how did you get bit by the racing bug? - Page 4

Geerhead55 · 03-11-2013, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigdaddy4026

i really want to thank you guys for sharing your stories my son and i really enjoyed reading them

Thank you for the kind words, "Big",, but c'mon now,, tell us YOUR story!
Danny Durham

bigdaddy4026 · 03-11-2013, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geerhead55

Thank you for the kind words, "Big",, but c'mon now,, tell us YOUR story!
Danny Durham

lol mine was the first one i still enjoy going to the races i raced a few cars through the years but i sold my car to buy my son (third gen racer) a jr dragster , but hopefully will be back soon enough.

RonTheAnnouncer · 03-12-2013, 12:48 PM

Like many of you, I am a second generation racer. My dad started in 1956 at the age of 14, and raced for 45 years til he was too sick to do it. My first memories of racing were at Dragway 42 with my dad racing a VW Beetle in some oddball class...held a record with it, or so I was told.

We never had much money, so when bracket racing came my dad found his niche. He had a slant six powered 65 Dart running high 15s, a 318 powered Duster running 14s, and then whatever was the daily driver. One of the more memorable beaters we had was a '73 Pinto Wagon he paid $50 for. 4 cyl, 4 speed, 18.80s all day long. He won 3 races in a row one summer with that, and had a 21 round win streak. I think he made all of $200 for those races.
I made a few passes before legal driving age in 1982 in another beater. First raced regularly in a 70 Fury III with a 318, semi finals my third race ever. Got my first Trophy win in a borrowed 5.0 auto 86 Mustang, first money win in a '72 Dart slant six.
Following in my dad's footsteps, I never seem to have enough money to race much in the last 15 years, though I still go out a few times a season.
I'vr taken over 50 different cars down the track, none of them faster than 14.63. I still manage to get a win here and there in my slow street junk. Now I get as much satisfaction announcing as I do racing, and I am guaranteed to leave the track with more money than I came with!

Geerhead55 · 03-12-2013, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigdaddy4026

lol mine was the first one i still enjoy going to the races i raced a few cars through the years but i sold my car to buy my son (third gen racer) a jr dragster , but hopefully will be back soon enough.

My bad,,, Big. I should've went back and checked,,, nice thread, though.
Danny Durham

will prater · 03-13-2013, 08:29 PM

Damn Ed Wright. Saw his 65 Chevelle SS/MA out front of his shop way, way, back in time. Never had seen an NHRA car before. Probably would have been a rich, retired man by now if I never stopped. hahaha

Ed Wright · 03-13-2013, 09:30 PM

I could also be retired now if there hadn't been one for you to see. Lmao

Please give your foxy wife a hug for me. :-)

Ed Carpenter · 03-13-2013, 11:17 PM

I can remember going to the track with my dad when I was 5 years old. He raced a 69 Biscayne 427 4 speed back then. He had many race cars over the years and I always got to go. So it's been in my blood ever since. My first race car was a 65 Nova 283 4 speed car I got from my dad. My son is a racer too but he went the dirt track route. He does go with me and make all the calls on the car.

Angelo DiTocco · 03-14-2013, 11:33 AM

As a spectator at Englishtown on a regular Sunday (Maybe 1988 or so) I witnessed Ronnie Morehead Jr. do a monsterous wheel stand in his SS/GT Camaro during a S/SS combo race....
First thing that went through my mind was "wow that's gotta be a blast"... Second thing was " I gotta have me one of them" ! - The rest is history.

03-12-2013, 12:48 PM	#33
RonTheAnnouncer Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Ravenna, OH Posts: 60 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug? Like many of you, I am a second generation racer. My dad started in 1956 at the age of 14, and raced for 45 years til he was too sick to do it. My first memories of racing were at Dragway 42 with my dad racing a VW Beetle in some oddball class...held a record with it, or so I was told. We never had much money, so when bracket racing came my dad found his niche. He had a slant six powered 65 Dart running high 15s, a 318 powered Duster running 14s, and then whatever was the daily driver. One of the more memorable beaters we had was a '73 Pinto Wagon he paid $50 for. 4 cyl, 4 speed, 18.80s all day long. He won 3 races in a row one summer with that, and had a 21 round win streak. I think he made all of $200 for those races. I made a few passes before legal driving age in 1982 in another beater. First raced regularly in a 70 Fury III with a 318, semi finals my third race ever. Got my first Trophy win in a borrowed 5.0 auto 86 Mustang, first money win in a '72 Dart slant six. Following in my dad's footsteps, I never seem to have enough money to race much in the last 15 years, though I still go out a few times a season. I'vr taken over 50 different cars down the track, none of them faster than 14.63. I still manage to get a win here and there in my slow street junk. Now I get as much satisfaction announcing as I do racing, and I am guaranteed to leave the track with more money than I came with! __________________ Ron Huntley, Jr. announcer and Half ed racer "Those who can, do. Those who can't, criticize."

03-13-2013, 08:29 PM	#35
will prater Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Carthage, MO Posts: 108 Likes: 2 Liked 7 Times in 4 Posts	Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug? Damn Ed Wright. Saw his 65 Chevelle SS/MA out front of his shop way, way, back in time. Never had seen an NHRA car before. Probably would have been a rich, retired man by now if I never stopped. hahaha

03-13-2013, 09:30 PM	#36
Ed Wright Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Sand Springs, OK Posts: 8,132 Likes: 896 Liked 390 Times in 170 Posts	Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug? I could also be retired now if there hadn't been one for you to see. Lmao Please give your foxy wife a hug for me. :-) __________________ Ed Wright 4156 SS/JA

03-13-2013, 11:17 PM	#37
Ed Carpenter Live Reporter Join Date: May 2006 Location: Dripping Springs, Tx Posts: 2,709 Likes: 186 Liked 520 Times in 132 Posts	Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug? I can remember going to the track with my dad when I was 5 years old. He raced a 69 Biscayne 427 4 speed back then. He had many race cars over the years and I always got to go. So it's been in my blood ever since. My first race car was a 65 Nova 283 4 speed car I got from my dad. My son is a racer too but he went the dirt track route. He does go with me and make all the calls on the car. __________________ Ed Carpenter 2005 Chevy Cobalt A/SM Race Engine Development

03-14-2013, 11:33 AM	#38
Angelo DiTocco Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: NY, NY Posts: 750 Likes: 175 Liked 189 Times in 48 Posts	Re: how did you get bit by the racing bug? As a spectator at Englishtown on a regular Sunday (Maybe 1988 or so) I witnessed Ronnie Morehead Jr. do a monsterous wheel stand in his SS/GT Camaro during a S/SS combo race.... First thing that went through my mind was "wow that's gotta be a blast"... Second thing was " I gotta have me one of them" ! - The rest is history. __________________ Angelo DiTocco '98 Firebird SS/HA '98 Firebird B/SA