Post by dragnews on Mar 2, 2010 22:33:59 GMT -5
Good or bad, over the past 50 years Ardmore Drgaway has seen a lot of changes on its road to return....Return road that is!
When Rick took over as owner in spring of 2008, he vowed not to open the gates Of Ardmore Dragway until he paved the existing return road. Lets take a look back over the past 50 years on how racers returned to the pits.
The year is 1962 photo of my Dad coming back from a run in his 62 Chevrolet. Notice how close to the track rthe cars are returning back to the pits. You can only imagine the danger and dust this created.
Actually cars returned on both sides of the track until around 1965, when the first organized road was marked.You will notice the line of cars on the east side of the race track. A steel cable
separated the track from the pits. Looks like Jim Ragland facing off against a 56 Chevy. Look close and you will see the first Chrondex timers and Joe Carrell flag starting.
In the 1970's dragster's were becoming more the norm. Now back in those days we were old school no radiators so the cars would be towed back down the race track after a session of qualifying.
Here we see Jim Ragland, Lonnie Sears,Donnie Clinton,and Gary
Cook waiting on a green light from the tower to return back up the track after a run. Now something to note here, the push cars went down the east side of the track and crossed the track
to retrieve the cars waiting on the west side of the track. Not for sure who thought that up! But it was more fun than 6 flags when mom sped across in front of a 150 MPH approaching dragster.
No this is not a broken race car being pulled from the track, but rather Lonnie Sears and Dale Rushing returning from a run. Remember I said no radiator, well we also drained the water coming back down the track. Remember that Jerry Ford!
Now some time around 1980 the crowds were getting bigger and to save down time we started down the return road.
Not my favorite,but it was all we had. Here we see Ken Dotson and me standing on the old dirt return road. Hey Ken I can still wear my shirt!
Over the years the return road was covered in salt water to pack it. Hot oil was even used once. Worked well,until a little to much one weekend turned it to tar. How many remember wearing goggles on the return road? Some one asked why we wore them. I spent the night in the emergency room having a rock taken out of my eye from a passing door car thats why.
In the 90's The Laird's chipped and oiled the return road and the
dirt was gone.
Just like Cathcart / the return road has seen many changes.
(photo's and story courtesy of the Ragland collection)
When Rick took over as owner in spring of 2008, he vowed not to open the gates Of Ardmore Dragway until he paved the existing return road. Lets take a look back over the past 50 years on how racers returned to the pits.
The year is 1962 photo of my Dad coming back from a run in his 62 Chevrolet. Notice how close to the track rthe cars are returning back to the pits. You can only imagine the danger and dust this created.
Actually cars returned on both sides of the track until around 1965, when the first organized road was marked.You will notice the line of cars on the east side of the race track. A steel cable
separated the track from the pits. Looks like Jim Ragland facing off against a 56 Chevy. Look close and you will see the first Chrondex timers and Joe Carrell flag starting.
In the 1970's dragster's were becoming more the norm. Now back in those days we were old school no radiators so the cars would be towed back down the race track after a session of qualifying.
Here we see Jim Ragland, Lonnie Sears,Donnie Clinton,and Gary
Cook waiting on a green light from the tower to return back up the track after a run. Now something to note here, the push cars went down the east side of the track and crossed the track
to retrieve the cars waiting on the west side of the track. Not for sure who thought that up! But it was more fun than 6 flags when mom sped across in front of a 150 MPH approaching dragster.
No this is not a broken race car being pulled from the track, but rather Lonnie Sears and Dale Rushing returning from a run. Remember I said no radiator, well we also drained the water coming back down the track. Remember that Jerry Ford!
Now some time around 1980 the crowds were getting bigger and to save down time we started down the return road.
Not my favorite,but it was all we had. Here we see Ken Dotson and me standing on the old dirt return road. Hey Ken I can still wear my shirt!
Over the years the return road was covered in salt water to pack it. Hot oil was even used once. Worked well,until a little to much one weekend turned it to tar. How many remember wearing goggles on the return road? Some one asked why we wore them. I spent the night in the emergency room having a rock taken out of my eye from a passing door car thats why.
In the 90's The Laird's chipped and oiled the return road and the
dirt was gone.
Just like Cathcart / the return road has seen many changes.
(photo's and story courtesy of the Ragland collection)