First Car to the Strip

Henrys Toy · 01-03-2021, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Kopecky

1968 I believe, Took my daily driver, Maroon, black vinyl top 66 Chevelle Malibu 283 3-speed on the floor to Island Dragway for my very first trip down the 1/4 mile. Nervous as heck, popped the clutch and did a one-legger all the way down. Things sure have changed!

Ken Kopecky

It was 1974, my second 1955 210 2dr 265 3 spd. with a Hurst floor shift, 4.10 gears. JC Penny A/FX Cheater slicks, 1969 Z-28 intake and carb(way too big) and Dougs headers. Went to National Speedway on Long Island and ran some 15.80's almost lost it on the first run , rear tire pressure was too low. I've been hooked ever since. I still have the engine in the garage, I lost in the class final to a Ford Fairlane 260 4 spd. 2 four barrels, Its been quite an adventure and now I drag my son along with me! He loves this stuff as well.

John Dinkel · 01-03-2021, 12:32 PM

Went Onondaga Dragway with my first car a 55 Dodge Coronet. Won a trophy, only car in my class, went a blazing 19.45 don't remember how fast. They had me hooked every since. I remember E J Potter and Dick LaHaie were racing there too.

FireSale · 01-03-2021, 12:35 PM

I was the "staff photographer" at Milan in '66 and took my parents 64 1/2 2bbl 3 speed stick Mustang through the other gate one Sunday. Ran K/PS. Kept missing gears during TT but hit them all and treed a guy big time in round one. He was pissed and accused me of sandbagging to set him up. Got a Fastback 4 speed next round and that was that. 15s at 80 something. Exciting.

EDIT: Washed it really good before I got home...

Randy Wells · 01-03-2021, 12:42 PM

1981 Pueblo Dragstrip, my Brothers 1968 F/S Camaro. I staged ok but left in 3rd gear.

Randy Wells
I/S 5628

Chuck Gallagher · 01-03-2021, 01:03 PM

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 · 01-03-2021, 01:30 PM

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 · 01-03-2021, 01:37 PM

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 · 01-03-2021, 01:50 PM

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 · 01-03-2021, 01:59 PM

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.

MikeMoller · 01-03-2021, 01:34 PM

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.

01-03-2021, 12:32 PM	#2
John Dinkel Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Pinckney, Michigan Posts: 507 Likes: 399 Liked 263 Times in 68 Posts	Re: First Car to the Strip Went Onondaga Dragway with my first car a 55 Dodge Coronet. Won a trophy, only car in my class, went a blazing 19.45 don't remember how fast. They had me hooked every since. I remember E J Potter and Dick LaHaie were racing there too. __________________ John Dinkel 3295 STK

01-03-2021, 12:35 PM	#3
FireSale VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Lakewood Washington Posts: 1,407 Likes: 29 Liked 237 Times in 126 Posts	Re: First Car to the Strip I was the "staff photographer" at Milan in '66 and took my parents 64 1/2 2bbl 3 speed stick Mustang through the other gate one Sunday. Ran K/PS. Kept missing gears during TT but hit them all and treed a guy big time in round one. He was pissed and accused me of sandbagging to set him up. Got a Fastback 4 speed next round and that was that. 15s at 80 something. Exciting. EDIT: Washed it really good before I got home... __________________ Dale Shearon 68 Mustang 6394

01-03-2021, 12:42 PM	#4
Randy Wells Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Warsaw, Mo Posts: 719 Likes: 640 Liked 1,144 Times in 354 Posts	Re: First Car to the Strip 1981 Pueblo Dragstrip, my Brothers 1968 F/S Camaro. I staged ok but left in 3rd gear. Randy Wells I/S 5628

01-03-2021, 01:03 PM	#5
Chuck Gallagher Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: NC (nothing compares) Posts: 48 Likes: 33 Liked 134 Times in 28 Posts	Re: First Car to the Strip 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".

01-03-2021, 01:30 PM	#6
Bob Lasko Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Wilton,CT Posts: 628 Likes: 0 Liked 185 Times in 54 Posts	Re: First Car to the Strip 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 Attached Thumbnails

01-03-2021, 01:37 PM	#7
Carguy49 VIP Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Fife, Washington Posts: 1,978 Likes: 2,469 Liked 2,942 Times in 707 Posts	Re: First Car to the Strip 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. __________________ Ron McDowell - Did Race Every day is a Gift - Enjoy with family and friends.

01-03-2021, 01:50 PM	#8
Dan Bennett Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 439 Likes: 849 Liked 595 Times in 136 Posts	Re: First Car to the Strip 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.

01-03-2021, 01:59 PM	#9
Craig Dawson Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Mahomet Illinois Posts: 102 Likes: 1,095 Liked 81 Times in 20 Posts	Re: First Car to the Strip 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.

01-03-2021, 01:34 PM	#10
MikeMoller Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Raleigh NC Posts: 637 Likes: 27 Liked 254 Times in 78 Posts	Re: First Car to the Strip 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. __________________ Mike Moller NHRA 203 Q-R-T/SA