DRAG RACING WHEN IT WAS FUN!

[@kenb7227]

Yep, I am almost 80 years old and remember when drag racing WAS fun. I can vaguely remember when the 150 MPH barrier was broken, I believe it was Dunkirk, NY in 1958. Went to different racks around the country and enjoyed the drags then much more than now. Was an aircraft mechanic most of my life but built modified hot rod engines as a sideline just for the fun of it. At least we have the old films and videos to bring back the memories so thanks to those that post them.

[@8.2deck]

It's still really fun now days, no prep racing at old air ports is where it's at now days. Most big tracks now days are boring though

[@generalpatton8468]

The 1940s-1970s was by far the greatest era for automobiles. You are blessed to have been there

[@tazman1946]

This makes me smile. I am 77 years old and boy did I love this when i was a boy. I use to take my old cars to Satellite Drag Strip back in the 60's. Good Old Day.

[@Ballenxj]

YUP, This is the era of Drag Racing where you run what you brought. None of that silly bracket racing, it was all about the cars! Big Thumbs Up!

[@simonh5110]

Ballenxj lions dragstrips saying was literally “run what you brung”

[@jesswebb2200]

I lost interest in drag racing when they started with that bracket crap

[@siervodedios5952]

Any reason why ya don't like bracket racing? Not trying to start an argument just curious.

[@Canofbakedb3ans]

Luckily you still got young teens like me that want to keep the old tradition alive

[@MikeJF355]

One word....HEAVEN, The sounds, the style, the grainy film, brilliant.

[@1AAuto]

Great video. I never get tired of watching these vintage races. Good stuff.

[@ChutneyGames]

Thanks for the tutorial video

[@milwaukeegregg]

I remember those days at Great Lakes Dragway,Union Grove Wisconsin. Saturday nite grudge matches. All nite drags for 2$, gas for sunoco 35 cents a gal and all the fun in the world. America where have you gone?

[@chasedl3560]

The greed of the American CEOs

[@Lonewolf3165]

I love the Hi-boy that pulls the wheels up @ 4:18!! Great to see the old strips in their hey day!

[@GOFLuvr]

That was bad ass! I swear, auto racing of every kind was so much more exciting before the 1980's... Not because of the risks, but simply put, the cars that drivers raced in were all so much better looking.

[@hogtownhenry]

Ah, the days when you tightened the jock strap and got ready for the ride. Sometimes unpredictable where the car was going to head, but that was part of the thrill!! Bring back full time nostalgias!!!!

[@orangemod]

This brings back so many fond memories. We had "flag-men" at the line. The old blown-alterds were so scary-fast with short wheelbases...I've seen a few mow-down the tree. I remember when funny-cars hit 200 m.p.h. in the quarter and I thought that 200 was never going to be surpassed...how it has evolved !!!!

[@zapshifterx4432]

Thank you for digging up this gold and putting it out into the world for us!

[@prydonian460]

Thanks for posting this clip. It really brought back memories from many ill spent Summer nights drag racing with my buddies. Nothing but nothing tweaks my memories of my youth thanhe sound of an American V 8 winding out in a drag race.

[@kdracingelectronics]

Nice work Jim, keep up the good job. I look seeing old race footage.

[@rachelf6846]

This is so cool to watch my Pop pop is one of the original drag racers at Maple grove, he still has his car and his entrance stickers on his window with the dates, he also ran at Vargo and a few other places. Vargo and Maple Grove are the one know the most about though because of the pictures. I will have to show him this he will love it.

[@MrTheHillfolk]

Anonymous A ask him if he ever ran a little track in upstate ny called Dover, about 2hrs north of NYC.

[@PhilRanma]

4:22 that was great to see some original footage of the legendary Inch Pincher! It's crazy how much drag racing has changed.

[@franklinthompson8629]

Great to see the races at the old Wind Gap and Pocono race tracks. I remember being there live, and it was a blast ! My favorite was Little Egypt, a red 59 Impala. That guy could power shift like crazy.

[@jimmieroan9881]

loved the video, hard to imagine anyone not agreeing it was more fun in the 60s, but then again wasn't everything. i feel lucky to have lived through so many pieces of history, being of age to take part in the 50s, 60s, 70s, and then actually be involved in the sport in the 80s, what more could you ask for. i got to make a few runs in an bone stock tbird at Lions back in its heyday, moved back home to texas and ran a stocker at the old Double Eagle dragstrip in San Antonio, and raced there after it became San Antonio raceway, i believe John Duran was the promoter or manager what ever their called. saw live ej potter run his bad ass bike, watched the jet dragsters so close the heat and force was almost unbearable. i don't see that now for sure, so i say hell yes it was more fun.

[@SativaSteven]

That sounds like a lot of fun!! I can just picture your southern accent as you tell the story. Grew up in Texas myself.

