Sounds Like AMERICA! When Drag Racing Was The Greatest (And Most Badass) Show On Earth

[@1tojo]

I'm 84 and remember when street drag racing was very popular. I may be old but I'm building a 383 with a 880 block now

[@davidcat1455]

👍Good on you.

[@PeterGayOFFICIAL]

Age i believe is just a number. I can't wait until I'm 91 rebuilding sbc and ford racing blocks. They'll have to put a stand in my retirement home 😂

[@bunning63]

You gonna behave yourself aren't you with that 383...😊

[@stevetaylor9265]

Keep going, I have a friend you're age who plays with cars yet too. I have to do some of the heavy work but it keeps him young and moving.

[@poireauer6517]

If you re building a 383 , you ain t old ! 😉

[@stevetaylor9265]

Nothing does that sound justice. I remember feeling it in my chest like a drum being beat on.

[@dastrayer63]

The pressure waves hitting you in the chest is like a defibrillator for your love of racing.

[@MrTheHillfolk]

I don't want to work, i just wanna bang on the drum all day

[@Cantthinkofahandle117]

I tell people that words cannot describe and you can't imagine. It's not just loud. It shakes the world. It feels like the atmospheric pressure increases. I was fortunate to live 15-20 minutes from Zmax Dragway (since moved). I was at the inaugural event, I had season tickets for about 10 years. My seats were maybe 100' from the starting line. 4 fuel cars at once, when they all hook up (happens rarely)... Like I said, words cannot describe and you can't imagine. Good times!

[@EliseandDanchannel]

Yes, the sound, the pressure, the smell and that echo so far off in the distance at New England Dragway for me. Also, that snap of a rev. No run down. They rev as if a switch is thrown on then off.

[@johngross1952]

I used to go to New England Dragway in Epping, NH, in the late '60s- early '70s. Took Dad's 6 month old 1969 LTD (390-2v) bracket racing . I won, and I still have the trophy all these years later. When Dad found out, I couldn't drive the LTD for almost a year...I was 16 at the time. Saw all the greats of the time there..Don Garlits, Sox and Martin, "Grumpy" Jenkins and so on. Ah, the smell of the nitro...I loved it! The Golden Age of drag racing for sure!!

[@SUMTlNGW0NG]

My dad was born maybe 2 years before you, he got hooked on the same era of racing. As far back as I can remember, mid 80's or so, he would drag me to harley nationals, top fuel drags, hill climb events, and damn near any event involving something with an engine. It was an all day or weekend deal and dirt cheap. I've been hooked ever since.

[@HoosierDaddy_]

I remember my 1st nitro car experience. I just looked at my buddy, eyes opened wide, and was rendered speechless! To a car guy, it's an experience that is unexplainable. I was hooked immediately! The drag strip turns into your home away from home very quickly. I still get a tear in my eye every time I arrive at the track and hear the cars running. It never gets old and you can never have enough of it!

[@427_FE]

PLEASE keep this going Tony! My first time at Englishtown was in '74, that got me hooked! Island Dragway still has nostalgia nitro funny cars a few times per season, I saw Jungle Pam there at the 60th anniversary show. Thanks for the memories!!!!

[@billwyatt1115]

I am 78 and the nitro burners still make me feel like a kid at Christmas. Thanks for the vids Tony. P.S. I read a lot of your stuff in rodding mags back in the day. My hot rod was a 1969 Dart GTS . I built the 340 up and had fenderwell hookers, camed and dual line holly. Ran mid 11s.

[@mikematty5104]

Make dry hops great again.

[@GasMaskPaintballer]

Tony, we all love this stuff. More stories please.

[@michelmoss7559]

Built my first car in 72, grew up in So Cal car scene with Eddie ET Taylor, worked for Jim Fueling, was part of the Olds Quad 4 project, they were great times.

[@fredrichard2814]

That smile on your face tells it all ...Thank you for sharing all of your happiness with us !

[@charlesgall7829]

In 1965 my neighbor knew the brothers and we met them at the track right after they put down the asphalt. I remember them unlocking a gate at a chain link fence. I was 14 , standing there , thinking " I will be here in 4 years racing". And I was , with my 68 Mustang. Great memories!

[@Komatsu__from_Granby355A-yr8rk]

I worked for a guy that was from the Connecticut area and he did the radio advertisements for a lot of drag racing promotions. You know the SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY ones. He would take about it with such excitement and enthusiasm.

