Welcome, Jon Lundberg!

[thunderlungs]

Nick:

That "Jungle" video/avatar is just plain cool!

[Jack Redd]

Jon, I (JA) reJack Approved myself and will be on stage with you at York, York, York!!!

JAck

[Gator]

Jon, I (JA) reJack Approved myself and will be on stage with you at York, York, York!!!

JAck

[RH]

Bill:

About "Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!" .....
Eastern promoters picked it up too - and suddenly you heard "Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!" on WABC from New York as well.
It went nationwide in just months.
And THAT - as they say - is the rest of the story behind "Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!"

Welcome Jon.

Sunnnnn-dayyyyyyyyyy!!!

[thunderlungs]

RH:

That typewritten commercial for Aquasco is a piece of drag racing history. Can you tell me when it was written? Curious Old Farts want to know more!

[Mr. Jean]

Jon, it says 2-7-75 on the lower right area.

[al_inbancroft]

hello Jon,
Let me say, its a absolute pleasure to have you here. Just love those behind the scene stories. I was born in 63. While growing up I can remember about three televised drag races each year. I grew up on the weekends at Tri-City Dragway. My dad has the old Hurst soundtrack of the 64 Indy nationals, which you narated by the way! Thought I would blow the speakers on the stereo listening to it!!
Regards.
Al

[thunderlungs]

Al:

Thank you! In my opinion Tri City Dragway was one of the prettiest drag strips - EVER! Gorgeous place and a great racing surface. Worked often for Bill McKenna when it first opened. He would have me follow a class and read from the NHRA Rule Book and explain the Eliminator category so new spectators would better understand the process. He received many good remarks about that approach.

Neatest deal I remember is when they'd turn the starting line lights off during Top Fuel and Funny Car match races. Ve-e-e-ry COOL!

Damned shame about what closed the place.

[al_inbancroft]

Hello again John,
Thanks for the reply. I've heard stories about supposedly the property was owned by the Jerry Draper of Draper Chevrolet in Saginaw Michigan, and conflicts with the airport. But I don't know for sure personally. Now the airport extends across the far end of the strip. Only thing left when I was last there was the barn and tower aproximately eight years ago. A freind of mine has the the sign that says tri-city dragway that sat between the starting lanes! I offered to buy half of it,but he wouldn't budge.
Jim Ledford of Stanton Dragway(R.I.P.) told me in 83 he bought all the bleachers and fence, and P.A. timers,etc when they closed. So the spirit lives on. According to him the hold deal was set up on a ten year lease arrangement as a tax right off.Then the gas crunch era came in and soured things also.Only problem with the place was the small pits.
I will never FORGET the food poisoning I picked up from the ketchup one evening.Thought I was going to die, No sh*t.They always left it on a table out in the open with no shade or roof! But, we were not aware of stuff like that then,I guess.
During the war the dragstrip originally was a small airstrip. They used it to ferry German P.O.W.'s there during the war. They worked local farms in the area. Apparently many stayed after hostilities. Can't blame them since Europe was pretty bad afterwards. Plus there were many German settlement familys in area as well.
So whats your side of it John?
Pardon my rambling, but its a piece of drag history.
Regards.
Al Martin
Bancroft, Mi

[thunderlungs]

Al:

Wow! You mentioned some things I never heard before. Very intersting stuff!

The property was, indeed, owned by Reed Draper. Bill McKenna was his corporate aircraft pilot. Further, he was a person who - once his mind was made up - was loathe to change it. Bill directed building of the facility
and made it one of the prettiest tracks ever (IMHO). I can't speak to the Ketchup but the restrooms alone were an order of magnitude better than track restrooms any where I had been up to that time (1972).

Bill utlimately got very crosswise with a large contingent of Sportsman racers who wound up organizing a very effective boycott. The result was that - facing the real estate truths you mentioned - and the boycott's effectiveness he and Draper made a decision to close the track. McKenna PERSONALLY drove a backhoe onto the dragstrip and drilled enough large diameter postholes in the surface that it would never be reused.

I really think both parties successfully executed inserting their crania well into their resident anal cavaties!

As to Jim Ledford. I anounced Blaine Johnson's 4-pass there the year Jim died. He was already quite ill but that day I saw him literally DANCE on the starting line. A really neat guy who loved our sport. Central Michigan Dragway (now the Mid Michigan Motorplex) was where I began announcing some 53 years ago this year. Ouch!