First Car to the Strip - Page 9

Lew Silverman · 01-07-2021, 09:05 AM

My first trip down the track at the then "new" New York National Speedway was my Regal Red SS396 (360HP/M21 bench seat with the "radio-delete") that I bought in April of 1966, my Senior Year in High School.Your typical "Day 2" vehicle - Hurst Super-shifter, Sun tach and gauges, Grant steering wheel and "baby-moon" hub caps. I worked on it constantly for weeks and then made the trip to Exit 60 on Sunrise Highway to one of the first SS&DI "Super Stock Nationals". Have absolutely no recollection of how quick it was - I only knew I wanted to go "Faster"! Lot of interesting stories with "The Bomb" through 1966-67. Came back from Boot Camp in September '67 to find my parents had forged my signature on the registration and traded it in for a second car for them! Took me a while to get over that! Memories!

GUMP · 01-07-2021, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lew Silverman

My first trip down the track at the then "new" New York National Speedway was my Regal Red SS396 (360HP/M21 bench seat with the "radio-delete") that I bought in April of 1966....

It's stories like this that influenced the purchase of my new Pontiac Formula in 1995 as a zero option AC-delete car!

Randall Klein · 01-07-2021, 12:02 PM

Cornhusker Raceway, Millard, NE, 1969 Nova Cortez Silver, 396/375, headers, slapper bars, 7" Firestones, 5:13, Hurst shifter, otherwise just as GM built it

4 lbs air in slicks (!), 5 yellows on tree, B/S for trophy, 5 wins in 6 tries

12.76 best (1969)

dragracedr · 01-07-2021, 01:15 PM

1966. I just turned 16 and took my parents' 1961 Chevy Impala, 4--door, 235 6 cylinder. to Great Lakes Dragaway. Went a blistering 24.2 seconds at 62 mph. When i picked up my time slip, the attendant said "what you got there, a bicycle?"

The Hawk · 01-07-2021, 09:24 PM

My first pass was during a $2 per run session during a jet car event in the mid 80's. Had my parent's '80 Olds Omega fwd 4 cyl turd. Ran a 21.96@62. Not much different from future projects I raced et wise! Planted the seed for my near future for sure!

gcasey · 01-08-2021, 06:55 PM

First strip run was at Onondaga 1965 Sunday afternoon. Drove my first car - 1957 BelAir 2dr HT. which was getting me back and forth to Michigan State. The "new" wrecking yard 327 w/cam, headers, 4-spd, etc. dumped me in C/MP against real MP cars, with predictable results.

Losing didn't lessen the joy of later cruising downtown Lansing with the class shoe polish still on the windows and, if lucky, a class trophy displayed in back window tray. Less enjoyable was taking the girlfriend back to her dorm in a wrecker when I just had to show her how to hammer it off the stoplight (broke a lot of parts back then).

Dorm mate was Jon Callendar (Chevairs Racing Team) who won Stock at Indy with his twin to Dave Boertman's K/S. He got me interested in Stock Eliminator and the challenge of making a low HP combo work. (RIP Jon)

Ah, The GOOD OL' DAYS!!!

The '57 is in the shop slowly becoming a FI combo for Stock/SuperStockAssn. racing.

MR DERBY CITY · 01-08-2021, 08:21 PM

Yes, you read it correctly .....my first time EVER at the track was riding along with good ole Captain Jack. I remember it like yesterday. The Captain asked me if I wanted to go to the track with him on Sunday, the Harrison County Dragway located just outside of Elizabeth, Indiana. We were flat towing and I remember the ride vividly as we were traveling right next to the Ohio River. And then, a hill, a big fricken hill .... what a relief to get to the top .....About thirty minutes later we arrived at the track. Even though I grew up in Kentucky, I had never seen an outhouse before , or the optional rain gutters lining the wall. Fortunately, Jacks older brother recommended that I hold my breath upon entering. Jacks race car was a 66 Chevelle, 283 4 bbl with a stick. Walking through the pits I noticed a yellow 66 nova in line to make a run. It’s hard to believe but after 44 years that same nova is still being campaigned by my good friend Buddy Hughes .....I don’t remember how many rounds the Captain won that day but I do remember a few things. It was a whole lot easier coming down that hill on the way home, UNLESS you were the brake pads on the tow vehicle. The ham sandwich that I purchased at the concession stand was delicious. Styrofoam coolers don’t have a long lifespan at the drag strip .....

