The Mystique of York

June 15, 2010 - YORK, PA - Call it what you will, but the name "York" still has a ring in motorsports circles of having THE drag strip and referred to in many connotations as "US 30," or "York US 30," "York," or just "the dragstrip." This mystique exists even today, 31 years after closing, as each year the fraternity meets at the York Expo Center, York Fairgrounds, on the second full weekend of July. Paying respects to the greatest names in drag racing with displays of legendary race cars and a personal visit of the Legends of Drag Racing themselves, the former track staff and management gather to pay homage to what was once the greatest of 'em all, York US 30 Dragway.
 
The 9th Annual Musclecar Madness at the York Reunion will be presented on July 9-10th with an unmatched assemblage of the chariots and their drivers who met on many a Saturday night at the most famous drag strip in the country, with the Cragar timing tower aglow in the night and the announcers on the radio blazing  "Saturday, Saturday at York US 30 Dragway".
 
The Legends include former World Funny Car Champion Bruce Larson, the legendary "Mr. Chevrolet" Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins who wrenched the popular Old Reliable Chevrolet's of York's own World Super Stock Champion Dave Strickler and who became legendary driving his own Chevrolet's to many National Event titles.  The Strickler entries ran out of the Ammon R. Smith Auto Company York's premier Chevrolet dealership that has never been matched for excellence to this day.  The show features a Salute to Chevrolet and a Tribute to Junior Stock with an assemblage of the nation's finest muscle cars and legendary race cars with others to include Jungle Jim Liberman's Vega funny car and his Vega Pro Stock entry and a very special unveiling of the newly restored '61 Old Reliable Chevrolet that started the Strickler and Jenkins careers.
 
A free "Make it and Take It" model building area for children 12 and under will be conducted under the auspices of the Central Pennsylvania Model Club of Pennsylvania. The models are 1:25 scale snap-it models with build it times on Friday, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 2 p.m. until 4 p.m.  All models are courtesy of the model club. All models are provided to all entrants to be built and taken home with the aid of their parents.
 
The show runs Friday, 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Special two discount tickets are available for $25.00 for both days, single day tickets are $15.00 with children 12 and under free.  All active military are admitted free upon presentation of their id.  The outside Cruisin' Into Summer cruise in will feature an HHR Jamboree, Top Five awards for Friday, and Best Chevrolet Award plus three class awards for Truck, Special Interest, Muscle Car, and Street Rod plus a Long Distance Award, in  addition to, People's Choice and Best of Show awards. Admission to the event includes both inside and outside shows.
 
The event supports the York County SPCA with revenue from, People's Choice voting canisters, and a Memorabilia auction that is a feature on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. The show has raised in excess of $35,000 to date with the goal being to reach a $40,000 milestone this year.
 
The great nostalgia weekend concludes with the running of the 7th Annual York Nostalgia Nationals at Beaver Springs Dragway on Sunday, July 11th at 8 a.m. The race will feature many of the legendary cars and drivers from the York Reunion show.
 
Show Information:
717-757-2720, www.yorknostalgia.com or darwin@yorknostalgia.com
 
Race Information:
570-568-9601, www.beaversprings.com or beaverbob@beaversprings.com