First Car to the Strip

[John Winslow Jr]

I-55 speedway in Missouri 1/8th mike, 71 ranchero 351, don’t remember what it ran, but remember it was fun. First trip down the track was OCIR, in a super gas Vega with my dad driving after the track closed on a milk crate 1978, now that was a hoot. Think he ran 11.50, John

[TGould]

Feb 1959,Pensacola Florida. Our 1955 Chev Del Ray Cpe, 235 six with a stick shift. Car was bone stock with the exception of the Corvette floor shift I had just installed...But, since that was not allowed, I had to run F Gas.. Won class (6 inch trophy). still have it. I don't remember the times. Back to Pensacola in August, Now .060 over, shaved .060. and a Corvette cam Again, won F Gas with a 17.78. (12 inch trophy) Still have it. That was the last time the car was run (on a track). Then, in October, It was on a ship to St Johns Newfoundland, our next Air force assignment.

We were supposed to be in Newfoundland 3 years, but in June of 1960, the base was closing and we were on our way to our new assignment, at an Air Force Station just west of Winslow Arizona. After picking up the car in NY we headed west via Columbus Ohio and eventually route 66. While in Columbus, I went by Jegs (just opened) and picked up a 1960 NHRA rule book (50 cents) . Still have it. It,s been on my bucket list to make that route 66 drive to Winslow again.


Tom Gould
2706 Stock

[SSDiv6]

At the age of 16, in 1973, 1969 Impala Sports Coupe, 350-255HP engine. Did a few changes to the engine and had Corvette 15 x 8 rear and 15 x6 front rally wheels. Ran in the 15's.

In 1974, I almost traded across to an FBI agent who had a 1969 Impala Sports Coupe SS, 427-4 speed car and was tired of shifting and paying for high octane gas and was looking forward to it. Except.... One Friday afternoon, I had washed, waxed and detailed the car, left it home and went out on a date on her car. Driving back home through town I saw some of my buddies shaking their heads and when I arrived home, I noticed the park parked on the street and sort of twisted!

Although I hid the keys of the car, my dad was going out drinking with his friends and decided he wanted to drive a cool car to impress others in lieu of driving his Vega Station Wagon. He took the car, got drunk and tried to move a concrete barrier with the front end of the car. He still drove the car home, with a bent frame and lower control arm, on a flat tire, riding on the rim producing all kinds of sparks and by some miracle, no cops around!

Tried to fix the car but couldn't straighten the frame so I sold it for parts.

[Belair 7548]

First and last...55 Chevy of course!

[Mike Meier]

Back in 1998 snuck off to Englishtown with my mom's 1987 Chevy Corsica after borrowing it to "go to the movies" with some friends.

She knowingly lent it to me to go racing with it a year later because I was in 1st place in points for High School Eliminator and she didn't want to see me fall behind when my Toyota broke an axle.

[BigBlockBill]

My first was a 1965 Pontiac Catalina 4 door in 1977. It had been the chief of Police's car in Ann Arbor. Michigan. I would have to dig out the calendar they used to time it with to be sure if it was 77 or 78 mph........lol

[4284spd]

My 1995 Cobra R in the late 90's

[novassdude]

First trip to Interstate Dragway in Sabin MN. Sep 1991 With my 1970 Nova 355 small block Turbo 400 and N50 Micky Thompson tires. Ran I think mid 13’s Had big block coil springs up front air shocks in the back about looked like a 4x4. Bought it that way. Sparky let me race it that day but had a list of 10-12 things that had to be fixed before it came back to the track. But it was enough to make me want more. Still have the car nothing but the color of the paint is the same. Car is in the trailer fresh motor trans and converter in the shop. Hopefully we will put it back together one of these years. And go play with the Midwest bunch down at Thunder Valley or Brainard.
I always raced something Snowmobiles, motorcycles, ATV’s and Mud trucks. March 13th 1991 I had a bad day at work and spent the next 2 ½ months in the hospital. Now paralyzed from the mid chest down. I told them I would get back to racing something, Sep of 1991 I stopped at the hospital with the race car.