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History Roanoke Drag Strip Pictures...

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Rust Monkey, May 5, 2009.

  1. Rust Monkey
    Joined: Apr 9, 2009
    Posts: 76

    Rust Monkey
    Member

    This is a pretty good picture collection from the old Roanoke Drag Stip here in Virginia. Most of these date from the early '60's. Gives a good idea of what the our poor east coast hot rodders were doing at the time.
    It takes a while to go through them all but it's well worth it. There's even a shot of the 'Hemi Honker' and Richard Petty's 43jr that must have been brought in for match races.

    Nothing left of this track now except for a small strip of asphalt that use to be the shut down area. They've built two subdivisions over top of this history. So much for progress.

    http://www.vaautoracing.org/Gallery2.html

    [​IMG]
     
  2. 61cad
    Joined: Oct 28, 2005
    Posts: 4,177

    61cad
    Member

    Thanks for the link!
     
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  3. Troublemaker427
    Joined: Jun 27, 2006
    Posts: 2,006

    Troublemaker427
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Great shots! Thanks for posting the link!!
     
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  4. 2afbs
    Joined: Mar 1, 2007
    Posts: 352

    2afbs
    Member

    it's always nice to view those old photos from the 60s. gr*** roots racing just before the factory hot rods took over. what an abundance of hemi's, but i noticed those other BOP motors that were popular swaps also.
     
    chryslerfan55 likes this.
  5. Big Bad Dad
    Joined: Mar 27, 2009
    Posts: 317

    Big Bad Dad
    Member

    Hi Rust Monkey.
    Thanks for the link. I am from the Roanoke area. I barely remember the drag strip, but some of my older buddies have told me some stories. Supposedly one of the altered wheelbase Mopars crashed into the trees, and when the crew came back to retrieve the car the next day, the hemi had been stolen! Any one on the HAMB ever heard that one? I did actually get a chance in the early 80's to make a few laps around the old Starkey circle track next to where the strip was. (Sports car autocross) The circle track is gone now too. I think the County made a park out of it.
     
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  6. haha "our poor east coast hot rodders"...we did it better then those jacks on the west coast..;)...great link thanks...

    T. Hilton
     
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  7. skunx1964
    Joined: Aug 21, 2008
    Posts: 1,455

    skunx1964
    Member

    great pics thanx!
     
  8. Rust Monkey
    Joined: Apr 9, 2009
    Posts: 76

    Rust Monkey
    Member

    Big Bad Dad,

    Yes starky speedway is now soccer fields as you suspect. No hint of the track left. If you use google maps and search "Buck Mountain Rd, Roanoke, VA 24108" the street labeled at "Turkey Hollow Rd" is/was the old Roanoke Drag Strip. This areial photo was taken before they started construction of the second subdivision...

    Makes you wonder where all those early Hemi's are now?
     
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  9. SHRUM
    Joined: Feb 25, 2005
    Posts: 615

    SHRUM
    Member

    You know its good when the flagger is a foot off the ground. Thanks alot for the link.
     
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  10. stlouisgasser
    Joined: Sep 4, 2005
    Posts: 673

    stlouisgasser
    Member

    Those are some absolutely beautiful photos! The true Golden Age of drag racing! You know, I wish we had an archive of being able to find these photos again in the future. In a couple of months, this thread will be so far buried in the Journal archives, it may be hard to find, as I'm sure there's other threads with early racing pictures I've never seen before. It might be nice to group all these early racing pictures in their own category, similar to the cl***ified or tech sections.
     
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  11. lothiandon1940
    Joined: May 24, 2007
    Posts: 32,411

    lothiandon1940
    Member

    Thanks for posting those, Rust Monkey. I love those old photos. Miss Roanoke is hot. Wonder where she is today, some 45 yrs. later?
     
