I'm sitting around sipping a margarita felling nostalgic. I log into youtube and look up "Freeport speedway" My dad used to take me there for the sat night stock car races ( its a home depot now, freakin' commies) anyone from long island NY will know it and also know we have nothing, not a damn thing left for race fans but I stumble across this gem of a video anyone remember "Westhampton speedway" ( I blew an engine or two there) or how about "National speedway" you gotta check this link out ...... "Sox & Martin" "Jungle Jim" in his Nova and The Hurst Olds with Linda hanging off the back, Keep an eye out at the end...... Drag racing in the Snow! Thats how we used to roll! Anyway wanted to share with those who care. Enjoy FRITZ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2c_bTXtodQU&feature=related
BeeOn Videos are awesome. I reviewed a couple in issue #2. I'm still on the fence about the dubbed in car sounds. But the video is still worth it.
Fritz, if you want info on LI tracks go to http://www.racerhub.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=2 scroll to the bottom. The Bullfather used to do a lot of video interviews at the http://www.longislandjam.com/. They have a nostalgia section for; Freeport, Islip and Riverhead. Check it out.
My dad would take us to Islip speedway when we where kids. I remember how the modifier's fronts would launch of the ground when they came off the turn and figure 8/demo derby. Had to be the late 60s. I never made it out east to Bridgehampton/westhampton. Archie
I raced at West hampton, national & Islip(1/8 miles).I rememeber one time i put a 2bbl adaptor on my Hi-po 66 mustang at islip & they put me in "2 barrel cheater" cl***!!lol.I had to race a 55 chevy called "jade east" for the trophy, it was a full g***er, i was looking under the car at the starting line!!Well anyway he was still side ways going across th traps!! beat me by about a 1/16 of a mile!!lololol I rememeber running 4 cars at a time at national speedway & a yellow Mini cooper called the "hairy canary" I think it was a national record holder. turnrd in the 16s but ran against big plys & dodges with 318's in em. I aslo ran at Dover alot & Atco once, my cousin lived in Jersey & he ran a few cars at atco. I miss those days!! I also remmeber driving home from national speedway one saturday nite & seeing Richard petty towing his car on the LIE, must have been about 66-67. Also if i'm not mistaken at West Hampton you would roll in one of the lanes when you waited for the lights!!lol Whats where Islip, WH & national use to be? any pics of them now? JimV
I grew up within walking distance from Islip speedway.I was too young to see the 1/8 mile drags but a buddy of mine was a frequent ruler there.I still see the tech guy at my shop on a regular basis.On a cool summers nite with the wind blowing north i could here the annoucer over the roar of open headers of big block modifieds.Would ride my bicycle on fri afternoon warm ups right up to 3rd turn and watch never getting off my schwinn.Great times.Always a brawl in the pits after a main event.Figure 8 racing was started there in the late 50s or early 60s.Placed an add out in the local paper stating "wanted drivers who are not afraid to die"And so figure 8 was born.A close friend was Figure 8 world champion 73&74.A close nit community of good people and good times.If youlive on this sand bar and have a day to kill i would suggest you see a guy named Marty Himes.He has a house in bayshore in a not so good neighborhood and he turned it into a museium for the history of racing on long island.TONS of old pics and all sorts of memorbelia from the 40s to the 80s.Mostly from freeport and islip speedway.He has the ticket booths from freeport in his backyard and also the islip speedway sign pointing where to go that resided on sunrise highway.He has a few race cars ,a few flathead modifieds and a migit or two with offys in them.Give a small donation and you can spend at least a day looking back in time.............sorry for the long reply,this stuff just gets me going.
Went to a back woods 1/8th mile drag strip in Maine a few months ago...........Had the best time ever! Just like the old days.........Here is a vid of my friend Jimmy King(of King and Marshall fame) helping owner Ray Helger fire up his altered. Hard to start 'cause the switch wasn't 'on'. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXWhcXEuHuU
Great posts man! Back in 1969 to the early 70's I could hear Freeport speedway on a calm summer night from my house in North Bellmore I grew up on Haff ave. not that far away really. Freeport speedway is a Home depot & cosco now, Islip speedway where my dad used to drag his stroker sportster is all houses now, but at least there is a steel historical plaque stating something cool used to be there. National speedway went condos i believe in the 80's and Westhampton was the last to fall also to be a housing development. Remember the "dip" in that track, LOL. Riverhead is all thats left for stock car guys but its so small, so packed, and so cliquey. ahhhhh. there used to be Nathan's in Ocenside for the motorcycle crowd (as a hang out) I believe it was Tuesday nights. Bethpage Burgerking on Hempstead turnpike for the hot rodders thats all 70's & 80's nothing left now but tired old bald men sitting in lawn chairs at the train station next to a pro street Camaro they bought from there tired old fat friend that used to sit in a lawn chair next to it at the train station, LOL FRITZ
Don't forget Deer Park Ave which was for years in the top 10 cruising streets in the country. I posted a bunch of photos in a group from Islip's 1/8th mile on the dragstrip thread. I think I have it saved in my Favs. Let me check. That was easy, 64/65. http://www.melaniff.com/speedway/DragStrip/dragtrip%2064-65.htm If you go to the LongIsland Jam, there is an aerial shot of the old Westhampton oval and dragstripe. Looking to the right is a bunch of buildings that held ICBMissles. They were removed in 1978 or so and we filled the flat laying silos with sand then caped them with concrete.
Petty ran at Islip, and Bridgehampton road course. I also believe he ran at National Speedway the one year he boycotted NASCAR.
Use to race there in late 60s and early 70s. Went back to race the coupe last year. Place hasn't changed at all and is still a fun place. Pontiac Slim
Great link Random rodder,My buddys willys was in the pics.The team of bill boar and larry kelly.Bill drove and larry was the builder.Bill p***ed about two years ago but i still talk to larry on a regular basis.He only has one photo of that car and thats not it.Ill p*** it on to him.That car was sold in 66 for 5g and resurfaced somtime in the 80s as a billit rod.Shame it went that way if it could have hung on as a survivor for a few more years.
Here you go, I believe this was Larry's 57. He is a really nice guy. He's retired now isn't he? Last I saw of him his son had taken over the shop on Suffolk ave. and was still narrowing rears. Gary, when you speak to him, please tell him Emil from Golden Chariots said hello. I haven't spoken or seen him in years.
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