[@MrMopar-440HP]

This is so cool you posted this , just last night I watched Funny car Summer on tubi last night following Jim Dunn and his family with his rear engine cuda funny car . Growing up in So Cal during this era my dad would take me to OCIR often . I remember all those cars and drivers . Like you I also built the model kits . The cars had character back then , what a time to be alive . Thanks for posting this Tony .

[@Mark-qw8lc]

You are right about the sounds of those engines, Tony. The sound and feeling of the raw power being produced by those nitro engines is truly indescribable. The only thing missing from the videos is that, even with the volume cranked wide open, you cannot get the feel of those sonic impulses hitting your chest and entire body. That's one of the great impacts about nitromethane fueled engines that cannot be replicated by jet engines or even rocket engines.

[@bob995]

The big show cars these days dont have same crisp cackle as the old days due to the tremendous amount of fuel at idle. They actually sound like they are running with a couple plug wires off. Give me the old days and the cackle cars..but for pure nitro in the air...the current cars win.

[@jimredding8315]

I'm 78 and lived in Southern California in the 60's -2000's. Lots of tracks around back then. Remember playing hooky at high school to go to Pomona to watch the Winternationals evey year, when normal people could actually afford to go :)

[@LuigiAzsassin]

See my comment. I like to take shots at Tony, but he's at his best as a gearhead historian. He could do a series on John Force.

[@markbrewer4862]

You are so right Tony. People who haven't been around drag racing don't understand when we use the term "I got the needle stuck in my arm" Being a kid too and hearing that hammering of a Nitro car and the flames at idle and the look of the drivers in respirator masks, made them look like God's to us mere mortals. That's why I loved doing the Funny Car Reunion events and got to meet you one year (I got a pic of you) It's an era that I was honor3d to live in and sadly know it will never be again

[@jonmoore8995]

This is the best video you ever did Uncle Tony... and that's something.

[@mikedimaio1237]

I lived in the Philly area and that Raceway Park voice was burned into your brain, you can not get it out of your head along with "Sunday, Sunday, Sunday" for York dragway, great commercials.

[@g-man8980]

I remember those commercials for Norwalk Raceway in Ohio. It's now called Summit Motorsports Park.

[@0004612]

“Race fans!! Hot Rodder’s!!”

[@gb123-ej8wh]

Good to see people enjoy something wholesome enough to nerd out on it. I sometimes nerd out on shooting or my range tools.

[@Jakesgarage620]

I use to beg my dad to take me to the track and when he wouldn’t I’d ride my bike out there and sneak in when I was 10-13 years old. This story just brought back so many good memories. Those unedited videos are pure gold !!!! Love it.

[@AtZero138]

Yes Boss.. always tell us stories.. Nostalgia should be Shared..

[@mexicanspec]

Hey Zero, I was on a road trip with a new purchase so I missed Sunday's live. I will be there this Sunday though.

[@AtZero138]

@mexicanspec No worries... It was noticed... Which is Nice you know

[@sski]

I could feel the 'T' flowing through my veins! Man! That brought back memories, too! I remember the commercials bigtime! But those cars and that sound will forever take me back to Atco Raceway where I spent a lot of my time as a youth and remember it precisely. All that's missing is everything shaking and getting pummeled whenever the driver hits the fuel pedal. Ahh memories.

[@billshiff2060]

Back then it was MUCH more fun to watch. Dry hops and throttle wacks in the warmup. The fantastic long burnouts. The gorgeous paint jobs. Everyone tried to have a "signature" or "gimmick" to sell themselves. Chi Town Hustler had the 1/4 mile burnout with 100mph back up. I worked for Lew Arrington and his car Brutus. He was KING OF FLAMES. He had it set up to blow 10 foot flames out of the pipes.

[@darrellcrabb4944]

Tony, thanks for posting those great clips. brought back great memories and blew out the speakers in my TV. I grew up watching these cars at P.I.R. in Oregon. In 1980 I finished building my first car at 18 yrs old. It was a 1951 kaiser Fraizer Henry j. Chevy 302, fenderwell headers, powerlide, and a narrowed 9" built by dutchman. I street raced it (over 20 tickets), And ran it at events at p.i.r. and grudge matches as well. My pb was a 10 .25 @ 127. It was my daily driver for almost 9 years. My dad had a 71 IH travelette 4 door pu, me and my friend's would wear matching hats and shirts, we would drive up to the pit gates, and they would let us right in,lol. I would always find a way in because I couldn't always afford it. Please bring us more, because that was peak drag racing. One of my fondest memories was having my hat blown 50 feet straight up standing between 2 AAA funnycars at the line with my girlfriend at her first drag race.

