Just looking through some old photos and ran across these. It's from september 2006, at a Flashlight Drags sponsored event in Mercer, PA at the Sunset Dragstrip. Thought i'd share this awesome '36. I talked briefly with the fella that owned it, and apparently it has an old trans, forgot what he said about the rear, and he originally built it around 1958/59 (from what i remember). It was in a fire about 2 years before it was at the strip that afternoon, and this is it afterward. Looks pretty awesome. If anyone knows anything else, or i mis-quoted something, please correct me. (thanks to Bob for the pix...never met you, and i stole these. sorry) yes, it was trailered, but then again he's running slicks, it's probably not very 'streetable' and to boot it was raining all morning! yes, i won (only because he was having transmission problems
Well, infotunately the track is only 1/8th mile. It's been that way since 1954 when the track "unofficially" opened. It's very scary considering your stopping distance is only like 500. Also not visible at the line is the tree, which they do have. At any rate, i figured for sure he would blow my doors off. However, i was feeling very proud, and amazed, when at the end of the track my stock little 322 nailhead pulled ahead and ended up half a car length ahead! To my dismay, however, it turns out he was having transmission problems...i think he said he had an old T-85 if memory serves me. Something was amiss, somehow he was having problems shifting, and he was only running about 3/4 of his full potential which would explain why i ended up pulling ahead. with such a cool car as his i don't mind losing to him -ace
Here's the website i pulled those pictures from. There was a variety of cars there, turn out was a little low due to the rain the night before and in the morning: http://rides.webshots.com/album/555103259wyncnZ and the Sunset Dragstrip website. not much content, and they also have a myspace page: http://www.freepowerboards.com/sunsetdragstrip/portal.php
Very beautiful car! It might have been trailered but like you said it has slicks and that sweet hilborn setup which probably wouldnt work too well on the street. Either way nice car and engine made me drool!
Wicked! Thanks for the pics! I've got a Hilborn for an early Caddy I've been trying to sell...but I might just have to keep it after seeing that!
Ace, the fellow who owns the car is Skip Burgess and lives in Allison Park, PA. Skip was a big dirt track racer in the Pittsburgh area years ago.The '36 car was black a few years ago after he had re-done it and there was some sort of fire and the car was burned pretty bad. I was at Sunset that same day you were and Skip and I got to talking. It seems he bought a set of wheels off me back in the mid. 60's that I had on my '40 Ford coupe. I bought the wheels off Harry Luzader who had the beautiful '32 Ford. A little correction about Sunset. It opened in 1959 not 1954. Here is a photo from opening day 1959, and yes, it's a dirt track. I've seem many a car not getting on the brakes soon enough and taking a trip into the woods.
Yes, Sunset started running a T&T session on Saturdays and the regular racing is on Sundays. There is a fellow near me that occasionally runs his '68 Barracuda there and it runs in the 5.60's. He's on the brakes right at the lights and can get stopped ok, but the car only weighs maybe 2500#. The shutdown is real short and to boot it makes a right turn at the end ! We're under the impression it's not a true 1/8th mile distance. Another fellow runs his car at Sunset and Quaker City and his times at Quaker in the 1/8th are slower. Sunset is a real throwback to the 50's and 60's. You're responsible for your own safety since there's no tech inspection. Many of the cars that run at Sunset don't have the proper safety equipment to run a IHRA or NHRA sanctioned track. As long as you go there to race and know there isn't a paramedic or ambulance on the grounds, just pay your money, take your chances and race. Here's a picture of the end of the track and the turn.
Thanks for the info on Skip!! Have you seen him racing since then? i used to live in Slippery Rock, and Butler a few years back. I know Dan, the guy who runs the Flashlight Drags. And YES, that is the scariest shutdown on earth!! Not to mention the track hasn't been paved since what appears to be the Kennedy administration I agree with the '59 opening date, but on some website i read it opened in '54, probably "officially" in '59. I think 59 is probably more accurate, and the '54 was just a typo. "The track has operated 1/8 and apparently 1/4 mile dragstrips. It originally operated from 1954 through 1994, and reopened ca. 2003-2004. The track has also operated as Sunset Dragway and Charleston Raceway Park. " in the long run, what's 5 years It appears too that Alex (the owner) had written a hit song in the late 50s, and i'll be damned i can't remember the name of it. that particular day, my band played, and he had come up to sing that song.
It's incredible that you can still run like that in a litigious society like ours. That's so cool. I have to get out there next year.
Hey Hibby, i wouldn't waste the trip to go there. It was a lot of fun but again, it's only a 1/8 mile track and there weren't a whole lot of cars. BUT, if you want to drive that far, you might as well drive 2 extra hours to the Dragway 42 Rock n' Race (do a search, you'll find pics and info on here). Now that's a fun time! It's just as "laid back" as the sunset strip. There's a safety inspection, but it's not really very strict. (www.dragway42.com for more track info, etc.) -ace
You know, the ironic thing about the track and lack of safety is that Alex, the owner, in his "real" job was a lawyer !
Thanks for the tip Ace. Yea I'm familiar with Dragway 42. I raced my cycle out there in the late 70's. I'll have to check it out. Sunset still looks like fun. There is something about a backwards old strip that hasn't changed much that really turns me on.
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