how did you get bit by the racing bug?

Greg Reimer 7376 · 03-09-2013, 11:34 AM

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.

03-09-2013, 11:34 AM	#17
Greg Reimer 7376 VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Glendora,Calif. Posts: 1,137 Likes: 172 Liked 719 Times in 220 Posts	Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug? 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. Last edited by Greg Reimer 7376; 03-09-2013 at 11:36 AM.