75-80 Dragway

Silverlode · Jul 8, 2021

fabsroman said:
Just a couple days ago, my wife was asking me what the heck car you were referring to the other day. She could not understand what a GNX was. So, I brought up a pic and her response was, "Ah, I know that car. Just did not know what it was called." Went on to show my two middle kids some burnouts and runs done by the GNX. Also let them know it was the Corvette killer back in my day and it would easily spoke my Mustang.

Those are some awesome pics. Thanks for that. Going to show my kids the pics later today.

Are your referring to a Grand National or the GNX? Maybe I missed something in a previous post. The GNX was a very limited edition GN. I knew two people that had them and they were the only two I ever saw in my life. Both owned by fathers of friends. One also had an 87 GN and the other also had an 86 (I think) T-Type. I had an 87GN. This thread is making me miss it.

https://news.classicindustries.com/mint-87-buick-gnx-sold-for-200000

Edit/Add: The man that had a GN and a GNX also had a very limited edition Trans Am with a 3.8 Turbo, I think it was a 20th anniversary car, 1989.

gtodave · Jul 8, 2021

71Chevelle427 said:
Terris Hicks (new track owner/proprietor/manager/whatever...
playing around at the starting line with his car.

Today, I believe.

https://www.facebook.com/1515430364/videos/1142187472972758/

Damn, I drove by this morning but I guess it was too soon!

DanGuy48 · Jul 8, 2021

I’m sort of surprised by all the drag racers here. Just in case you don’t know, this was posted in another forum by Monty Mikho.

“I will keep this short because there is never a way to please everyone with any changes.
The 2021 YellowBullet Nationals September 3 - 5, 2021 will only be hosting the classes below.
Pro Modified
Pro 275
X275
Ultra Street
Warriors
8.50 Index
Top Sportsman
The format will mostly mirror that of the May race with slight run order changes (possible).
Track is at 100% capacity and we wanna fill this mother phucker up with race fans, hot chicks and fast cars! Don't miss it!!”

ADR · Jul 8, 2021

DanGuy48 said:
I’m sort of surprised by all the drag racers here. Just in case you don’t know, this was posted in another forum by Monty Mikho.

“I will keep this short because there is never a way to please everyone with any changes.
The 2021 YellowBullet Nationals September 3 - 5, 2021 will only be hosting the classes below.
Pro Modified
Pro 275
X275
Ultra Street
Warriors
8.50 Index
Top Sportsman
The format will mostly mirror that of the May race with slight run order changes (possible).
Track is at 100% capacity and we wanna fill this mother phucker up with race fans, hot chicks and fast cars! Don't miss it!!”

Just saw that myself. I was there in May but not sure if I'll make September.

mtlcafan79 · Jul 8, 2021

I don't find that to be a shock at all for Yellow Bullet. The minimum ETs at the WCF/Hail Mary Derby or whatever you want to call it this year have been dropping like rocks. It's almost a Pro Mod event at this point it feels like.

Trek4Ward · Jul 9, 2021

I ate dinner at Wilcom's the other night (first time). They are not too excited about the track opening back up. So much for the "fine dinning" atmosphere. I took a few pics of them working on the tower. I live in Monrovia and miss the sounds of the track. I'm looking forward to it opening back up.

GSuders · Jul 9, 2021

Trek4Ward said:
I ate dinner at Wilcom's the other night (first time). They are not too excited about the track opening back up. So much for the "fine dinning" atmosphere. I took a few pics of them working on the tower. I live in Monrovia and miss the sounds of the track. I'm looking forward to it opening back up.

I'm sure they will get a boost in business...that'll help make them more excited.

strapped · Jul 9, 2021

I had an article written about me at 75-80 back in the olden days! Glad to see it coming back.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/2003/07/20/the-thrill-of-the-straightaway/5cc858e1-3ced-4542-9ae5-47781dbd123c/

Trek4Ward · Jul 9, 2021

Progress as of 7/7

Trek4Ward · Jul 9, 2021

strapped said:
I had an article written about me at 75-80 back in the olden days! Glad to see it coming back.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/2003/07/20/the-thrill-of-the-straightaway/5cc858e1-3ced-4542-9ae5-47781dbd123c/

Did you end up marrying Leigh Watkins?

71Chevelle427 · Jul 9, 2021

strapped said:
I had an article written about me at 75-80 back in the olden days! Glad to see it coming back.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/2003/07/20/the-thrill-of-the-straightaway/5cc858e1-3ced-4542-9ae5-47781dbd123c/

That's awesome. Thanks for sharing.

I gotta ask...do you still race, or spectate?

I'm 58, and have stopped racing "for good", at least a few times, yet always come back.

bratgirllcp · Jul 9, 2021

Never been to a dragway have a great time guys!!!!! I enjoyed the posts

gtodave · Jul 9, 2021

Trek4Ward said:
Did you end up marrying Leigh Watkins?