Pete Lanciers · 01-08-2021, 08:22 PM

My first pass... Oh my not sure remembering this won't haunt me tonight!

A 51 Henry J, 3spd on the column, 300ci Ford straight six, J/Gas 1968 E-Town...LMAO!

63corvette · 01-08-2021, 09:13 PM

My first race car to the strip was a 66 SS Chevelle I had bought which had been acid dipped to lighten in California in 1969.
I purchased it in Mclean TX from the Chevy dealer who had bought it off of route 66 from a racer who needed money to get back home.
Not sure what he gave for it but I remember paying $600 for it with supposed to be a running 327 with double hump heads and that is all I know about it. No bell housing, trans shifter or drive train in the rear end. It did have a nice full interior including bucket seats and console and a fairly nice paint job. First thing I did was pull the 327 and sold it to take the car back to a true SS 396.
The body was really light as you could push on the sheet metal about anywhere and it would flex with using a finger or two.
Over the next few months I, with the help of several friends put a 396/375 hp engine with a saginaw 4speed and a 4.56 rear 12 bolt posi unit in the rear end. I used the saginaw due to it having a 2.56 first gear ratio vs the muncie at 2.20
I built a tow bar and free wheeling hubs to tow it flat.
Put some M&H slicks on some steel wheels and kept them in the trunk and towed it to the strip at Amarillo Dragway. With the help of some of the friends we set it up and it was classed to run B/S.
We were weighed at the tech area as entering and it was light even with the two tow tires in the trunk so we used the tool box for a weight box to make weight with tools in it. Could not get away with that today.
If I remember correctly the car ran 12 second quarter miles at about 120 at Amarillo TX 3400 ft altitudes. I have the et cards which were like business cards with only one cars et and ads and the race schedule on them. I searched for them and could not find them. I put them up for safe keeping and now can not find them. It happens when you get old.
We won class that day and again later in the year and that was well before they were Wally's.
To be clear we had street raced it a number of times prior to taking it to the drag strip to work out the bugs and be ready to really race it.
In the late 60's in a small town in TX you could get away with driving it with open headers and doing a little racing as long as the traffic out on the highway was not bothered and it was not late at night.
If fact one evening we even had a TX Highway Patrol car stop to watch one of the races.
Those were the days.
Rick Cates
Canyon, TX

JGrossijr · 01-08-2021, 09:58 PM

Car: 1972 SS Camaro 4spd with a transplanted 427
Year: 1980
Track: Orange County International Raceway.

Experience: The car ran 12.90's. When they called for eliminations most of the lanes were full but one was almost empty so I pulled into that one. I felt lucky to be racing a "slow" car for my first race. I was a first round gift to Jerry McClanahan.

Went back the next weekend and when they called for eliminations I pulled into the short lane again. There was that slow car, and this time I was going to teach him a lesson. You guessed it, I was a gift to Mr. McClanahan again.

I continued going to Orange County, but learned to stay away the short lanes.

01-07-2021, 09:05 AM	#81
Lew Silverman VIP Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Newport News, VA Posts: 1,435 Likes: 371 Liked 129 Times in 59 Posts	Re: First Car to the Strip My first trip down the track at the then "new" New York National Speedway was my Regal Red SS396 (360HP/M21 bench seat with the "radio-delete") that I bought in April of 1966, my Senior Year in High School.Your typical "Day 2" vehicle - Hurst Super-shifter, Sun tach and gauges, Grant steering wheel and "baby-moon" hub caps. I worked on it constantly for weeks and then made the trip to Exit 60 on Sunrise Highway to one of the first SS&DI "Super Stock Nationals". Have absolutely no recollection of how quick it was - I only knew I wanted to go "Faster"! Lot of interesting stories with "The Bomb" through 1966-67. Came back from Boot Camp in September '67 to find my parents had forged my signature on the registration and traded it in for a second car for them! Took me a while to get over that! Memories! __________________ Lew Silverman #2070 "The Wagon Master" N/SA Last edited by Lew Silverman; 01-07-2021 at 09:26 AM. Reason: Brain fade :-)

