Seems to me there was some active Street Racing in Mahopac,N.Y….My Brorther was always taking his ’53 ford up there in the mid -sixties…”to go to the Drive-in” …yeah right.
Who remembers W.A.T.A. Westchester Avenue Timming Asscoiation in White Plains NY, back then it was just a access road but it had 2 traffic lights 1/4 mile apart with a exit ramp onto Rte 287. Many a great steet race was run there untill the cops came up the exit ramp and gave us all a ticket for a speed contest ( how dare they ). We still ran there to get the cars ready for dover. The kids from the high school that was just up the road would skip a class make a few runs and then go back to school, what a great time.
Used to go to school over at West Conn. On the weekends we would meet at the green downtown around midnight choose the runs and head off to the designated area on I-84 (Milford exit-entrance). That is where I-84 was straight as an arrow and had a “viewing bridge” overpass ( finish line) where spectators could watch. We would run off three or four rounds at a time before the State Troopers would arrive.
I remember many cars: 70 Torino 429 SCJ with alot of work, 64 Nova green straight axle with tilt nose, Gray 69 Camaro 396 strong and many more. Not many trailered cars though That would probably mean you were a pro. 😀 . Avg money was $100.00 a run. Inspection would take place at the green before heading out for the runs. This was 1970 and a C-note was alot. ….Me, I had a flat black ’60 Falcon 289 roller with 4sp, 9inch Ford with Econo straight axle and a Chevy emblem on the grille. 😕 Just another nutty kid. The car could hold it’s own though! Eventually the front end did the car in, spring shakle broke and the car went off the road (on Route 52 in Kent) and rolled. Drove a 61 Thunderbird until graduation 😥
I also remember well the street racing that went on in front of Kings department store and on any Saturday night there would be between 500 and 1000 people out there standing along the road watching the races.
At first it was mostly street driven cars but once they started showing up with cars on trailers and even dragsters I knew this would not last long because there were just so many people that the cops had to stop it.
Some of the baddest cars around raced there on Saturday nights.
Another great place in Stamford was Dick Moroso’s shop on Canal Street on a Saturday afternoon because there was always someone who would pull up with a race car on a trailer and come in and drop $500.00 bucks down and tell Dick they wanted to race.
His shop was very close to State Street right along side I-95 and I saw Dick take money from many races right there.
Billy, I’ll call you this week to go over some of the street racing stuff……..I’ve got tons of stories and I know you do too………..Bill….different subject……Remember Marsha Hoffa………Don………
I’m compiling some street racing stories with some familiar names Ingles, Winkler, Saraceni , Lieto (of A/S fame) and more……… from well known 1/4 mi. makeshift tracks…………Stay tuned………Don……….
And speaking of street racing………..Ask Casey about the time street racing on The Hutch he crashed a 57 Chevy and left it in the Eastchester swamp and split……Great story………………..He called last night and he is doing well….Billy you’re THE BOMB………………………Don……….
yonkersbrad.
dino