Event Coverage Glory Days Vintage Drag Racing. Byron ILL. Aug. 19,- 21 2022.

I was at Byron today also. It was marginal at best, the entry numbers were down (hopefully tomorrow will be better) and the swap meet was a quick walk.
Sorry, but I believe that Glory Days is “melting” down.

 

We had some good racing today before bad weather shut the track for the night. Fingers crossed for Saturday, but the current forecast doesn't look too promising.
The car count being down could be A combination of the event date changing and the scrap weather. Hopefully this isn't a trend.

 

Yes, there was a lot of good racing yesterday. Cars were running basically all day, up to around 7:30 pm last night, (when the rains came). The track crew did not even take a break for lunch. It was a very good day.

The car count was down, but as mentioned by Slayer, the date change and crappy weather forecast definitely entered into this. It was also mentioned that the confusion about the 10th Meltdown that was going to be held, then was cancelled might have had an effect, too.

Hopefully someone will post up some photos. My camera is a vintage Kodak that was made in about 1950. As a result, I'll have to mail the film off to get developed....Probably to Rochester N.Y. LOL!

Right now, (7:30 am), I'm at home, (about 15 miles southwest of the track), and am seeing some clouds, along with some blue shy.

Here's a link to yesterday's live streaming. Enjoy.

Glory Days Vintage Drag Race - Fri., August 19, 2022 - YouTube

 

So the rain really put a damper on today's event. Didn't start racing until 3:30 because of the rain. Attendance way down. Still a lot of cool cars there though and worth the two hour trek there.

 

Few more

 

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I watched some of the live feed and it was fun to see some friends and guys I know make a number of passes. Wish I could have made it. I noticed the car count was down and I heard the announcer say the new track owners have plans for next year and I thought he said something about a date change. It may have been wishful thinking on my part but I hope they continue with the event. I have talked to a number of guys that wish it had been left with the July date, and I am one of them. It worked well and had it not been with the false start of the Final Meltdown it probably would have continued in mid July. The Meltdown was a great event and I believe Byron is to be commended for trying to follow the Meltdown class structure etc. Last year I had a conversation with a couple of guys that said that Glory Days was not as good as the Meltdown and would not support it going forward. That is discouraging. When I go to other tracks and see the bracket racing (which I admit keeps the tracks open) I appreciate what Byron does and how they do it. They do a really good job helping us relive the days gone by. The call to the lanes by Byron is in my estimation a real improvement over what happened during the 6 Meltdowns I attended. The track prep is also pretty good from my perspective. The Glory Days event has been a really good event overall IMO and they are doing their part as best they can. I really hope that Byron continues with the tradition of real old school racing and I hope there are enough racers that realize that if we (they) do not support it that it may go the way of the do-do bird. If the racers do their job and support it, there is no telling how good it can be going forward.

 

Yes, I too hope the event continues. Only a spectator (did drive my 50 Chev to the event), but was looking forward to it all summer. That's why I still attended even with the 75% rain predictions. I did hear some people say the Friday turn out was better than Saturday. Hoping bad weather was the biggest problem.

 

Regarding the weather, I give the track kudos. I didn't get there until about 10:30 and there was still a light mist on and off. The track personnel were out drying the surface and were almost ready at noon. Then the rain came again, not a downpour but enough that you didn't want to stand out in it. Rain let up, personnel was back out drying and had cars running about 3:30. They were doing their best to keep the event going even though the weather was not cooperating.

 

The date change kept me from going this year, but the weather Saturday was pretty crappy too. I don’t think I would have gone even if it had been possible. But, maybe next year. I’ll definitely go again, just couldn’t this time.

 

Will plan on it next year. Short turn around from Tri Five Nats.. I was beat.. wagon needed work, Vette not ready. My bad, next year should be there.

 

The weather on sunday was close to perfect for racing. The car count wasn't bad for a sunday as usualy sunday is the slowest day of the event.
The rumors of a new owner are true. BJ did sell the track to a local bracket racer, so hopefully the track is in good hands. In an open letter to racers a statment was made of planned upgrades already planned for next year. The track announcer did speculate on next year moving the date back to the old July date.
As usual, Glory Days drags was a fun event. I'm looking foward to next year.

 

So you’re saying you’re east bound and down, loaded up and truckin?