[@toejam503]

I was 21 in 1977. Anytime there was Drag Racing on TV , I was watching. I built a lot of Drag inspired model cars. I bought every issue of Hot Rod, Popular Hot Rodding and Car Craft magazines from 1970-1978. These are AWESOME video clips. Bravo 👍

[@mechanknuckle]

LOVED Englishtown!! I used to go every summer. They've been closing down almost every 1/4 mile track you've ever heard of. Long Island has ZERO tracks now. Not sure if Englishtown is still open.

[@dragonslayer6000]

Been suffering from food poisoning for the past 10 hoursand seeing this made me feel so much better

[@staywhite6332]

Take some charcoal capsules. 👍🏻

[@dragonslayer6000]

@staywhite6332 thx. I got rid of it with ginger shots, broth, and good water

[@dragonslayer6000]

I will certainly have to try the charcoal capsules next time im foolish enough to eat store bought tamales

[@carwashadamcooper1538]

Best thing is to just get it all out ASAP. Lots of water, and lots of TP... Hope you're feeling better!

[@davehenss]

I'll never forget my first Nitro Funny Car Race, just after the lockdowns in San Antonio and it was Outlaw Nitro Funny Cars and man, what a day just watching them work on their cars! Of course the Track closed the following year and I'm hoping it'll reopen again. I can remember feeling the air in my lungs being pounded on from how loud the cars where, it was fantastic and then the smell, nothing like it!

[@johngross1952]

I lived for many years in Urbana, Maryland. Moved away in 2010.There was a well known local drag strip, known as "75-80 Dragway " about 5 miles from my house. Friday and Saturday nights, you could hear the roar of the engines as they raced. I really enjoyed going there, seeing the locals. In fact, "Motorweek", based in Maryland on PBS, did a lot of their testing at 75-80 Dragway. The name is because the site was located at the intersection of Rt. 75 and Rt. 80. Sadly, I believe it is or is slated to be another housing development now.

[@tuk2433]

Uncle Tony. Please share and tell us more about EnglishTown. I just recently learned that the track has been closed forever. I have raced their a couple of times and I grew up hearing and seeing the Raceway Park commercials. Your knowledge of this famous track will be appreciated for those who know it. Thank You.

[@Bricklinsv1970]

im 54 and lived 2 miles from OCIR back in the 70s and 80s i get it Tony

[@dalegillispie8436]

I would love to see more . I was there for some of those races . Such great times.

[@paulmetcalf4471]

Awesome stuff Tony.....reminds me of my youth in the 1980's going to New Englad Dragway in Epping, New Hampshire for Funny Cars under the Stars and Jetcars under the stars (which they still do to this day)......we had those same kind of commercials on the radio and local TV too. Who can forget: "Sunnnnnndaaaayyyyyyyy!!!!!" NE Dragway was my hometrack and was about 10 miles away from my house, so I can relate to your Englishtown story as your hometown track. During the summer when the wind was right you could hear those nitro cars running and making passes from my house! And to be there in person was great....the feeling of the nitro exhaust pulses at your chest as they went by you and the smell.......nothing smells like nitro. A neighbor at the time was really into drag racing then and got me hooked on it as well....he was an older guy.....probably about eight years older than me (so probably around your age) and fell into crewing on a friend of his top fuel dragster around that time.....the stories of Englishtown he'd tell.....and Quebec! Oh man, I can't repeat those here......just too over the top. Keenan & Pike was the car IIRC........anyway, thanks for sharing this Tony, it takes me back.

[@442olds7]

Man that brings back memories , I went to San Air in 1987 or 88 cant remember now for a weekend. Saw Big Daddy and Shirly Muldowney there, walked through the pits .Although not sure she did much racing that weekend, plus it was like 3 years after her bad crash. Those Top Fuelers were so freaken Loud... and the funny cars... Crazy loud. The dust and the dirt , felt like Pig pen after a day lol.