  12. lothiandon1940
    Joined: May 24, 2007
    Posts: 32,411

    lothiandon1940
    Member

    Some times it's best just not to go back, C.W.:(
     
  13. Slim Pickens
    Joined: Dec 15, 2008
    Posts: 3,344

    Slim Pickens
    Member

    Theses are great. Thanks for the posting. I love the 55 gallon drum and the guy waving the flag. Simple is often better. Slim
     
  14. Satin46
    Joined: Nov 6, 2007
    Posts: 59

    Satin46
    Member

    Thanks for the post. I remember when my uncle used to take me there. Loved seeing the cars go up the hill at the end of the run. They would shut the engines off an just coast back. I remember the announcer used to yell, "And there he goes, he's got 4 on the floor and a fifth under the seat!"
     
    Last edited: May 6, 2009
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  15. hotrod mike
    Joined: Nov 21, 2006
    Posts: 1,728

    hotrod mike
    Member

    There are some awesome photos on that link. Thanks a lot for posting this. Mike
     
  16. Toby Denham
    Joined: Jul 18, 2007
    Posts: 3,944

    Toby Denham
    Member
    from Georgia

    Great stuff there ... that shot of the flagman is cl***ic!
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  17. Can anyone ID the owner/driver of the Lyndwood rail with the front mounted blower?
     
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  18. 'Mo
    Joined: Sep 26, 2007
    Posts: 7,419

    'Mo
    Member

    Interesting how many otherwise nice hot rods didn't bother with grilles/radiator shells.

    And did anyone recognize the famous Frank Maratta 'A' coupe?


    [​IMG]
     
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  19. VA HAMB
    Joined: Jun 14, 2006
    Posts: 1,377

    VA HAMB
    Member

  20. borntoolate
    Joined: Feb 18, 2006
    Posts: 320

    borntoolate
    Member

    That slide show made my day. Thanks. Wonder if a jet car could've taken flight at the top of that hill?
     
  21. Toby Denham
    Joined: Jul 18, 2007
    Posts: 3,944

    Toby Denham
    Member
    from Georgia

    I was lookin' at this photo again ... and I must say ... it's gotta be one of the coolest old photos I've ever seen. I can't take my eyes off of it. It would look neat blown up to poster size and hangin' in my shop. And that's what's goin' to happen. :):)

    [​IMG]
     
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  22. Kona Cruisers
    Joined: Feb 4, 2007
    Posts: 1,104

    Kona Cruisers
    Member

    I sent this link to my dad, we have a house and acrage up on Bent Mountain...

    HE LOVED IT .. made his mothers day :)
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  23. Thanks brother......great site.....very kool pics.
     

    Attached Files:

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  24. fanspete
    Joined: Oct 22, 2006
    Posts: 686

    fanspete
    Member

    Cheers to whoever took and preserved them!
     
  25. *****in pics , thanks!
     
  26. Toby Denham
    Joined: Jul 18, 2007
    Posts: 3,944

    Toby Denham
    Member
    from Georgia

    When I looked at the URL (link to the photos) that Rust Monkey posted, I noticed "Gallery2" was part of the address. I figured .... hmmm ... what would happen if I put a "1" where the "2" is and click. I got a pleasant surprise.

    If interested, click the link and keep advancing the photos ... there's some more great stuff to see! :)

    http://www.vaautoracing.org/Gallery1.html
     
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  27. Eightydeuce
    Joined: May 10, 2007
    Posts: 329

    Eightydeuce
    Member

    Great pics! Thanks for the link.
     
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  28. nitrojoe
    Joined: Jun 7, 2009
    Posts: 129

    nitrojoe
    Member
    from Midway,nc

    Thanks for the great pis, my uncle took me to my first drags around 62
     
  29. Bills 50
    Joined: Jul 24, 2005
    Posts: 337

    Bills 50
    Member
    from Roanoke Va

    That was great!
    Thanks,
    Bill
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  30. 296ardun
    Joined: Feb 11, 2009
    Posts: 4,702

    296ardun
    Member

    Thanks for the link...backyard engineering at its best! This was what drag racing was really about
     

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