Final thoughts about Old Bridge Township Raceway Park
 

Some Final Thoughts About Old Bridge Township Raceway Park.. Just my feelings; not saying everyone should or will feel the same.

Re: Final thoughts about Old Bridge Township Raceway Park
 

The closing reminds me of Chevy Chase in Christmas vacation movie when he opens the letter of his bonus. I wish I could remember all the expletives that Chevy Chase said, I'd repeat them. That's the way I feel about it, I can only hope that the Englishtown residents demands that they reconsider do to the lack of tax revenue from all the money that flows around when racers are in the community.

Casey Miles
248H Stock

Re: Final thoughts about Old Bridge Township Raceway Park
 

cheap, lying, no-good, rotten, four-flushing, low-life, snake-licking, dirt-eating, inbred, overstuffed, ignorant, blood-sucking, dog-kissing, brainless, dickless, hopeless, heartless, fat-***, bug-eyed, stiff-legged, spotty-lipped, worm-headed sack of monkey ****

Re: Final thoughts about Old Bridge Township Raceway Park
 

have you met my ex?

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And how many times did you have to pause and/or back it up to get it correct! HA!

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I was 16 in 1974, and along with 3 other teens, we left Conn. to camp out and watch the Summernationals. It was our first National Event. We made a banner for the back of our camper trailer, which read " Summernationals or Bust". A National Dragster photographer saw us, had us pose with it, and we made it to the back of the 1975 Summernationals program. I was in the stands for Jungle Jim`s power wheelie, Don Garlits` flip over and drive back towards the starting line, which is still hard to believe, and a few fatalities as well. One of our group had never missed attending, even if it was just one day. It seemed that all of the pro records were set and reset there. It brought out the best in all its competitors. I was fortunate to win Class (O/SA) in 2013. I am admittedly biased, but short of Indy, It was the greatest NHRA event on the schedule. Farewell.
Mike A114

Re: Final thoughts about Old Bridge Township Raceway Park
 

Ran my first 1/4 mile pass there in 1969... Was there for the very first of many Summernationals and made countless great memories there before the NAVY uprooted me and transplanted me on the west coast. I had hoped to "GO HOME" and compete in the Summernationals someday, now that I have returned to competition after all these years...

Sad Sad event, lots of golden era history there, I remember well the Napp brothers struggles to make Raceway Park the storied venue it became. Richie & Vinnie are spinning in their graves and cussin' loudly for sure...

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"Hey. If any of you are looking for any last-minute gift ideas for me, I have one. I'd like Frank Shirley, my boss, right here tonight. I want him brought from his happy holiday slumber over there on Melody Lane with all the other rich people and I want him brought right here...with a big ribbon on his head! And I want to look him straight in the eye, and I want to tell him what a cheap, lying, no-good, rotten, four-flushing, low-life, snake-licking, dirt-eating, inbred, overstuffed, ignorant, blood-sucking, dog-kissing, brainless, dickless, hopeless, heartless, fat-assed, bug-eyed, stiff-legged, spotty-lipped, worm-headed, sack of monkey **** he is! Hallelujah! Holy ****! Where's the Tylenol?"

-Clark Griswold

James Fontana
SS/1230
STK/1230

Re: Final thoughts about Old Bridge Township Raceway Park
 

raceway park was a long haul for us. the other lads story about the '77 riot cops and burt down ****ters in the camp grounds r true. later on I got to know a bunch of heavy hitters in S/SS there. we did run there twice ( fastest we ever ran) and attended about six summernationals. just thinking the stories my heros JJ, grumpy & the one gunn could tell ya, bob berserco too...gonna miss e town for sure....little did we know that the 2017 events would be the last.

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raceway park was a long haul for us.

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We have the memories. They have the cash. Reminds me of a country and western song.

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Probably Jerry Reed's: "She Got the Gold Mine, I Got the Shaft"

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For all you X-mas vacation film fans, my wife and I watch it about once a month. 1 of the things we've learned is when Clark is giving his rant so well described by Mr. Fontana and others, the words were written on the wall of the "alcove" he's standing in above the entrance way to the living room where everyone else is staring at him. Just in case he forgot one.
He didn't forget any BTW.
Sad that E-town is closing. The 73 Summers was the 1st national event I attended.
God Bless all.
Walt

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How about "She ain't worth the whiskey". By the way , it looks like Alexis DeJouria might be sitting pretty now, as Patron' is being bought by Bacardi for 5.1 Billion. Maybe she wants a dragstrip. John KisselK242

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My first NHRA national event there was the 1968 Springnationals. Most people forgot about that race. BTW it was called Madison Township Raceway Park back then.

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First went there crewing for my buddy's SS/HA in 80. Crazy hot, running with jugs of water to cool the car. The Sat. night Pro show was like no other. Will never forget it. RIP E Town

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I have a lot:

My father and I attended the 1971 Summernationals. On Monday, the NY Daily News did a story on the race. There was a full page photo of the track and the spectator stands, and you could clearly see the two of us.

In 1978 they ran ET Brackets at the Division points race. I was R/U in Street Eliminator.(Footbrake 14.00+ dial 1/4 mile)

In 1982, I rented a Dodge Aries for the weekend from the dealership where I worked. I drove it down to Englishtown for the Division opener and entered it in Stock. It was a second off the index and I lost first round, but I got my picture in SS&DI.

