[John Rogers]

I was raised in middle Delaware where there were miles and miles of straight and flat two lane roads put in the country. This was the late 1950s and up to middle 1960s where a dozen or so 1/8 mile and a few 1/4 drag strips were opened. The first race I can remember were the Plymouth Furys and small block corvettes and usually the big block Chrysler product with dual 4 barrels and a modified automatic transmission was fastest. My cousin bought a 1961 Ford Police interceptor with the 390 engine, 3 carbs and three speed with over drive! It became fastest until the trans blew out one Friday night and a T-10 four speed was put in and it was a bit faster.

Then on Saturday afternoon at the gas station on the North edge of town where all the racers hung out, a 1962 Chevy Bel Aire black on black pulled in and it sounded like nothing we had ever heard on the street. It was a 409 with the dual carbs! Driver was from Philly and was on his way to the beach and wanted to see who was fastest, so my cousin popped up and said lets go. A long line of cars drove out to our favorite spot, watch dogs set at ends of the road and away they went, with the race over in about 200 feet or so. I'll never forget each time the Chevy shifted there was a BANG and the speed when it went by was scary. Back at the garage the guy was given a full tank of "Super" and someone asked is that stock.....and he said noooo the engine and trans were from Bill Jenkins shop of all places! He bought the car from Ammon R Smith in PA!
Wasn't long after that I went into the US Navy to beat the draft and not become a ground pounder and have been in San Diego mostly ever since. Lets hear your races.