Postby Jack Redd » Mon Dec 15, 2014 3:31 pm
My first trip (attending only) was at Old Dominion Speedway in Manassas, Virginia.
It was the first drag strip on the East Coast built in 1953 and was a dirt track.
Racers used (then) mud & snow tires for traction. It was built by Mr. Al Gore (of Va.,
& now is 95). It was paved in1954 and is now gone. I had a foolish experience racing there
once. A friend asked the drive his '57 T-Bird, put it in the wrong gear (by mistake) and lost.
My next track was Aquasco Speedway in Southern Maryland. I raced on Sunday May19th
1957 and was in the U.S. Army on Monday. However, gone two months I was station back
in Arlington, Virginia. I was a starter there and later an announcer and racer. In 1963, I
won the AHRA Summernationals and was third in the '63 AHRA National Points Championship.
It was a '57 Ford running E/SA.
Don Elliott, who was an AHRA photographer and raced was 1st, Charlie Therwanger 2nd, me 3rd,
Dickie Harrell 4th (yes, the Dickie Harrell) and David Yocum who also worked at Aquasco was 5th.
And, I didn't not know it until I read about it in the November magazine issue of Modern Rod.
Great AHRA Press back then huh(?)! No money and no trophy.
Later drove B/D, C/A & pick-ups. No wins, just fun.
Now how about "Winning Your First Trophy". Mine is a funny story, went on too win many more.
Jack Approved!