Just curious what the best track in the US is. The only two tracks I have visited are SIR and PIR in the NW. They are ok, but others have so much more history. Which ones are the best?
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Just curious what the best track in the US is. The only two tracks I have visited are SIR and PIR in the NW. They are ok, but others have so much more history. Which ones are the best?
Guess I'll toss in a few that I thought were great tracks, like Pomona or Lions in Long Beach, also Orange County International Raceway(OCIR)(1967-1983), all in So. Calif..Quote:
Originally posted by Brent Mills
Just curious what the best track in the US is. Which ones are the best?
Pacific Raceways, now SIR in Kent, Wash. is another good track(weather permitting) :HMMM: When I first went there they were using a "flagman" to start a drag race instead of a "christmas tree". Its also unique in that it has a pretty good road course.
Lions was another one that bit the dust but not sure when it closed.
Pomona, home to the Winternationals was another great track with a lot of history in drag racing. I haven't been there since the mid 70s so I'd bet its changed a lot. Anybody been there lately??
I really liked OCIR, it was just about a mile south of where we lived in Irvine and I spent many a weekends there watching some of the best in dragracing do the 1/4. It was too bad they had to close it down in 1983. I would of really liked to have gone to the last race there. This ominous sign at the track said it all:
I have not been to many tracks, but was extremely impressed by Watkins Glen. Have been there several times and the track layout is a lot of fun to watch cars. Once I have my car ready I will try driving it.
Richard, That must be that good clean dry air you guys have in the Phoenix area.:3dSMILE: When did he do that run?Quote:
Originally posted by techinspector1
World's fastest drag strip....Firebird International Raceway, Phoenix, Arizona. Tony Schumacher, 330 mph.
Larry
Fav tracks, in order.
1. Watkins Glen
2. Limerock Park
3. Laguna Seca
4. Sears Point
5. Road Atlanta
6. Willow Springs, (because it's close)
Its a shame that Lions in SoCal had to close. You can't compare the old tracks with the new because of new surfaces, launch pads, etc. But Lions had one thing going for it that very few tracks had and that was the density of the air. A bunch of us were talking about it the other day at one of the hot rod shops, and everyone agreeded you didn't have to lean hard on the engine because the air was so good. I would imagine that Fremont in San Jose was the same. We'll never know what the new track surfaces and that location would produce. Lions did have a lot of records set there. Oh well.:(
The best track is the won you win on.......Don
In the midwest, it has to beCordova. Been operating since the early fifties.
Kent is pretty darn good when we get a good spot for the camper trackside. Hope, hope. I had a lot of fun at Puyallup back in the day and Bremerton is very much like the old days except they run a good quick program. Working the races at Shelton was fun too. Arlington was fun but nobody brought any food, just me and the other pit grunt brought cases of beer. The car ran well but the driver was unhappy because he had to stay sober. That flagman was very likely Louie Orlando.
I like Indinapolis Raceway Park. Nice track, raced it a few times. The launch pad is REALY sticky, would be with at least and inch of rubber from those burning rubbers.
The best starting line was in norfolk va
I may be bias as I live only a few miles from Route 66 near Joliet, IL. It's a relatively new track but I like it. Will be there for NHRA Nationals in 2 weeks Sept 27th weekend.
We haven't had a good drag strip in the San Diego area since the old carlsbad raceway until now.The Barona Indian tribal counsel leased a piece of land to some fellas and we have a great 1/8 mile but soon to be 1/4 and it is Nhra sanctioned.This last saturday there were five different nostagila fuel,alcahol dragsters.One old time nhra fuel alcahol driver Bruce mcdowell is back in the new bushie ,mcdowell dragster after 13 years from the circuit. Topolino body with blown small block,a few pro street type cars who had the front ends way up in the air,good races
hey brent i'm from nw too. the quality of tracks in washington and oregon is depressing. try going to mission in BC, beutiful track, n ice facility, EXCELLENT traction and air...... the first 9 second stock run and the first 5.5 in alcohol funny car were made there.
I like Laguna Seca. I got to drive a friends C4 Corvette there during a HUGE car show.
The "corkscrew" looks much more intimidating when you are ON it instead of LOOKING at it. I think its a 38 foot elevation change.
