Thread: Nostalgia drags today, lotsa pictures.

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Yeah, it really was a cool time back then. The place where we raced couldn't have been designed better for streetracing if you had an engineer plan it out. The staging area was Pete's Gulf Station and it had a four lane highway in front of it (route 51), and old 51 , which was closed down when they built the four lane, ran behind the gas station. The parking lot of the gas station was huge so you could get a lot of cars in there, and we used old 51 as a warm up road to do our testing and tuning.

It was typical 1964 with very little traffic on the highway at night, maybe a car every 5 minutes or so, and the closest Pennsylvania State Police barracks was probably 15 miles away. On any given Saturday night the guys from Pittsburgh would come to meet the guys from the Mon Valley and they would race for hours. It looked like an organized event with tons of people walking around and sitting on the hillside overlooking the gas station.

To be honest, I was kind of happy to see the cops show up that night because the guy I was talking about with the Triumph came in on a trailer and according to my buddies "was looking for the guy with the bugeyed Sprite." His car was pure Altered, jacked up in the front, big M and H slicks behind, rollcage, and lots of carbs peaking out of what was once the hood. He was waaaaay out of my class, and at least I was spared from being embarrassed. I would have ended up looking like Toad.

Don

Don, thanks for the pictures, brought back memories of the alter gas that Bob Burns and I ran, back in the late 70's. I got out of car racing right after we burned down the car and garage by accident. The only time I saw concrete melt. Never want to be the warm again till they cremate me ( that way I'm preheated before my finale resting place)
BradC

Great shots Pop! wish I could have joined the fun. Lots of great shots!

Hey Don...haven't posted in a while, but I remember the Eat N Park you're talkin' about!

Just got a message from a guy from the HAMB who coordinates the reunions for Pittsburgh Int'l Dragway. We were talking about the good ole days and Heidelberg Raceway when it was dirt. Herb Scott, Ralph Quarteson etc.

You're right buddy! We lived at a time that can never be duplicated or replaced.

Pat

For some unknown reason I just pick this thread up ......

Thanks Don.

Ratty 46