About Us

goatman65 · 02-15-2010, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirrotica

Those tracks were called " Board Tracks" and were popular in the 20s-30s made entirely of wood and smooth and were forerunners before paving materials were prevalent on race tracks. One major drawback was the cars would dislodge splinters of wood which would stick in the faces of those drivers trailing them. I lived in Erie Pa. most of my life and never knew there was a board track at one time in the Pittsburgh area. Good to know these things.

Yes it was in a small town called Hopwood.My Grandfather remembered it well.He passed away in 2007 at age 94.I have seen a few pics of it and i will see if i can get copies for here.

goatman65 · 02-15-2010, 07:04 PM

Good memories.Need some more pics.Never know these days when a cool old place will be bulldozed and a piece of local history will be lost for another Walmart.I have a few more places i want to get pics of but they'll have to wait for better weather.

Cobrabill · 02-15-2010, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Baker

The Ritchie Drive-In in my hometown of Glen Burnie, MD...it was torn down in 1983 and today in its spot sits a strip mall, with a Pizza Hut sitting right about where the screen used to be.

http://gallery.pictopia.com/baltimor...o/8743900/?o=2

I've never been there and this makes me ill.

goatman65 · 02-15-2010, 07:21 PM

The first pic i posted before,the 'starting line' where my dad used to street race.The second pic is where the 'turn-around' was.At this intersection was another ice cream place and a Texaco.Street racers also parked here.This is about 1/2 mile from where the first pic was taken.There was no stoplight here until the late '90s.

goatman65 · 02-15-2010, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AROWHED

Springfield, IL...original home of the "cozydog" on Route 66. Started off as it's own stand in the late 40's, then a Dairy Queen was built next door, then they joined together for a common dining area (the way I always remember it). In 1996 the entire place was torn down for another damn Walgreens...but Cozydog Drive-In put up a new building on the next lot over. More here:
http://www.cozydogdrivein.com/photos/

You gave me ideas for a few more places to get pics of.One being a 'hot dog' caboose.

goatman65 · 02-15-2010, 07:48 PM

Three miles from my house.This belonged to my Great-grandfather and was restored by my Grandfather and his son[my uncle]in the '90s.This is along the old Pa.21 or what was Main St.until 1953.I took the first pic yesterday,the 2nd pic is from about '93.That's my 65 GTO and my dad's 66.

Brian Baker · 02-15-2010, 07:53 PM

Aquasco Speedway...no more need to be said that isn't already said at this site:

http://www.atomicpinup.com/Aquasco_Speedway.html

Sirrotica · 02-15-2010, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Baker

Aquasco Speedway...no more need to be said that isn't already said at this site:

http://www.atomicpinup.com/Aquasco_Speedway.html

Some good pictures of Dick Jesses 65 GTO funny and Don Gays 66 GTO funny on the second page.

goatman65 · 02-15-2010, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Baker

Aquasco Speedway...no more need to be said that isn't already said at this site:

http://www.atomicpinup.com/Aquasco_Speedway.html

Wow that's neat.There are a couple closed down dragstrips around here.i'll see what i can do about taking pics when the snow leaves.

Brian Baker · 02-15-2010, 08:19 PM

I did a mapquest on Aquasco and hit the aerial photo function...you can see where the track was, but not much around it except trees and a few houses.

Super Duty D · 02-15-2010, 08:25 PM

I drive by this old race track on my way to work, Meadowdale Raceway. It closed in the late 60's I believe. It is like a Forrest Preserve now and they have a few cars shows there every year.

Great vintage and current photo's on their website. Enjoy.

http://meadowdaleraceway.homestead.com/

SDD

bonneville Joe · 02-15-2010, 08:43 PM

That was Milt Shornack's car. The brown/gold car. I read an article about that test. Pics of the car were in the article. We saw the car at the Greenville, SC POCI show in '05. I always wondered exactly where that track was. I grew up in West Palm

Quote:

Originally Posted by 71 T/A

Hollywood (FL) Motorsports Park, a drag strip. But not any drag strip. This is where in 1969, Pontiac brought down a 69 GTO with a Ram Air V, that a friend older than me, confirms that it ran low 12's capped up on street tires and mid 11's with slicks and open exhaust. In the 1980s, I'd run my 73 Formula with 455 to a best of 12.98.

It closed in 1992 and where it was is now a shopping center. Had it remained, I would have been within 5 miles of the track!

imstillagto65 · 02-15-2010, 09:50 PM

The Coliseum Ballroom on RTE4 Benld Ill.

Built in the 30's by the Tarro bros. Was billed as the largest ballroom between Chicago and St. Louis. Featured all the Big Bands of the era Guy Lombardo, Tommy Dorsey etc.

Starting in the late 50's and continuing into the early 70's(when the owner, Joyce Tarro was shot and killed in an attempted robbery after closing the ballroom for the night) it featured all the big names of the day.

There was a dance every Sat featuring local groups. Jules Blattner was a regular---$1 admission charge and no age limit to enter but a stamp was required to buy booze(Very loosely enforced.

Every couple months feature act was booked. From 60 on I was fortunate enough to see the Ike Turner Revue(Ike and the Ikettes) featuring Tina Turner, Ray Charles, Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Jimmy Reed, Jerry Lee Lewis, Mitch Ryder,Conway Twitty, Sam the Sham, The Starlighters and others that slip my mind now. Many of these performers made numerous appearances and I believe Ray Charles was the most expensive---$4 if I remember.

The place still stands as an antique mall and is on the Rt 66 register. Every now and then I stop into revisit my mis-spent youth. (The stage is still there).

If you're ever in the area its worth seeing just because of its history.

LandBarge · 02-15-2010, 10:22 PM

I dont have any pics , but in the part of Pittsburgh I grew up in, we had PCC trolley cars running right down the main street of our neighborhood until 1985. We used to "street race"(yea I know it was stupid but I was young, any of you gonna tell me you didnt do anything stupid when you were young ?) on this street and part of your race involved avoiding the "Safety Islands" during the race.

Dan