Ditto.\n But you always remember your first 1961 Indy
Nitromater
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What's the best drag race you ever attended?
- Thread starter Mike
- Start date
ch streetcars
Nitro Member
For a funny car fan, the '93 Craftsman Nationals at Topeka was a shocker. The late , great Chuck Etchells 4.987 , first 4 second F/C pass, then Jim Epler runs a 300.40 for the first F/C over 300. Force couldn't believe it.
I remember watching that on a TV at a bar. 50-cent cans of beer. Definitely was a race to remember.
Prestaged
Nitro Member
You are my hero!First race 1956 at Lions.
Larry Sutton---
I was NITRO BREATH
Nitro Member
Bob, you're bringing back my memories of the first time I went to Maple Grove. I had a long drive and with no GPS in those days [ I had maps !! ] I wasnt sure how long it would take to get there. As I got closer to the track the sun was bright over the corn fields and a slight mist was over the road. Out of the mist came a Mennonite horse and buggy. What an amazing sight. A few minutes later I was still thinking about the buggy and enjoying the beautiful landscape I was driving through when I saw a line of cars ahead of me slowly moving forward. I realize that I was near the track. I joined the line of cars excited to be going to Maple Grove for the first time. The traffic was moving slower as the minutes ticked off. It got slower and slower until we were barley moving. Finally, the track was in sight, but the traffic was at a standstill, and it was getting close to race time. My high from earlier in the morning was quickly dissolving and I was wondering if I would get into the track before the first round. Several cars were actually driving through the field on the side of the road frantically trying to get to the track. I later learned that those were some of the top fuel drivers panicked that they would miss first round ! I did finally get into the track just as first round was firing up. It took me a while to get my head into the race because of the horrible traffic experience. Several of the people I talked to that day had the same experience. BTW- the race was great.
That was Maple Grove in the old days. It didn't get much better for many years, and I started to get there much earlier to avoid the traffic.
For many years now they have worked out the traffic problem and I always love going there.
stitcherbob
Nitro Member
There were several times I was stuck in that traffic. One year ,after Morgantown changed their whole exit system off the turnpike, I got turned around and was driving AWAY from the track instead of towards it. I ended up in town and there was Shirley Muldowney's dually at a hotel so I figured they were either done or overslept. I re-oriented myself and got into that line of cars through the farmer's fields. We crawled so slow that several of us were able to abandon ship and find a thicket to relieve ourselves and then jump back in when it started moving again. Another year I went a whole different way (spectator side entrance) and as you got closer to the track the homeowners were trying to fool us into paying to park in their yards by holding signs saying "no more on site parking" and they wanted a fortune to park. I ignored them because I always parked on the steep hillside on the pit side of the track. Sure enough, they had been lying and there was plenty of parking. If I had used their yards I would have joined the families that did and ended up with a mile walk or more
For future races I ended up getting a hotel room at the Paul Revere Inn on Rt 30 and it was a nice leisurely Sunday morning ride to the track. I called my buddy from the room and he asked where was I. I said "I'm in Paradise" and he said "me too Bob, all the time!" I told him Intercourse was just down the road....
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65 Goatboy
Nitro Member
My first race. The 5th annual 1992 Goody's Mid-South Nationals at Memphis Motorsports Park in Memphis Tennessse. From the ticket stub, General admission $27.00, Reserved seat $8.00, Pit pass $10.00 total ticket price $45.00, at the top of the ticket it say's Reserved Pit Pass. This was Saturday qualifying, I got up before dawn and drove four hours south to Millington, Tn north of Memphis and drove back home that night. The next day I watched eliminations on TNN's Diamond P Sports featuring Steve Evans and Dave McClelland, this was the race that John Force crawled out of his upside down and on fire funny car and told Steve " I saw Elvis at 1000 ft." I guess I learned my lesson because I went Sat. and Sun. in 1993!
Many of those May Englishtown races in the 90's and early 2000's were great races. The October Reading races were always interesting when it wasn't raining, it was record runs or tire shake. I was at the Finals in 2003 which was Shirley's last race and Kenny Bernstein's last victory. I have been to so many good races, it's hard to pick one.
sfw1960
Nitro Member
@Alan Reinhart :
When we attended the MWDRS event at US131MSP a few weeks ago, we picked seats on the pit side (wind in our snouts, of course to sniff the nitr0!) we watched a few door slammers take the tree and at the launch Dawn said: "It just NEVER gets OLD!" -- so we must be a special breed...
I once told a 'friend' "Look; either you get it, or you DON'T."
I don't talk to that guy anymore...LOL!
I do really miss working in the water box/ starting line with a camera because of the proximity, but I also understand it's nothing I will be planning on getting back into.
Having the opportunity to tape John Force & Tony Pedregon match race in the 90's was priceless - and all the names that we've met, hung out with & enjoyed is a priceless thing too. (Etchells, Amato. B. Johnson, Shirley, Rickie, Cannon, Stott -so many more...)
The Cool Bus was at Martin earlier this month and we taped that puppy at Mid-Michigan back in the 90's, We were thrilled just to see it there!
LONG LIVE NITR0!!!!
(Send it!)
Wichita International Raceway, it must have been 1970, I was 15. Dickie Harrell aka Mr Chevrolet had a new Camaro body. The taillights were gone, just open holes. In those days you could be a close as you dared, and I was close.
When he did a burnout the tire smoke shot out of those open taillight holes and looked like rockets.
I've been hooked ever since.
When he did a burnout the tire smoke shot out of those open taillight holes and looked like rockets.
I've been hooked ever since.
mick
Nitro Member
great, thanks paul. i remember vividly too. my guy frank bradley goes 5.00 in semis, just misses first 4 @ bir, and hurts block.
next pair your guy joe amato goes 4.99 for first bir 4. frank opts to sit out the final, and joe goes 4.97 for the win. i think one of joe's last
wins @ bir? he won there 4 or 5x prior i think. force also wins this race. his 2nd or 3rd @ bir on his way to many more.
Just Paul
Nitro Member
Joe won 83,84,88,89,90- lost on a holeshot in the final to Bernstein in 91 (that one hurt)- and won 92.
65 Goatboy
Nitro Member
Joe was in the booth this year on nhra,tv in Reading?
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