[@Roosters_Restos]

Tony I am 2yrs older than you and my first race was at 16 at Minnesota drag ways. So being there to see it all and see the big boys run and learning was everything to me. When I did my first race I made so many mistakes and felt down about it. Some jerk told me to get off the track and never come back. I had a 65 dodge coronet. The big boys where there with the super stock to top fuel. After seeing me getting my head bit off and me in about tears all nervous anyway cuz I was 16. This guy came over and put his hand on my shoulder and said son don't let that guy get to you keep practicing you'll get it. His name was Tom want to guess his last name. Well the jerk came over later after my 3 and less embarrassing run lol and said he was sorry and said any friend of Tom's was cool with him. I didn't even know this old guy Tom but he was nice to a young boy. Oh the Tom guy was a mopar guy guess his last name. It was years later when I realized who he was myself. I was just a skinny farm boy with a lust to go fast and find out how they did like Tony. Guess what Tom's last was.

[@dragonslayer6000]

@@Roosters_Restos was it Tom Hoover? 😲

[@Roosters_Restos]

@dragonslayer6000 we have a winner and it was many years before I realized who that nice man was. Never saw him again but because of him and Ronny Sox, I stuck with it.

[@richardlewis4288]

I loved Raceway Park too I went to the 1980 Summer Nations and was on the pit side. It was unbelievable being so close. I walked up to Al Segrini’s spot and asked a crew member if I could take a used oil can. I brought the can home in garage and was heartbroken when my dad threw it away thinking it was garbage. Oh well.

[@frankheiss5562]

I REMEMBER THOSE RACES FONDLY AT ATCO ,,MY LOCAL TRACK FROM ABOUT 1971 TO 75 ,,ALL THE DRAMA ,,NITE RACING , AND FIRE BREATHING DRAGONS ,, THE BEST WAS MANY OF THE MATCH RACES , LIKE BLUE MAX, JUNGLE J IM , DON GARLITS, FORCE, PREDOME, BOB GLIDDEN ,,SOX N MARTIN & GRUMPY JENKINS ,, MY FAVORITE THANX FOR RE-LIGHTING THOSE TIMES ,,THEY WHERE GREAT

[@roycrownover2349]

Thanks Tony...Love to see and hear more from someone who was there at the time. Well remember watching tv coverage TNN, the AHRA and IHRA coverage was even better as far as the pit coverage. Guys like Dick LaHaie in the mid-80's would only take off one head all weekend or you would see a valve cover removed and they were stone stock Street Hemi rocker arms. Dana 60 rears on fuel cars. Attended my first NHRA event, the Springnationals 1980 and it still burns vivid in my mind. For a couple year there, '80/'81 the Blue Max was really on a roll, they knew something, it even sounded different from the others at hundreds of feet away in the pits, you knew when it started compared to others. Got a face full of fuel from Billy Meyer's headers at start up once, I was just 2 or 3 feet away, that's how close spectators could get as you said.

[@glennnickerson8438]

SUNDAY! SANDAY! SUNDAY! NEW ENGLAND DRAGWAY EPPING, NEW HAMPSHIRE!!! Grew up hearing those words every weekend during the summer. Great memories hanging around the track!

[@johngross1952]

Even up in Portland, Maine , those ads ran. I loved going to New England Dragway!!

[@seananon4893]

Around here it was always "SUNDA SUNDAY SAUNDAY, at the ALAMO DOME!!!!"

[@drp457]

Funny cars under the stars at New England dragway in the 70's. You had to be there .

[@jessebrandt452]

Please do a Englishtown storytime! I love hearing you tell the nitro racing stories

[@JamesHolbrook-eh5sp]

This reminds me of my own childhood in the 70s, scouring TV Guide for ANY drag racing coverage. Later, in my teens, managing to get my dad to shut up shop early on Saturday so we could make it to Seekonk Speedway. Just arriving at the track and hearing the cars warming up in the pits would get me all excited. I managed to find a guy from my hometown who ran there and would cycle over just to do the grunt work, checking all the fasteners for tightness, bleeding brakes, etc. i never got to run my own race vehicle, car or bike. That's on my bucket list 😊

[@mathiasklein-ib9ji]

Excellent vid and I did turn it all the way up (with headphones). You are a gifted storyteller.

[@scottlukin5853]

I'm 49 years old and the dry hops was the best, when I was young I couldn't wait to be able to do that myself and I still do on my straight gear street car, good stuff

[@mykd2999]

please, more stories. pure gold.

[@anthropicandroid4494]

Great stories; I look forward to hearing more!

[@paulcabezola3559]

I remember those radio ads like it was yesterday !!! Yes, more Nitro content !!! Please.

