New England Dragway in Epping. Got photos?

oh ok, ed was mentioning to me that a guy in new hampshire that owned a trucking company bought it years back,and might think he still has it?

 

Here are a few more from NE Dragway I had posted on the Corvette Gasser thread.

 

And a few more.

 

Lives in Florida now,I see his son Ronnie a lot.

 

I used to race bikes with Ronnie at NED back in the late 70's. Tell him Tom Faucher says hi!

 

Dick Roberts in the Mr Boston car pops a blower

 

Big launching

 

Burn-out

 

Al Freidman in the American Way Jack Doyle and JA Jack Redd in the background

 

The Tom Dawes owned Freedom Machine from my hometown, photog behind the fence is me, a whole lotta years and lbs ago....lol

 

Mike that photo is incredible... No one has even reacted yet to the BANG and the blower belt has not dropped off.

 

Jack, I think I was the only one that reacted as the pop made me hit the shutter..lol

 

I agree;a once-in-a-lifetime shot.Reminds me of a picture that Paul(Motor)Burns has on the wall in his shop.Not sure who took the picture but it was at Lebanon Valley NY of his car,the Spirit of 76 and originally appeared in Popular Hot Rodding.
The story behind it is that his throttle had stuck and the kill switch was overpowered by the Scheifer mag they had recently installed.When the tires finally hooked up the nose of the car went skyward and the push bar dug into the strip.The picture shows the car at approximately an 85 degree angle and the rear tires about a foot off the ground.When the car came down it broke in two and careened down the track.Paul sustained injuries(burns mostly)but did build another car and compete.
He contacted the magazine and got a copy of the picture and had it blown up to wall size.I haven't seen Paul in years but the last time I spoke with him he still had his restoration shop in Marblehead(Motor Inc.)where he restores vintage race cars;mostly Porsches.

 

Ray, Here is the picture you are referring to of Paul "Motor" Burns. This happened at New York National Speedway.

 

The one on the cape is the orig according to the owner who i know well ,he takes the car to the shamrods show in bourne every tues night.ill dig through my pics and post them up.

 

http://dragphotosinc.com/funny_cars.htm Link with many NED oldies

 

Mike did you ever finish the King + Marshall 70 Cuda

 

Those were great days at the Drags. I remember when they'd have 32 Funny cars lined up on both sides of the track and they'd start them all at once right after the National Anthem played at 12 o"clock high. Awesome !

 

never did get it done unfortunately.

 

Paul Wasilewski Jr's site, lots of great stuff in there

 

Thanks for the pic and the correction Jack;I thought Paul had said it happened at LV.I think he still holds the ,"front wheel altitude record"

 

Jimmy King did this same thing at Indy in 70- 71 ? he flipped the car over backwards it was in Hot-Rod last month I scanned a copy and dropped it off to him at his shop in Warren yes he's still wrenchin. Heres what happen to the same King + Marshall TFD few years back at LV http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=QDT4gLCOruE&NR=1 heres another at NHRR http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GG5dCoZ521Y

 

I think paul burns had a partner in the rail named bill doan

wow,i used to work in Marblehead,in the old formula automotive building,on barnard street,building engines,and doing installs on race/street cars,paul burns used to come by a lot,..never new at the time that he piloted a rail?!?!,...his shop was up at the town dump in Marblehead if I remember correctly,also Harold Hansen who owned millers auto service,used to race a 67-nova called the SPAIR TIME,had a old pocket watch painted in gold on the side of the car,car was all black,that was in the late 70's and early 80's,not sure if he still owns it now.i also think that paul had a partner with the rail named bill doan,..he used to frequent our shop a lot also,...its a small world!

 

I used to paint race cars over there for Ray Caldwell and Alex Dearborn from about 1969 on. Did a bunch of Caldwell D-9's and a Formula Ford Lotus. Did the T/A car originally until they started using vinyl on it.Worked with Denny Shattuck and Bruce Marsden.They had a guy named Bruno who could do the most amazing gas welding of aluminum.I remember he welded up a Hewland transaxle in the Lola T-160 that those idiots from Car&Driver crashed at Virginia Int'l Raceway.

Were you there when Reeves Callaway worked there? His dad was a friend of Ray Caldwell and he started there right out of college.He had a kickass 66 Corvair with a 365 hp 327 in the back seat;went like the hammers of hell.Bob Fletcher worked there as well before he started Fast Company.I painted a couple of cars for him when he was over where Paul's shop is now.It was an outfit from Australia that was running Formula Atlantic(Talon Racing Team).They used to use Bob's shop when they were in the country;their chief mech was named Jack(can't remember his last name but he worked at Autodynamics prior)

Used to go to Paul's shop a lot.Did the lettering on the Spirit in gold leaf and still have my original layout sketch on my box of leaf.Did several Porsches for him and even a Lagonda V12 limo he restored.And yes his partner was Bill Doan who owned a construction company in Marblehead.

Remember he had acquired on of Don Garlits old cars(a short wheelbase car 176 in)that never ran really well.Paul was fascinated with the construction of the car.Garlits really enineered his cars well.They ran it a couple times but never ran well.

Sorry for the long rant I just start remembering things when I start typing.

 

Sadly this body made it's way to Buffalo many years ago, got chopped up to fit a modern funnycar/altered chassis. Owner still runs the car once or twice a year but the history of the body was never given a second thought.

 

Harold sold the Nova to Gary Raymonds Brother(Pequot Filling Station). He hit the wall with it at NED, after he repaired it he was trying to sell it, dont know if he ever did.

 

Just wanted followers of the HAYSEED that it is being reserected!! Not with the original body.Motor and trans completed. Frame and suspension underway and replacement body in progress. Fabrication is underway in N. H. The photos are really appreciated. Baron Von Vasnic