When was the first time ?

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RAS
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When was the first time ?

Post by RAS »

Friends, when was the first time you went to the racetrack, either drags or circle track and what were the speed shops you patronized?
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Re: When was the first time ?

Post by prairiehotrodder »

There used to be a speed shop in Saskatoon called "Auto Trends". My buddies and I would go there and come in through the back door and always be impressed with what cool engines or cars they were working on. The shop was owned by 2 guys. One of them was always kinda bossy and made me feel stupid. The other one was always friendly and willing to help young guys and point them in the right direction without making them feel dumb. I purchased a few parts there over the years. The things i learned from those guys has helped me develop my own philosophy about hotrodding and how to treat people. I believe that its important to coach people politely who are just getting started so that they have a good initial experience in the hobby. If their first experience is good, and they have a decent amount of fun per dollar, they will stay with it for their whole lives. However if their first experience is bad, with costly failures, they may walk away mad , and never return to the hobby.
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6.50camaro
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Re: When was the first time ?

Post by 6.50camaro »

I can't really remember the first time. I was 3 or 4 yrs old my father raced an asphalt circle track car it was the early 60's. He had a late forties Mercury or Lincon with a flat head v8. A buddy of his had a small junk yard as they were called back then and they dragged a car out of it and went racing. That lasted a couple years till the track forced him to run with the mods because he had a V8 and all the other cars were straight 6's. at the time there was no rule say he couldn't run that engine in the class. plus his car was a lot heavier and there was a fair bit of bumping and pushing back then and the other cars would just bounce off his. He raced on ice of a frozen lake in the winter and I have fogging memories of going at least once to watch that.
The first time I really remember. I was around 14. Went to the local Drag strip it was around 1972 to watch a Pro Stock match race. That pretty much hooked me for life. Since then I have had or been involved in 1 form of motor sports or another more then not. Dan
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Re: When was the first time ?

Post by RAS »

Mine was in 1967. U.S. 30 Dragstrip in Gary Indiana outside Chicago. My first photos were in 1969. Of course, this ruined my entire life. Hooked like a junkie. Imagine. In 1966 I started high school and my uncle had a new tri power 66 GTO. I didn't have a chance. Chevrolet just released the SS396. You could go to a junk yard and buy an engine and trans for $100. 327 Chevys, 390 Fords, 383 Dodges, 428 Pontiacs, then buy a clunker to drop it in. Tempest, Skylark, Cutlass, Dart, Falcon etc. Instant hotrods. The neighborhoods were crawling with them.
Speed shops were nightly hang outs. If you patronized one that was your ID. Gage Automotive, Performance auto parts, King Speed Shop etc. Each had cars sponsored at the tracks. U.S. 30, The Grove, Byron/Rockford, Cordova, Oswego. Vietnam and the EPA ruined everything. Government assholes.
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Re: When was the first time ?

Post by jake197000 »

Been going to Elkhart lake since I was probably nine.local circle tracks all my life been to a few Nascar races.my da used to do the engines for a local late model and I helped as a kid.been to the drags at union Grove a couple times entered my car once,my buddy brought his 3 series BMW and won the whole show.he also won many auto cross events.he could have been a professional racer
Had my car on Elcart lake once,it was a blast.
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Re: When was the first time ?

Post by Kevin Johnson »

RAS wrote: Sun Jan 02, 2022 5:35 pm Mine was in 1967. U.S. 30 Dragstrip in Gary Indiana outside Chicago. My first photos were in 1969. Of course, this ruined my entire life. Hooked like a junkie. Imagine. In 1966 I started high school and my uncle had a new tri power 66 GTO. I didn't have a chance. Chevrolet just released the SS396. You could go to a junk yard and buy an engine and trans for $100. 327 Chevys, 390 Fords, 383 Dodges, 428 Pontiacs, then buy a clunker to drop it in. Tempest, Skylark, Cutlass, Dart, Falcon etc. Instant hotrods. The neighborhoods were crawling with them.
Speed shops were nightly hang outs. If you patronized one that was your ID. Gage Automotive, Performance auto parts, King Speed Shop etc. Each had cars sponsored at the tracks. U.S. 30, The Grove, Byron/Rockford, Cordova, Oswego. Vietnam and the EPA ruined everything. Government assholes.
I remember the radio ads:

https://youtu.be/5j6g5aSh7TM
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Re: When was the first time ?

Post by Kevin Johnson »

jake197000 wrote: Sat Dec 31, 2022 7:24 pm Been going to Elkhart lake since I was probably nine.local circle tracks all my life been to a few Nascar races.my da used to do the engines for a local late model and I helped as a kid.been to the drags at union Grove a couple times entered my car once,my buddy brought his 3 series BMW and won the whole show.he also won many auto cross events.he could have been a professional racer
Had my car on Elcart lake once,it was a blast.
https://youtu.be/jxJQBtgMnw0
Driving Force Online: BREAKING NEWS—Ohio Governor Signs SEMA-Supported Vehicle Freedom Bill Into Law!
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Re: When was the first time ?

Post by juuhanaa »

A race event between members of the auto sports club in the Snowrallyring area in Vanttauskoski 😀 I remember watching Clio Sport, which that time clocked the fastest time of the day. Approx 10 years later i bought that car.

Btw i have heard rumors we could see some Nascar come somewhere in Rovaniemi this winter? That would be interesting 😂

Happy new year!



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