[@styrenerelics]

Tony!, man you are so right. The dry hops were great. I loved them. Thanks for this video.

[@EliseandDanchannel]

I have 2 great memories of being at the drag strip, New England Dragway. First was 1975, I was there when the Jade Granade climbed into the air and flew to a crash. There was a strong cross wind, and I could not believe the driver stayed into the throttle as he lost control 2 time before it went air born. The car was a feature article in the next Hot Rod magazine. A beautiful car with a single note at the end of the article that it had crashed at New England. The second memory was taking my 4 yr old daughter for opening day at New England for her first time. We got there just in time to watch 2 races and then came the lunch break. So, I said to her, we would walk to the other side of the track to look at the cars. This meant walking past the main gate we had entered through. She stopped walking. I called her and she said no. Called again, and still no. So, I walked past the gate thinking she would follow, still she was not moving. I called her. She responded: We're not leaving?. No, we're going to see the cars. She was hooked! Great times. Next was introducing her to road racing at Lime Rock's vintage show.

[@edwardcowan7012]

I’m 66 and grew up in Rockland County NY. Frequented EnglishTown in the late 70’s early 80’s. Took my street car down the track bracket racing in a few times and even won my class once. TV never did it justice.

[@airmotivewelding8012]

Epic, stirs my sole! Dad took me and my brother to Sears Point in 1972 or 73. We were both under 10 years old. He and I still go to the drags a couple times a year. Thanks Tony, this was great!!

[@nwredneckturner1508]

Uncle Tony's Christmas came early! That was the very definition of 'childlike joy' on his face!

[@szczurrat2402]

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday! At the Megaplex: Batman and Metallica, featuring Grave Digger and ...*the Metal Mulisha*... Sunday, Sunday, SUNDAYY!!! BE THERE!!

[@McCuda]

As a kid in 80's and early 90's, I was completely in love with drag racing. First time I was able to get close to the track with a video recorder I remember thinking a top fuel burnout was the loudest thing I ever heard. Then they launched.... explaining what it was like just doesn't do it justice, even with hearing protection it was overwhelming. Race days were great, but hanging out on Wednesday night test n tune was so much fun.

[@patrickm.8425]

The greatest part of drag racing for me was always the local and small money guys!! Yeah, top fuel was fun once in awhile, but the real action was the local racers!

[@Lucs1970RebelMachine]

I loved Raceway Park and sure miss it now. The last time I was there is when I ran my 71 Roadrunner. Miss that car so much. Thanks for bringing back great memories.

[@johngross1952]

Uncle Tony....tell us the stories!!!

[@markallen1413]

I love the videos and the cool stories, I'm almost your age as I've told you before and i was into that stuff big time, as a kid i had all the drag race models, the i/18 scale snowman model was my masterpiece, great job brother, 👍👍👍👍👍✅✅✅✅✅

[@ajs1340]

Oh Tony, you really sent me down memory lane with this video, Thanks! The absolute best part of nitro racing that is now extinct, the dry hop. THE BEST!

[@carmudgeon7478]

Dry hops, VHT burn-ins. Great stuff. The capper was you knowing it was 1983 because Al's car body was an EXP and not knowing the year of the Three Mile Island disaster. This is my new favorite. My face hurts from smiling. Thanks.

[@ericuncapher9922]

I'm 47 and remember a little of this.. super cool to learn the details!!

[@eugenecandelaria4651]

Thank you.for the footage....tv has never understood drag racing....racing was more fun before it became "respectable"

[@jimmyford796]

Yeah I used to ride my 71 Kawasaki 90 to Amarillo Dragway and watch the NHRA world Finials

[@Duke_Romilar_III]

Thanks for those memories...in the days of my misspent youth, there was a place in Colchester (CT) called Connecticut Dragway...very similar vibe.

[@124marsh]

Remember Frank Maratta Auto shows.

[@Duke_Romilar_III]

@124marsh I went to high school with his son.

[@124marsh]

@@Duke_Romilar_III 👍

[@kevinstyles5485]

Good stuff Tony! I grew up 5 minutes from e-Town- it's sad those days are gone forever.