 

Well, if Byron intends to bring the event back next year their marketing division needs to put a bigger media foot print out than a few blips on their face book and Instagram page toting peak meltdown stats. The Meltdown drew people from all over the country and Canada, the meltdown treads on here alone where some of the most viewed and participated in on the board. Ongoing build threads and update post got everyone excited and kept them that way and everyone could not wait for it to get here. A so-called period correct event is too small of a Nitch market to rely on local word of mouth. After what I saw Friday, from a business standpoint if I where their accountant I would say forget about. Don't get me wrong I would love it to come back. But the way things are now days and cost of operations it would take a major investment and renewed interest on a major scale to make it happen. Larry

 

I believe Larry may have a point as far as getting the word out. The Meltdown was the event to attend it seemed and hopefully the new owners can come up with a magic formula to inspire more people to attend. Let's wait for their plan and advertising and hope it hits the mark. I would guess there will always be a decent gathering of gassers and maybe some advertised matchups may help. With advertising I imagine the super stocks will also show up in decent numbers. One thing I would like to see is for some junior stockers to attend. When I raced back in the 60s many guys drove their street cars and competed in the junior stock classes. The guys I raced with ran a B/G Vette and a F/S Vette (1968). The B/G car was not as competitive as the junior stocker and I found myself really becoming a fan of junior stock. I don't see many events for junior stockers other than the Tri Five Nationals that recently had a pretty large car count at Bowling Green. Racing looked to be close and fun. Not many guys have the wallet to compete with a gasser but lots of guys have "stock" cars of the era and it would IMO to take that trip back in time as well. Just a thought but I for one want to see Glory Days to become a major event for the vintage crowd. The Meltdown was great fun but it was the racers that made the event as much as the promoters IMO.

 

Let's not forget the smack talking between the racers as well. Made you want to attend just to witness who was who!

 

I like Jim's idea of the Jr stock or an off shoot of Modified production. I did not hit the drag strip scene till the early 70s once I got my license. But growing up in Burlington WI which is only about 15 miles or so from Great Lakes Dragway. the streets where full of weekend warriors with 3, to 10-year-old cars, Cams, headers and a healthy set of tail gears got it done. To be honest towards the end of the Meltdown era it seems like the AA gasser and front engine dragsters that I felt were more representative of the late 60s ,70s era. seem to overtake the event and a lot of the grass root guys didn.t make the cut. Even the super stock guys seem more like 80s era builds. Friday when I was there, I was checking some of them out especially the fords. 63 and 64s and not an FE in the bunch. Just my 2 cents. but even if they opened it up to 69 as long as the Camaro's look line Grumpy's toy in 1969 and not his Vega in 73. Food for thought. one way or another now that I am retired I would love to get back into it cause siting at a car show all day just doesn't do it. Besides I still want to chase the Salt Shakers taillights down the track, Right James!! Lol Larry

 

...got an email (from the track) with a statement from the new owners of the track; from the sound of things that track will get much better with lots of improvements,...I think it's in good hands.
as far as I'm concerned, Byron is the nicest track in this area, always kept up neat as a pin.
I've enjoyed all the Meltdowns & Glory Days events, they are my favorite events of the year in this area.

 

As both Larry and Jim mentioned, the promotion of the Glory Days is tiny compared to that of The Meltdown. More promotion is definitely needed. I also like the idea of more Jr. Stockers and M/P cars.

Something else, in addition to the poor weather, that may have had an impact on attendance was the confusion of the on again, off again of the 10th Meltdown. Many local people thought that when the 10th Meltdown was cancelled, everything was cancelled. The change in date added to this. Of course, better promotion would have helped to clear up this confusion.

 

Some of the improvements that have been mentioned are permanent lighting, (already approved in the zoning regulations), Racing during the week, new bathrooms, with facilities on both sides of the track and more pavement in the pits.

Things are looking very encouraging. I'm REALLY glad that a drag racer bought the track and not the Byron Park District.

I've also been hearing that all of the drag strips in the Illinois / Wisconsin area are making large improvements to their facilities. This includes Cordova Dragway, (Cordova ILL.), Great Lakes Dragaway, (Union Grove Wis.), Rock Falls Raceway, (Eau Claire Wis.), and Central Illinois Dragway, (formerly Mid-State Dragway, Havana ILL.). I have not heard anything about Route 66 Raceway in Joliet ILL., or Blackhawk Farms Raceway in South Beloit ILL. By the way, Blackhawk Farms is a sports car track, not a drag strip.

 

You can add US41 in Morocco in Indiana, with new timing system, PA, lighting, and all new racing surface in the last couple years.
Route 66 could improve by re-opening. Thay did host a division 3 points meet last month, so there is hope for next season.

 

I am sure the tracks have growth potential. If you look at pictures from 1960 to 1970 per, say most cars where within 10 years of being new, same thing now days. back then it might be a brand new 67 390 GT Mustang with a cam and headers, now it is a new Challenger Hell Cat or Subaru with mega turbos. I can take my car to the track anytime; I just don't want to run my 67 Mustang or my 64 Marauder against a late model Subaru and get my but handed to me lol. Just got to wait and see what the new owners come up with. Maybe some of you guys that are near the track can keep us updated and maybe find out what guys like us that enjoy these kinds of events can do to help. Larry

 

All the events I have attended have been down. I think gas prices are more of an issue than anything.

 

here's some pics...