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 WHO GOES RACING? YOU ASKED.Jump to page : 1 Now viewing page 1 [50 messages per page] | View previous thread :: View next thread |
| Forward Look NON-Technical Discussions -> 1955-1961 Forward Look MoPar General Discussion | Message format |
Ron |
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Extreme Veteran Posts: 303  Location: Harrisburg, Penna | I started racing starting in 1956 with a 56 Plymouth Fury. I attended the first Drag Strip on the East Coast named "LANCASTER US 30 DRAG-O-WAY. That was May of 1956 and it was in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Thing were crude and I was one of only 3 MOPAR there to race. 10,000 spectators showed up to see what a drag race was. The Lancaster newspaper advertised it and sent reporters to cover the opening of the new "DRAG STRIP". They called the time trials "HEATS". Remember the sport was brand new in that area. Later the Lancaster US 30 would move to York, Pennsylvania which was approximately. 20 miles away on the same US 30 highway and it renamed and became the famous YORK US 30" the biggest and fastest drag strip on the East Coast. Back then even though I was a MOPAR guy, I hung out with a bunch of Ch--y and F--d guys, some from York, Pennsylvania, named Dave Strickler, Grumpy Jenkins, Jerry Stahl, and some other guys named Ronnie Soxs and his mechanic Buddy Martin. My hero was Bud Faubel who ran Dodges and Chrysler 300's. "Grumpy" Bill Jenkins was the inspection crew chief at YORK US 30 drag strip back in the early 1960's. A lot of my buddies later got sponsors and became famous to the point of being SUPER STARS IN THE DRAG RACING SPORT. I without going full time into drag racing, did not have a sponsor and paid for all my own cars and parts but still ran every weekend at different Drag Strips on the East Coast through the years from 1956 to 1976 won more than 214+ competition drag race trophies driving automatic, Plymouth Fury's Dodge D-500's, DeSoto Adventure (1) Yes, I said DeSoto Adventure, a 59 Black and gold convertible. ( I drag raced it 5 times and won 3 wins with it. ) I also ran several Chrysler 300's. I was very seldom beat on the drag strips in my class, however I spent most of my then young life under my hood or under my cars working on them and tuning them for the weekends at the drag races. Usually Saturday a York US 30 and Sunday at another drag strip. I ran all MOPAR'S and I raced at LANCASTER US 30, YORK US 30, QUARTER ACES, WILLIAM GROVE DRAG STRIP, MAPLE GROVE, READING, PA, SOUTH MOUNTAIN DRAG STRIP, HELLAM DRAG STRIP, they were in Pennsylvania, VINELAND, NJ, CECIL COUNTY DRAG STRIP, ENGLISHTOWN DRAG STRIP RACEWAY PARK, ACTCO DRAG STRIP, NJ J, MASON-DIXON DRAG STRIP, MARYLAND, etc,etc, etc. I started drag racing with a single 1956 Plymouth Fury and started withdrawing from drag racing when I sold my three Plymouth Superbirds which I also ran at the drags once in a while. I always thought of it this way-----I started out with one of the very first factory high performance cars made by (MOPAR) Plymouth and started my withdraw for drag racing with the last of the SUPER MOPAR PLYMOUTH'S HIGH PERFORMANCE CARS. In 1971 the factory cut the high performance cars because of the Insurance rates going up and pressure to stop the horsepower race back then. Today I enjoy my collector cars, my very first Plymouth Fury, one Superbird, and 6 other Mighty MOPAR Muscle cars, but I do not drag race, I just shine them up and take them to local cruises and close by car shows. I have been blessed being born doing the "HAPPY DAYS" with an physical appearance of "THE FONZ" (ELVIS) living in an area where I got to be buddies with guys that have become LEGENDS, and as a bonus, I live 20 minutes from the famous CARLISLE PRODUCTION FAIRGROUNDS WHERE THE LARGEST CAR SHOWS ARE HELD AND 8 MINUTES FROM THE WORLDS LARGEST ANTIQUE CAR SHOW IN THE WORLD AT HERSHEY, PENNSYLVANIA. To this day I still have hundreds and hundreds of photos, drag strip time cards, drag strip newspaper and flyers, posters, and all 200+ official trophy card to go with each trophy. I did not make a lot of money, but I had a million dollars worth of experience, fun and memories which I enjoy to this very day!!!!!!! Since my hobby was photography, I almost always had a camera on me or close by, and I have tons of photos to the happening mention in this e mail. I hope that answers your question ----" DOES ANYBODY WITH A MOPAR EVER GO DRAG RACING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! http://www.bluemooncruisers.com/MemberCars/LoveStory.htm RON ALLYN SWARTLEY (RAS56Fury01 50%.jpg) (Ron Fury 2002 11 45%.jpg) (Best Photo of Ron's Fury 56 Cropped.jpg) (56 Fury front with stripes.jpg) (56 Fury at Weis.jpg) (56 FURY -YORK SHOW 2008 25%.jpg) (Yellow Superbird 12.49.jpg) (VERY BEST RON & ELVIS_2.JPG) (Statium Concert 4.JPG) (Hagerstown Show 2.JPG) (Cars-Elvis' Mark & Caddy CROPPED AND SCRIPT 48%.jpg) (RONELVIS 40%.jpg) Attachments ----------------  RAS56Fury01 50%.jpg (31KB - 133 downloads) Ron Fury 2002 11 45%.jpg (69KB - 133 downloads) Best Photo of Ron's Fury 56 Cropped.jpg (152KB - 128 downloads) 56 Fury front with stripes.jpg (21KB - 130 downloads) 56 Fury at Weis.jpg (12KB - 123 downloads) 56 FURY -YORK SHOW 2008 25%.jpg (25KB - 127 downloads) Yellow Superbird 12.49.jpg (137KB - 137 downloads) VERY BEST RON & ELVIS_2.JPG (29KB - 153 downloads) Statium Concert 4.JPG (42KB - 140 downloads) Hagerstown Show 2.JPG (59KB - 139 downloads) Cars-Elvis' Mark & Caddy CROPPED AND SCRIPT 48%.jpg (31KB - 144 downloads) RONELVIS 40%.jpg (25KB - 138 downloads) | ||
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| 1960fury |
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Expert 5K+ Posts: 7417   Location: northern germany | |||
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| imopar380 |
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Expert 5K+ Posts: 7207 Location: Victoria, BC, on Vancouver Island, Canada | |||
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| 55CRL |
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Elite Veteran Posts: 907  Location: Magra, Sweden | |||
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| B/G 61 |
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Expert Posts: 2612 Location: Parts Unknown | COOL ! ! !  | ||
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| d500neil |
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Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil! Posts: 19146  Location: bishop, ca | |||
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| longram60 |
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Veteran Posts: 255 Location: Dunnellon, FL | |||
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| 57burb |
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Expert Posts: 3967  Location: DFW, TX | I believe these photos are also of Ron. (??) Please correct me if I'm wrong! Ron, thanks for sharing your pictures and stories with us. I'd like to hear more about the Elvis stuff! (58 Fury and Ron 55%.jpg) (58 Fury at Drags 2.JPG) (58 Fury vs 57 Chevy.JPG) (Ron & his Fury45%-45.JPG) Attachments ---------------- 58 Fury and Ron 55%.jpg (28KB - 136 downloads) 58 Fury at Drags 2.JPG (77KB - 134 downloads) 58 Fury vs 57 Chevy.JPG (14KB - 116 downloads) Ron & his Fury45%-45.JPG (26KB - 131 downloads) | ||
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