Great Lakes Dragaway 50th anniversary nostalgia Drags

Please please give your personal suggestions, expressed interest, participant interest & Opinions!!

This event is tentative & dependant upon public interest & participation.

THere will be a race show with the wisconsin gasser club & the Illonois Front engine dragsters club. (summertime)

My friend the dragstrip announcer, Mark Dietrich hopes to work with me to expand this into an enjoyable Nostalgic EVENT. Mark Dietrich is also known as "dietrich" on 91.7 WMSE's radio show called: Sat. MORN. CAR TUNES (sat. 6am-9am)

This post needs to fetch ideas, support & interest. Mark & I have disscussed the following as possible additions to the gasser event:
-celebrate 50yrs. o(Broadway bob built it in 1953)
-car show...Trditional (era correct) Hot rod & Kustoms show (1965 & earlier) which may include: Fun runs w/ your car during downtime (as long as strip rules are followed) a flamethrower contest & burnout contest on strip.
-Bands (rocabilly, gararge?) example: Knuckledragger
-Vendors, maybe a 50 years of great lakes history booth?
-Swap Meet??

If anyone is inteseted in this proposal please speak up!! In the next month or so "mark" will be meeting with the track owners to further discuss our plans for this Nostalgia event. Please give it some consideration, Thanx for your time....NICK

 

Just look at the HANB drags for ideas.

 

Nick - sounds fun! I might be interesting in vending. What dates were you thinking?

 

That would be great!! The dragway is only about 15 minutes from my house...

Count me in!!

 

Cool.

 

Sounds cool, I'll be there if it goes through.

 

I'd go.

 

I'm there.
Let's see if I can blow a motor EVERY year!

 

sounds pretty neat- I'd be in for sure

keep me posted

Jake

 

I ran the Pontiac dragster there about 40 years ago. It was the U.D.R.A. Nationals. I'd enjoy going back for a looksee. I took this photo of "Mr. Flathead" Bradley's nitro-burner at that meet.

 

hey, ill be there.... sounds like a good time.

 

Hey bob, would you be interested in playin at this?? I tryin to gather a list of possible performers.

Hey sidevalve mike, I'll pass take note that you mat want to vend. Dates are still being decieded, but it will for sure be in the summer.

 

Count me in too. My kid races there.

 

Johnny fast that photo is GREAT!! This photos represents what we hope to acheive with this event...young gearheads meeting veteran gearheads, at one of the original & oldest Midwest strips.

 

Yeah Maybe.....

My Roadster Lead the Great Lakes Grand opening parade in the 50's. It started in Milwaukee and went all the way to Union Grove.

My Uncle had the opportunity to be the first car to race, but he ended up chasing some girl instead.....
HaHa priorities, you know...

This how it looked then.

 

Kee-rist, Bleed....how old ARE you ?

 

My roadster has been in my family for almost 50 years.

That pic was from about 1957. When the car belonged to my Uncle Miles.

I'm just a Punk Kid trying not to get old.

 

Bob is 12 years old.

 

I'm not being a putz, but I think Bobbleed should be one of the "paid to attend" attractions--What the hell are the chances that the car that lead the parade going to the strip is actually still around?! Let alone in decent condition, and in the same family?!!! That's the kind of historical significance that even if the car owner can't attend, the car should be hauled in a trailer and displayed. I just can't get over that!

My first exposure to cars was at Great Lakes Dradaway. 1978, I was 8, and my uncle (who I'd never met until that day) was running a blown, injected 392-powered rear engine dragster. I remember the entire day like it was yesterday. Most of all was standing at the stands, right next to the starting line, on the other side of the fence, with my fingers gripping the chain link about head-high, and feeling the ground vibrate under my feet and my lungs vibrate against my ribcage and thinking "this is the coolest thing in the world!"
My mom said I was never the same after that day. And even has gone so far as to say that if she could go back and change one day in time, that'd be the day!

For me, this will be a pilgrimage. I'll be there.
And I'll drag my uncle along, too!
-Brad

 

Huh, Bob that uncle story's kick-ass. But how'd it end did he "get the gurl"???

 

My first time at that track was July 1968...! A friend of the family (Chuck Weidig) ran a Ford powered FED that ran a record for that year...!

Don't know the e.t. or MPH but it was a cool experience seeing that thing run...!!!

Chuck became the track announcer for many years after that and I see him at Church every "SUNDAY..., SUNDAY..., SUNDAY..., "BE THERE...."...!!!!!! (sorry I couldn't resist)

I think Some of the "Original" "Cheaters" ran their cars that first day as well..., I'll have to call Joe and see if that's true...!!

 

Maybe some of the real Cheaters will be there this time...And Bob's uncle got the girl becaue he combed his hair and wasn't gay........

 

guys got good ideas keep'm comin.
If there would be a history booth, it'd be cool to have a "new" meets "old" cheater section???

Hamb drags promoter, RYAN or anyone, what "drags" post could tell the most about how the HAMB drags were organized & what regulations did were followed to allow cars down your strip. Thanx

 

I'd love to to go, when would it be?

 

I HATE FUCKING CARS....count me out!!!....besides I cant drive all of mine there it is too far, how about relocating the track to Cudahy....my two pasos

 

Sounds cool!! Let us know when, will bring the GTO.

 

Hey cheaterchris, we've closed Layton ave. We'll race past your diner...DOWNHILL! Maybe your c-dan & the h-bomb could get a...."rolling start"?

 

Nick, sign me up! It will give me a kick in the ass to get the roadster done! Let me know if I can be of any help too.

I think I'd be kinda cool to retrace the parade route from Milwaukee to the Grove with Bob's car leading the pack, just a thought.

-Casey

 

HMMM Looks like a road trip is in my future!!
brad54...i'd be up for a nice little trip.
I remember broadway bobs' b-day party a few years back, i think the 50th?!?! free food and BEER, bob was drunk and standing on the side of a jet car while it was making big flames and almost threw him off many times! spent many friday nights letting my brother know mullet mobiles are not fast!!!
chris...will there be a stovebolt showdown????
Nick go for it, if ya want check with patrick, he might be able to hook a band or so up.

 

Hope to see you there jeff