LOL! I just came in to ask if she was hot

babalou · Jul 9, 2021

GN and GNX

MaxVO2 said:
*****Yes. I haven't seen either of them in years but I know them. Bobby helped me many years back when I shoehorned a 396 into a 1980 Chevy Malibu as a sleeper car. The car originally came with a 350 V8 (old cop car) but to fit the big block we had to upgrade the front suspension as well as figure out steering linkage and header issues, etc.. He taught me how to properly measure the distance from the output shaft of the TH-400 transmission I put in there to the rear so we could get a proper length driveshaft in the car and not have binding or other issues. Really a smart guy.

I think Bobby had a son named Bill who now owns or is a partner at Laytonia Auto Service off Snouffer School Road near Flower Hill. They have several Chevelle's in the parking lot out back and I think they are either his or one of his mechanics as they've been there for some time. One of them is I think a 1970 LS6 454 Chevelle which was an absolute beast of a car back in it's day.

If it's the same family (Gunther), they've been involved with cars for a long time. Perhaps even as far back as when Quicksilver Engines was still running off of Gude Drive when I was still a little kid.

Sam Auxier, Jr. was also in that general area and his shop was at the corner of Gude and Rockville Pike. He was a really cool guy and had a really nice collection of vintage parts at his location before it got converted to a gas station. I got started learning to port and polish heads from heads in his junkpile and some carbide burrs he gave me. I'm really patient and like doing that kind of work and had a decent eye for making heads flow well. Sam and Bobby had raced and worked on some famous cars back in their day.

Really cool guys. Dunno if they are still alive or not as I haven't been hot rodding or really doing more than just maintenance on my cars these days. I still have a decent street/strip car but nothing crazy like the tubbed and caged Grand Nationals we used to race at 75-80, Englishtown, and other venues when I was really into it.

I think Jimmy Ray is the guy I saw setup a 12 bolt GM rear with new gears for a car, and he did it with no dial indicators or any way that I could see for setting backlash and pinion depth, etc. He just did it by "feel" which to me was just like voodoo magic as I'm the type of guy who just measures everything multiple times before buttoning it all up.

Really impressive guys.

My Pop was a service advisor at Covington Buick in the 80's when they were in downtown SS. During the summers I would be a car jockey moving cars around and for mechanics. Barry Covington was good friends with the Marriots and one of the Marriot sons purchased a GN. I used to drive it when brought in. I outran a corvette. Thing was fast. I also had the pleasure of driving a GNX. Around 1987 or 88 Covington moved the sales department and showroom to the rt 29 auto park but leaving the body shop in downtown SS. I would drive the cars back and forth. rt 29 is a great drag strip

One of the other car jockeys guys purchased a dark brown Regal T-Type. Same engine and everything as the GN but chrome bumpers, etc. Sleeper. Fast as hell too Much like back then the 1987 Ford Mustang GT and 5.0 LX.

About two years ago I saw online a GN for sale- stated it was formerly owned by a Marriot. lol.

omegared24 · Jul 9, 2021

Trek4Ward said:
I ate dinner at Wilcom's the other night (first time). They are not too excited about the track opening back up. So much for the "fine dinning" atmosphere. I took a few pics of them working on the tower. I live in Monrovia and miss the sounds of the track. I'm looking forward to it opening back up.

Funny that they have racing photos from 75/80 on the walls from back in the day. I guess I'll have to give them a hard time next time I go in there for a meal.

FWIW...Wilcoms is one of my favorite restaurants.

AlBeight · Jul 9, 2021

I miss my 87 Turbo T also. However, I don’t miss that damn oil soaked air intake hose that wouldn’t stay clamped no matter what I did with it, resulting in a huge letdown while doing a full pull. Still loved that car no matter how many times that happened (which was a lot).

strapped · Jul 9, 2021

Trek4Ward said:
Did you end up marrying Leigh Watkins?

Nope, she was cute though!

strapped · Jul 9, 2021

71Chevelle427 said:
That's awesome. Thanks for sharing.

I gotta ask...do you still race, or spectate?

I'm 58, and have stopped racing "for good", at least a few times, yet always come back.

I still raced into my mid 20's. I had a 800hp Honda that I ran in NOPI Powerstreet and NHRA SFWD up and down the east coast, and the occasional highway. I'm out of it now but one day when I have more disposable income there will be something with a turbo in my garage.

CelticBiggie · Jul 9, 2021

So as an FYI. Rumors I’ve seen on Facebook are an opening of July 17th. Timing computers and sensors are in.

Atrox88 · Jul 9, 2021

AlBeight said:
I miss my 87 Turbo T also. However, I don’t miss that damn oil soaked air intake hose that wouldn’t stay clamped no matter what I did with it, resulting in a huge letdown while doing a full pull. Still loved that car no matter how many times that happened (which was a lot).

There was a solution to that but dang if I can remember what it was anymore.

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