I'm from Montrose originally and went there a lot after getting out of high school in 66 and before going to VN in early 67. I remember in particular a new dark green nova 350 horse/4sp. With stock tires it burned all the way into fourth gear. Also went a lot to 5 mile point, dirt oval in Kirkwood, just south of Binghamton. Friend of mine from Montrose had a 300 inch jimmy six in a 36 chevy coupe. 2 brothers a few shops down from my dad's shop had a couple deuce or model a coupes with big (364, 401) nailheads. Another fellow across town had a deuce/283 with 6 two barrels. Fun times, lots of horsepower in Montrose back then.
I'll bring my rail up for a reunion, after all it ran there a bunch of times. I can probibly get you a few more original lyndwood rails as well as a few original slingshot fuel cars & funny cars (rolling stoned & tweete's rat) larson should be up for bringing his cmaro FC too. a good way to get some track help is to get the local boy scouts or a local car club involved. have them help you clear the property of weeds/trash/debris + they can run food consessions & parking. put 1/2 of all proceeds collected (parking/donations) back to the boys scouts or car club & the other half to the property owner. get local sponsors to help you with supplying weed wackers/gas & chemicals (weed eater) trash bags advertising ect. sell flea market space for people with parts etc and advertise (room permitting) that it's a non judges car show to get some extra eye candy to look at. the first year will be the worst cause you have to build the show, later you can eveolve it into a judged car show/drag reunion like they do at the old Vargo Dragway down on perkasie pa, that has turned into a huge event at the old strip. this could be a great thing! pm me when you need original rails/FC's and I'll help you out on my end with my connections! Paul
Paul, thanks will be calling on you!! And wally, I'm sure the track is unuseable as a strip but lining up the cars, videos, etc, at least to start. If we can get this thing going, don't know about racing but maybe we could get a burnout area. Some old vintage racers like Paul's would be awesome. Want to see if we can get the local radio stations involved. Will get the lay of the land and see what the site looks like. We would need to have some kind of electrical service; for now I have a generator we could use if nothing else, to run a tv/ dvd player. Would like to arrange for autographs (yeah these guys are my heros,and today we need heros more than snything!!) Of course will need food and beverages, and I have a guy who does tee shirts for me. Big thing for me is breaking even, don't care about any profits, and throw the money back in the kitty for next time or donate it. More ideas, please!!! Charlie Hulsizer
people would come.. The York show would be perfect to promote it. Lots of old Pocono people there. BTW/ Jim Amos worked there as a young lad..Jack Thomas (HAMB member) too.
GASPUMPCHAS...you gotta post your photos of Dover you took before they ripped it up. Brian M. is negotiating with the Town of Wingdale to have the next Dover Reunion Right in Town. He's trying to get new property owner to have it on the site of the old track.
Lots of interest all of a sudden in these old tracks, look at the posts for Montgomery,Dover & Pocono. POCONO the only one that has potential of being rescued . You guys keep us posted
Also try to contact bear creek volunteer fire department. My father and I used to put on the car show that ran during their bazaar. I've since moved to arizona and lost contact with most of the department, but maybe they would be interested in being involved. With all the automotive interest in north east Pa this could get huge. Especially if someone were to invest the money in reopening the track.
It's sad what happened to some of these old strips. If the FFA didn't mess it up, some string of misfortune or some dirty politics did. I live 10 mins. from Thomasville Airport (aka US 30). I am neighbors w/an old lady whose family owned the farm surrounding the track, and my late uncle used to race out there (along w/just about any local motorhead reaching the age of 50 now.) Ya can just imagine the smell and the energy that the place would eminate on any weekend. Sad.
Count me in for any reunion. Will bring my Pocono Drag Lodge/ Lyndwood Welding rat rod. I'm in contact with other PDL alumni as well. Maybe you could get Joe Amato and Keystone behind it? I'll bet Jim Amos and Mashie would be there with cameras rolling. If it can't happen at the track could be an informal get together at York 09. There's a bunch of us there each year already.
The promoter of the reunion will need your help on this. Good idea..York '09....reunion within a reunion ( the first one anyhow)
Pocono Drag Lodge gave me 4 things. Skin cancer, hearing loss, fantastic friends and memories......................PRICELESS !
I wrote the article that was in Car Craft a few years back... Here is a poor scan of it... I live about a 1/2 hour from there... I have a few dozen or so original pics if anyone is interested... Tom
I like their moto....."The traction & cash capital of the east". Obviously a little shot at Cecil County Dragway. -Lee Atomic Radio www.atomicpinup.com
Here are some vintage pics... More to follow... These were scanned in from slides so the quality isn't there. The later ones I have are much better... <o></o><o></o> <o></o><o></o> <o></o><o></o> <o></o><o></o> <o></o>
More pics... Check out the Jungle Jim pic! <o></o><o></o> <o></o><o></o> <o></o><o></o> <o></o><o></o> <o></o>
Here's the aerial photo link to Pocono if anyone is interested: http://virtualglobetrotting.com/map/53503/view/?service=1 -Lee Atomic Radio www.atomicpinup.com
Even more pics... I was told that the guy in the last photo was Joe Amato himself, but I'm not sure... <o></o> <o></o><o></o> <o></o><o></o> <o></o><o></o> <o></o>
The Jalopy Journal
