Grew up during the "Muscle Car" era (older brothers doodled w/ some street machines). Saw first Drag Race at age 13 (TF match race) in 1969. Raced (did not drive) TAFC and TAD in Pro Comp between 1978-80 (won Div II in 1980). Finished 5th in Nation in 1981 in TAFC first year classes were split. Jerry Gwynn was my mentor, and I gave Darrell Gwynn his nickname in 1980 (that's another story). Feel blessed to have been a very small part of the sport.
DC

First, my family had no connection with cars, racing etc. I got my start with model cars, slot cars, car magazines at an early age. I remember the fist Car Craft magazine that I bought, it was about half of the size (length, and width) of current magazines.
When I got my drivers license it was on a Saturday, and I t went to the local drag strip that night. I had a 57 ford 292, and went 19's. My first "real" car, and race car was a 66 Chevelle SS396/375 hp. Shortly after I got it we moved from Ohio to Florida. I ran the car in B/S at Miami/Hollywood Drag strip I think (no brackets in 1968). It ran low 12's with 7" tires. I went to work at Crane Cams, and while there I "built" the motor, now running SS/D. That was my start. I moved back to Ohio (I know I was stupid) and have since had many SS, Stock, and lastly bracket cars. I am not racing now, only because I can't afford it.
That's a very condensed version of my drag racing story. It still is the only thing that I like to do, believe me I have tried many other "hobbies".

My ties to racing in general, be it drag racing, dirt racing and NASCAR all tie to my Dad. As you can see by my avatar, Dad drag raced as a driver running his 55 Chevy in C/Gas with an injected 426 Hemi. He campaigned that car from the mid 60's to the early 70's. That picture was taken in 1968. Of course, all of that was before my time. I grew up around sprint cars & late models. Ironically, when he'd be done racing at York, they'd pass the cars leaving Lincoln on US30 coming home. He called them "dirt daubers". Little did he know, he'd fall in love with those cars as well.

Dad exposed all of us to many forms of racing. I vaguely remember going to York around 1978-79ish. He took my to Capitol for the 1981 King of Kings FC show, and my 1st national event was the 1982 Summernationals. I've attended every national event at Maple Grove from 1985 through 2007, and as long as I'm alive, I hope to keep that streak going.

Some of Dad's friends that raced with in Modified eliminator are still going today in Super Stock, and Super Comp.

I continue to spectate at drag racing events, and dirt tracks. I continue to follow my Dad's lead in building racing engines. Basically, my ties to the sport were inbedded into me through birth.

I can't remember when I started my love for cars & drag racing, maybe 5-6 years old. I do remember going over to a local Sunoco gas station on my bike, I would help a few of the guys wash there cars in return for a trip thru the local Drive Ins Frisch's Big Boy McDonalds and Dons drive ins. One had a 1963 SS Impala 409 another had a 61-62 Vette and the other had a 1963 Plymouth 426 wedge. I think this set the hook for life. Later when I got my license I did the street race thing. Then an older friend took me to the strip where I learned to do it legal. That's were I meet Tim Arnold from Coldwater MI. he was putting together a TF car. I helped around his shop and when the car was ready to race I was on the crew. I was a junior in high school at this time. I did this a couple of years. I then got a job at Seaport Automotive in Toledo, OH We did some block and crank work for many top name nitro teams from the Detroit area, I helped Dick Titsworth with his BB/FC car. We also had another car in that shop the Gottschalk & Mihalko BB/FC all this was between 1973 to 1983. years later I would help Bob Gottschalk on occasion till his terrible crash at Cincinnati.
Today I spend my time helping my daughter race her Motocross bike, all over the US. She has become good friends with Hillary Will they met hat the Phoenix race a couple of years ago.

I'd say that's one of the better resume's around this board. That's a bad looking Vette.

