NHRA Reunion remembering (1 Viewer)

[Dragracer]

There is a very good posting on Steve Gibbs Facebook page. When the Reunion was first started the NHRA Museum also designated a area behind the stands called the Grove. This was a area where trees were planted and for a fee you could have a plaque placed there, next to a tree, for someone you wanted remembered. It became quite a wonderful place with plaques for many past drag racers.
In Steve Gibbs post he tells what has happened to this area. Trees are dead, plaques broken or missing and nobody seems to care. It is outrageous what the NHRA, NHRA Museum, and the racetrack have allowed to be done to this area. Everyone should contact them by phone or email letting them know they need to repair this area and maintain it as they promised.

 

[glofria]

One of the ironies is that in previous years there were auctions held to raise funds to take care of the grove, but nothing has been done with the money. Don't even think they're in the planning stage.

I noticed that some trees grew sideways as if they were never staked to grow straight up. Members of the Standard 1320 Club tried to plant more trees, but were told not to bother as they won't be taken care of. This is one of the reasons many have bitter feelings towards NHRA; they say one thing, collect the money and forget about those who made it what it is.

 

[Cliff]

This is sad. We had a track in Phoenix called Speedworld. There was an area behind the tower that had an open area with bricks, & you'd buy a brick and it would be engraved with your name or whatever. When the track closed the bricks were gone, unless someone went & dug up their brick. Sigh....

 

[Nunz]

Cliff my family lives in Avondale, and I lived in Scottsdale from ‘95-97. I used to love that track! I went there a couple times to help out a buddy, Vito Adragna who ran a 7.90 dragster. I also helped out his brother Danny and his TAD at a points meet at Firebird. Anyway, Speedworld had a great feel to it, I think it even had a little restaurant adjacent to the starting line. I was so bummed when I heard it was closing, don’t remember why it shuttered.

 

[glofria]

Here is the response from the NHRA posted on Facebook by a gentleman who sent an email to Larry Fisher:

One well-worded letter to NHRA and here's their response:

Dear John,

Thank you for your note.

The NHRA Motorsports Museum had a meeting at Famoso Raceway the week before the Reunion with the track operators and with a new signage contractor who we had contacted to look into the issues associated with maintaining the plaques in the Grove. The materials initially used for the plaques does not hold up to the extreme temperatures and sunlight at Famoso. Similarly, the new aluminum plaques we installed last year did not hold up to the conditions as we had hoped. We asked the new sign maker to also look at the bases which are subject to being damaged by water trucks, maintenance vehicles, spectator vehicles and the weather. At our meeting the sign manufacturer presented us with an alternative material that is used at National Parks in areas such as Death Valley and near Ridgecrest, CA. We approved that material and discussed a proposal for a better mounting solution as well. I approved the design and we will be proceeding to work with the track and our contractor on the proposed changes.

Respectfully,
Larry Fisher
Executive Director

 

[Cliff]

Cliff my family lives in Avondale, and I lived in Scottsdale from ‘95-97. I used to love that track! I went there a couple times to help out a buddy, Vito Adragna who ran a 7.90 dragster. I also helped out his brother Danny and his TAD at a points meet at Firebird. Anyway, Speedworld had a great feel to it, I think it even had a little restaurant adjacent to the starting line. I was so bummed when I heard it was closing, don’t remember why it shuttered.

Thanks for the reply Nunz. I started going to Speedworld in 1986, when it had re-opened again. Track built originally around 1961, by same guy who built Beeline (spacing the name). Went there until it closed. Yes it had a little food stand right by the starting line. Food was good. Killed me when the track closed. The property is owned by the State of AZ. The last guy who leased it evidently exceeded building codes and some other stuff, which caused his lease to be revoked. I remember the Adragna family. Their cars always ran good. We had a couple of Div 7 meets at Speedworld, when the late Bob Curley ran the track. Tucson Dragway has kinda replaced Speedworld, and is a "little guy" track. They have some good races there, a bit more than 2 hours from Phoenix.

 

[Nunz]

Cliff is the Speedworld property being used, could it ever have a chance of re-opening again?

 

[Cliff]

I haven't been by there in 3 years or so. State was supposed to use it to store equipment, etc. Don't know if anything is stored there. Dunno if anyone could re-lease the property, as I had heard the State wanted to get out of the business of leasing for race purposes. The State might be open to doing that again if the right parties made an offer, but ?? There are a few videos on You Tube showing what Speedworld looks like right now, weeds and all. One guy did a drone video that really gives a good look. IF someone would get a lease on this property, it would be a boat load of $ to put things in order. Pave the track, grand stands, replace the tower, etc etc etc. $$$$$$$$ Sigh....

 

[Bruno]

Ran there years ago in a Nostalgia Funny Car show with my Crown Vic. Check bounced....
A couple funny stories though, the track ambulance was so old I told my crew that if something happens do not let them put me in that thing. I will never come out!
The windshield on the Crown Vic Funny car was very short. Had a newer crew guy backing me up and he was too close to the car where I could not see his hand directing me back. I told him, next pass just get out there a little farther so I can see you better. Well, we go out for our next run and the smoke clears from the burnout and I see him waaayyy down track! I'm thinking "how in the hell did he get way down there?" I'm straining to see him as his hand is going from one side to the other directing me back then all of a sudden he comes into view around the car. Here, a fan ran out of the grandstands, on to the track and was playing crewman for a day with me!!

Speed World was a cool place. Very Nostalgic.

 

[Cliff]

Hi Joe. I saw your car run at Speedworld. They had some good F/C meets. CIFCA ran there a few times, always put on a good show.