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Geerhead55 · 03-14-2010, 02:03 AM

April 1968,,I'm in Jr. High and even though I'd been reading car mags for 3 years(Hot Rod, Car Craft, Super Stock and Popular Hot Rodding) I had no idea there were 3 race tracks within a half hour of my house. Then one day a classmate of mine said he was going to a drag race and I said "Where?" He said Puyallup and I asked if I could go too. So his mom drops 3 of us off outside the gate ( no on had a license yet, we were 14 and 15) and we go in and I couldn't believe the cars we saw! I remember sitting in the front row of the stands across from the tower, and the announcer asking us "How 're you guys doin? Is this your first time to a drag race?" We shook our heads, then took in all the sites and sounds and had a blast.
Some of the cars I remember there that day were: Crazy Corky in the Charlie Brown Javelin, Wild Bill Ireland in his 427 Fairlane, The Hemi Countdown car of Harry Holton, Gary Coe and his Gunfighter Ford. There were lots of 55-57 chevys, big block Chevelles, a few Camaros, GTOs, 442s and of course a bunch of old hot rods, altereds and some dragsters(no fuelers). We were hooked and it got worse after we were old enough to drive and race ourselves. We ended up racing at Bremerton and Seattle as well as Puyallup until it closed in 78', and here in 2010 I still haven't kicked the habit, 42 years after good ol' Mrs.Lewis dropped us off and changed our lives forever.
Danny Durham

03-14-2010, 02:03 AM	#38
Geerhead55 VIP Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Tacoma, Washington Posts: 1,632 Likes: 0 Liked 5 Times in 5 Posts	Re: What got you started drag racing?? April 1968,,I'm in Jr. High and even though I'd been reading car mags for 3 years(Hot Rod, Car Craft, Super Stock and Popular Hot Rodding) I had no idea there were 3 race tracks within a half hour of my house. Then one day a classmate of mine said he was going to a drag race and I said "Where?" He said Puyallup and I asked if I could go too. So his mom drops 3 of us off outside the gate ( no on had a license yet, we were 14 and 15) and we go in and I couldn't believe the cars we saw! I remember sitting in the front row of the stands across from the tower, and the announcer asking us "How 're you guys doin? Is this your first time to a drag race?" We shook our heads, then took in all the sites and sounds and had a blast. Some of the cars I remember there that day were: Crazy Corky in the Charlie Brown Javelin, Wild Bill Ireland in his 427 Fairlane, The Hemi Countdown car of Harry Holton, Gary Coe and his Gunfighter Ford. There were lots of 55-57 chevys, big block Chevelles, a few Camaros, GTOs, 442s and of course a bunch of old hot rods, altereds and some dragsters(no fuelers). We were hooked and it got worse after we were old enough to drive and race ourselves. We ended up racing at Bremerton and Seattle as well as Puyallup until it closed in 78', and here in 2010 I still haven't kicked the habit, 42 years after good ol' Mrs.Lewis dropped us off and changed our lives forever. Danny Durham