Post by dragnews on Apr 13, 2011 20:25:44 GMT -5
It's uncertain who the first racer was ever to race down the Slow Poke car Club drag strip in 1955.
It Could have been Cecil Goodwin's1941 Mercury racing class A, or even Joe Koller in his stock D 1955 Chevrolet. One thing is for sure track preparation was as important in 1955 as it is in 2011. The original track was all dirt, and each week before races began. Jim Ragland working for Fisher oil would haul fresh hot oil in to the strip, and club members Shorty Almon and others spent days on Graders and Rollers preparing the track surface for Sundays race.
In 1960 the strip moved to it's current location. just one week after racing down the super fast decommissioned World War 2 run way. The track surface became gravel. In spring of 1960 the first full repaving at Ardmore Dragway began.
Now they may not be the first racers ever to run down the dragstrip, But Jim Ragland and Joe Carrell were chosen by Ardmore Timing association club president J.R. Shaw to be the first to test the all new blacktopped Ardmore Dragway in April of 1960.
In 1979 with new owners Johnnie Laird and Jerry Matthews complete the second repaving of Ardmore Dragway.
As you can see below as the Overland Corporation makes the final lay on the strip Jerry rips down the fresh asphalt in the Shady Lady dragster of wife Judy Matthews.
In spring of 1996 Johnnie and Susan Laird repaved the strip with asphalt for the last time. Once again Jim Ragland and Joe Carrell was called to criss-en the new strip, but grandsons Ross Ragland and Will Carrell were chosen to make the first pass.
In march of 2011 The Carrel family converted 300 feet of Admore Dragway over to sparkling clean concrete.
Almost 56 years to the date of the birth of the Slow Poke Dragstrip Lonnie Sears receives the notice he will be the first to try out the new race surface.
Perfect and straight as always. Lonnie put the little S10 right down the middle of his lane, opening Ardmore Dragway's next chapter of history.
It Could have been Cecil Goodwin's1941 Mercury racing class A, or even Joe Koller in his stock D 1955 Chevrolet. One thing is for sure track preparation was as important in 1955 as it is in 2011. The original track was all dirt, and each week before races began. Jim Ragland working for Fisher oil would haul fresh hot oil in to the strip, and club members Shorty Almon and others spent days on Graders and Rollers preparing the track surface for Sundays race.
In 1960 the strip moved to it's current location. just one week after racing down the super fast decommissioned World War 2 run way. The track surface became gravel. In spring of 1960 the first full repaving at Ardmore Dragway began.
Now they may not be the first racers ever to run down the dragstrip, But Jim Ragland and Joe Carrell were chosen by Ardmore Timing association club president J.R. Shaw to be the first to test the all new blacktopped Ardmore Dragway in April of 1960.
In 1979 with new owners Johnnie Laird and Jerry Matthews complete the second repaving of Ardmore Dragway.
As you can see below as the Overland Corporation makes the final lay on the strip Jerry rips down the fresh asphalt in the Shady Lady dragster of wife Judy Matthews.
In spring of 1996 Johnnie and Susan Laird repaved the strip with asphalt for the last time. Once again Jim Ragland and Joe Carrell was called to criss-en the new strip, but grandsons Ross Ragland and Will Carrell were chosen to make the first pass.
In march of 2011 The Carrel family converted 300 feet of Admore Dragway over to sparkling clean concrete.
Almost 56 years to the date of the birth of the Slow Poke Dragstrip Lonnie Sears receives the notice he will be the first to try out the new race surface.
Perfect and straight as always. Lonnie put the little S10 right down the middle of his lane, opening Ardmore Dragway's next chapter of history.
....