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Favorite Strip-Why? (1 Viewer)

OCIR for me. I only got to go there in 1971 during a summer stay with my Uncle & Aunt who were both Navy and stationed at North Island (San Diego). As a young pup from the Midwest who read a lot of car magazines it seemed like "The County" was mecca for drag racing. Going there did not disappoint! It would be another 20+ years before I moved to SoCal and OCIR was long gone. As far as tracks I've raced at I'd have to pick Norwalk as my favorite, even over tracks all over the Southwest.
 
Bandimere

Watching the Virginia race it looked like the bleachers were 100 yards back from the bleachers. About like trying to watch a football game from the opposite end of the field

At Bandimere the top row of the downhill bleachers is closer than the front row of the bleachers at Virginia.

The mid track bleacher at Topeka is the same. All you can see of the car is the wing or roof.

At Bandimere not only can you see and be close to the cars. But if seated low at the starting line you feel the shock when the nitro cars launch.

And Fridays at the Mile Highs always have a night session.
 
Bandimere is my favorite as well. Something about the place has some magic. Vegas would be a close second.
 
Well I've only really been to Epping but Orange County from the old films looked to be awesome...
 
My favorite to race at is Tri State in Earlville, IA. It's not a classic track, nor is it a national event facility, but I've never been treated better anywhere and it's very well-designed (other than sunsets, but you can't have everything).

I went to Norwalk for the first time last weekend, and it definitely made a strong case for itself.
 
Certainly, Bandimere is hard to beat. The facility, track, prep, staff is the best. For a spectator there is not a bad seat in the place. Racing in the '70's at the old Dragway 42 has many fond memories. Watching Shirley there in her Cha-Cha funny car in the '60's, "Big" racing the AHRA circuit... Visited the new facility a year or so ago and what a change. Beautiful track now but standing on the starting line it is hard to remember how the old track was even laid out.
 
Depends on what you are talking about for favorite. Route 66 is the coolest looking track with the best design in my opinion. Love Pomona cause I live a mile away. Topeka usually has the best % of fuel cars that go down the track. Bandimere, Norwalk and Firebird (Boise) have about the best managed and promoted tracks and it's hard to beat Vegas for the free military airshow!
 
On the Lions Museum site, look at picture number #3 and #5, the dots under Snakes Black Cuda. Those to shots sum up the legendary track. Crowds, competition, atmosphere, location, none better!

TopFuel@Lions
 
Agree Mark. I like the shot of Larry Sutton getting ready to send a AA/FD on it's way, and there is Pappy Hart in the photo as well. When Pappy retired at Lions, the crew gave him & wife (Peggy) a swing, like the one you put on your front porch. Of course, he didn't retire long, went to work for NHRA as a go-fer. I took a photo of him at then Firebird, some years ago. He was driving a golf cart hauling bags of ice. He was very gracious, posed for my photo. That photo is one of my treasures now.
 
Norwalk - It has a nice layout, stands are close to the track, they run Pro Mod at the national event and the ice cream! With that said, Route 66 is an impressive facility.

I continue to look for events at smaller local tracks that I can fit into my schedule - Gassers, Stockers, Fuel Altereds and Nostalgia funny cars are a nice change of pace from the big shows. Don't know why it took so long to get out to Cordova, but it was a blast - $3.00 beers, coolers allowed, lots of food vendors and stands on both sides behind the starting line. When they're still running jets at 1AM, you're doing alright.

John

Jet_Dragsters_Cordova2018.jpg
 
[QUOTE="John Fatora, post: 389963, member: 9271, nickname: JFat".........Don't know why it took so long to get out to Cordova, but it was a blast - $3.00 beers, coolers allowed, lots of food vendors and stands on both sides behind the starting line[/QUOTE].......here's the funny thing. title of thread is 'favorite dragstrip', but in your one photo John, you may have captured why i've been going to the drags my entire life. that set of bleachers in pic from cordova. spent many childhood nites sitting rite on that rail getting baptised by burnt rubber and nitro.....i've got pics at home. someday i've got to scan them
and post them.
 
Cordova is my local track and while I can't say it's a favorite to run at for a few reasons, standing by the fence on the little hill beyond the 1000' might be my favorite place to spectate of any track I've been to. It's pretty close to the track and just high enough that you can see over the barriers comfortably. It might not have been an intentional design feature there, but I desperately wish more tracks would do something to make top-end viewing more accessible/worthwhile.
 
Lions, Irwindale, and O.C.I.R. all had separate dedicated top end grandstands. I was in the top end grandstand at O.C.I.R. when herm Peterson wrecked his AA/FD and suffered those horrible burns, had a real view of that mess from those seats.


TopFuel@Lions
 
Lions, Irwindale, and O.C.I.R. all had separate dedicated top end grandstands. I was in the top end grandstand at O.C.I.R. when herm Peterson wrecked his AA/FD and suffered those horrible burns, had a real view of that mess from those seats.


TopFuel@Lions
 
Once I was at Lions for a AA/FA meet. Sat in the top end stands (which were pretty small) & I had a tape recorder. I taped the cars as they left the line & you could hear them coming thru the lights on that tape. Tape is long gone, but not my memories. OK, maybe some of the memories are a little fuzzy now. :)
 
What, no love for my home track Houston Raceway Park? Ha ha. I was basically raised there. I agree, its nothing special other than alot of memories for me. I've been fortunate to visit alot of tracks, big and small growing up in a family that sportsman races.

My favorite track of all time, is probably a track most of yall havent been too. Its Beech Bend Dragway in Bowling Green, KY. Its small but big in presence, and surrounded by cornfields. But I love it.

My favorite big track is Las Vegas bc the scenery is great, its well laid out, plenty of concrete, and I love to gamble! Plus its a race a lot of my friends are always at.

Bristol is probably my 2nd favorite track. Its just gorgeous and who doesnt love Thunder Valley tucked in the all trees.

I havent been to Zmax at Charlotte yet but I've heard good things. Never made it to E-Town. Hope to make Brainerd one day. Indy, Columbus, Phoenix, and Atlanta are hot messes. Plus a ton of smaller tracks I've been too.

Sorry I know this was long.
 
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