[@duanebailey1056]

In the summer of 1974 I was 10 years old, my stepdad took me to Lebanon valley dragway in New York, man what a trip , I took pictures which I still have of a bunch of the cars, one name that sticks in my head was Black Magic. They had a whole slew of wheel standers that day . I will never forget that day, still hooked too. I go to New England Dragway in Epping NH now. Thanks for the memories . PEACE OUT……

[@DaleWentling]

Please keep nitro coming

[@culturedredneckgarage3784]

As much as I love and appreciate seeing & hearing a modern 330mph / 3.8sec top fuel race in person, there is just something more pure & magical about a sub-300mph / 5sec 1/4 mile run.

[@Xsiondu]

17:42 in and I'm just captivated by this guy's enthusiasm. I'm here for this till the end.

[@crizo7]

I enjoy the stories but the reason I’m actually commenting is the On Any Sunday poster - what a dangerous film. Every single time I’ve watched it I’ve gone out and bought another bike after. It’s what got me back into bikes. I’d ridden dirt as a kid then stopped for like 10 years then watched the movie and ran out an bought a basket case sport bike and bam I was back into it and have been for 20 years. I eventually gave my copy away when I got a dozen bikes, probably 3 actually running.

[@SuperDirtyred1]

I used to love to stand as close as I could to the Starting Line. If you could See Tommy Ivo do his Famous Fire Burnouts at the Strip, Smell the Nitro and Feel the heat from to Flames, You were Hooked. I loved hearing Tony describe himself and his feelings, I know exactly what he is talking about. Thanks Tony.

[@Mark-qw8lc]

American Sports Cavalcade telecast major NHRA events from the mid 1980’s to the mid 1990’s. The drag racing coverage was produced by Diamond P Sports. It offered arguably the best drag racing coverage on television at that time. The shows ran on the now-defunct TNN (The Nashville Network) cable channel and on ABC for major drag races like the US Nationals and Pomona Winter Nationals.

[@bradbeall392]

Damn, Tony! You & I are the same age, and everything you talk about here brings back those “good old days”! The closest race track to me was Pittsburgh International Raceway, but it was too far to even hitchhike to - about 45 miles away. Thanks so much for posting this video, as well as the other about Garlits’ “blow over”!

[@craigjones2878]

I love it, give us as much history as you can. Drag racing wasn’t something we were exposed to in rural Australia back in the times you’re talking about so cars and street racing were heavily influenced by circuit racing eg: Bathurst. So the time you could post racing from one town to another was the go. We didn’t have speed limits outside of town in cars capable of 140-160 mph on country roads. It was pretty hectic, especially at night ‘cause if you hit a kangaroo you’re going to wreck your car.

[@AtomicFacePunch]

Reminds me of the first drag race I got my dad to take me to at "Smokin' Alamo Dragway". They must have been getting close to a record, because the whole funny car class was blowing big GREEN flames! I've never seen anything like that again. The announcer was very tongue in cheek about it.

[@josephschaefer9163]

That might have been hydrazine

[@taterkuhn5048]

Cool stuff! 😎 Need to hear more Tony stories from back in the day!

[@FrankF-vp4pt]

Broadway Bob Union Grove Wisconsin is "The King Daddy of Drag Racing". I remember watching Bob ride the Green Mamba Rocket car to the stage lights on the body when the driver staged. He was a character! Good memories summertime drags in my youth. I have an autographed Broadway Bob shirt in my closet.

[@leahcimthgirw3163]

Growing up I was never able to make it to a track until I got in my twenties but I always remember hearing Sunday Sunday Sunday and then it would be something about what cars were to be there and what they'd be doing be thereeeeee Union Grove Wisconsin

[@floydturner9896]

I grew up at US 30 in Gary in. I know all the sites sounds and smells of fuel cars running from the late 60's till the early 2000's of course US 30 didn't last that long but my dad was the staff photographer for national speed sport news and I got to go to a lot of NHRA nationals with him , it was a great time.

[@507jbird]

Dry Hopps and a Heavy load a NITRO.......Keep em coming Tony

[@stevejohnson6858]

Great video. I had already experienced the alcohol funnies but first time experience with the nitro cars was on another level. Holding your ears doesn't cut it! A class I used to love that went away was the old valvetrain murdering Modified with all the destroked smallblocks, 6 cyl and even 4 cyl cars from guys like Bruce Sizemore, Cotton Perry and Buddy Ingersoll.

[@aussiebloke609]

When I was a kid, we sometimes called that sound "bark." It was hard, it was sudden, and it kinda smacked you in the face. It's not just the volume, but there's something about the way it hits you. A truly visceral sound. PS: I thought I'd gone back in time when I heard that maniacal laugh - and I immediately joined in with "Raceway Park!" Some things you never forget.

