History Drag cars in motion.......picture thread.

Hello,
I was recently looking for some information on a certain Midwest drag racer. As I was reading several news events, this interesting article popped up. September 20, 1962.

Jnaki

The local Drag News weekly paper always had challenges from one racer to another. The ads for the several So Cal dragstrips that had record breaking races always published comments and photos about how this racer won the cl***, set a record and now awaits challenges from all takers... that sort of thing...

Yes, we all wonder how those rankings played out in the public drag race venues back in the 1962 era.
a Herbert Cam adverti*****t vs Vance Hunt...etc. Chet Herbert Cams was instrumental in interesting adverti*****ts and challenges...

So, who bought one back in 1962 from the Westcoast for their drag racing builds? Any old Grandpa stories?

 

Third shot, Uyehara, "Wait a minute, what happens to me if this pinion blows up?"

 

I spotted this flyer framed on the wall in a restaurant in Sanford, thought it was pretty cool:

 

What ever happen to that air port/drag strip?

 

I was there in 66 and there were stands along the left lane. ? I think it was...... west side ??
Spectator stands.

 

Airport is still there.Drag strip ended in middle 1960.

 

Nor-Cal has a strip at a small airport in town of Lodi with lots of history: KINGDON. last races of the year this weekend - NOVEMBER 15th & 16th.
also, Swap & Show Sat Nov 15 - GALT MARKET GROUNDS

 

KINGDON, Lodi, CA

 

1964

 

Another Sanford reference. Completely different restaurant had this framed on the wall. Green Monster looks like?

 

I was mentioned on that record. I was racing the day it was recorded.

 

Hello,

Kingdon Dragstrip in Lodi, CA is an important place in early drag race history.

It was Don Garlits' first time traveling out West as the biggest drag meet took place at the Bakersfield Smokers meet in 1959. But, within a couple of weeks, the group was supposed to be at Kingdon for another race in California.

When Don Garlits came out West to race in the 1st March Meet in 1959, it was a big thing. He was scheduled for two events, the Smokers 1959 March Meet in Bakersfield and Kingdon in Lodi.

The impression at the March Meet was not so hot. He went out in the first round. But, with the help of several top So Cal drag race folks and a few manufacturers, he got a new look and was ready for the unveiling of the FED at Kingdon in Lodi. This was the result of the new improved look and build of the Garlits FED.

Jnaki

Needless to say, he left with a new beginning and proved to the Westcoast racers that he was "for real" with his East coast record times. Now, the new 671 Hemi motor put him back in the top group of drag racing. YRMV

NOTE:

Today, most of California is under a weather front watch with rain for 80 % of the state. Be prepared…
There are two more large storms coming across the Pacific Ocean towards the whole West coast of the USA.

As of this AM writing, Lodi is under a weather watch with 60 % chance of rain for Saturday. (cloudy and threatening... ) In So Cal, it has been raining for a couple of days.

 

I don't recall there being stands along the west side when I was there in '63.

 

When I was a youngun. My older brother had a Phillips 66 station in Grandview MO. Rod Stuckey's shop was across the street. He would push his dragster out next to the street and fire it up. His built.up 392 Chrysler mad an incredible sound. This was 1961 - 65. I know the internet says he died in '63 but my old memory says it was '64 or '65.

 

Hello,

In the timeline of 1959, various dragstrips had cl***es for all kinds of race cars. The top numeration being the A/Gas dragster or A/Fuel dragster cl***es. But the lettering game went all the way down to the small 4 cylinder motor cars or smaller yet. My brother and I were amazed that the race car was so small. Perhaps, sitting next to a Crosley sedan felt at home with a small 61 c.i. two cylinder Crosley or whatever motor.

This one dragster was different than all of the rest. “One of these guys is doing his own thing…” to paraphrase a famous Sesame Street song… Was it a rare engine? The small FED certainly was a rare sight a**** the long, sleek, powerful motors of the top FED racers of the time. The motor looked too small to be a 4 cylinder, so Crosley did make a two cylinder motor way back then.

Fellow drag racers of note at the same day event in 1959.


Jnaki

Fearless a**** the giants…


GIANTS:

ART CHRISMAN


DON GARLITS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2z7lDQA5CQ

KRIS KARAMESINES CHIZZLER:


Plus, one of the most exciting and LOUD races of the day:

 

Hello,

In looking for information about the Sanford, Maine Dragstrip, this is what I found.

The history of early drag racing was highlighted by Don Garlits and Art Malone. It was after faltering out West at the first Bakersfield March Meet in 1959 with the carburetor powered Hemi motor. He learned from the So Cal drag racing community that an addition of a 671 supercharger would help make a difference.
March 1959
So, weeks after the raccs in March of 1959, loaded with a 671 supercharger, he was victorious and set records at the Northern California Dragstrip, Kingdon, in Lodi, CA.

“After incurring burns at a race at Chester, SC. In 1959 Don was unable to drive and his friend Art Malone, pictured here with Don, took over the driving. Don also changed over from the 8 carburetor set-up he had used previously, to a Hilborn Two-Port Injector. With the ability to tune the car more accurately performance immediately improved. At one of the first outings with Malone in the seat at Sanford, ME. On August 23, 1959, the car set a new standard 1320 speed record of 183.66 mph.” WDIFL

Jnaki


So, who did we see at the 1960 Bakersfield March Meet?





DRAG CARS IN MOTION...

 

Pocono Drag Lodge video...
Pocono Drag Lodge

 

Hello,

For this sleepy morning, what is red, loud and can wake you up for the hectic morning coffee time?

First, a little history:
The Donnelly-Bolthoff 1934 Altered Coupe stood out from near and far. Color-wise, it fits in with the season.

“George Bolthoff began drag racing his street-driven '32 Ford at Santa Ana in 1951, then drove several stockers, including a Super Stock '57 Chevy that was converted to a C/Gas entry in 1959. Bolthoff later placed the injected engine into a B/A ch***is that won cl*** honors at the NHRA Nationals in 1960. The same engine was later used in a dragster ch***is to begin Bolthoff's Top Gas career.”

I remembered that I had a digital copy of the actual, Donnelly/Bolthoff 1934 Ford Coupe original sounds made from an old December 1959 LP Album. With a little digital editing, it fit just right as a new sound added film of that old 1960 Bakersfield March Meet For the Altered Coupe. The sound was pretty menacing and very cool.

Jnaki

Note:
Several local So Cal teams and drag racers made the trip back to Detroit for the 1959 U.S. Nationals and a company recorded the best sounds and information for a drag racing album. They (Donnelly-Bolthoff) ran the same red 1934 Ford Coupe at the Detroit location in September of 1959 and I filmed them at the Bakersfield Smokers March Meet in 1960.

So, for this holiday morning, here is something to wake you up and enjoy the festivities… TURN IT UP…

**** Donnelly and George Bolthoff 1934 Ford Altered Coupe 1960



DRAG CARS IN MOTION

 

What's with the "A/ET" on the windows of both the Plymouth and the Corvette in post #65725? I do not recall that as a cl*** designation.

 

Two different approaches to Ford D/Altered builds launch during the 1969 NHRA Winternationals @ Pomona. Petersen Archive photo.