[@Statimtek]

Man, hearing those old Mopars launch at 4;12 gives me goosebumps. There is no better sound that that!!

[@PoppaBlue59]

Sunday...SUNDAY! Green Valley Raceway! BE THERE! I can still hear that old comercial playing on the radio.

[@johncartelli]

i dont care that the sound is not authentic to the car your seeing...its still IMHO protrays what you would have seen and heard when those cars raced back in the day....love it...thanks for posting

[@70GTODAN]

The sound is sweet music! Those old motors had a very special sound.

[@davev5031]

Raced in those days and I agree. It was more fun then. Lot more laid back. Still is fun today but the costs back then were just a fraction of what it is now. I also ran at Island Dragway, I saw the sign in the video, when it first opened back in the mid 60s. Cars were sure a lot slower back then I must admit. Tires were pathetic in those days.

[@alm1191]

those cars were hookin and bookin..its cool seeing what motorsport was like before i was born thanks for posting

[@firstclassatlanticflyer]

Too bad the era of this is gone! Simple, fun and with raw power all the way!

[@marshallmcdowell3369]

Back in the glory days when it was the average Joe doing full throttle power shifts with a big block screaming under the hood!

[@ZeeboLaywicker]

marshall mcdowell yup..real cars..unbridled power! the heyday of the auto!

[@Bromoteknada]

marshall mcdowell cause now millionaires are drag racing?

[@racer774]

Bromoteknada - Many millionaires drag race. Lots of them have old school, non-computer assisted cars too, though.

[@bigbadjonnyblaze]

Man this is a awesome vid, What a era of bad ass steel and power!

[@Swamie55]

Outstanding job on the overdubs!

[@slippery396]

I have purchased your videos and I want to tell everyone that you won't be disappointed !

[@jotho7]

I think my Fathers Chevy II was in a video. He primarily raced in Wind Gap and was a track manager but we went all over when I was young. 64-72 . Remember the Gimmick racers , The Falcon , The Pill Wagon Hemi under Glass, The wheelie cars . I loved those guys. Thanks for posting, I may have some video to send you , have to get it from my mother.

[@EliAngwin]

Love the video... Love the sound of screaming small block's... Thank's for the video!!

[@496Ratbird]

This is a great video. I miss those days.

[@ReverseGear]

Awesome! Very rare footage of the Inch pincher and many more.

[@57HarleyDavidson]

Drag Racing is still fun, I used to go to Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ a lot. My dad used to race there around the 60's and 70's

[@ThomasDeLello]

I love the wheel standing roadster at 4:17

[@Midwesthotrodsandmusclecars]

Like the song sez; Those were the days my friend, we thought they'd never end.

[@OeditpusRex]

Nice leave by the Altered at 2:50 and a sweet wheelie by the Hiboy. Thanks for posting. :)

[@broodyart]

Went to pocono drag lodge as a kid to watch all this. It was amazing then & still is to see again. Pretty sure the a&a coupes were joe amato. Saw "little red wagon" [if I remember right] did a wheely down the whole track. & "limefire" the rocket car burn out the guts of a car. rough track, dangerous by todays standards, cars & track safety. Very exiting thing!

[@donaday1]

Love those old mopars 383/ 413/440 just sweet sounds

[@hutch1200]

WOW! That was Joe Amato @ 1:10 in the A&A Gas coupe. Good to see a local Hero back when he was coming up thru the ranks. If you know where to look, you can still find part of the Pocono Drag Lodge track. It's a shame it's all gone. Now all kids know is Fart Pipes and obnoxious stereos.

[@hutch1200]

Other parts show an unfinished Pocono Int'l Raceways front straight. My Grandfather helped engineer it & my uncle drove a "Pan Grader" (?) during construction.

[@Kungamuck]

Ya got that right . . . and don't forget 'Dyno Don' Nicolson or 'Gas Ronda' with their super/stock Fords. Mopars, Fords and Chevy's were at each others 'tails' all thoughout the 60's with some of the greatest days in 'the average-guy' racing era

[@JohnSmith-ws6jg]

Drag racing is still fun but this was all about racing and not so much about watching. There are a couple strips in Iowa like this. Awesome footage and the sound is phenomenal !

[@bossco09]

hell yeah, this is what its all about!!! love this old stuff

[@jjssnb3790]

Wow that was nice to watch they were friggin fast back then too Awsum video🤙

[@MrTommywo]

You gotta love the sound of raw horsepower!

[@Blazer2533]

Even though this was before my time I find that what the old timers say is true..."this was a time when men were men and cars was cars" and seeing this video proves that..thanks for posting really enjoyed watching this clip

[@tedh.8356]

This was the "Good Ole Days" before drag racing went corporate and we got into the "John Force Castrol pays me to win" days......

