DOVER DRAG STRIP GETS REMEMBERED WITH WEBSITE
Rockingham, N.C. - It’s been almost 33 years since the last drag racer roared down the famous quarter mile track in Wingdale, N.Y. But if former announcer, Dean,”Dino” Lawrence has any thing do with it, the memories will live on. He has just put online a new website dedicated to do just that. At Dover Dragstrip - Home visitors can even hear as well as see just the beginning of his memorial to the famed track that was a Mecca for drag racers in the little town of Wingdale. Along with self appointed “track Historian”, Brian Marasco of Kinston, N.Y ., the two have already rescued a collection of over 1400 photographs doomed to be destroyed. While Lawrence coordinates the site from his Rockingham, N.C. location, Brian tracks down leads locally of nostalgic Dover relics. His journeys have uncovered unbelievable finds, such as photos, trophies, decals, old movies, and actual old rusting race cars.
The track was opened in 1961 by partners Chet Anderson and Joe Archeri, both from Connecticut. It was a time when efforts across the nation were being made to take the dangerous, growing practice of “street racing” off the public highways ,and onto safe, governed Drag Strips .Already Lawrence has heard from former racers, checking into his site from as far away as Hawaii. Drag Racing has now grown into a multi billion dollar sport, but way back then it was the small local tracks like Dover that built the following. Related to Lawrence’s efforts, is the fact that every year ,a Dover drag Strip reunion is held in Danbury,Ct. This will be the 18th annual get together, coming up on August 31, at Marcus Dairy, just off I-84 (exit 3)
Rockingham, N.C. - It’s been almost 33 years since the last drag racer roared down the famous quarter mile track in Wingdale, N.Y. But if former announcer, Dean,”Dino” Lawrence has any thing do with it, the memories will live on. He has just put online a new website dedicated to do just that. At Dover Dragstrip - Home visitors can even hear as well as see just the beginning of his memorial to the famed track that was a Mecca for drag racers in the little town of Wingdale. Along with self appointed “track Historian”, Brian Marasco of Kinston, N.Y ., the two have already rescued a collection of over 1400 photographs doomed to be destroyed. While Lawrence coordinates the site from his Rockingham, N.C. location, Brian tracks down leads locally of nostalgic Dover relics. His journeys have uncovered unbelievable finds, such as photos, trophies, decals, old movies, and actual old rusting race cars.
The track was opened in 1961 by partners Chet Anderson and Joe Archeri, both from Connecticut. It was a time when efforts across the nation were being made to take the dangerous, growing practice of “street racing” off the public highways ,and onto safe, governed Drag Strips .Already Lawrence has heard from former racers, checking into his site from as far away as Hawaii. Drag Racing has now grown into a multi billion dollar sport, but way back then it was the small local tracks like Dover that built the following. Related to Lawrence’s efforts, is the fact that every year ,a Dover drag Strip reunion is held in Danbury,Ct. This will be the 18th annual get together, coming up on August 31, at Marcus Dairy, just off I-84 (exit 3)
