CLASS RACER FORUM - Bob Banning, Sr. passes

Bob Banning Sr. was my mom's first cousin and a close family member through my childhood years. As a teenager I spent a lot of time at the Dodge / Plymouth dealership in Hyattsville Md. and at his waterfront summer home on the South River near Annapolis Md. When Bob took over the reins of the dealership from his dad he expanded the business and in very early 1963 saw the value of the growing sport of drag racing and how it could attract new customers to the dealership by purchasing two max wedge cars and competing at the new tracks in the Maryland area. Two of his auto techs, drove and wrenched the cars, Dave Reitz drove the 63 Ply.steel front end car and Tom Sneeden drove the 63 Dodge aluminum front end car. These racers could race with anyone and could be found at 75-80, Cecil Co., Capital, Aquasco, York US 30 and my home track of Mason Dixon. on any given weekend. The "Bounty Hunters" gang was one of the best teams going for years, in the later sixties they also ran funny cars. Bob Banning backed these efforts of his auto techs / drivers in a big way and was certainly an important part of drag racing history. Tom and Dave still race at various bracket races or nostalgia races / events. Bob Banning Sr will be missed!

Mike Bassin, track announcer, Mason Dixon Dragway