My times sucked, it wasn't my car, and I was too young to really appreciate it.
I will go again, I will. I will. I will. I will.**)
Drag Strip---Ennis, Tx.
Road Course----Road Atlanta
Nascar----Daytona
Dirt---Knoxville, Ia
Street---"Paradise Road", Watertown, SD
The best of the best-----Bonneville
Got to re-submit my vote for Route 66. They've got a state-of-the-art facility.
Route 66 Raceway Track Records
Top Fuel Dragster
E.T. - 4.428 seconds by Doug Kalitta, Sept 2003
MPH - 333.00 mph by Kalitta, September 2003
Funny Car
E.T. - 4.721 seconds by John Force , June 2003
MPH - 329.18 mph by Gary Scelzi, September 2003
Pro Stock
E.T. 6.722 seconds by Greg Anderson, September 2003
MPH - 205.07 mph by Anderson, September 2003
Pro Stock Motorcycle
E.T. - 7.103 seconds by Angelle Savoie, June 2001
MPH - 191.19 mph by Matt Hines, June 2001
Pro Stock Truck
E.T. - 7.379 seconds by Mike Coughlin, September 2001
MPH - 182.65 mph by Mike Coughlin, September 2001
Top Alcohol Dragster
E.T. - 5.302 seconds by Keith Stark, September 2001
Top Alcohol Funny Car
MPH - 259.71 mph by Cy Chesterman, June 2000
http://www.chicagolandspeedway.com/c...=BAIrBvVDz&N=d
Streets - Ever race at US-30 in Iniana? If I remember right that was the name. That's where I saw my first PRO races. I wuz 'bout 16 or 17. First pass a rail made I couldn't beleive what I wuz seein'. That was coool.**) **) Tooo bad it's closed now.Quote:
Originally posted by Streets
[B]BEST TRACK: Raceway Park! Speedway, Indiana... Best doggone track I evah raced at...
(
Thunder Valley in South Dakota. A few of us went there on bikes a few times when we still lived in Iowa. They had a net at the end of the shutdown area, cuz' there's a cliff there. If you don't get shut down oooooooops.
Back then there was a guy from Garner, IA. not far from where I lived that ran a Dodge Colt. He took a dive off that cliff. I was there when he finally came back. He made 2-3 runs that day, but shut it down and turned off on the early shut down lane all 3 times. Lost his nerve. Can't say as I blame him.
Hobart, Yea that must be the one. We use ta' come out here to Chicago to visit my brother back then. He'd do the drivin' from Chicago to the track, so I never really paid much attention to where exacly we were goin'. Not only that, I was only 16-17 then and that wuz e...er... maybe 10 er 15 yrs. ago....:LOL: :LOL: :LOL: ... I've got some pics. around here someplace from US 30. Lil' Red Wagon, & a few others. That was another cooool first. The wheel standers. There was a corvette w/ engine stuck out of the back window. Don't remember the name of the car.Quote:
Originally posted by Streets
In Hobart, Indiana as The AHRA Flagship track?????
Nope.. :) Usually @ Niagara Dragstrip then on the north end of Niagara Falls Air Force Base... "Sunnnnnndayyyyyy... Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiaaaaaaaaaaaaagaraaaaaa"!! I kin still hear the guys voice in the commercials on the radio...
http://www.in.net/~mcdonajp/lostindi...rag_strip.html
Those were the days... Those er' some sad pics. of the track:CRY: :CRY: :CRY:
Shasta dragstrip in Redding California, may not be the best but I spent the better part of my teens hanging out and draggin' there.
Yea, remember I'm only 39, and I have been for 12 yrs now:LOL: :LOL: :LOL:Quote:
Originally posted by Streets
10 er 15 years ago? 16-17 at the time? PLUS the 25 years ya took off??
..:)
Couldn't find the Little Red Wagon Pic. but iI found the Rear engine Corvette:LOL:
US30 back in the good ol' dayz. Before all the weeds.:CRY: :CRY:
A little editors note here......... As bad as this may sound, I'm not sure if this pic. is from US30 or Thunder Valley in SD .:CRY: :CRY: ANY GEZZERS OUT THERE RECOGNIZE THE TOWER.
