marlin
Nitro Member
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2006
- Messages
- 421
- Age
- 70
- Location
- Roanoke, Virginia
I just watched this on the Speed Channel . It could very well be a rerun but wow ....
It was on the the evolution of the late 50's -60's muscle cars and how this translated to the drag strip ..I was born in 1954 so this was right down by alley . I grew up in a small town in rural Southwest Virginia . Obviously, not a whole lot to do . In the late 60's -early 70's , Guys were into the three things growing up : fast cars , music and girls and not necessarily in that order .We smarted up later on that .. I have often talked to guys I grew up with about the cool cars we saw in this little town ..We weren't old enough to drive but we sure enjoyed the big guys with the big toys . Guy's had the whole field covered : a cool 63 Black Belvedere , an AMX , 64 Chevelle Malibu , GTX and a Roadrunner . a screaming 67 Corvette with a 427 ( man I got to ride in this baby as a passenger and those tires barked when he shifted ) a 66 Nova , there were more but one of the baddest of them all ..JR ( Zero ) Martin's white 64 4 door , yes I said 4 door Impala ..JR . was a great guy , got drafted , served in Nam and came back a little different . He never talked much about it , he was never the same guy but we all just accepted him for who he was now ..He was out there somewhere . He still had his love for cars ..Man , that 64 would simply kick a$$ ...Under the hood was a little " 409 " . He would park on Friday , Saturday nights at a nearby town's burger joint ( Had to move on after wiping everyone out in our town )...He loved a Southern favorite ...Jim Beam and Mountain Dew ( no not the infamous clear liquid, but the soft drink variety ....He would park in the same spot at the " Dairyland burger joint " to take on all comers ...He had bucket seats and I can remember at one time , something happened to the passanger seat so he inserted a soft drink bottle crate until he got that seat back ..He had a tremendous won /lost record , thats for sure .....One of my heros for sure .man the memeories ...
Ok , back to the show ....Being able to go to THUNDER VALLEY USA in BRISTOL in 1966 .Larry Carrier , founder of Thunder Valley was very instumental in helping the growth of this sport .I will always remember him . I also would go to those Saturday night Wild Southern Style Classic Match races at Elk Creek Dragway .I have a paper ad proclaiming .....
Elk Creek Dragway , Inc
SATURDAY NIGHT , AUGUST 25TH
F-O-R-D VS. C-H-E-V-Y
wild southern style
PRO STOCK MATCH RACE
" Hue Baby " Platt General Lee Edwards
VS .
The Georgia Shaker Wild Wild Vega
Ford Fans , It's been a Long Dry Spell. Let "Hue Baby " Know you are there
Bad news for the ford fans , I had penciled in a note ..Lee beat him badly.
Watching this show , I could relate to so much . Sox & Martin were my heros , hands down .They were the Stuff . Super fast , great looking cars and Ronnie was just so personable . But so were all the guys and gals . I still get a tear in my eye when I see or hear of the legend and know he is no longer with us . And others have passed as well . They all meant so much to this sport .
I am blessed and fortunate to be able to remember those days and I hope I will always be able to cherish these memories ..I collect all kinds of drag racing memoribillia , die cast , posters , books , magazines ..It will always be my passion .
We are losing our heros everyday ...parents , friends , and even our heros of drag racing .CHERISH THE MEMORIES . Just like Jr . "Zero " Martin would .Take nothing for granted guys , live life to the fullest and get ready for the 2008 season . I think I'm ready !
It was on the the evolution of the late 50's -60's muscle cars and how this translated to the drag strip ..I was born in 1954 so this was right down by alley . I grew up in a small town in rural Southwest Virginia . Obviously, not a whole lot to do . In the late 60's -early 70's , Guys were into the three things growing up : fast cars , music and girls and not necessarily in that order .We smarted up later on that .. I have often talked to guys I grew up with about the cool cars we saw in this little town ..We weren't old enough to drive but we sure enjoyed the big guys with the big toys . Guy's had the whole field covered : a cool 63 Black Belvedere , an AMX , 64 Chevelle Malibu , GTX and a Roadrunner . a screaming 67 Corvette with a 427 ( man I got to ride in this baby as a passenger and those tires barked when he shifted ) a 66 Nova , there were more but one of the baddest of them all ..JR ( Zero ) Martin's white 64 4 door , yes I said 4 door Impala ..JR . was a great guy , got drafted , served in Nam and came back a little different . He never talked much about it , he was never the same guy but we all just accepted him for who he was now ..He was out there somewhere . He still had his love for cars ..Man , that 64 would simply kick a$$ ...Under the hood was a little " 409 " . He would park on Friday , Saturday nights at a nearby town's burger joint ( Had to move on after wiping everyone out in our town )...He loved a Southern favorite ...Jim Beam and Mountain Dew ( no not the infamous clear liquid, but the soft drink variety ....He would park in the same spot at the " Dairyland burger joint " to take on all comers ...He had bucket seats and I can remember at one time , something happened to the passanger seat so he inserted a soft drink bottle crate until he got that seat back ..He had a tremendous won /lost record , thats for sure .....One of my heros for sure .man the memeories ...
Ok , back to the show ....Being able to go to THUNDER VALLEY USA in BRISTOL in 1966 .Larry Carrier , founder of Thunder Valley was very instumental in helping the growth of this sport .I will always remember him . I also would go to those Saturday night Wild Southern Style Classic Match races at Elk Creek Dragway .I have a paper ad proclaiming .....
Elk Creek Dragway , Inc
SATURDAY NIGHT , AUGUST 25TH
F-O-R-D VS. C-H-E-V-Y
wild southern style
PRO STOCK MATCH RACE
" Hue Baby " Platt General Lee Edwards
VS .
The Georgia Shaker Wild Wild Vega
Ford Fans , It's been a Long Dry Spell. Let "Hue Baby " Know you are there
Bad news for the ford fans , I had penciled in a note ..Lee beat him badly.
Watching this show , I could relate to so much . Sox & Martin were my heros , hands down .They were the Stuff . Super fast , great looking cars and Ronnie was just so personable . But so were all the guys and gals . I still get a tear in my eye when I see or hear of the legend and know he is no longer with us . And others have passed as well . They all meant so much to this sport .
I am blessed and fortunate to be able to remember those days and I hope I will always be able to cherish these memories ..I collect all kinds of drag racing memoribillia , die cast , posters , books , magazines ..It will always be my passion .
We are losing our heros everyday ...parents , friends , and even our heros of drag racing .CHERISH THE MEMORIES . Just like Jr . "Zero " Martin would .Take nothing for granted guys , live life to the fullest and get ready for the 2008 season . I think I'm ready !