01-07-2021, 12:02 PM	#83
Randall Klein Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Lincoln, Nebraska Posts: 785 Likes: 45 Liked 316 Times in 67 Posts	Re: First Car to the Strip Cornhusker Raceway, Millard, NE, 1969 Nova Cortez Silver, 396/375, headers, slapper bars, 7" Firestones, 5:13, Hurst shifter, otherwise just as GM built it 4 lbs air in slicks (!), 5 yellows on tree, B/S for trophy, 5 wins in 6 tries 12.76 best (1969)

01-07-2021, 01:15 PM	#84
dragracedr Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 16 Likes: 3 Liked 16 Times in 3 Posts	Re: First Car to the Strip 1966. I just turned 16 and took my parents' 1961 Chevy Impala, 4--door, 235 6 cylinder. to Great Lakes Dragaway. Went a blistering 24.2 seconds at 62 mph. When i picked up my time slip, the attendant said "what you got there, a bicycle?"

01-07-2021, 09:24 PM	#85
The Hawk VIP Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Littleton,Colorado Posts: 1,194 Likes: 0 Liked 249 Times in 109 Posts	Re: First Car to the Strip My first pass was during a $2 per run session during a jet car event in the mid 80's. Had my parent's '80 Olds Omega fwd 4 cyl turd. Ran a 21.96@62. Not much different from future projects I raced et wise! Planted the seed for my near future for sure! __________________ Lane Weber It`s Not What You Drive That Wins....It`s How You Drive It

01-08-2021, 06:55 PM	#86
gcasey Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Hastings, Michigan Posts: 33 Likes: 0 Liked 5 Times in 3 Posts	Re: First Car to the Strip First strip run was at Onondaga 1965 Sunday afternoon. Drove my first car - 1957 BelAir 2dr HT. which was getting me back and forth to Michigan State. The "new" wrecking yard 327 w/cam, headers, 4-spd, etc. dumped me in C/MP against real MP cars, with predictable results. Losing didn't lessen the joy of later cruising downtown Lansing with the class shoe polish still on the windows and, if lucky, a class trophy displayed in back window tray. Less enjoyable was taking the girlfriend back to her dorm in a wrecker when I just had to show her how to hammer it off the stoplight (broke a lot of parts back then). Dorm mate was Jon Callendar (Chevairs Racing Team) who won Stock at Indy with his twin to Dave Boertman's K/S. He got me interested in Stock Eliminator and the challenge of making a low HP combo work. (RIP Jon) Ah, The GOOD OL' DAYS!!! The '57 is in the shop slowly becoming a FI combo for Stock/SuperStockAssn. racing.

01-08-2021, 08:21 PM	#87
MR DERBY CITY VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Derby City, USA Posts: 3,637 Likes: 1,083 Liked 7,937 Times in 1,518 Posts	Re: First Visit to the Strip .....with The CAPTAIN .... Yes, you read it correctly .....my first time EVER at the track was riding along with good ole Captain Jack. I remember it like yesterday. The Captain asked me if I wanted to go to the track with him on Sunday, the Harrison County Dragway located just outside of Elizabeth, Indiana. We were flat towing and I remember the ride vividly as we were traveling right next to the Ohio River. And then, a hill, a big fricken hill .... what a relief to get to the top .....About thirty minutes later we arrived at the track. Even though I grew up in Kentucky, I had never seen an outhouse before , or the optional rain gutters lining the wall. Fortunately, Jacks older brother recommended that I hold my breath upon entering. Jacks race car was a 66 Chevelle, 283 4 bbl with a stick. Walking through the pits I noticed a yellow 66 nova in line to make a run. It’s hard to believe but after 44 years that same nova is still being campaigned by my good friend Buddy Hughes .....I don’t remember how many rounds the Captain won that day but I do remember a few things. It was a whole lot easier coming down that hill on the way home, UNLESS you were the brake pads on the tow vehicle. The ham sandwich that I purchased at the concession stand was delicious. Styrofoam coolers don’t have a long lifespan at the drag strip .....

