First Car to the Strip

[Chuck Gallagher]

1967 took my '64 GTO to the old Concord (NC) drag-a-way and won the C/S class trophy, which I still have displayed in my garage.
Still racing a Pontiac, sort of.
Flagman, quarter mile. I was about 3 months out of the service.
The place (race track) was sold to a developer and became a nice sub-division known as, "Old South".

[Bob Lasko]

Flat towed my 67 Nova SS to Dover Drag strip in Dover NY, in 1973. Used 1969 COPO Chevelle as a tow car. Car had a warmed over 327. Think ran 13"s

picture is what it looked like when i sold it, not from the 70's
Bob Lasko

[Carguy49]

First time down a legal drag strip was in 1970 at Seattle International Raceway. The car was a 1970 Plymouth 340 Duster. It ran low 15's and the disease stared then. I have had multiple cars that I have raced including one in Stock for awhile. I'm better at helping other people with their cars and have been on the crew of an Alcohol Dragster for a summer. Lots of work, but fun at the same time.

[Dan Bennett]

If you love racing enough, you make do with what you have.

1966, Pacific Dragway, 1959 Nash Metropolitan running in AHRA (I think) XF/G class.

The car? Two reasons. It was all I could afford, and all my parents would allow me to buy. I'd been a car nut for a long time and I guess they thought I wouldn't hurt myself too bad with such a lack of horsepower.

Interesting sideline - they were still using a flag starter but also doing handicaps between classes with a spot system. I never had another car in my class. I remember running against a new SS Chevelle. The starter kept pulling me farther and farther down the track from the starting line.

Of course, he had to be in front of me. I suspect the guy in the Chevelle was wishing he had brought binoculars since the flagman was so far away from him. But my car was snail slow and my huge head start was gone just after I shifted to 2nd gear.

And even with that awful beginning, I was hooked.

[Craig Dawson]

July of 1975, 66 Biscayne originally a 283 2 bbl. 3 on the tree. Put a 350 and 4 speed in it but still had the 3.08 open 10 bolt. National Trail Raceway Friday night grudge racing. Hot, sticky, sweating, knees knocking etc. 15.90 can't remember the speed.

[George Fitzpatrick]

1963 Pontiac Catalina 389 OE 4 speed. 1st race ever was 4 wide @ New York National speedway.

[Greg Reimer 7376]

1. 62 Impala SS,409,2X4's,4speed,Irwindale,Orange County.
2. 69 Plymouth Roadrunner,383,4 speed, Irwindale
3. 62 Bel Air bubble top, 409,4 speed,OCIR, Riverside, Firebird
4. 61 Bel Air 2 door, 283, OCIR, Pomona. Tony Janes Stock Eliminator car
5. 66 Bel Air 2 door post Stock Eliminator car, Riverside,Palmdale,Bakersfield,Pomona,
6. 63 Bel Air 2 door post, 409,425 horse, OCIR, Riverside, Palmdale,Terminal Island
7. 71 Monte Carlo,Riverside, Irwindale
8. 68 Chevelle Malibu 2 door hardtop,Stock Eliminator car,Palmdale,Vegas,Pomona,Speedworld,Bakersfield
9. 68 Chevelle wagon,Stock Eliminator car,Palmdale,Pomona,Fontana,Irwindale
10. 63 Nova,OCIR,
11. 68 Chevelle 300 deluxe,Stock Eliminator car, 2 door hardtop,Bakersfield, Fontana,Pomona,Speedworld,
Irwindale, Las Vegas,
12. 66 Chevelle wagon, ex Cal Method Stock Eliminator car,Pomona.
Guess that's about it. That spans July 1976 to fall of 2019.

[Gordie Kissner]

1978...67 Mustang FB 390 Auto..started in the low 15s and finished in the low 14s. Swapped the 390 for a 427 Med Riser and picked up a little..lol.
Midway Drag Strip Western CO. where the DA is typically around 7-8k ft. on a good day. Home track of Jim Hughes and several other noteable S/SS racers.

[6130]

Originally Posted by Greg Reimer 7376

12. 66 Chevelle wagon, ex Cal Method car,Pomona.

I remember Cal and Mary Ann from D-6 races in the '80s at Woodburn...

[MikeMoller]

1968 Saginaw dragstrip, took my 1966 Impala SS 327/275 hp 4 speed there and ran Pure Stock. Won class, my first race and first trophy. Still have the trophy, car was black with white interior, went with a buddy from school (GMI in Flint)l, we had 'The Buzzard' and an outline of the state of Ohio in shoe polish on the side. Got to the semi finals in eliminator. Met Al Provost at that race, he came over and wanted to know what some Ohio boys were doing up there. He was running a 58 Biscayne I think at the time in Stock.