TODAY IS MAY 23 1976 ( I WISH )

[rcgarrenParticipant]

May 23 rd 1976 the day that the engines stopped running at DOVER. I think if we had known that the track was closing for good ( rumor that Moroso was going to reopen it back up ) we would have voiced our opinion a lot LOUDER not to close. It has been 33 years TODAY and I still miss going there and all my freinds that were there at the time. Look forward to island in the fall.

[hvy70ssParticipant]

Totally agree. Dover was where it began for most of us. Also back then it would have been easier to reopen it as compared to today, less laws, less development. Real estate and taxes were within reach for the “average Joe”. Dover was kind of like the value of a 60’s muscle car….back then not much, today priceless!! If we only knew……..

Bob

[dinoKeymaster]

Great topic….And to think …possibly right now, as I type…Paul Bayarinas , Video Bob and the Crew Are AT A Drag Strip … …staging a blown willys with the Dover Logo on it ….with all the sights, sounds ,smells and adrenilin that STOPPED on this date in Wingdale……….Memorial Day weekend ? kind of Odd …don’t you think….33 years to the day .

…………………if you haven’t Read It… See: ” Dovers Last Day “Topic…..fantastic submitted memories …I bumped it up

[paul-ceasrine]

Dover,
When anyone could take their street car, pop in a set of headers (Hookers if you had a little extra money), 4.10 or 4.56 gears, a Hurst shifter, Sun Tach, traction bars (remember them) and used 7″ slicks (from someother Jr. Stock racer who was moving into S/S or Modified
Production) and spend a nice Sunday racing in eastern Dutchess. Where you would be
happy to run high 13.00’s, get a Dover class winner sticker and a trophy. Leave that
shoe polish “T” on your front window for the whole week, and brag to all, about how you blew away the big guys.
All this for about $25, including gas, a few burgers at the concession stand and maybe a
beer or two at “Sam’s” across the tracks, or “Jerry’s (pink bar/lounge) on 22. If you wanted to brag, you could stop at the “Red Rooster”, and let the family play miniature golf.
NOW THAT’S A SUNDAY 😛

[dinoKeymaster]

As Our New Official Dover Song “Dover Days” (ain’t I a Tease) Lryics go:

“Magic Moments In my Mind
Takes me back to a differant time
Work all week and call it play
Ready to race on those hot summer days

Dover are Days are on my mind
Drop the Hammer one more time

Out in the hills of Wingdale
ready to go and give them hell
Across the lane you’re the enemy
But need help in the pits,then you’re family”

……now i’ve done it …I was saving it to debut at the Reunion …But Thats ONLY Part of it ,and only the words

[rcgarrenParticipant]

TODAY IN 1965 WAS A GREAT DAY AT DOVER, DON ( BIG DADDY ) GARLITS WAS AT MY TRACK , DDS. I REMEMBER THE PEOPLE ALL AROUND HIM AND HIS DRAGSTER, THE PLACE WAS STANDING ROOM ONLY AND IF SOMEONE HAD SAID THAT IN 11 YEARS FROM TODAY THE TRACK WILL BE CLOSING FOREVER!!!!! I WOULD HAVE NOT BELIVED THEM AND WOULD HAVE SAID I THINK YOU NEED TO GO TO THAT HOSPITAL DOWN THE STREET AND CHECK YOUR SELF IN. IT JUST GOES TO SHOW YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT’S AROUND THE CORNER. THE TRACK CLOSED 34 YEAR TODAY AND ( LOOK ) AT ALL THE PEOPLE THAT STILL REMEMER, AND I JUST WANT TO THANK DINO FOR KEEPING THE MEMORY’S ALIVE.

[dinoKeymaster]

Well to be exact Roger …we got it all in that Big Daddy E-mailed me topic…..1965 (May 23) WynnsJammer (with Zoomies)…Don Drove…8:03 @ 196

[rcgarrenParticipant]

DINO, WHEN WAS DOVER OPEN ON MONDAY???. I JUST LOOKED IN MY COMPUTER, PUNCHED IN THE DATE OF MAY 23 1965 AND IT SAID IT WAS A SUNDAY. THEN I LOOKED AT A DRAG TIMES DATED MAY 1965 AND IT SAID THAT BIG DADDY RAN AT ACTO ON SAT NITE MAY 22 AND THEN CAME TO DOVER ON MAY 23.

[dinoKeymaster]

Correcto …That was a typo that I’ll fix. See guy in red shirt with camera in color shot ? HE Took the Photo in The Paper story. Al holding his ears in Both shots .

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[rcgarrenParticipant]

May 23 2011, 35 years ago today the track closed FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. I was there on the last day, many confused people walking around, what are we going to do NOW. The 2 drivers who made the last pass that day are gone now too JOE & BILL. Lets keep the memory’s alive.

[hvy70ssParticipant]

rcgarren,
With 2 Dover Nostalgia Drag reunions down and the third coming up, the memory will ALWAYS be alive. Today, there are grandchildren of Dover racers heading out to the drags every weekend. The impressions that “little” track has left are the fuel that make some 70 year olds STILL go racing. I have to admit, any Sunday early am on the way to Lebanon Valley a certain little kid feeling occurs…..just like in the ’70’s.
Ghosts of Dover??? That never happens on the way to any other track on Sundays. See ya at the Valley in August.

Smitty

[dinoKeymaster]

The kid at the Hospital is out there every sunday Am “In Spirit” directing traffic.Wave as ya go by 😆

[super-sport-pete]

make it may 23 1966 ,then we can go on sunday! those were the days.

[babycakesParticipant]

For those who raced at ‘Dover’,the ‘spirit’ will always remain with us in our lifetime….AMEN!

[rcgarrenParticipant]

The day the music died ( ENGINE SOUNDS ), 39 years ago today.
I remember talking to someone the week after it closed and he said, did you hear that Dover closed and I said yes I was there and it was one of the saddest days I can remember. We were all hopping this was just a reorganize move and that someone would reopen it again soon.
As I said before I went there on July 4 1976 and the gate was open ( wish I had a camera ) it was like nothing I though would ever happen to Dover. I went up to the tower and everything was just like I remember with all the electronics just waiting for Dino to pick up the mike and announce Super Stock lane 1, A Stock lane 2.BCDEF in lanes 3-4-5-6-7. On that it would have been tough because there were dirt piles across the track half way down. I still have my original Dover car. MEMORY’S !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Author]

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