[@57HarleyDavidson]

+Ted H. How did Drag Racing go corporate??

[@Blackwaterdogs]

Great memories here ! Somewhere up in my attic I still have a trophy from Island Dragway (NJ), won with my C/Altered `55 Chevy (had a straight axle on it, so they put me in Altered class). Always loved "the Gasser Wars", Stone, Woods & Cook vs. Big John Mazmanian, etc., and Jungle Jim Lieberman (and Jungle Pam, yum yum !) I would love to turn back the clock for a couple weeks.... :-)

[@peteyhandline4306]

Blackwaterdogs great time at Atco one hooking track

[@MORK455]

I saw a few race cars in this video with white-wall tires. You do not see that anymore! LOL

[@slantsix6344]

The old Flat Head V8 was the first engine to do a 10 second Quarter mile way back when.

[@TheOutlaw256]

i love this video. i can remember when these type of cars ruled the streets. drag racing got me in the early 70s and i finally went back to buildin hot old school street cars. when building a engine cost more than my house its time to quit..

[@mindd9]

Now this is what it's all about Great video Thanks

[@TMPCarbs]

Wow! Very cool. Those engines sound awesome!

[@drjohna2d1]

Can recall when flagmen started races. Lights are a great improvement.The days before AF/X & the factories became involved were still fun. One need not go 300 mph or less than five seconds for racing to be enjoyable. At a small track in southern Maryland, a 360ci 1960 Ford turned a 13.5 on a wet track. Bud Faubel's "Honker" was always a favorite at York US 30, along with "Old Reliable" and Beswick's "Mystery Tornado". It was unreal when the rails were breaking 200mph and Eddie Hill passing 300.

[@OLDSKOOL60813]

I was grinning like a mule eating briars watching this.Thanks for posting.

[@catdakman1273]

At 2:34 .... I think i seen old man TASCA" from the Tasca name in modern NHRA Drag racing... !!!! This is old school dragracing !!!

[@robertthomas8448]

when cars were cars.

[@catstevens7180]

cars were cars and music was music!

[@zthreetwo9874]

Tf you mean?

[@firstclassatlanticflyer]

Robert Thomas and men were men!

[@alfredovazquez8315]

SAL3M cars now have a brain

[@57HarleyDavidson]

+Alfredo Vazquez What's wrong with that

[@djpink1947]

This video is awesome. Love the cars too.

[@oldskool59]

Great vid, 3:19 def some power shifting going on! Awesome!

[@1992hotwheelsbaby]

this is real drag racing every car is unique love it

[@iandibley8032]

100 % correct it wasn't just the racing it was the era.

Swear to god, I almost started crying when I saw this video. It brings me back to Half Moon Bay and Fremont and some of the coolest cars you could ever imagine (Gas Ronda, Stone, Woods & Cook, The Melrose Missle, 40 Ford Coupes, 41 Willeys, 413 Plymonths - the original funny car with an altered wheel base, 55 Chevy 2 door sedans and dragsters with the driver sitting on top of the third menber). Christ, those were some good times. A buck to get in, two bucks for a pit pass. Yeah, damn good times.

[@thebassknuckler]

I don't know.. I have a pretty damn good time racing now.

[@HEMISUPERBEE426]

GREAT MEMORIES !

[@pacey0077]

this movie is great keep up the good work

[@charlieirvin5423]

I love Drag Racing I used to street race right behind the Glassboro state College. I Had a 1966 Pontiac GTO

[@NeilLB7]

That chevy at 1:12 had some serious RPM's going on there.

[@herbienbrian2]

I wouldn't doubt it, power to weight ratio and they had the tooling to make it really go.

[@amos6013]

I have had several comments relative to the sounds contained on our video clips. At Bee On Video we attempt to bring silent film alive with real car sounds that we dub onto the footage. We have a large library of sounds featuring all brands and types of vehicles. We are proud of what we do with the sounds. We attempt to use accurate sounds for Fords, Chevys, Mopars, ect. We do not do rock and roll music only the pure sounds of drag racing vehicles. Jim Amos Bee On Video

[@amos6013]

Our web page link is in the video description. As per youtube rules I cannot repeat it in this message. Jim Amos

[@georgeburdine5660]

That was friggin awesome.

[@ohio1968javelin]

Thanx for posting!!

[@FordMaverickFanatic]

Drag racing will always be fun! But these were the golden years!

[@stevenwiederholt7000]

1:21 I recommend closing the door BEFORE starting.

[@1970goldenrod]

THIS IS THE KIND OF DRAG RACING I DID IN THE MID '70'S, AT US30 DRAGSTRIP IN HOBART INDIANA.

[@78chevymalibu]

Awsome...I would love to have been there!

[@amos6013]

You can purchase the full length video at our web page which is listed in the video description.

