How can a trip to the local drag strip
nearly be a total waste. It was labeled Mopars against the World so it being on Fathers Day and a Mopar guy I thought it might be worth the trip. Boy was I wrong, its pretty sad when the third fastest vehicle at the track was a snow mobile. The two fastest cars were front engined Chrysler powered dragsters that ran mid 7 second 170 MPH in the quarter mile. The snow mobile ran a couple of mid 8 second passes at a 150 MPH. I think the next 2 fastest cars were a couple of early 70's Novas one running in the low 9's and another in the low 10's. I took a camera along hoping to take some pictures and I never even took it out of the car. There was a lot of dead time. I can't believe I sat through that for nearly 4 hours. Then I go home and nearly get shot. ( See the flag pole thread)
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Was you at? Byron? or,
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What did you expect from a MOPAR event?M ostlyO ldP artsA ndR ust.
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We run on the 1/8th and 7 sec is sloooow.
Best we have run is 6:04 without assist air, just the puter. We don't try for max speed, we try to be consistent.0 -
If I understand today's drag race world, speed is second to consistency. Break out of your bracket and you done for the day.Back many many moons ago it was run what you brung and whoever crossed the finish line first won the race.
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The 2018 Dodge Demon ran 9.54 second quarters off the show room floor. Those guys need to have their tools confiscated and made to buy something from the dealer to run in the future. Dodge Demon Specs:- Horsepower: 840 hp (on race gas)
- Torque: 770 lb-ft.
- 0-60 MPH: 2.1 Seconds.
- 0-200 MPH: 55 Seconds.
- 60-0 Braking: 97 ft.
- 1/4 Mile: 9.54 Seconds @ 140 MPH.
- Top Speed: 203 MPH.
- Weight: 4,280 lbs. including the air-conditioner
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That is the way we used to do it way . . . and I mean WAY . . . back when.Butchdog2 said:If I understand today's drag race world, speed is second to consistency. Break out of your bracket and you done for the day.Back many many moons ago it was run what you brung and whoever crossed the finish line first won the race.
I ran a '71 'Cuda that had been "modified". I don't even remember what my times were it was so long ago - late '70s. Anyway we ran an 1/8th mile and you bracketed what time you were going to run. They ran everything on the track at the same time.
You haven't raced until you are up against an alcohol burning funny car in your daily "drive it to work" car. Yea, that kind with the lift off fiberglass body on top of a custom built "race car" with a blower and an engine half the size of the whole front of your car. You both would pull up at the lights. Since you were running your street car and he was running a hot block, you tried to stage as quick as you could to help keep him from overheating.
Of course you got your light first since you were going to take a whole lot longer to get to the finish line. You left the line just like you always planned on and he just sat there until he got his green light. You were probably half way to the finish line before he got his light.
I know . . . you really should not look in your review mirror when you are racing . . . but has anybody seen a full blown funny car catching up to them when they were going as fast as they could? Yea, it is pretty impressive.
About the only way you could win that race is if he "broke out" and ran faster than he said he would. Pretty cool concept . . . winning a race after getting beat to the finish line. Consistency worked for me back in those days.3 -
I miss the old local drag strip it went away many years ago now its about a 50 mile one way trip to the merest one for me
I spent a lot of weekends racing and watching
still have one of my old 69 Camaro's it made a few trips down the track but it was more a street car low 12's
I had a 68 camaro at the time just a race car it was stripped to a bare shell one seat and roll bars 468 turbo 400 5:13 gears 15x32 slicks but I only had it to the track a few times by then the local place had shut down and just too far to the track ( I had a trailer of course ) ir was a high 10 second car , I sure it could have been better but never got the time and money to work out the bugs after just a couple trips I sold it .
I remember the old race track they had bracket races , and serious a old 6 cyl 4 door maverick called the water works because it had belonged to the city and still had water works decals on it LOL
and a old station wagon both ran the quarter in just under 20 seconds , but consistent so many cars many broke out ( of there register time ) trying to catch them
they won but were the most hated cars LOL
oh my first true love
I was about 13 years old I saw at the track and still want one it was a 55 chevy gasser ( most all you old car guys will know ) straight axle tilt front BBC with a tunnel ram two holleys on top had ladder bars that looked they went all the way to the front axle .. dark green car with tinted windows ( guessing Plexiglas ) 3 -
I just go for the backup girls...
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About halfway through the video I realized there are race cars in it. 3 -
One of my employees ran Maverick back in the day. 302 maybe? ran 1/8 mile and won lots of races.Last name is Horney, Announcer would say its "Horney all the way down the track". Yikes.