Englishtown was the first track to win the NHRA Div. 1 Bracket Finals twice. I was on both of those teams. I finished 3rd in Street ET at the 1983 Bracket Finals while representing them.

The US All-Pro Funny Car Championships always had the largest field of the year in Street ET (around 50 cars). IIRC I made the final round five times, winning four. I missed one year when I destroyed my car in a wreck on the way to the track.

I have no way of knowing, but I might have had the slowest car to ever win a Friday night Gamblers' race, a 20-second Ford Fairmont.

The year before I moved south I attended the Summernationals for the last time. I was sitting out driving for the year, so I rode my bicycle 18 miles each way to get there.

I had the honor of racing (and occasionally beating) many up and coming young drivers like Jim Harrington and Sal and Peter Biondo. As well as other veteran drivers still active long after I stopped, like Bill Doczi, Mallory Kenny, Bill Hackusca and Frank Maffiore.

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Honestly....get over it! Its a dragstrip!

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Sorry Dan, but it was more than that.
Mike A114

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I wrote that article for SS&DI. Small world. lol

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There are petitions at Care2.com to keep it open.. Will it do much, probably not,BUT, if ya' don't try, ya' can't say you didn't try.. John Kissel K242

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From my understanding, the Napps got a deal for roughly $75 million to make the dragstrip and pits into a parking lot. What were they supposed to do? Keep it open to please a crowd of people that gets smaller every year?

They made the right decision no matter how some feel about it. If you're honest with yourself, you'd admit you'd do the same thing.

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Hi John, unfortunately that petition will do nothing for the Raceway Park situation. That is the Napps' business and it is a done deal. However, I signed it anyway because I feel it's never a bad thing to show our numbers. Our sport is an important part of the fabric of this country and there are many of us out there who not only love it but participate as well. But just like many tracks, we are being encroached upon. I say sign as many petitions as we can to make sure we are known. Just my two cents. Thanks for sharing the info about the petition!

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This is truth. Anybody would have taken that deal; the Napps should not be blamed for doing so. I'd rather lose out to a mega-deal like that rather then them just getting rid of racing for no real reason. Again, just my two cents.

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I'm all in for $75,000,000.

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If you were responsible for the photo selections for that article, thank you.

Is there any place where the results of a 1982 NHRA WCS event would be archived? I would love to confirm my qualifying and eliminations results. I've always believed that I lost to Dave Lebrun in Round 1.

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I hope someone puts together a video of Etowns memorable moments. It would be a good one. Glad I was able to compete there.

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1st class win in 2000. got invited to the tear down lane, thanks Bruce. passed, got my wally and about $400 bucks. good times.

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A sad day. Feels just like when York US-30 closed.

Ron.

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I am not going to make any statements on how we got to this point when a major track in a metro area of the country closes. My final thoughts start from the first time I went to Old Bridge Raceway Park for the Summernationals in 1973. I remember the stop and go traffic from Texas Road to the entrance with a guy selling and buying tickets to the sold out event, Jungle Jim and other funny car drivers working on their cars in the parking lots of the motels in Edison, when it rained all night in our tent pitched next to Pension Road and we let the bikers who had no protection sleep in our tent, the HEAT, the fresh squeezed lemonade from a whole lemon and the Race Zone Bar and Grill on Englishtown Rd.

In the 90s I was not racing, but brought my sons to the Funny Car Reunions a couple of years. I saw Bruce Larson backed up by Pam Hardy and he made a wheel standing run.
When I returned to racing in 2006 and returned to Raceway Park it felt like stepping out onto the field at Fenway Park. This arena ,Raceway Park had the history were great people raced and competed and historic automotive events happened. I was lucky to race there and compete competitively because there was that extra incentive to compete and do well at Raceway Park. I was an honor to compete there.

Video of a memorable ran at Raceway Park with thanks to Lewis Bloom for the great announcing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7BHyD1A72c&t=266s

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There is another thread about the "Hemi Challenge at Indy" on here. It reminded me about something I saw at the Summernationals I wonder if anyone remembers an A/G Hemi Cuda that blew the clutch, so violently, it literally blew the dashboard, windshield, back of the block etc. etc. It was a miracle the driver survived. It had to be late 70`s. I can`t recall the drivers name, maybe someone else can chime in.
Mike A114

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Mike are you thinking of John Archambault's 68 Cuda, I had thought it was a A/MP though not a Gasser... I believe after the incident you refer to he put in a ClutchFlite...

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Pete, I cant be sure. It could have been A/MP. I cant even remember the color, much less anything else. All I remember was looking inside the car. The destruction that explosion caused was shocking. Maybe someone has pictures. They run those AH cars to the edge. But I`ve never seen anything like that.
Mike A114

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that was probably Carl Arabia's cuda, he was from north jersey

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This is sad news, (They paved paradise and put up a parking lot)Joni Mitchell

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It was already paved. Now they are parking on it. :)

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Upstate NY Old's radio station WGNY is playing Raceway park commercials from the 70's for the past week,day and night.
This station dedicated towards the baby boomers.

Bob Lasko

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98.9 fm...tks bob! Drag Racing is "farrrrr out !!! "

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The closing will no doubt put the car theft rings out of NY city out of business for a very short while ! At least it might slow them down. Remember Richie Zul lost his Pro Stock Camaro from English Town and lots of spectator cars disappeared from the parking lot over the years.

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you never know what you've got till it's gone.