[@johnk23705]

You never forget the first time you stood by a funny car in the pits when it was fired up. Tell me you didn't jump at the first hit. If you were smart or lucky, you were not behind the pipes when it first fired. Nothing quite like a bunch of Nitro in your eyes and lungs. Every young boy should experience this !

[@LoganPEade]

I think Uncle Tony's trying to tell us he was _obsessed!_ 😂

[@SavingChevys73]

I want to hear about it all. I'm two minutes into this video, cross-legged and stary-eyed.... I'm sorry I missed it. (Born in 1990)

[@cmphighpower]

I love towing up the return road and hearing the next pair run. That supercharger whine is awesome

[@WTW994]

Great episode!

[@FLINTmitten810]

Even when I was a youngster in the 90’s drag racing was still really cool. It was even cooler when my old man was younger with Ronnie Sox and all them guys.

[@brucejones7389]

I absolutely love these stories from UT!!

[@jameswiththegermanshepherd6628]

1977 the year I graduated high school. I own a 1973 duster 340 that I used to street race. I missed that sound. The closest dragstrip to us was Bowling Green Kentucky.

[@mikerobinson3672]

Same here Tony. My father is a Biologist and my Mom a school teacher. I Growing up in Chicago, I cut my tinkering Teeth on Scooters and Mini Motos. The first race I went to was on Lower Wacker Drive in 1997ish. I snuck out at night with my friends and we rode our scooters and mini motos about 3 miles on next to the rail line and even across there bridge decks to Lower Wacker Drive. That was a summer Saturday night activity from there on out.

[@stevensek7872]

Just thinking 🤔 no straps on the blowers. Old faithful 😅 good times 😁

[@58sportsuburban]

Born in ‘77. Englishtown was my home track. Went many times with my dad when I was a kid for the night of thrills. Then with friends for “ test a tune”. Having watched many videos from the early ‘70’s to the mid ‘80’s ( before Armstrong figured out how to calm the car down so Bernstein could drive it) those cars from that era, while not as fast, seem so much more violent.

[@louarthur7648]

So true Tony! ATCO was the place I spent more time with my Dad than I can recall. Late 60s, early 70s. ATCOs radio spots were great. So much fun, met so many racers. It was truly something.

[@walterkuleck7274]

The closest I've come to those groundshaking AA/FD sounds from Atco Dragway in the '60s was participating in a '99 engine runup by "Black Six," a WWII Bf 109G at Duxford in the UK. The thunder from that DB 605 took me back thirty years! Alas, Atco is gone, and Black Six is now grounded in the RAF Museum. All we have now is memories. Thanks for yours!

[@Hardy_boy1]

I love hearing stories like this from older gearheads.

[@joeinmi8671]

Those cars sound soooo different from today's fuel cars. Thanks utg! Looks like a street race at the track. The instant green light is amazing. Now we know where all the no prep stuff came from.

[@markscheidlmeier6523]

Great stuff. Worked the Bud Brewery in 1989. Spent every other weekend at Englishtown that summer. Went to a couple MOPAR FRIDAY NIGHT events. YeeHaw!

[@johnk23705]

UT, you owe me a new set of speakers...lol. Thank You for the trip down memory lane. Started my addiction in 72. OCIR was the track. First time, the Rain for Rent Special winning the final, upside down and backwards, sliding across the finish line. The sound of the cars, burning rubber, nitro in my face. The antics, the fires, the brass balls the drivers had. Standing at the side of the starting line or at the fence and the finish line. 64 funny cars in one night, the fuel altereds. Todays drag racing (and music) sucks. I have taken my son and grandson to the drag races and try to tell them what real drag racing was back in the day. My greatest thrill was getting to race my bracket one 65 Malibu BB Chevy at a funny car meet. Made it to the second round, blew out a freeze plug during the burn out. Billy Myer was to run behind me. Hated that kid, he thought he was the shit. Laughed so hard when I saw him pissed off as hell in the drivers seat. He smoked the tires...lmao. Those were the days. Todays kids will never know. It's sad. OCIR put on some of the best shows in the day. I should say the drivers did !

[@ozziemcc]

My dad was a big fan of fuel fed mayhem. Evert year he wuld take us to Mosport Park in Ontario from 75 till 84 and Gainesville Raceway in March for the Gator Nationals through the same era the mempories of both were on track insanity. Nothing much today can compare.