Some great, great stories. Mine, although no match for any I've just read, goes like this. I grew up in the UK and got to see my first drag race in the mid 70's and got the bug straight away. Became a huge fan of Raymond Beadle's 'Blue Max' as he was exhibition racing Gene Snow. I still have my Blue Max hero card. From there it was just a case of getting to Santa Pod raceway when ever I could as my dad had no interest in that stuff.
By my mid 20's I had, through a series of events, been hired by a rally race team as a fabricator / mechanic when the group B cars were still running. That was the first in a series of racing jobs that had me work in the asia-pacific rally championship, European truck racing, F3, F3000, World sportscar racing like the 24hrs of Le Mans and Daytona. I rounded that era of my life with 3 years in Formula 1. It was a great time but unfortunately it didn't allow time to go to the strip and a majority of the guys I worked with kind viewed the drags as a joke.
Well, in '97 I left all that to come live a normal life here in Vancouver BC, Canada. Job-wise I have stayed in mechanical engineering, but drag-wise I found our local track called Mission Raceway Park, it's a popular div.6 track and like an old love, it was great to be back enjoying the races up the 1/4 mile. A few years ago I finally got to a pro race at Seattle, and my first fuel run experience just about knocked me on my ass, and the first pro driver I got to me was the very wonderful Eric Medlen. Ever since then I try to go to a couple of races a year (usually Seattle and Vegas 2) and as many races locally as I can find time to fit in. I have married my love of photography with my favourite sport and some of you have enjoyed my pics to date.

Thanks
Paul.

The Vette was a great car and a fun ride. Thanks for the kind words. Perhaps I have a bit of an advantage being so old. Had a great time building and racing my cars and have made many great friends doing it. That's what it's all about to me.

An interesting thread for sure. Thanks to everyone, who contribute here.

Jean,

I still think you ought to build something for the nostalgia circuit-an index car that you could bracket race as well. I'm thinking something like a 27 T-Roadster with say a small block chevy or maybe an inline six or one of the new ecotec motors or even a flathead ford (they've really been building lots of new parts for them).

Pretty much my same story. Southland Dragway opened in July of '69 in Houma, and the first race that my dad took us to, I was hooked. There were easily 30 Top Fuel Teams between Houston and New Orleans, so there were always more cars than the field allowed. When the Funny Cars came to town, they were always a sell out. As I got older I did some bracket racing at State Capitol Dragways in Baton Rouge. Attended every Cajun Nationals, including the first on in Laplace. In the mid 80's I moved to Austin and soon after I met Larry Reep. I airbrushed a couple of Larry's Grim Reeper Funny Cars and crewed for him for about 5 years. That was fun, but it's a ton of work.

Hi Dave. Yup, it would be fun getting back into something again. I've been getting the itch again, not really sure what I'll do. Lots of interesting things to build, that's for sure. Time will tell. Good luck next season, with the new toy.

For now, I've just been tweeking and playing with this. Cool ride for the street, but NOT a racecar.


Now back to the thread......

Hey, I know that there are a lot of musicians in Austin and some of them have cool cars (Charlie Sexton's 4 door 49 Merc convertible-ok they didn't build one of those but Charlie had it customized-and I heard Jimmie Vaughn has some cool cars and the owner of the Continental club had a great 32 Ford roadster). Did you do any work on any of those cars?

We decided not to sell the altered-but they'll be new things in store for it.

And sell that Corvette and use the money to build a race car-get yourself a Cobalt if you need fun wheels to get around in!

I guess I've always been a car person (much to my father's dismay). My first drag race was in 1959 at a track in Medford, OR. Moved to Sacramento in '65 and started working at the drag strip there. That led to Fremont (with the late Steve Evans), Irwindale and Orange County (with Bill Doner). My son, Randy, literally grew up at the tracks, went on tour the year he graduated from high school, and is now working for Morgan Lucas.

After Irwindale & my marriage both closed, I worked for Blair's Speed Shop, SEMA, a HiPerf warehouse, and 8 years for Mike Kuhl Superchargers. In 1990, I returned to my roots in Medford, OR and have been here ever since.

Although I still attend drag races (especially if my son is there), and go to the Hot Rod Reunion every year, my main interest now is dirt oval tracks. My former boss and family friend has a modified and is also getting a late model for this year. His little girls are my buds and we have a great time traveling around Oregon & Northern Calif.

I wouldn't trade my racing family, or my years in racing, for anything. It's been a wonderful ride. Having these connections makes it easy for a single lady to go to any event alone and know she'll always find friends.

Pat "Ma" Green

Glad to hear that. Altereds rule! Cobalt? I don't think so. Having the Vette's not to big of a problem either. I'll work it out.

Did you do his trailer, and his black & purple Ford Tempo body ? I saw him run that car in the late 80's at Maple Grove. Any pics ?