Scott Kalitta's Mustang Nitro Funny

[Rajunz]

These were taken in 1986 in Eunice Louisiana, Louisiana Raceway Park. Arial View Today:

The track began life as a horse track, then was converted to a drag strip. The tower featured indoor seating and a nice bar/lounge upstairs. It was a really nice facility for it's time, they paved turns 1 and 2 and made the staging lanes and pit stalls all along it. The strip ran backwards up the home stretch. The old barns were converted to garages. The first race held there was the AHRA World Finals in 1983 or 1984 and it flopped. The winner's checks bounced and the AHRA closed the doors immediately after that event.

These pictures were taken at the IHRA Louisiana Nationals. It drew all of the big names, I remember Mark Oswald taking out John Force's Coca Cola Corvette in the finals. That was the last major event held at the track.

 

[mike cummings]

nice shorts!

 

[Rajunz]

That's my High School buddy, Dwayne, come to think of it, I'm sure that I was wearing a similar pair. How about the 80's rockstar hair?

 

[Z28LT1]

That track looks kinda nice. is it still around?

 

[BaldyLochs]

Really cool pics, thanks for sharing. There's not many shots of that car around; the ones that are available we've seen over & over. I was gonna ask.... where do I know that guy from? What band? I thought it was Jack Blades

 

[Rajunz]

I'm fairly certain that the guy holding his ears is Larry Frazier.

That track is still around. It ran local bracket races until it got bought out 2 years ago. It's still there, hasn't been torn down yet, but plans were to develop the land. It's way out in the middle of nowhere as you can see by the link above, there's plenty of farm land all around to develop.

 

[Wes]

Some tidbits on Lousiana Raceway...

The current owner purchased the track on a stormy day. Closing went well and he had big plans to do some major renovations to bring the facility back to par. There was a long term vision that included total rennovation to the tower/enclosed seating complex, concrete walls, LED scoreboards, new Accutime system, pit work, and new concrete/asphalt 1/4 mile racing surface. While he was eating lunch after closing at a local greasy spoon a few miles away a tornado ripped through the facility and caused 6-figure damage. All this occured BEFORE his insurance policy took effect. So he was left holding the bag for all the damages...and that's the way the track sits today.

Louisiana Dragway last operated in 2004 (if memory serves) and was under IHRA sanction. They would usually bring a pretty decent team to the bracket finals each year. I visited the track in 2002 to do a few chassis certifiactions and could see a diamond in the rough.

 

[Mikey]

My Dad's cousin Authur Durel owned it before the new owner took it over. I was at the AHRA race and I think my dad's and Candies & Hughes checks were the only ones that cleared. Only because my mom put the check in the next day!!!

 

[Rajunz]

Thanks Wes on the story on Louisiana Raceway, I have never heard that one.

My Dad's cousin Authur Durel owned it before the new owner took it over. I was at the AHRA race and I think my dad's and Candies & Hughes checks were the only ones that cleared. Only because my mom put the check in the next day!!!

Was your dad related to this guy? I think his name was Charlie Durel.

 

[Bobby]

seems a shame for that track to sit idle.
thanks for posting these pictures!

 

[Mikey]

Yeah Arthur and Charlie are brothers and my dad's cousins.