NO LAUGHING MATTER
It is Friday afternoon of the Halloween Classic at Firebird Raceway in Boise, ID. I sit here with a broken race car and wonder if I will quit drag racing. Today during time trials, just after catching 2nd gear I sheared off the pinion shaft in the rear end. This took out the rear end, housing, drive shaft, and transmission. I dumped a couple of quarts of lube on the track. I immediately pulled to the wall and stopped. The safety team was right there, and I would like to thank them. The announcers said over the P.A. system that “this is what we need to do, pull to the side of the track, do not oil down the entire track, let Safety team diagnose the problem, and then make a decision of how to proceed.” I made a joke to the safety team that the track had too much VHT and that is why I broke. The safety team and I laughed about it.
After putting “diapers” on my car, the safety team towed me back to the pits, and I thanked the guys. Many racers offered me free parts to fix my car and get it back in the race. I decided to comply with the published rules (Firedbird’s) that if I broke during qualifying, that I could switch cars and continue racing the weekend. I prepped my 1959 El Camino (which has raced at Firebird before) and returned to Tech. At this time I was told by a Tech Official, that was directed by track management, that I was DQ’ed because I had said that the track had used too much VHT.
It is a sad day when NHRA Track Barron’s can do this to any racer. I am not some “nut,” I have been a racer for over 40 years.
John Satterfield
Caldwell, ID
REMEMBERING OCIR
Coming up to another sad date in drag racing. I am writing about the loss of Orange County International Raceway in East Irvine, California. I was there on opening day, August
5, 1967, and for its closing in 1983. That loss just about killed drag racing in the So-Cal area.
The great events the track had such as the Manufacturers Funny car races, Nitro Championships, Hang 10, P.D.A., 64 Funny cars, All Pro, Wheelstanding Championships, World Finals and many others. Oh, those cold Coors beer and those tasty "Strips."
Still to this day I feel that the first Manufacturers race in 1967 was the best independent funny car race of all time. Bob Correl and his kite cycle, Captain Jack McClure and his hydrogen-powered rocket go-kart, and Junior Thompson in his BB/FC pulling a guy on his belly down the track were some wild exhibitions. Long live the memory of "The County."
Mark Hendon
Granada Hills, CA
MORE TO COME IN BOWLING GREEN SAGA?
As a resident of Bowling Green, and a former track official at Beech Bend, I am extremely upset about the relocation of the Hot Rod Reunion. Don't think for a minute that the whole story has been told. With the Spring Nationals being moved from Columbus to Norwalk, does anybody really think that NHRA would let National Trail sit there without a major event? Watch for (the) Jegs name to appear as a major sponsor. Yes, the access problem is still there, but Columbus does not have camping or the amusement park right there, making Beech Bend a perfect family outing.
The politics of the situation has ruined one of the best events that I have ever attended.
Malcolm Tuck
Bowling Green, KY
BOWLING GREEN ANSWERS
What's wrong with Bowling Green? I understand there are two problems. The event is out growing the facility. And there is a pending lawsuit concerning the road into the facility that could deal a major blow to access.
Al Booton
Carlisle, IA
