History Must see footage from the Great Lakes Dragway

Just got this link in my email. It is a little scratchy and jumpy at times but it is pretty slick footage from the Great Lakes Dragway.

I just thought it might be worth watching. Please forgive me if it is already posted.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2345013345311188491

Enjoy,
Benno

 

Cool....might have been there that day!

 

I would most likely been at half moon bay but there wasn't a lot of difference. That was when drag racing was still fun.

I do have to note that you don't see too many 4 lane drag strips.

 

Ha Ha!

I like the way he keeps sayin' "the drag-a-way".

Cool video!

Thanks Beaner!

 

Way cool! Things seemed so much more laid back then. Probably because the narrator seems so easy going.

 

That's the name of the strip. "Great Lakes Dragaway".

http://www.greatlakesdragaway.com/

 

Ha Ha!

I didn't even catch that! So use to seeing "dragway" that "dragaway" got lost in the shuffle.

 

Damn that was great. Thanks.

 

Cool Thanks for posting.

 

That was so cool. Lived in Milwaukee and raced my 1961 Ventura out there!!!
Thanks.for POSTING... Hard to believe fuel dragsters only going in the 9's.

 

Ahhhh! The Good Ole Days. Before my time but racing was racing back then. Same with oval stock cars!

 

I have flagged Garlits, Malone, and Karamesines. A trip down memory lane. Garlits and Malone were regulars at the Golden Triangle Drag Strip in Oldsmar, Fl in the late fifties and early sixties.

 

I'm confused!

What's an "Oval Stock Car"?

The only thing that comes to mind is one of those Ford Taurus' from the late 90's. They look pretty "oval" to me.

 

2009 Hot Rod Power Tour stopped off at Great Lakes Dragaway. Looked pretty much like the '50s film. Still using the cement block consession stand. The layout is great with the return lane right in front of the stands!

 

Thanks for posting the link.

Cool stuff for sure.

Jimbo

 

Paging Don Moyer, look at 1:45, car looks familiar

 

Cool stuff! Thanks

 

How about the telephone poles 75 feet from the track !

 

thanks for posting that Benno!

GLD was conceived and built through combined efforts of the member of 18 car clubs from the Greater Milwaukee area. They had worn out their welcome racing on the streets, so they bought some land, toiled together to build the strip and even had assistance for a very large group of the fairer sex.

the fellow that initially posted the video on Youtube, Joe Krupinski, has spent most of his life enjoying GLD. He was not even old enough to drive when the track was opened, but was already a very capable wrench. As years went past, he was so good that he opened a speed shop on the South side of Chicago. He always built and raced front engine dragsters. Joe is still racing one today and is very competitive. He is one of my heroes.

GLD is my home track. I have memories back into the early 70's with the ads on WLS radio reaching my home in Northern WI.

Running there today is still a thrill for me. The history makes me feel honored.

Unfortunately, the ownership doesn't promote very well and the crowds just don't show up. The economy is also a factor.

Labor Day weekend is the biggest event of the year...the Time Machine Nationals. Most cars are 1972 and older.

 

Great video! Thanks for posting.

 

Ha Ha!

Hey Beaner, you sure this is old footage?

I swear I saw Squirrl in one of the shots and the 4 Wide Nationals in a couple of others.

 

That's really cool. Thanks for sharing it.

 

doubtful!

that same corn field is still there. My farmer pals used to walk down the corn rows and get a free vantage point. I still here about this.

 

Rad! Has the original Chizler ever turned up, or is it still m.i.a? Always thought that was a killer car...

 

I grew up 5 miles from The Grove.

We could hear the jet cars making passes on sunday sunday sunday!

 

GLD, my home track also. i race my OT 71 nova there, here is a pic of me in my coupe at the heads up. great lakes sure looks different now! loved the video thanks!

 

Buggnuts,
That guy used to narrate lots of stuff. There was a time that I could have told you his name.

Anyone remember who he is?

 

Awesome footage thanx a lot. Ahh back in the day!! ~sololobo~

 

grew up listenin to wls and their advertisments about the grove!! finally, never gettin to run there my parents move back south. when i left the south and returned i got to run one of my 55s there.hell i was almost in tears on the line.i was going to run the grove!!!!!! best time my car ever run was the second pass there. 10.92.. thanks my friend for the video. took a trip back in time.to bad i had to come back.lol

 

Crazy man. I can dig it.