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Miss Hurst / Linda Vaughn c. 1970s
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Once upon a time at Atco Racway'64 Ford Galaxy, 427cid, 2 Holley double pumpers on an Offy tunnel ram !
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Friend of my ran an early '50's Pontiac with a SBC at the 1/4 mile track at Amarillo. Built it to run in Modified Production.
First outing got beat badly but they weren't surprised -- they hadn't weighed it and were at the heavy end of B class, racing against some lighter cars.
Went home and got to thinking -- MP class rules didn't allow ballast so they were trying to find a way to add some weight.
They kept talking and decided that they needed traction bars but that would only make the car heavier.
Then they had the inspiration that saved the day --Rules didn't say what you had to use to make the traction bars -- and they had some 1/2" plate laying around.
Next outing was much much better -- they were the lightest car in "C" class and commenced to out run everyone!0 -
I need to take my boys to check out some drag racing.
If you go far enough back in GB Im sure there are tales of my efforts with my 66 Barracuda.
My Ducati I have taken to the strip maybe a dozen times. Best I have ran is 10.10 @131 but with a pro it is is supposed to turn 9.90 right off the showroom floor. It is really tough to launch hard & keep the front end down.
It will take your breath away that’s for sure.
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I'm lucky to live within an hour of two 1/4 mile strips and another one about 2 hours away. When I was young, I raced my stock Honda Interceptor frequently. Now I just run my daily driver in index races. It's a good ratio of bang/buck at $20-25 entry fee. 0 -
Grasshopper said:
Was you at? Byron? or,
Great Lakes Drag O Way, Don't even know if Byron is open. Their having problems and the track is for sale. They usually run the big gasser meet in July and they didn't even run it last year.
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These were all 1/4 mile times.hobo9650 said:We run on the 1/8th and 7 sec is sloooow.
Best we have run is 6:04 without assist air, just the puter. We don't try for max speed, we try to be consistent.0 -
All except that Hot Rod Lincoln!:Butchdog2 said:What did you expect from a MOPAR event?M ostlyO ldP artsA ndR ust.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcCj4ogE-m8
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I ran a LOT there in the 70's when Ron Leek ran it. I believe he has passed. We had some HUGE events like the Bracketnationals with a 5k payout to first. Had to run 11.99 and under to get in which I did. That track in the day was awesome. They had top fuel, pro stock and all at least once a year and all the big names came in. CHA- CHA looked real good in person at the time.armilite said:Grasshopper said:Was you at? Byron? or,
Great Lakes Drag O Way, Don't even know if Byron is open. Their having problems and the track is for sale. They usually run the big gasser meet in July and they didn't even run it last year.
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2 years look familiar?
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as for back up ladies back in the day jungle Pam ( jungle Jim's gal and of course Linda V. would be a good points race between them
wife and I took both my sons when they were very young to a few drag race events ( along with monster trucks mud trucks tractor pulls ) now they chew my butt for allowing them to watch the jet cars and top fuel cars with out giving them hearing protection ( back then what was that ) 0 -
Somebody's gonna get an eye poked out there.
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that was back in the day, if she is still around, she is probubly sitting on them now.............KenK/84Bravo said:Somebody's gonna get an eye poked out there.
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she is still with us
So, what is Jungle Pam Hardy doing now? Hardy lives a quiet and “normal” life since leaving the limelight of the drag racing scene. All the while, however, she has done her best to keep the groovy memory of Jungle Jim Liberman and that era alive. She continues to make media and National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) appearances signing autographs. Currently, Hardy hosts a Facebook page and website dedicated to the memory of the sport of drag racing as it was back in those mid-'70s glory days.0 -
Yep Jungle Jim left us way to soon, it must have been pretty hard on Pam.Ditch-Runner said:
she is still with us
So, what is Jungle Pam Hardy doing now? Hardy lives a quiet and “normal” life since leaving the limelight of the drag racing scene. All the while, however, she has done her best to keep the groovy memory of Jungle Jim Liberman and that era alive. She continues to make media and National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) appearances signing autographs. Currently, Hardy hosts a Facebook page and website dedicated to the memory of the sport of drag racing as it was back in those mid-'70s glory days.
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My heart goes out to the people of Pontiac and the beautiful 67 Firebird 326 ( le mans 400 and sun roof. ) The Trans AM 440 T-top, the problem started with DMV not knowing the date of production ... flighty with two priors?
Datson 240z
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