museum, it is on the east side of town. You go down 600+ feet down a mining shaft really neat. When I worked in Pipeline industry stayed in Hutchinson for a year took the family there a couple of times. There is an amish diner on west side of town called Dutch Kitchen, all food is fresh no preservatives, everything comes off amish farms.

Drive up to McPherson Ks about 30 minutes north of Hutchinson and see Phil Unruh he runs SST, TD, (building twin turbo TS car), great guy.

Re: Nation wide tour
 

Bernie & Mike thanks so much for the suggestions. Mission Dragway sounds really cool I'd love to try that. I don't think I could do all the races in any class that would be like running a marathon. I'll be happy hitting the 7 with S/St and racing at the cool places along the way while seeing the country. I've never been west of the Mississippi and the farthest west I've been is Memphis so I have a lot of place's to see and things to do. Mike thank you for the suggestions, I'm going to put a list together with things to do and see while in an area and try an get to as much as we can thanks.

Re: Nation wide tour
 

If you stop in Hutchinson, you will also also be blown away if you go to the Cosmosphere museum. Incredible display of the history of rocketry and the space race, from the German rocket powered airplanes to the current space stations. I found it to be a more comprehensive and better display than the Smithsonean. The largest collection of Russian artifacts and equipment in the Western world. They have an SR-71 Blackbird hanging from the ceiling and half a space shuttle mounted on the wall in the foyer

Re: Nation wide tour
 

Robbie,
In the Chicagoland area while there are a few standards such as Chicago style Hot Dogs WITHOUT Ketchup, Italian Beef sandwiches, Lou's deep dish pizza, White Sox (there is another ball team but I can't recall their name:-), etc., There are architectural tours downtown with both walking and on the river, various museums of Art, History, Science and Railroad, Milwaukee is less than two hours away, there is Road America to see.

In Ohio don't miss the National Museum of the US Air Force at Wright-Patterson. Great planes, even some with beehive valve springs to keep it racer oriented!, and some rockets too. Stopped in there heading to Michaels' Class Nationals, sent a friend who was stationed on Okinawa for two years during the war a picture of the C-141 and he sent me an image of a fuel card for it. An all day visit for sure! They have a section for Medal Of Honor recipients, only wish we were able to read the stories.

Also keep your eyes open along the way, a few years back I was in Indy for a retirement party and passed a billboard on the way down for a "Dream Car" exhibit at their Art Museum. It was unexpected and fantastic! There was testing at Indy, it rained so we got to go out on the track. Keep in touch as your plans progress. Everyone has great suggestions.

Re: Nation wide tour
 

I don't have any inside information, but typically D4 alternates S/ST between Houston and Dallas, while D5 alternates between Denver and Topeka.

I know that D7 has sometimes been in Phoenix but I'm not sure if it is a steady rotation or not.

Re: Nation wide tour
 

Nickh the salt mine tour sounds cool and the Amish dinner's got to be good thanks. Dwight thanks for the museum ideas will put them on the list. Bobby now your talking I watch way to much food channel and the Chicago eats sound great thanks. Lenny I guess I wont be able to finalize travel plans until the schedule comes out thanks for the heads up.

Re: Nation wide tour
 

Robbie,
I'm sure there will be numerous suggestions from everyone. Within an hour of Joliet there is the "Bean" sculpture downtown (which I believe is actually titled Cloud Gate) and the Big Red 1 museum at Cantigny Park.

Food wise there is Little Italy, Greek Town, China Town, numerous outstanding affordable suburban restaurants, and of course McDonald's;-)

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Thanks Bobby, but McDonalds? Heck I can get that right here in Charlotte Hall :-) Unless its a Chicago style food Mickey Ds :-)

Re: Nation wide tour
 

Robbie forgot to mention ctc auto ranch in Denton Texas www.ctcautoranch.com they use to let you walk around not sure if they still do that, but it would take all day to walk through the place. If you come to Houston get ahold of me and let me know will treat you to some BBQ

Re: Nation wide tour
 

Bobby and nickh thanks for the suggestions. I use to love going through old junk yards checking out the stuff. Nickh if S/St run's in Texas next year I'm planning on being there and I will look you up. Texas BBQ sounds great Thanks

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And if you want to stop by the farm, we have plenty of parking, a place to plug up, a place to dump, fishing, local track to test, and a few local watering holes that you really dont want to miss. The quiet will hurt your ears.

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Larry your car hurts my ears!

Re: Nation wide tour
 

A chance to have a Big Mac at the world HQ!!!!!

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Larry we may take you up on that at some time. Then I could pick up those fairlane parts you have. Keep the food suggestions coming this may be come a year long food craw. Thanks

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I bet I have some old school bus engine parts on a shelf or two. The Wright Patterson museum is a cool trip. We would go there when the National model airplane contest was in Dayton OH.

Toy airplanes, ain't nothing like a good rat race. Two to three airplanes at the same time in the same circle, 40's on 60% or more Nitro @ 150 plus MPH on 59' 6.25'' wires with two pit stops for ten miles.