DOVER :Sanctioned by NHRA

[dinoKeymaster]

Here’s the proof…..Smokey’s attic has some valuable stuff ! this only lasted 1 year

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[storm-king]

I thought they couldn’t get that because they had a ‘downhill’ braking area.

[dinoKeymaster]

Well…the Then Division Director: Darwin Doll…took a long time to show up for a “visit”. The Sanction ” was done kind of through the mail.” Provide Insurance info,own a track, get the deal. Never inspected us first to my knowledge. When he did show up , he was a little taken back with the left side shut down area drop off and the measly cables on old telephone poles as a gaurd rail. Thats when he said the sanction couldn’t be renewed ,unless those things were fixed. Which I assume Chet & Joe said wouldn’t be. Filling in the drop off would have requiered Major land filling and who knows the cost of “approved “guard rails. So the 1971 Winners Decal is sort of a collectors item….only one that says ‘NHRA’. They also couldn’t promise a “points meet” which is a profit maker for the track owner.

[dinoKeymaster]

Ya got one of those certificates every year …that one was THE LAST …BUT thats how come in ’70…we got the Div. 1 Pro-Stock cuicut in …Sure would like to see Dover results in ’70 National Dragsters …Anyone got?

[paul-ceasrine]

DINo,

I just might search for that National Dragster period. My brain hurts a little, after scanning through my stuff for Butch Leal’s “California Flash”.
Surprised why Chet and Joe wouldn’t go through the effort to get the track sanctioned.
I’m sure many racers and friends in that area had the equipment to help out. Would have done wonders for the Wingdale Township itself. ❓
I can still remember when one of the other tracks had a NHRA points meet, and Whoosh!, it was like a vacuum hit Pleasant Ridge Road.

Paul

[dinoKeymaster]

They actually had their own equipt…but Money again an issue. Would have had to blast the Left side cliff out and establish emergency run-off areas on Both sides of shut down.That would then require completely moving the return road and put in all new drain pipes too. LOT of fill. And I was wrong in previous post …We had TWO decals with NHRA on them ’70 And ’71. First half of 71 sanctioned…second half…back to “outlaw” independant.

[paul-ceasrine]

DINO,

Too bad, about the guys not wanting to invest in up-grading the track. Maybe after 15 years or so, they were fried. Thats understandable.
Supposedly back in early 76′, a group of Peekskill-based racers had some financial backing
and wanted to buy the rights or get the track opened again. Guess they hit a SNAFU somewhere.
Kind of glad they didn’t fix the shut-down area. A race at Dover was really 5-parts.
1) The burnout
2) Your introduction
3) The race
4) The shut-down area. Since we were always at the end of the pits, we enjoyed watching
the quick cars trying to scramble to stop. Especially Antoinne.
5) The return-road area along the end of the track. Loved watching the guys/gals who lost in the trophy run, get on their cars in front of the last bleacher section. The cars always ran better then 😆 Speed limit was 5 MPH, and of course no guard-rail between the track
Lane 1 and the retrun-road, only about a 15 foot embankment. Really, saw some of the
best burn-outs on that road. Whoever was in the Trophy booth, probably saw some of the
best hole-shoys 😆

Paul

[paul-ceasrine]

DINO,

Going by memory. No printed info yet.
One of the first good Pro/Stock meets, in late-summer 1970.
NHRA allowed 2-year old (68′ and newer cars) to compete.
* “MIMI”, 68′ Camaro, white w/gold lettering
* Lagana Brothers, 68′ Camaro, white w/red lettering (normally ran B/MP)
* “American Rat”, 69′ AMX (normally ran B/MP)
* “Mr. Speed”, 70′ Duster (Hemi)
* “Semi Hemi”. 69′ Nova
* Fred Egloff, 69′ Nova (normally ran C/G) (* I might be off on this one)
* Storm King, 70′ Duster (Hemi)

Meet won by “MIMI”, Rich Mirarcki. Only Pro/Stock to break into the 9.00’s. Ran 9.90
or so a couple of times. Beat the Lagana Brothers in the finals ❓

Tony Chickery was there in “Mr. ED”, 68′ Dart (factory Hemi S/S), but ran in SS/A or may have jumped into the group for the event. Must have been when he just had the car for a
short-time.

Paul

[dinoKeymaster]

Jackman reminded me of this topic…and Funny , just recieved in the mail Friday from a Good guy Forum member from Maryland ..Ol ‘Aarrdvark’…A great 1970 National Dragster issue,Iv’e been waiting for,with article all about the Dover NHRA Pro-Stock Curcuit meet. IF you were sanctiuoned ,they’de cover your track. This was Another Meet…from cars Paul mentioned …what til you see who was there.This one had a bunch of Hemis .

[dinoKeymaster]

Brian Dug up a Ned 1970 NHRA Annual Program, Listed All the ’69 Points Winners …Like Richie Shott -Top Gas Champ, Best Appearing Car & Crew Award-Egloff Brothers( who also came in 3rd in WSC points -Street Elim)…..Found This :

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[dinoKeymaster]

Interesting…We actually ended up with Ivo vs Prudhomne

[hvy70ssParticipant]

Hey Folks,
Just picked up a June 1970 National Dragster off of Ebay with hopes of some Dover coverage. NOTHIN’ at all! Only thing in the back it DID have Dover as a sanctioned strip in NY. Dino, was it later in the year ND started to have coverage?? I’ll keep searching for back issues though!

Bobby Smith

[dinoKeymaster]

Too many tracks …not enough space. They’de only put in points or series race coverage, not regular event.

[patinaParticipant]

ND had very little on Dover. Mid Eastern drag news in 63 became Eastern drag news in 64 and had a lot of Dover through 65 when the format seemed to change to a newspaper style , then somewhere in 66 it becomes Drag times. I have nearly all 64 and 65 Eastern drag news and some Mid-Eastern drag news.

Pat

[hvy70ssParticipant]

Pat,
What paper covered Dover from say….’68-’76?
Bobby

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