DRAG RACING ON LONG ISLAND
1963 - 1969
#012 DVD
This ninety-six minute original movie production includes rare footage of drag racing at Islip Speedway Drag Strip, Suffolk County/Westhampton Drag Strip and New York National Speedway Drag Strip.
The video opens up with a look at racing in 1963 at Islip where we see many of the hot gassers that frequented the strip on a weekly basis. One of the gassers running at Islip was a 55 Chevy called Donald Duck and we get to learn about the car from its original owner Donald Plunkett. This is one cool car and a great story.
From there we move to Suffolk County/Westhampton where we follow some local Long Island guys who competed at the track on a weekly basis. There are a bunch of good running cars in this segment and you will get a good feel for what it was like at the track during the mid to late 1960's.
We have also included some footage of a 1994 Nostalgia Drag Race at Westhampton, then called Long Island Dragway, and you get to see the Little Red Wagon Wheelstander, Ronnie Sox and his '64 Comet ProMod and John Force and his fabulous funny car.
From there we move to New York National Speedway where we spotlight the running of the 1968 Super Stock and Drag Illustrated Magazine Super Stock Nationals. We have some great shots of the cars in the pits and on the track during time runs on Sunday morning. On Sunday afternoon the first round of Fuel Funny Car took place and we have every run. See: Dyno Don, Brutus, Don Gay, The Warlord, Bruce Larson, Fred Goeske, Huston Platt, Arnie Beswick, Jungle Jim, Malcolm Durham, Ed Schartman, Paul Stefanski, Dick Harrell, Gerry Schwartz, Pete Gates, Roger Lindamood, Ken Poffenberger and Larry Reyes. We also show some of the cars in the 2400 lb and 3000 lb gas classes some of which are: Bill Jenkins Camaro, Hurri-Cain Cuda, Big Red Plymouth, Al Joniac Hairy One Mustang, Dick Smith Plymouth, Bob Banning Dart, Dick Landy Dart and the Silencer Fairlane. The Super Stock Eliminator was packed with high profile cars and you'll see: Bill Jenkins Nova, Tasca Ford Cobra Jet, Rye Ford CJ, Hubert Platt Torino, Dave Strickler Camaro, Dick Landy Dodge, Shirley Shahan Dart, Ronnie Sox Cuda, Dick Arons Camaro, Ed Miller Cuda, Bill Flynn Yankee Peddler Dart and Bill Stiles Cuda. We take you into the final round and you will see who took home the S/S trophy. In the S/S segment you will see eleven of the original Factory (Hurst) built Hemi Darts and Cudas that showed up for this race. Too cool.
We have also included some interviews with: Dyno Don Nicholson, Jon Lundberg (The Voice of Drag Racing), Bruce Larson and Bill Stiles. You will also hear Larry Reyes speak about his ride (Super Cuda) at the event. In fact Larry will narrate every one of his runs at the event including his surprise appearance in the Funny Car Final. Larry also talks about his terrible crash in 1971 that left him paralyzed from the waist down. He is a very special guy and I am sure you will enjoy his story.
The final segment of the video includes some wintertime drag racing at NY National. Yes, you will see snow banks on the side of the track while the Seaton Super Shaker Nova does it thing. The cold and snow also did not deter Fast Eddie and Jungle Jim from having a side-by-side match race at NY National. Hardcore Man! We also show you some four at a time racing, the famous twin Christmas Trees and a match race between a Jet Dragster and a Fuel Dragster at NY National. And just to top it off we show you a run when Don Schumacher blew the top off of his Stardust Cuda. Need I say more? This is one special piece of drag racing history.
As always we have taken the time to dub real car sounds on to the movie footage in order to give you the most realistic sights and sounds available of the golden era of drag racing. We have also included relative narration in the video so you can follow all the action that takes place. Get your copy today. Our DVD includes 33 Chapter markers so you can quickly navigate to your favorite part of the video.
