Post by dragnews on Aug 20, 2009 21:57:31 GMT -5
Well it's been four years since our first gathering of geezers at Ardmore Dragway. So I thought it was time for our readers to know why we have a reunion.
It all started about 8 years ago, I was racing at the Heartland Hot Rod Reunion at Thunder Valley, and a lot of the racers were
starting to complain about how they were treated. Now Scorpion dragster pilot Bill Crosby came up to me and said why don't you do one of these in Ardmore? I said never happen, and went on my way. Later on I was doing the research on the Slow Poke car club and visited with some old racers to gather up photo's taken at Ardmore over the years and I would mention to them we should all get together again sometime. I was trying to gather up
a lot of history to help Johnnie keep preserved the real story of the dragstrip for future generations.
I had 5 helpers, Bill Crosby, Kieth Bentley, Royce Vanbuskirk, Charlie Cathcart, and Chuck Cook.
Now I have to tell you another story. Kieth raced with my dad in the 70's, and had a cherry 55, he out ran us alot. parked it in the pasture and went dragster racing. I nagged him for years fix the 55 or I am coming after it. Bill Crosby raced a ford dragster at Ardmore back in the 60"s Royce a ran super stock AMX out of Ardmore, everyone knows Charlie and Chuck Cook was partnered with Don Hardy and raced a super stock Nova when he lived in Ardmore.
Now life was good I was gathering pictures and news papers clippings, old super 8 movies and we were having a good time, still not really focused on a possible reunion yet! Royce called one morning and said Chuck had passed away. It was time for a reunion in Ardmore . I talked to Johnnie and he gave me the green light. I called the other three and told them about Chuck and I thought it would be appropriate for all of us to get to gather once ayear at the dragstrip for a reunion. Keith had the 55 show class ready in 6 months we gathered all the Car club guys we could find up, Crosby started on the Scorpion, and the rest they say is history. We have since lost 8 other racers or club members that was part of the very first organized reunion.
It has been a lot of fun watching racers who really could not stand each other years ago, tell stories about how much fun they had racing together in the old days. That is what the Hot Rod Reunion is about. Good memories and fellowship with old pals . Take time and call a old race buddy and bring him or her to this years Hot Rod reunion. I promise it will put 10 years of fun back in your life...Rob
Keith's 55 towing Wayne Calverts dragster at last years reunion.
It all started about 8 years ago, I was racing at the Heartland Hot Rod Reunion at Thunder Valley, and a lot of the racers were
starting to complain about how they were treated. Now Scorpion dragster pilot Bill Crosby came up to me and said why don't you do one of these in Ardmore? I said never happen, and went on my way. Later on I was doing the research on the Slow Poke car club and visited with some old racers to gather up photo's taken at Ardmore over the years and I would mention to them we should all get together again sometime. I was trying to gather up
a lot of history to help Johnnie keep preserved the real story of the dragstrip for future generations.
I had 5 helpers, Bill Crosby, Kieth Bentley, Royce Vanbuskirk, Charlie Cathcart, and Chuck Cook.
Now I have to tell you another story. Kieth raced with my dad in the 70's, and had a cherry 55, he out ran us alot. parked it in the pasture and went dragster racing. I nagged him for years fix the 55 or I am coming after it. Bill Crosby raced a ford dragster at Ardmore back in the 60"s Royce a ran super stock AMX out of Ardmore, everyone knows Charlie and Chuck Cook was partnered with Don Hardy and raced a super stock Nova when he lived in Ardmore.
Now life was good I was gathering pictures and news papers clippings, old super 8 movies and we were having a good time, still not really focused on a possible reunion yet! Royce called one morning and said Chuck had passed away. It was time for a reunion in Ardmore . I talked to Johnnie and he gave me the green light. I called the other three and told them about Chuck and I thought it would be appropriate for all of us to get to gather once ayear at the dragstrip for a reunion. Keith had the 55 show class ready in 6 months we gathered all the Car club guys we could find up, Crosby started on the Scorpion, and the rest they say is history. We have since lost 8 other racers or club members that was part of the very first organized reunion.
It has been a lot of fun watching racers who really could not stand each other years ago, tell stories about how much fun they had racing together in the old days. That is what the Hot Rod Reunion is about. Good memories and fellowship with old pals . Take time and call a old race buddy and bring him or her to this years Hot Rod reunion. I promise it will put 10 years of fun back in your life...Rob
Keith's 55 towing Wayne Calverts dragster at last years reunion.