untitled1

DETROIT DRAG STRIP MEMORIES

submitted by subscribers

__________________

"You went to the Motor City Speedway on 8 Mile Road and watched drivers like Roger Lindamood, Iggy Katoona and Wild Bill Niday. It was hosted by Fred Wolf. Afterwards you'd go to the Dipsy Doodle Drive-in for a burger and a coke."

I mostly remember Detroit Dragway and Milan Dragway. We lived on the west side of Detroit and didn't get to Motor City too often. I remember it was a dirt track and when we did get a chance to walk on it, it was sort of like tar that hadn't yet dried. It was a banked track which made it quite hard to walk on without wanting to run towards the infield. I imagine it was a real challenge to drive because of the surface and slope. They would have "heats" where 5-6 cars would race around the track for a given number of laps and the top two cars would be in the feature race at the end of the evening. The feature race would have 8-12 cars, depending on how many cars actually showed up to race. It was always exciting—not only to see our favorite drivers—but that my brother and I got to spend some quality time with our dad.

I spent a lot of time at Detroit Dragway (Sibley and Dix), both day and night, and saw some of the world's premiere drag racers. On some occasions I even participated in the races and did take home a trophy or two back in the day.

"Racer Al" Olweean

Westland MI

__________________

The first picture is of my first drag race. The 1955 All American Soap Box Derby. In 1955, they had not yet built Derby Hill, so the races were held on the roadway in Rouge Park.

The second picture and probably more of what you want is at Motor City Dragway off of 26 Mile Road near Marine City. Picture was taken in 1966 and I drove the GTO all the way across the city from Dearborn Heights to the track. Re-tuned it there, raced all day, then drove it back home.

Phil Dersam

St. Clair MI

Lowrey HS, '60

__________________

I frequently attended Detroit Dragway in the 60s, usually Sunday afternoons. My most vivid memory is watching a solo run by either "The Green Monster" (aka, "Cyclops") driven by Art Arfons. The ground beneath literally vibrated during the run!

http://www.lesliefield.com/other_history/art_arfons_and_his_green_monster.htm

Mike Cutler
Commerce Twp MI

__________________

I raced there every Saturday in the summer for 2 years. My wife worked in the timing tower and my sister-in-law worked at the gate.

I remember seeing a white Dodge racing for a couple of weeks and then it showed up all newly painted. It was the Color Me Gone car.

Great memories!

Mike Yoos

Southgate MI

__________________

My favorite dragstrip was Woodard Ave. We were known as the Alter Rods, named after Alter Road, and the scurge of St. Ambrose (classes of 63' to 68').

Capt. Tom

Jacksonville FL

__________________

I remember when Detroit Dragway on Sibley and Dix first opened. It cost only a dollar to get in but we still would sneak our friends in by way of the trunk of my 60 Pontiac.

Great racing with Connie Kalitta and his Ford powered Bounty Hunter. Other big names were Dyno Don Nicholson and Don Garlitz, to name a few. Loved when the Chevy 409s would go against the 421 Pontiacs and get gobbled up!

John P. Dainus

Ft. Myers FL

__________________

In 1957, a friend, Jeff Young (who I'm still friends with to this day) and I drove to Detroit Dragway on Sibley and Dix. I had on a baseball shirt that said "Silver Streak" on the back. At the gate they thought I was part of the pit crew so they let us into the pit area. It was a great afternoon for a couple 16-year-old kids who didn't know that much about drag racing, but learned a lot in just a few hours.

Jerry Chudler

W. Bloomfield MI

__________________

My husband, Ed Palmer, used to race every weekend in the early 60's. He won 21 trophies with a 1958 black Chevy convertible. I love the sounds and smells of the drag strip. We used to watch the big guy, Don Garlitz and so many others. It was a wonderful time. We married in 1963 and still go the the drag strips in Milan MI and Norwalk OH.

Still fun too!

Elaine Palmer

Maumee Ohio

__________________

There are two strips that I personally remember. In Lapeer, Michigan was Lapeer Dragstrip which was an old IHRA facility. In the few times I went there, the place was so run down it wasn't funny. Cars used to throw out gravel when doing burnouts in the box.

The big daddy of strips was Detroit Dragway. I used to race my Ford Mustang there on Saturday nights. It was a great place to race as well as be a spectator. It was all heads up racing and some bracket racing as well. Good times.

Dean Ricci

Livonia, MI (formerly of East Detroit)

__________________

Let me help out "Racer Al" Olweean a little.

There was Motor City Speedway, a quarter mile oval dirt track on 8 Mile Road that held weekly, televised races and were sponsored by Fred Wolf. There was a Motor City Dragway off of 26 Mile Road near Marine City that ran in the same time period as Detroit Dragway at Sibley and Dix. I believe the oval track was already gone and torn down before the drag strip opened.

Also, Eileen, you asked if anyone could identify one of your dragstrip pictures and you got a response from a Chuck Chidsey. I believe he was a member of the same GTO club as me, and we both (all of us) raced at Motor City Dragway at the same time. If I'm correct send my reguards to Chuck.

Phil Dersam

St. Clair MI

Lowrey HS, '60

__________________

GOT MEMORIES?...OF A DETROIT DRAGSTRIP YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE?

Email them to me at info@detroitmemories.com

Please include your full name, city, high school and year of graduation, if applicable.

__________________

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON DRAGSTRIPS, DRAGWAYS AND DRAG RACING IN MICHIGAN, GO TO http://waterwinterwonderland.com/dragstrips.aspx

# # # # # #