Len Imborgno - Jim Skelly - Performance Preserves

Bruce Fulper · 07-02-2007, 01:57 PM

Young! Why thank you...
I still got to see my share of what I consider unreal street racing around Kent, Cleveland and Akron Ohio in the '60's. In the summer I used to bike over to the local hot spot in Kent on Friday nights, The Short Stop, sometimes A&W.
One of my personal memorable moments - the guys were getting ready to gang up and head to Tallmadge, Ohio, just a few miles south to that A&W where some of the guys from Akron would come over, Tallmadge was east of Akron, so it was a decent spot to meet in the middle.

I wanted to catch a ride so bad, I'd been hanging around Ron McClusky and his double altered wheelbase '65 Hemi Coronet. He knew I REALLY wanted to tag along so he said, "Get in the back and hold on the to rollbar." Of course there was no back seat so I was sitting on the floor. I might have been 14 at the time and Ron's buddy rode up front. Ron's car was Kents baddest machine so it was a hell of an honor to be riding in the lead car. The guys were like that - the fastest car always led the pack.

"Bout halfway to Tallmadge there was a big hill and as you came down the other side, right at the bottom of the hill was a set of railroad tracks. Of course back then everyone pimped over the tracks like a snail. After the tracks there was a long straight-a-way. So each car after inching across the tracks would stop and let it happen. Remember I didn't know this the FIRST time.

So as Ron stopped after crossing the tracks he yelled, "Hang on!" and that....
ohmigod.......stood it up and slammed that Dodge against the rear bumper and I remember seeing the moon out of the windshield. No frigging kidding.

Damn....talk about being scared and knowing you were instantly "cool" at the same time.....everyone behind us had seen it. Bad ***.

As you can tell that ride was an experience of a lifetime. I wonder if Dave Sebring was there. He just got promoted to sales at TCI. Dave will tell you about McCluskys Coronet and lots of other wild Kent happenings. Like the time a guy brought a blown red 55 T-bird Pontiac powered gasser to town to pick on the guys. Unloaded it across the street from the Short Stop. I don't remember anyone taking him on. Dave will also confirm the night Ron's girlfriend or wife pushed the REVERSE pushbutton after going thru the traps at Quaker City one Saturday night. Spun it around but didn't hurt anything. This car was a true 10.80 street car in the late '60's. In Kent that was hot.

Man....and like you guys, that was just one night in what seemed like a million.
Street racing was a way of life. Glad we made it thru.

07-02-2007, 01:57 PM	#29
Bruce Fulper Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: So. Cal. Posts: 651 Likes: 4 Liked 54 Times in 33 Posts	Re: Len Imborgno - Jim Skelly - Performance Preserves Young! Why thank you... I still got to see my share of what I consider unreal street racing around Kent, Cleveland and Akron Ohio in the '60's. In the summer I used to bike over to the local hot spot in Kent on Friday nights, The Short Stop, sometimes A&W. One of my personal memorable moments - the guys were getting ready to gang up and head to Tallmadge, Ohio, just a few miles south to that A&W where some of the guys from Akron would come over, Tallmadge was east of Akron, so it was a decent spot to meet in the middle. I wanted to catch a ride so bad, I'd been hanging around Ron McClusky and his double altered wheelbase '65 Hemi Coronet. He knew I REALLY wanted to tag along so he said, "Get in the back and hold on the to rollbar." Of course there was no back seat so I was sitting on the floor. I might have been 14 at the time and Ron's buddy rode up front. Ron's car was Kents baddest machine so it was a hell of an honor to be riding in the lead car. The guys were like that - the fastest car always led the pack. "Bout halfway to Tallmadge there was a big hill and as you came down the other side, right at the bottom of the hill was a set of railroad tracks. Of course back then everyone pimped over the tracks like a snail. After the tracks there was a long straight-a-way. So each car after inching across the tracks would stop and let it happen. Remember I didn't know this the FIRST time. So as Ron stopped after crossing the tracks he yelled, "Hang on!" and that.... ohmigod.......stood it up and slammed that Dodge against the rear bumper and I remember seeing the moon out of the windshield. No frigging kidding. Damn....talk about being scared and knowing you were instantly "cool" at the same time.....everyone behind us had seen it. Bad ***. As you can tell that ride was an experience of a lifetime. I wonder if Dave Sebring was there. He just got promoted to sales at TCI. Dave will tell you about McCluskys Coronet and lots of other wild Kent happenings. Like the time a guy brought a blown red 55 T-bird Pontiac powered gasser to town to pick on the guys. Unloaded it across the street from the Short Stop. I don't remember anyone taking him on. Dave will also confirm the night Ron's girlfriend or wife pushed the REVERSE pushbutton after going thru the traps at Quaker City one Saturday night. Spun it around but didn't hurt anything. This car was a true 10.80 street car in the late '60's. In Kent that was hot. Man....and like you guys, that was just one night in what seemed like a million. Street racing was a way of life. Glad we made it thru.