1986 Winternationals Pics....

[Toejam]

Found these on Yellowbullet, awesome pics! Couldn't believe some of the Trailers these guys used in those days!

1986 NHRA winternationals pics - Yellow Bullet Forums

 

[Just Paul]

Awesome pics... Some are mixed in from the World Finals too.

 

[Toejam]

Awesome pics... Some are mixed in from the World Finals too.

Down in that thread there are some pics from Indy too!

 

[mick]

great pics - amazing there is no development at all to east of track; especially
pic of ormsby's streamliner with old bldg. relic and horse trailer in bkg.

 

[Toejam]

great pics - amazing there is no development at all to east of track; especially
pic of ormsby's streamliner with old bldg. relic and horse trailer in bkg.

It must have changed right after that, my first Pomona was the '90 Winters, and I don't remember seeing open Mesa like that!

 

[rckymtn3]

Thanks Joe for the heads-up.....I still count the '86 Winters as one of my favorite National events of all time....good time to be there....LaHaie beginning his performance gains which would end in a World Championship the following year (Amato and LaHaie's contentious year ending at the World Finals is what I am sure, the NHRA countdown is trying to emulate, and contrive to make happen every year)....Big and Shirley back at it, McCulloch losing his top, the stomach turning sound of Uyehara rear-ending Correnti - NHRA Crash Dave Uherya & Ron Correnti 1986 - YouTube - still sticks in my mind. STOUT dry launches....and dry hops!! A few portable generators with lights stuck on top to allow the fuel finals to run...Tim Grose winning!!! Later that year (World Finals though it all sort of runs together now) I think Ed Moore did an exhibition run in the revamped MOB Fiat but his on-off stab-steer run ended up bicycling it through the lights, never giving up....the way the crowd roared, I thought finally, Fuel Altereds would see the light of National Events again....sigh....nope....(pretty sure Langson's Texas Ranger AeroAltered was there too) but that bad-ass Fiat and it's schizophrenic run stole that portion of the show....good year to be into drag racing....then there's the year I stood in 10 inches of running water in the pits as lightning flashed everywhere....good samaritan pro stock team invited many of us into their big rig to stay alive....wish I could remember who, but was actually fearful of dying...lol....good times....again, thanks for the heads up, as I am always looking to see if someone accidentally gets me in a picture somewhere....

 

[mw6789]

I was also at the 86 Winters and if memory serves me correctly, it rained out qualifying on Friday and everyone got just 2 shots Saturday and a bunch of cars hit the sand traps. Watched the funny car rear ender from the 1000 foot mark and have pictures of the aftermath. Ormsby debuted the Castrol streamliner and promptly blew the body off in the burn out box. Was a heck of a race---my first time to the land of fruits and nuts.

 

[marlin]

Many thanks for posting ..Brings back some great memmories for sure

 

[Bullet]

Awesome pics... Some are mixed in from the World Finals too.

I saw the photo of Gliddens car with the aero hood scoop and figured it wasntthe Winters. He switched to that after his crash on Atlanta.

 

[Tony]

Dig the plywood tool tray on Kalitta's car! Also crew names (that I could read): Larry Frazier ( was he the crew chief? Later became owner and crew chief of note); Doug Kalitta (I never knew he crewed on uncle Connie's team before he drove, wonder if he was driving dirt cars then); Tim Ferrell (crew chief for Lori Johns) Awesome pics, thanks for sharing!

 

[You!]

Hey Mendenhall,

Check out the 6th picture down. I know I was there but can't remember why your Pops had the car half apart, THIS TIME! Transmission, again?

 

[n/a]

Funny you mention that Bill, I saw it right away as well!
I believe that was an engine change, as my Dad and Roger Kato went to his house to bring it to the track and Rob & I stayed there and took the broken one out.
This was before child labor laws? lol

 

[none]

Very cool! The `86 Finals was the first National event I ever attended.

 

[You!]

Child labor laws?! Nice try at throwing me under the "old man" bus there Turbo! We were ALL (including Robbie), in our mid-early 20's at this point.

 

[nhrafan1972]

Nice pictures. This comment is not race car related but the picture of the Allen Sterngeon/Larry Langston roadster (#17 pic) really made me giggle. The phone booths in the back ground speak of a different age. It doesnt seem like that long ago until you see things like that. I guess it really is a different era. And of course I havent aged at all.

 

[Toejam]

I was stunned at some of the Rigs these teams traveled the Country with then!