I found out four years ago my favorite drag strip, in Salem, Ohio, from the
1950-60s was still operating and much improved---electricity in the pits !
no longer using the old barn silo as the control tower ! And they had
impressive car building shops on site. I was passing thru the area and
decided to look for it--was there on an off day and the current owner, Dan
Swindell, recognized me as a fellow old-timer, showed me around, and talked
about the early days for a couple of hours. Some of the guys from my early
days, including the impressive Pontiac "Tin Indian", are still running
there.
Their web site is www.quakercityraceway.com
I initially had a hard time finding it again so I stopped in an Advance auto
parts store to
get directions--the young guys there asked me if I was going to run my car.
The look on their faces was priceless when I said "Naw, I did that in 61"
Used to go to a rag-tag strip in Erie, Pa in the 1950s and later we had a
well run strip here at the Hiedelburg Raceway here in Pittsburgh. Regret I
never got to Akron where I could've seen the Arfons brothers run
Lance
-------------------------------------------------------------------
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tom Shannon" <saltfevr@q.com>
To: <bwana343@aol.com>; <lsr_man@yahoo.com>; <land-speed@autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, November 03, 2008 5:46 PM
Subject: Re: [Land-speed] modified street cars & your old drag strip
> Dick;
>
>
> My old AHRA Norwalk Dragway in Northern Ohio which had humble beginnings
> in
> 1963,as did most,was bought by Bill Bader Sr. in 1974. He ran a National
> IHRA
> event and never looked back. Then Bill Bader Jr took over in 1998. And
> recently its now an NHRA Premier Strip called "Summit Motorsports
> Park".Though
> still owned by the Bader Family, sure don't look like the corn fileds I
> remember, running my moms '66 Fairlane in pure stock automatic! LOL
>
> Tom ShannonMagna, Utah> From: BWANA343@aol.com> Date: Mon, 3 Nov 2008
> 17:09:50
> -0500> To: lsr_man@yahoo.com; land-speed@autox.team.net> Subject: Re:
> [Land-speed] modified street cars & your old drag strip> > In a message
> dated
> 11/2/2008 11:11:20 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, > lsr_man@yahoo.com
> writes:> >
> What about you guys? Whatever happened to your old hometown strips?> >
> DickJ>
>> What a great thread idea , Dick !!! THANK YOU !!!> > Dover NY Drags out
>> of
> BIz I think late 60s, now a gravel pit, plowed up > strip> Long Island had
> horrible 1/8 Islip, Garlits really screwed his back on the > super mogully
> shut down, gone to condos. Also Westhampton, 1/4, changed names > to
> blahblah
> Motorsports, I think still there but closed.> Connecticut Dragway shut
> down,
> now car test site for Consumers Reports Mag. > Still got the NJ tracks, or
> way
> up to Epping NH or Lebanon Valley, NY...> BDF or others on this list can
> correct or enlarge on my memories.> BOBW>
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