Back for a second edit: Jus' remembered: This has to be US30 cuz Thunder Valley didn't have bleachers by the tower, there was a grass mound there that the press could use. Guess you could call it a grassy knoll???? It's been a long day and that was a looooong time ago, so cut me some slack. I'm a GEEZER. :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:
I dropped my jaw, watchin' those rails flex, tires grow and eyes burn. GOOD MEMORIES:LOL: :LOL: :LOL:
While I'm on a nostalgia roll here, This is an 1/8mi. track near DesMoines IA.
Ankeny, IA I think. Saw Warren Johnson run there. I think those guys with the 1/8 mi. Gears where trippin' the traps with the back tires. Fun To Watch
O.K. 1 last thing, then I'm done. Diggin' for the US30 pics. I came across an old time slip. This one's for the panel truck PAY NO ATTENTION TO THAT "X" IN THE CORNER:CRY: :CRY:
That was an 1/8 mi. time from a track we use ta' run at from time to time. It was just a strip of blacktop out in a corn field. If you went past the shut down area you ended up in the corn field or the bean field whichever the crop rotation was that year:LOL: :LOL: And..... The place is still open. Someday, when I get the "Z" runnin' I gotta pull it out there and run it, just fer kicks.
That guy I was talkin' about a few days ago that owns the 69 Z-28 that I beat with the panel... Holds the record at that track with his Nitro Harley. He's still got the Harley, but isn't runnin' the ciruit with it anymore. Just plays with it now as he iz a geezzer like me.
O.K. I've had my trip down memory lane.
Thunder Valley South Dakota.
O.K. I really am done now.:LOL: :LOL: :LOL: **)
and watch out for that CLiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiFF!**)
HUUUUUUMMMMMBOLT COUNTY DRAGWAY:CRY:
Corn Field In IOWA!!!
If you build it...........They Will Come:LOL: :LOL: :LOL:
Hey Pro, Thunder Valley is still running, though IHRA now. They also still have "the cliff" at the end. NHRA refused to hold anymore Divisional Meets there because of the shut down area. I have spent many a good Sunday afternoon there. Since they switched to IHRA it has of course become Nitrous City!! Hope you're not the guy from Iowa who did the tank slappers just past mid track and did a slide job into the fence on the pit side??? That was "a few years" back, if my near useless memory serves me correctly he was on a Kawasaki Triple. Used to run a Mustang back then named "Crazyhorse".
Never raced there, but made a few trips out there as a spectator. I painted a car for a guy with a car called MAGIC. He ran there in the mid to late 70's. I can't remember his name, I've got pics. of him runinin' at Thunder Valley, but I can't find em now. Thos' were da' dayz':) :)Quote:
Originally posted by Dave Severson
Hey Pro, Thunder Valley is still running, though IHRA now. They also still have "the cliff" at the end. NHRA refused to hold anymore Divisional Meets there because of the shut down area. I have spent many a good Sunday afternoon there. Since they switched to IHRA it has of course become Nitrous City!! Hope you're not the guy from Iowa who did the tank slappers just past mid track and did a slide job into the fence on the pit side??? That was "a few years" back, if my near useless memory serves me correctly he was on a Kawasaki Triple. Used to run a Mustang back then named "Crazyhorse".
Flash from the past.
I would have to say Black hills raceway in Rapid City South Dakota, because i love the good old dirt tracks, the way you get some of the race cars siding around the truns i love. i just wish i could go race it. I still think it is still running but i live in idaho now. one of theses days im going back to race it.
Cd
Youu get the Geezer award on that one:LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:Quote:
Originally posted by Streets
hehehe mines older Prozeeee... :p
Streets. Maybe we could get big bux for these on EBAY:LOL: **)
HHHHHuuuuuuuuMMMMMM 55 Chevy Straight Axle. I'm gonna kick meself fer askin' but is that a KIT.Quote:
Originally posted by Streets
:LOL: Nize bein' a "Geezer"...
LQQk ma.. NO oil leaks!! :)
Soorrry, Couldn't hep' maself'
My first car..... 56 Chevy.
Blocked up w/tires off the stock car under it, jus' to see what it would look like:LOL: :LOL: :LOL:
Thunder Valley. I was there the day the track record of 6 flat was set. Wow! I guess I am a Geezzer:LOL: :LOL: :LOL: