History Iowa Dragstrips - New & Old

I t is *OPEN*

 

I need to get up there and sprinkle some salt.

 

1st crash at OREC Onawa IA...

 

Hey fellas, here are a couple of pics of my great uncle's dragster from the early 70's. He only ran it for a year or so at Cedar Falls and Eddyville. His name is Mick Hilger, would love to see more pics if anyone would happen to stumble upon some in their stash. Cool thread!

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I sent you info concerning Mick Hilger a month or so ago.did you not get it ?

 

Damn, guess I didn't. I just went back through my mail/messages on here and don't see anything?

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Here is the thread I replied to: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...pics-vintage-1970.232331/page-7#post-12658630
MOOTZ SAID: While we're all asking, do any of you remember a guy by the name of Mick Hilger from Waterloo/Cedar Falls? I think he mainly raced at the strip in Cedar Falls but was curious if any of you remember him. It was a rail car but I can't tell you much more than that. It's been years since I have seen pics. Anyway, he is my uncle and was just curious.

I REPLIED: I worked with Mick Hilger for 30 Years. He ran a Crosley altered, a ?392? rail, and drove a Corvette funny car for Arno Benedette around 1974-76. Mick lives about 3 miles from me, and builds hot rods/street machines.

 

That's fantastic, I appreciate that. Somehow I missed that post. I didn't know of the other cars he raced, that's good info. Thanks again!

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No problem.......Are you trying to contact him or ??????????

 

Oh no, he sent me those pics just this week. Just thought there might be more pics floating around the internet that maybe he doesn't even know exist . We see each other at least once a year typically. His sister (my grandmother) lives here in NW Missouri about 7 miles north of my place. I've ridden in his '37 Ford and he's driven his 57(?) Ford down here in the last few years. We don't have a lot of car guys in our family, beyond Mick, no real car history at all. I'm always interested in knowing more. Again, I appreciate the info.


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Oh.....Ok.......Thought you had lost touch.........I need to get a hold of him anyway. I need to build the Crosley and I hope he has pictures........ Chot..p.s. Is he on the HAMB ?

 

Not on the HAMB, not that I know of anyway. You have THE Crosley or building a replica/something similar? I can ask him if he has pics of the car if you'd like.

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Hey Toxic Anglia, Saw you race at Des Moines Dragway around 1960. What years did you race there?
Your car was one of the better constructed ones I thought.

 

I know where he lives but if you want to tell him now that we arent working 10 hours 6 days a week I can build him & I a copy of his 392 rail and his Crosley in 1/25th scale if he still has pictures and details.......tell him Chot is asking.

 

hey toxic anglia -is the car still around ? was this one of vern moats cars ?? thanks for any info ! i grew up around vern -but the toxic anglia -was before i knew him & never asked about it ! i always wanted a anglia & finally -bought one -the former "petrak & totem" -artie craver car - i got an anglia gasser on the jig table & lots of parts laying there , but will be using a 392 hot heads hemi-no blower,but it will be a 5 speed richmond & a 4 link car

 

You probably saw the car when it was run by Roger Denney or maybe Vern Moats who I heard built it....I found the car in 1981 down near Norway Iowa kinda by Cedar Rapids Iowa....it had been repainted silver and black and gutted but still had the original A&A glass tilt front end and glass rear fenders. When we started the body work the red and black popped up and we could faintly see "TOXIC". This picture is from 1981 when we brought it home.

 

Just posted some info.......Im selling the Anglia right now ........if interested come look........

 

I'll pass it along!

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Found some more of Dad's pics from Humboldt.

 

Also found one from Cedar Falls that appears to be the Grove Boys car

 

Anyone know where "The Wild One" Red B roadster seen at Des Moines is?

 

You Iowa racers remember a 1964 Chrysler 300 K with the name Never Ready?

 

Was this 1) the first paint job on the Grove Bros Opel, 2) the paint job on the car before the Grove Bros got it , 3) is this not the Grove Brothers Opel? I only remember seeing the Grove Bros Opel with the panel paint job below .

 

Sorry. I am really not sure about any of this. Dad took the pic, but unfortunately he has Alzheimers. I was just guessing it was their car because he was friends with them and always went on about both the Opel and the Willys. I do have one other picture around here somewhere that someone posted several years ago as being their car and the paint is different than either of these two pictures.

 

I was just curious as I only remember the Opel with the paint job that I posted. Maybe your photo is an earlier version of the Opel. We raced against the Grove Brothers in the 70s and they were always fast and hard to beat.

 

The photo is dated 1969(I'm guessing it was when Dad was home before Uncle Sam shipped him out) so it would have been basically new at that time.
I never met Jimmy(I wasn't born until '78), but have met Jerry several times and he seems like a great guy.
If memory serves correctly, Jerry still has this car.

 

Do any of you Iowa racers remember a Thunderbolt wrecking at the track, I believe that it was rolled and this would have been in 64 or 5?
Supposedly the car still exists and hasn't been touched since the wreck.

 

I just stumbled across this video of NEITA from the 60's on youtube. I didn't notice if the link had been posted in this thread yet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFN9aWMEZEg

 

Good find with the old BIG tree.

 

Grove Boys Willys at 5:23 - Priceless!