What got you started drag racing?? - Page 2

W J · 03-11-2010, 05:19 PM

I was 14 and a high school freshman. 1960...Worked after school a couple afternoons a week and weekends pumping gas at my home- town Gulf station. A few older 19-20 yr old guys that came in and occasionally hung out there had some pretty nice cars....one was a '57 Chev convert that was a 283 power-pack. powerglide car. Color was that Tropical Turquoise (aqua) w/blk top...a beauty. Well the guy decided he was going to turn it into a stocker, and make it a .030 over, 292", 270hp solid lifter, dual quad car, and also install a BW 4-speed, and 5.14 posi rear. Well, I became his "gofer" and helped him out throughout this almost 1 yr. project. Car turned out to be a beauty and ran excellent. He taught me how to turn wrenches and took me to the drags w/him to help out and learn. He's the one who got me going with this sport. I ended up buying that '57 from him when I was 17. He then bought a brand new '65 big block 396, 4sp Impala, which also did well at the track. His next drag car was a '62 340hp 327 Corvette stocker. He also ran Modified Production for a short time with it. Then, he and a partner built a 1940 Ford C/MP Chevrolet powered coupe, and competed at the 1967 Indy National event w/it....I went from the '57 270hp car to a '64 Malibu 283-220hp, 4 sp. stocker....Orange, Ma. Drag Strip, Sanford, Me. Drag Strip, Charlestown, R.I. Drag Strip, Connecticut Dragway, Lebanon Valley Dragway, New England Dragway. Great times.....Thank you, Jay O'Day, for all your patience and teaching when I was just a kid trying to grow up...WJ

Chris "drooze" Wertman · 03-11-2010, 04:54 PM

Uh, You, Vic, stories around Grandpas table.

The 76 Winternationals, and all the Nationals I went to with my Mom and Stepdad between 76--81

A Guy like Purdohme taking a knee to look me in the eye and ask what I , ME a 7 year old liked best about Drag Racing, (I answered Dragsters

Good memories and the excuse to take something apart and put it back together repeatledy

Quote:

Originally Posted by NewHemi

I suspect that I already know the answer for most of us. It was simply having a driver's license, and a car.

But I am also sure that for some there were either special people or special events that triggered the urge to drag race...and I am sure those people or events will be of interest to all of us.

So, what got you start in drag racing?

David
The New Hemi Guy.

Urraco · 03-11-2010, 10:32 PM

A couple of buddies and me went to Great Bend Kansas in April 1958 to see the fuelers and I said"That looks like fun" and the rest is history as they say.

Larry Fulton · 03-13-2010, 07:01 PM

Hanging out at San Bernardino Racing Equipment 1967-1972...
and going to Fontana, Irwindale, OCIR, Ontario and Fremont

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

coolvette · 03-14-2010, 03:30 AM

Went to watch my first drag race in 1960, 1961 had a 57 Chev 283 Power pack. 1966 first race with a C/MP 56 Chev 327 Two 4's with Olds Hydro 4 speed with 4000 stall covt. Ran a D/MP , E/MP 56 chevy wagon then moved to Comp in 1970 to 1973 with B/D 426 Hemi, 1974 to 1978 to A/D with a 426 Hemi Pro Stock motor with Lenco 3 speed. Then 1980 to 1990 S/C with a 340 W-2 Mopar P/G. Had a ton on FUN racing.

Photos of my Race cars

03-11-2010, 05:19 PM	#1
W J Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Paxton, Massachusetts Posts: 638 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: What got you started drag racing?? I was 14 and a high school freshman. 1960...Worked after school a couple afternoons a week and weekends pumping gas at my home- town Gulf station. A few older 19-20 yr old guys that came in and occasionally hung out there had some pretty nice cars....one was a '57 Chev convert that was a 283 power-pack. powerglide car. Color was that Tropical Turquoise (aqua) w/blk top...a beauty. Well the guy decided he was going to turn it into a stocker, and make it a .030 over, 292", 270hp solid lifter, dual quad car, and also install a BW 4-speed, and 5.14 posi rear. Well, I became his "gofer" and helped him out throughout this almost 1 yr. project. Car turned out to be a beauty and ran excellent. He taught me how to turn wrenches and took me to the drags w/him to help out and learn. He's the one who got me going with this sport. I ended up buying that '57 from him when I was 17. He then bought a brand new '65 big block 396, 4sp Impala, which also did well at the track. His next drag car was a '62 340hp 327 Corvette stocker. He also ran Modified Production for a short time with it. Then, he and a partner built a 1940 Ford C/MP Chevrolet powered coupe, and competed at the 1967 Indy National event w/it....I went from the '57 270hp car to a '64 Malibu 283-220hp, 4 sp. stocker....Orange, Ma. Drag Strip, Sanford, Me. Drag Strip, Charlestown, R.I. Drag Strip, Connecticut Dragway, Lebanon Valley Dragway, New England Dragway. Great times.....Thank you, Jay O'Day, for all your patience and teaching when I was just a kid trying to grow up...WJ Last edited by W J; 03-13-2010 at 05:17 PM. Reason: add content...

03-11-2010, 10:32 PM	#3
Urraco Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Phoenix Posts: 66 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: What got you started drag racing?? A couple of buddies and me went to Great Bend Kansas in April 1958 to see the fuelers and I said"That looks like fun" and the rest is history as they say.

03-13-2010, 07:01 PM	#4
Larry Fulton Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 271 Likes: 54 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: What got you started drag racing?? Hanging out at San Bernardino Racing Equipment 1967-1972... and going to Fontana, Irwindale, OCIR, Ontario and Fremont __________________ Larry Fulton Last edited by Larry Fulton; 01-25-2018 at 07:36 PM.

03-14-2010, 02:03 AM	#5
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

03-14-2010, 03:30 AM	#6
coolvette Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Sioux Falls SD Posts: 7 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: What got you started drag racing?? Went to watch my first drag race in 1960, 1961 had a 57 Chev 283 Power pack. 1966 first race with a C/MP 56 Chev 327 Two 4's with Olds Hydro 4 speed with 4000 stall covt. Ran a D/MP , E/MP 56 chevy wagon then moved to Comp in 1970 to 1973 with B/D 426 Hemi, 1974 to 1978 to A/D with a 426 Hemi Pro Stock motor with Lenco 3 speed. Then 1980 to 1990 S/C with a 340 W-2 Mopar P/G. Had a ton on FUN racing. Photos of my Race cars

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