A place I used to go, Where the great ones run, er, ran.

Video: US 30 Dragstrip in 1964

April 9, 2010By RidesAPaleHorse

Memories from US 30 Dragstrip

1964 at the US 30 dragstrip in ChicagoLand. Video of one day in the life of a drag racing landmark




US30 DRAGSTRIP

U.S.30 was a local “Chicagoland area” but nationally known dragstrip in the 50s all the way into the early 80s. Like other venues of that time it fell victim to “progress,” but for the many that attended the races there it lives on in our memories. A lot of us were hooked on a lifelong love affair with drag racing at tracks like this, but U.S. 30–in what was then Gary Indiana–holds a special place in the hearts of the people that went there.

Those really WERE the days.
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It’s June 1964. I’m 17 and my older cousin asked me if I wanted to go to a drag race. He’s friends with a couple of guys (Lutz and Garns ) that built an A/FD dragster in their garage (and it turns out that these guys were some of the first to break the 8 second 1/4 mile barrier).

OF COURSE I wanted to go!

Since I was living in Northern Michigan then and was visiting relatives in Chicago at the time, it was a chance of a lifetime for me! So I got my Bell and Howell movie camera and my still camera and off we went with Lutz and Garns to U.S.30 dragstrip in Gary Indiana.




That day changed my life.

I was hooked, but living in the frozen North, my opportunities to return were limited. However, I had the movies and pictures that would remind me of that day for years to come.

Late at night, working on my car models I would sometimes get WLS radios Dick Biondi show and hear Jan Gabriel’s voice (as I still do)

“SUNDAY!!….SUNDAY!!….SUNDAY!!…At beautiful U.S. 30 Dragstrip……where the GREAT ones run” and remember that day. In the intervening years I moved to Denver Colorado and found Bandimere Speedway and all those memories of U.S.30 came flooding back as they have for the 20 years we’ve been going to the Mile Hi Nationals.

Fast forward to 2010.

Rummaging through some old family photos and 8mm film I found a treasure I thought had been lost. All my film and photos from that day in 1964! So I decided to make a video of that day to share with all the people that remember U.S.30 and those who unfortunately never got to experience the sights, sounds and smells of that drag racing era and especially the beloved U.S.30.





Those were the days.

NOTE: For a US 30 commercial and more information: U.S. 30 Drag Racing Nostalgia and VanSenus Auto Parts!

by RidesAPaleHorse
video: RAPH
images: Van Senus
Website: http://deathby1000papercuts.com/2010/04/video-us-30-dragstrip-in-1964/






















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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBiNH14YCLY&feature=player_embedded

What a cool video!! Love those old cars!!

chargerchick wrote:

What a cool video!! Love those old cars!!

I know, right? Todays drag cars are awesome, there's still just that something special about the era of experimental drag racing. We were all like in our teens and wide eyed with amazement.

Never made it to US30 but I did go to Great lakes when I was a youngster and I suspect it was much the same kind of place. How long till GLD joins US30 as a "Remember When" kind of place.

Thanks for the video and story. Great job.

Nice thread, Tom.

HiPwr wrote:

Nice thread, Tom.

Thanks, Eric. With the CAMM Anniversary coming up, I thought it would be neat to find some old footage and history of the early days. There was a nice pic of one of Mr. Norms early entrys, with Grand Spaulding Dodge painted on it. It must have been before he became known as Mr. Norm.

Man, Tom, do I ever remember that radio ad, with the echo effect, when I was a kid

Quote :

US THIRTY DRAG STRIP! THIIIIIIS SUNDAY SUNday Sunday sundaaaaay..

BIIIIG Daddy DOOOON GARLITS! DON "The Snake" PRUDHOOOOME!

US THIRTY DRAG STRIIIP!

WHERE THE GREAT ONEEEES....RUN Run run run run run run.........

Great memories.

I'm not old enough to remember this, but its a kool vid anyway.

Shawn1112 wrote:

I'm not old enough to remember this, but its a kool vid anyway.

Back in those days, the guys building these rail jobs, and drag cars didn't even have them painted. Some of them looked like pos, but then they would line up and turn an 8 sec 1/4 or something better. As years went by and sponsors adopted the best of the best, the appearance and designs really changed.

Just a friendly bump for the CAMM ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND. Lot's of new people here that should see where it all started. Really a must see.

Thank you Tom.

loved it, a great video. wish i could have experienced that. looked like a good time!

Here...for all you young whippersnappers that don't remember this from the first time around...

These TV ads were on all the time...this is the announcer Tom and I are talking about:

Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!!!

thats pretty cool to know where drag racing history took place.Thanks for the vids Tom,Dave

Nice find, Dave. That was the typical radio ad on WLS in Chicago. Very cool!

chargerchick wrote:

Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!!!

I remember hearing that all the time when I was younger.

real cool thread tom!

I pass there alot my friend lives not far from where it stood. The 1/4 mile and concrete is still there you can see it from the road even though the weeds are 8ft tall and being that they never built anything on this property too bad nobody could step up and open this place back up! By the way that old barn you see in the video across the street is still there as far as I remember!

Here is some good info and then and now pics.
http://www.lostindiana.net/Lost_Indiana/Lost_Indiana__US_30_Drag_Strip.html

TheDarkKnight wrote:

Here is some good info and then and now pics.
http://www.lostindiana.net/Lost_Indiana/Lost_Indiana__US_30_Drag_Strip.html

You know, from a satellite photo, it looks like the entrance is probably blocked...but MAYBE not??? Russ, is it fenced off? If not, it would make a cool site for a road trip for some CAMM group photos...

Iguanaman wrote:

TheDarkKnight wrote:

Here is some good info and then and now pics.
http://www.lostindiana.net/Lost_Indiana/Lost_Indiana__US_30_Drag_Strip.html

You know, from a satellite photo, it looks like the entrance is probably blocked...but MAYBE not??? Russ, is it fenced off? If not, it would make a cool site for a road trip for some CAMM group photos...

Photos schmotos Dave. If it ain't fenced off we're racing. lol

Illinois Chaos wrote:

Iguanaman wrote:

TheDarkKnight wrote:

Here is some good info and then and now pics.
http://www.lostindiana.net/Lost_Indiana/Lost_Indiana__US_30_Drag_Strip.html

You know, from a satellite photo, it looks like the entrance is probably blocked...but MAYBE not??? Russ, is it fenced off? If not, it would make a cool site for a road trip for some CAMM group photos...

Photos schmotos Dave. If it ain't fenced off we're racing. lol

Boo-Yaa, there you go.

Yea no fence guys just a long log that looks like an old telephone pole so people don't drive in there but a bunch of us could move that lol!!!

Cool...Tooooom??????? Whattaya say? photo outing??????