how did you get bit by the racing bug?

[Greg Reimer 7376]

Since I'm off for six weeks recovering from double hernia surgery, I have time to read and reminisce, and came upon this thread. I grew up in Temple City, Calif, about ten miles from the original Irwindale Raceway. I went there with my brother in spring of '69 or so, it looked like fun, so in the back of my mind, I knew I wanted to race. We read Hot Rod, Car Craft, Popular Hot Rodding, Super Stock, etc. and the muscle car years were in full swing. I never had anything but cheap used cars then, even after I got married, we had good fixers. In 1976, we went to the Irwindale Fox Hunt, the cars, the crowds, the brackets, all that excitement made me decide to try it. My driver then was a '62 Impala SS with a 409 and a 4 speed, so I took it to fun and grudge night, not having any idea what to do. After some embarrasing tire smoking 15 second runs from a 12 second car, I went home and considered what it would take.In went a 12 bolt with 4.88's, an 11 inch Mc Cloud clutch, fenderwell headers, and the like, and the '09 ran a lot better. I bracket raced it after Irwindale was gone at Orange County, and in 1982, Tony Janes and I built a '61 Chevy 283 car for Winternationals. Now, with all our local tracks in So Cal about gone, that was the only show in town, so for the next several years, I raced Stock Eliminator in whatever ride I could line up. I did all my own work, (had to!) Even as a kid, I had Lincoln Logs,Tinkertoys, Erector sets, and the like,and grew up being fairly mechanical. I got an AA degree in automotive tech at Pasadena City College after high school, and went to work at a local Chevy dealer. Not a good job for a young guy starting out, you pick up too many bad habits that way. After a few years there, I left that world for both the county and the City of Los Angeles. Still racing, I've built quite a few stockers, and raced locally, made friends, met fine people,gone places, seen things, and had great experiences that money can't buy. I'm sure most of you could relate.

[Pistol Pete]

It was in 1966, i was 11, my older brothers took me to Englishtown when the orig. pits
were on the other side.
At that time no one under 17 was allowed in the pits.
So i sat by myself and the cars came pass me on the return road.
That's when they just ran class.
They had it all. A/S Corvettes,
427 Biscaynes, All of the 56 Sedan Delivery Jr. Stockers.
Right then n there, HOOKED...

My brother had a 66 Nova just like "The Grump" 327-350 & actually raced him in class
competition.

EVERYONE flat towed there cars.

[austin49]

I was really lucky..my cousin was the anouncer at our track Napierville Dragway in Quebec. Summer of '64 and haven't stopped...crewed on cars in the late 60's and my first trip to INDY was 1970. We had an altered at that time then to modified production. Today I'm still living the dream travelling through Division 1 and 3 with a Super/Stock Camaro.