When were you hooked? Fuel Racing...

[!]

1967. The season opener at Connecticut Dragway. I think I went there every Sunday in 1967

 

[T.Smith]

March 1975 U.S.30 Dragstrip(Gary, IN), Match race between the "Chi Town Hustler" and Cliff Brown's "The Chicago Kid". I was 4 1/2 years old.

 

[TooTall999]

Summer of 1971...16 funny cars at Connecticut Dragway...Jungle..Bob Banning...Custom Body mini charger...Shark corvette...and more....good times..I was 13

 

[Paul]

My dad first took me to a match race at Atco Raceway in 1985. The main attraction was John Force in his Coke FC vs. the Hawaiian Punch FC (I think Johnny West was driving). I also remember Force had a Coke robot that was mingling through the crowd harassing people.

 

[none]

Indy....1969

Same race here, Robin.

Interesting isn't it that, judging by most responses so far, many got hooked during the glory days?

Fuel IS a disease that's incurable!

 

[Nitrohelper]

I saw Garlits vs the Greek summer of 1959 at Great Lakes Dragaway
Union Grove WI. " Cheeseland"
I started mixing nitro in 1963, 35%, for a blown small block in a lite weight (Gas wedge) '62 Garlits car.
Tuned a Nitro 392 the first time at "Da Grove" memorial day weekend, 1966
We ran third low et on Friday out of about 60 cars. Car was # 5 on the Drag News Fuel list

The first time I got to "hit" the pedal on a seat ride, my pucker valve said,,, "WOW" ,,
still addicted today ! ! ! I still have two Chacklefest cars for Winter nites.

They sure do sound better on the old ESPN TV shows,, I say yes to 95%!

 

[squid]

My first was the 1990 keystones at maplegrove

 

[Fireball]

1976 World Finals, Amarillo, Texas.

 

[jimbo]

It was 1969 I believe. It was at Thompson Drag Raceway in Ohio. Match Race between Mickey Thompsons red Mustang with Pat Foster up vs Bobby Woods Checy 2 with blown Chevy. Been hooked ever since!

 

[Tbone]

I was hooked in the late summer of 1984, actually had nothing to do and went to Indy raceway park to check out this thing they called the US nationals. I had just recently rebuilt a 1971 Dodge dart and set it up to race and boy could it. But seeing the power in the cars just made my heart jump in my throat, not as much then as now. Now I work for a company that builds the chassis and mounts some bodies on Alky and Fuel funny cars, what an experience. I believe my life has come full circle, seeing cars run in the 200's or so, to now running 300+ can hardly believe that an engine can produce that much horsepower and someone can tune it to run fast and not eat itself up every run. I want more...

 

[BlueStangGT]

Summer of 1974(?) at Lake Overholser in Oklahoma City. My best friend's dad was the engine builder / crew chief for the Blown Fuel Hydro boat called "Shazam!" and let us tag along with him. It was, by far, the coolest thing I'd ever seen!

 

[nitrofishblue]

I used to watch the racing on Wide World of Sports, usually weeks after the event had happened. I attended my first live event in 1976 at Columbus and have been a fan since then.

 

[Eracer]

Minnesota Dragways 1976
T/F winner Gary Beck - Export A
F/C winner - Snake - Army Funny Car
P/S winner - Gapp & Roush Taxi
Those we're the days!

 

[Geo.]

Late sixties or early seventies at N.E. Dargway it was a 64 car funnycar race. They all lined up on the track and fired them at the same time.I was around 12 years old and That pretty much did it for me.

 

[d'kid]

Welcome George
Yeah 32 or 64 car flopper show were the norm back then... along with 32 car AA/FD fields at some National Events (Indy)... I'm not even sure if there are 64 nitro floppers in the whole country now

 

[HEMI6point1]

I started watching drag racing when I was like 5 or something. I started going to the E-town event when I was 11.

 

[none]

I used to watch the racing on Wide World of Sports, usually weeks after the event had happened. I attended my first live event in 1976 at Columbus and have been a fan since then.

Could that be because it was Shirley's first win?!

I was there also; got some good pics of Cha-Cha and Snake at the top end kiss and celebration. Wally Parks in a blue leisure suit. The Hurst girls. Ah, memories

A magic moment, to be sure...

 

[Kenny Wigington]

1976, Southeastern Dragway, Dallas, Ga. July 4.
Coca Cola Cavalcade Race.

My dad took my brother and I, after seeing them on TV(WideWorldofSports), I wanted to see that deal. If I remember right, some of the teams stayed in the motel behind dads gas station, the night before, and we heard them cranking up in the parking lot. I wandered back to see what was up.
Some of them told me about that race, and I ran back to beg my dad !

All were either on ramp trucks or open trailers. I dont remember seeing an enclosed trailer at all. Blown alky, blown fuel ,and injected Funny Cars.

My brother and I wound up standing on the roof of dads truck so we could see over the crowd. He kept fussing about mashing the roof....

I can still 3 of them in my mind, now. Vividly.

 

[farmje]

I remember going to Topeka in the early 1990's, and one driver (who won't be named) refused to give me an autograph, because and I quote, "I don't have time for kids." I was absolutely bawling and we walked by John Force's pit. He saw me crying, came out and asked me what was wrong. I said, "well _____ refused to give me an autograph." John said, "well ______ is a dickhead sometimes. Come with me." And we went into his pits and he hung out with us and signed a ton of stuff for me. He even forged the other persons name and told me that his signature was worth more... My love & respect for John Force is rooted in that day. He's the man.

Then I was at HPT when Steve Johnson got his leg run over and broken. That was a crazy day too.

Ahh the good ol' days.

 

[Bullet]

The sad thing is, I don't remember!

Having been brought up around the sport I have no clear first experience that "blew me away"

I wish I did!