[@selophane43]

@1:30 That's Pocono front straight. Wow. Looks like it's still getting paved in turn 1.

[@dondressel7897]

we used to go cruising in our 55 chevys and now I see these kids driving these rice-rockets and wonder where they went wrong!

[@EllJayAitch]

It was big fun back then, especially when guys would race the cars that they actually drove to get to the event. And yeah - high test was going for 25 cents a gallon.

[@angelsone-five7912]

Great stuff. Was that a track continuation (to make a circuit) I saw in the background?

[@Countryfrom02]

Magnifique video

[@Charlesbjtown]

Back when a 14 second quarter was fast. Glad we are not still stuck in that era.

[@Jleed989]

Why?

[@56cadd]

@@Jleed989 , why not

[@bunning63]

VW 'EMPI Inch Pincher' there (4.20) when nobody knew what a Honda/Toyota etc was. All those current import guys who think they are the first.

[@LeeS38367]

My dad also raced a bright orange VW EMPI pincher at Osceola drag way back in the early 70's near South Bend Indiana... I still have a bunch of his trophies... it was amazing to watch it destroy Vette's of the day

[@MrTheHillfolk]

bunning63 Much love for the old school aircooled pioneers , I'm into early watercooled vws but I know my roots. I'd love any pre 68... Much love for the underrated vws. It's fun to be an underdog...haha that was an awesome car too. I got a copy from the late 60s of "how to hot rod Vw engines" The back cover is amazing.

[@bunning63]

MrTheHillfolk Yeah, got a copy of that one as well, reckon a look at it would surprise people today.

[@bunning63]

Lee Segars Recall an old article from the sixties which described how a EMPI promo vehicle caused the following bigblock Mustang to breathe deep to keep up... must have shocked them at the time.

[@MrTheHillfolk]

bunning63 Yea it's cool to get an idea of what they were up to, I'd like to see a more current version of that book and see what they've updated...

[@smokersquickout2600]

The best day when pump gas racing iam restoring a 1955 two door hard top 150 belair now. Cant wait until its completed

[@donnis618]

Awesome video!!! Real men and women bang gears and pop clutches!!

[@TheMxtrader]

COOL VIDEOS . I LOVE IT

[@The89mercury]

best music iv heard since outlaw country

[@lawlers69]

The sounds of real cars, hell yeah.

[@piewagn]

The Vargo footage is great!!! Got any more??

[@scottyv68]

Do you have any more Island Dragway from the sixties, my Dad held the track record there for quite a while and I'm just looking to see if there's any video of him racing it would be around 1963 to 1968

[@kustom85delta88]

James, I have a question about that '63 Biscayne 2 door sedan at 3:45 launching the front tires off the ground. Who owned that? Do you have any more information on this? I have a '63 2 door myself and I'm trying to clone either this or one a lot like this as accurate as humanly possible. Thank you, any help is greatly appreciated.

[@jamesguidry3995]

Any of you boys ever heard of ATLAS BUCRON TIRES & 3/4 race or full race or three on a tree or Duntov 30 30 cams or racing moon wheel disc ? The 50s drag racing scene & rock & roll & white wall racing slicks !

[@ThomasDeLello]

Hugh Tucker and his fabulous Stovebolt roadster at 4:17 . NHRA record holder and Nationals winner.

[@WASTON125]

THE INCH PINCHER WAS FROM RIVERSIDE ,CA. MY SISTER FOR EMPI BACK THEN. IT WAS A BLOWN VW ENGINE, AN IT TOOK ON VETTES !!!

[@Charlesbjtown]

Im sure it was fun running a 14 second quarter mile. Much more fun than the cars of today.

[@HighrSelf]

Great video, period!

[@amos6013]

I am sorry that you did not enjoy our full length fully narrated video. Most of our customers enjoy learning the history behind the footage. If that is not what you want I guess you will have to look elsewhere for your videos. Jim Amos Bee On Video

[@MikeMizz1963]

Two of my favorite mid to late sixties when the 421 SD Pontiac was fast, any chevy with the big block " Rat Motor" from 396 to 427 and later on 454, Fords running those 406 and later the TASCA Ford driven by Top Fuel driver Bob Tasca III. everything was always shadetree mechanics> Man I miss those days....

[@choccyjam]

In Britain....no slicks...not many V8s...mooneyes stickers...but with Santa Pod it all started to come together....was there for a double block disaster for the "Mad man from Michegan"...double reverse flip and near spearing by his own machine....brave old days man...

[@orangemod]

I remember the old days of drag racing when the average guy, with a little money and innovation could go to the local drags and compete in class-racing...and even set new records. Today, most of it is hi-dollar. Bracket racing is a lot of fun and offers the weekend-warrior a chance to get out & have a good time.