Nitromater
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Around what time did push starts end?
- Thread starter flapjack
- Start date
jackass
Nitro Member
Man i use to love seeing that... at Rockingham about the 1000'ft mark they would open the gaurd rail up and two cars would be pushed toward the line .. turned around and then do the burn out....always thought that was so cool.. you got to see the cars realy well being pushed up.. then see them fly back by on the runs....
Billy
PS.. those pics look like that realy sucked big time....
Billy
PS.. those pics look like that realy sucked big time....
Really feel a lot of DRAMA went away when push starts disappeared.
We know Lions had the rollers early on but even OCIR, in its day the Taj Majal, had the fireup road.
Those that never had the experience truly missed something.
As a push car driver I can recall the anexiety on many wet, foggy Lions nites when the Jr Fueler FINALLY coughed to life when it crossed the starting line!
Anybody have the answer?
We know Lions had the rollers early on but even OCIR, in its day the Taj Majal, had the fireup road.
Those that never had the experience truly missed something.
As a push car driver I can recall the anexiety on many wet, foggy Lions nites when the Jr Fueler FINALLY coughed to life when it crossed the starting line!
Anybody have the answer?
This is 2 FED's being push started.... YouTube - Classic Push Start of 2 AA Fuelers
Here is a inside clip of a push start.... YouTube - AA Gas Dragster
Here is a 2009 video of a 1970 digger being push started.... You might recognize who the car, as the original owner's son is a NHRA Tuner..... YouTube - Bowling Green Push Start
Here is a inside clip of a push start.... YouTube - AA Gas Dragster
Here is a 2009 video of a 1970 digger being push started.... You might recognize who the car, as the original owner's son is a NHRA Tuner..... YouTube - Bowling Green Push Start
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The Counterfeiter
Nitro Member
Speaking of not push starting a car . . .
I raced with Joe Munday at Lakeland in Memphis in the 60's. He bought a used chassis from Ray Godman and put an automatic tranny complete with a starter behind a small block chevy. We fabricated a set of plugins from some war surplus parts and started the car with modified jumper cables from the former push car's battery -
Needless to say, it caused a lot of confusion on the starting line, especially when it almost backed over unsuspecting starting line personnel! -
I raced with Joe Munday at Lakeland in Memphis in the 60's. He bought a used chassis from Ray Godman and put an automatic tranny complete with a starter behind a small block chevy. We fabricated a set of plugins from some war surplus parts and started the car with modified jumper cables from the former push car's battery -
Needless to say, it caused a lot of confusion on the starting line, especially when it almost backed over unsuspecting starting line personnel! -
Nick Name
Nitro Member
I was one of the guys that had to jump out of the push car and grab the roll bar and pull the car back to it could complete the turn around. They were pedel clutch then and it was not uncommon for the driver to wack it while you were pulling it back. I attribute my sever hearing loss today to that time in my life.
Another thing. I can't stand to get a dose of nitro. Nothing worse for me than the push car having the windows down and the car would light and we would then ride behind it clear to the starting line with the push car filling up with fumes.
I finally insisted we roll all the windows up no matter how hot it was outside, or I was not going to the line with the car.
Another thing. I can't stand to get a dose of nitro. Nothing worse for me than the push car having the windows down and the car would light and we would then ride behind it clear to the starting line with the push car filling up with fumes.
I finally insisted we roll all the windows up no matter how hot it was outside, or I was not going to the line with the car.
Kansas Stan
Nitro Member
I ran a front motored car with a Chevy small block and clutchflite in the mid seventies and it was set up to be push started or stationary start. Had welding cables that connected to a couple of batteries in the back of my old Ford pickup. I only push started it once. Had to push it up to speed and watch the trans pressure guage.When the pressure bounced up on the guage, I'd pull the fuel open, flip the mag switch and let the clutch out. Those were the days for sure!
Jay; You had it easy, I was one of the guys that had to run down track to push the car back after the burnout. Pushing on the roll cage with the engine running and the wind would always be blowing the fumes back in your face. Now you cant see your gasping for good air the clutch is dragging and we still have 200' to go before we get back past the line.
But for a 18-19 yr old kid I was having a blast.
But for a 18-19 yr old kid I was having a blast.
Randy
Nitro Member
Mid 1970's. When Steve Reyes snapped this famous photo at OCIR of Larry Bowers clutch explosion in his canopied rear engine dragster with the bellhousing and clutch being launched from the car Big Mike and I were hanging around the fuelers in dragster staging past the finish line. Everyone dove under the dually pick up trucks because the floater from the clutch was on it's way back to earth and heading towards us.
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Them wuz the days weren't they Billy?! Man, what a show.
Rajunz
Nitro Member
I can remember back in the early '70's, as kids we would always go hang out at the Ramada Inn in Houma on weekends and offer to help racers with their cars. They would push start them in the hotel parking lot and then all of us kids would push them back to their work areas with them idling. That was pretty insane now that you think about it, but as a kid there was nothing like it.
jackass
Nitro Member
Thats what got me hooked Mack...lol...
i do remember them push starting some of the rear engined cars very well... had a bumper system that they would pull off the car right after turning around at the tower before the burnout... one time realy sticks out when one got stuck and they had to use a sledge hammer to knock it off or the team was not going to be allowed to make the pass...... you could almost hear the cussing over the motors ....lol....
Billy
Nick Name
Nitro Member
The push start was not the safest thing. I remember one Sunday at San Fernando. During qualifying we would push down the fire up road and make the turn around. However, during eliminations Hibler would have us pull out of the hot pit onto the track and fire up side by side headed for the line.
So one afternoon, first round and we start the push down. The car is not firing. We look over and the competition is not firing either. Push car is at full throttle, if we can light it and they can't it is a freebie.
At the last minute, it isn't going to happen and we swerve out from behind the race car and hit the brakes. Oh no... almost no brakes. Thank God that one lane was open in staging. We were in about four cars deep before it stopped.
As it turned out, neither car started, and Harry let us both go back and try it again.
So one afternoon, first round and we start the push down. The car is not firing. We look over and the competition is not firing either. Push car is at full throttle, if we can light it and they can't it is a freebie.
At the last minute, it isn't going to happen and we swerve out from behind the race car and hit the brakes. Oh no... almost no brakes. Thank God that one lane was open in staging. We were in about four cars deep before it stopped.
As it turned out, neither car started, and Harry let us both go back and try it again.
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Heavyhauler
Nitro Member
Starters mandated 1977, reverser 1979, push bars just faded away.
I can't recall anything good about pushing back a dragster and walking out of your shoes.
All race tracks were uphill both ways, or at least the direction you were pushing.
Ontario would bring tears to your eyes, that place had some teeth.
E-Town was a death sentence second week of July with off the charts humidity.
Imagine 60 TFs lined up at Indy every morning waiting to cackle on the rollers.
The only good thing about push starts was you got to see a lot of good racing from the return road.
I can't recall anything good about pushing back a dragster and walking out of your shoes.
All race tracks were uphill both ways, or at least the direction you were pushing.
Ontario would bring tears to your eyes, that place had some teeth.
E-Town was a death sentence second week of July with off the charts humidity.
Imagine 60 TFs lined up at Indy every morning waiting to cackle on the rollers.
The only good thing about push starts was you got to see a lot of good racing from the return road.