01-08-2021, 08:22 PM	#88
Pete Lanciers Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: San Diego Posts: 382 Likes: 867 Liked 627 Times in 156 Posts	Re: First Car to the Strip My first pass... Oh my not sure remembering this won't haunt me tonight! A 51 Henry J, 3spd on the column, 300ci Ford straight six, J/Gas 1968 E-Town...LMAO! __________________ Pete Lanciers PAL Automotive Racing Stock 7801

01-08-2021, 09:13 PM	#89
63corvette Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Canyon, Tx Posts: 551 Likes: 127 Liked 353 Times in 102 Posts	Re: First Car to the Strip My first race car to the strip was a 66 SS Chevelle I had bought which had been acid dipped to lighten in California in 1969. I purchased it in Mclean TX from the Chevy dealer who had bought it off of route 66 from a racer who needed money to get back home. Not sure what he gave for it but I remember paying $600 for it with supposed to be a running 327 with double hump heads and that is all I know about it. No bell housing, trans shifter or drive train in the rear end. It did have a nice full interior including bucket seats and console and a fairly nice paint job. First thing I did was pull the 327 and sold it to take the car back to a true SS 396. The body was really light as you could push on the sheet metal about anywhere and it would flex with using a finger or two. Over the next few months I, with the help of several friends put a 396/375 hp engine with a saginaw 4speed and a 4.56 rear 12 bolt posi unit in the rear end. I used the saginaw due to it having a 2.56 first gear ratio vs the muncie at 2.20 I built a tow bar and free wheeling hubs to tow it flat. Put some M&H slicks on some steel wheels and kept them in the trunk and towed it to the strip at Amarillo Dragway. With the help of some of the friends we set it up and it was classed to run B/S. We were weighed at the tech area as entering and it was light even with the two tow tires in the trunk so we used the tool box for a weight box to make weight with tools in it. Could not get away with that today. If I remember correctly the car ran 12 second quarter miles at about 120 at Amarillo TX 3400 ft altitudes. I have the et cards which were like business cards with only one cars et and ads and the race schedule on them. I searched for them and could not find them. I put them up for safe keeping and now can not find them. It happens when you get old. We won class that day and again later in the year and that was well before they were Wally's. To be clear we had street raced it a number of times prior to taking it to the drag strip to work out the bugs and be ready to really race it. In the late 60's in a small town in TX you could get away with driving it with open headers and doing a little racing as long as the traffic out on the highway was not bothered and it was not late at night. If fact one evening we even had a TX Highway Patrol car stop to watch one of the races. Those were the days. Rick Cates Canyon, TX Last edited by 63corvette; 01-08-2021 at 10:25 PM. Reason: Add Info

01-08-2021, 09:58 PM	#90
JGrossijr Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Brentwood, California Posts: 98 Likes: 377 Liked 460 Times in 59 Posts	Re: First Car to the Strip Car: 1972 SS Camaro 4spd with a transplanted 427 Year: 1980 Track: Orange County International Raceway. Experience: The car ran 12.90's. When they called for eliminations most of the lanes were full but one was almost empty so I pulled into that one. I felt lucky to be racing a "slow" car for my first race. I was a first round gift to Jerry McClanahan. Went back the next weekend and when they called for eliminations I pulled into the short lane again. There was that slow car, and this time I was going to teach him a lesson. You guessed it, I was a gift to Mr. McClanahan again. I continued going to Orange County, but learned to stay away the short lanes.