They also used to pour Coca cola syrup on the starting line for addition traction......they also used the syrup on the indoor midget track so there was some traction in the corners....... Ken
Man, I LOVE the H.A.M.B.!!!! Absolutely fantastic pics!!! Thanks 1Evil55. The floor was like glass, the fumes were indescribable and can you imagine how narrow the doors in the middle of the shutdown were at 80+ mph??? As some guys approached those doors they would start tapping the brakes and begin sliding askew, a couple of the photos show the results. Also, you can see (as Bobert recalled) the "other room" through the doors rather than a outside parking lot. Good times, fond memories, pure history.
Neat to see this come up again. I was there in the Fall of '63 or Spring of '64 - oldtimers disease may cause slight inaccuracies. I drove my '56 Chevy down and my pal Bill drove his '63 Dodge 4 door Polara 415 HP 426. Opted not to race when we saw the deal. We spent the afternoon and evening there. Ditto what Oldbob sign says...big fumes related headache. Charlie
Al (NITROFC) - Very interesting thread ... glad it was resurrected. I've never even heard of "Indoor Drag Racing" ... I learn something new everyday on the HAMB! 1Evil55 - Thanks for adding the cool pics!
I have been to indoor midget races and tractor pulls at the Cow Palace, but drags would be a whole different thing. Wish I had seen it.
Holy acoutical over load Batman! I went to a tractor pull one time in the Rosemont Coliseum and the engine noise was unbearable. I can only imagine a pair of top fuelers going at it.
Roy Caruthers. The insurance for an indoor race isn't imopossible. Ya just gotta have the money to step up and do it! I think it would fly... especially if you held it during one of the BIG indoor Swap meets like Louisville, Indy and other cities have. Racer 5c is right too.. Midgets indoor EVERY winter are still very active around here. I'm looking forward to it very soon! Here is a couple clips from Midgets indoors. Trust me, it's fast enough to tear some shit up! also, pay attention to the size of the crowd!!! The Chili Bowl in Tulse races 5 days straight, with around 300 entrants. The crowd is SOLD out EVERY NIGHT. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBKQ4w74AyU&feature=fvw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18Do0Jbid5c&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBhy4mBhUr8&feature=related The dragracing would be a blast. Set it up for 1/8.. I'd go.
That's Moe driving the tow truck . Sal's place is in Bensenville now . Stop in and look at all the old stock car pics he has from back in the day .
The Jalopy Journal
