Author: admin9e17
Don Nicholson was born on May 28, 1927, and passed away on January 24, 2006. He was a legendary drag racer with a career spanning over 60 years. Nicholson was a trailblazer in Stock, Factory Experimental, Funny Car, and Pro Stock racing. He earned the nickname “Dyno Don” for his early use of chassis dynamometers to fine-tune his cars in the late 1950s. This was while he worked as a mechanic at a Chevrolet dealership1. He became a force to be reckoned with in the 1960s and 1970s, winning many championships and match races. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzyl3CUoxuA Key Takeaways Don Nicholson was…
Motor City Dragway was a legendary drag racing spot in the U.S., running from 1957 to 1997 in New Baltimore, Michigan1. It opened in 1957 as the first member-owned strip, 35 miles northeast of Detroit1. Over 40 years, it saw muscle cars evolve, professional racing grow, and Detroit’s auto scene change. The track was started by the Michigan Hot Rod Association (MHRA), a group of passionate fans1. In 1951, 20 clubs joined the MHRA, creating a space for drag racing fans to meet and plan events1. The first legal drags in 1953 were held at a GM site, supervised by…
History Of The Racing Team The RAMCHARGERS The story of the RAMCHARGERS racing team is told in books by Mike Buckel and Dave Rockwell. It all started in the 1950s with a group of Chrysler engineers who loved1 drag racing. They raced their own hotrods on weekends but soon decided to build one super car together. This car, a 1949 Plymouth named “High & Mighty,”2 broke records right away. For ten years, the RAMCHARGERS ruled the1 drag racing world. They set records, won races, and brought new ideas to car racing. These ideas changed the game for1 Mopar performance and1 muscle cars forever. Key Takeaways The RAMCHARGERS were a group of Chrysler…
Clare Sanders: June 4, 1941 – July 25, 2023 Clare Sanders raced at Detroit Dragway and was another of the top drag racers of the 60′ & 70’s. We were lucky to have had Clare as a friend on our Funny Car FB group, and were very sad to hear of his passing. In the heyday of drag racing Detroit Dragway was one of the drag strips where the top cars & drivers wanted to race, and Clare was one of those drivers. Clare drove some of the top hot rods of the time. Limelight – Chi Town Hustler -…
It’s with great sadness we were notified that Detroit Dragway’s only owner from 1959 to the last race in 1997 Gilbert Alan Kohn passed away on March 31st 2024. Mr. Kohn owned more drag strips than just Detroit Dragway, but here in Michigan and around the states it was one of the top places that racers wanted to race. Mr. Kohn’s Detroit Dragway had a large impact on the the muscle cars of the 60s & 70s as auto dealers and factories would test their cars there. Mr. Kohn’s legacy will live on in the history of drag racing, and…
Ace Wilson’s Royal Pontiac Raced at Detroit Dragway Ace Wilson’s Royal Pontiac, located in Royal Oak, Michigan. Just a very short distance from Woodward Ave. Growing up and cursing Woodward in the 60s & 70s we would go into Royal Oak and past Royal Pontiac looking if we could see any of his race cars. This is just a brief article to acknowledge some of the big name racers, along with our local racers. Together they made Detroit Dragway one of the top dragstrips in the 60s & 70s. Ace Wilson and Milt Schornack opened Royal Pontiac in the 1950s.…
Art Arfons Raced At Detroit Dragway Art Arfons was another of Detroit Dragway’s famous drag racers starting in 1959. We are proud to say that Art Arfons raced at Detroit Dragway, and so we are glad he did. This is just a short blurb to acknowledge Art Arfons.Art Arfons was one of the most successful racers & drag racers in the 1960s. He competed at Detroit Dragway, and often won races. In this article, we will take a closer look at Art’s career as a drag racer. We will also discuss his racing achievements and what made him such a successful…
John Gacioch PhotosHere a some of John’s photos taken at Detroit Dragway. Click the small photo to see a large image with a slide show.
Nostalgia Racing At Milan 2023 https://youtu.be/cu-e55nNL6c?si=2BfScYZq6uJRD0KVhttps://youtu.be/yDNYKMOPMOU?si=a4nStZvWERi-EtJohttps://youtu.be/IC-nm8U39gQ?si=iGKgkrLptt0kj1PRhttps://youtu.be/HWl-qqod7zc?si=q7njMPgMtfKX0BYQClick one of the photos for a large image with a slide show.
Detroit Dragway Reunion 2023 https://youtu.be/o2-2In5_Tgo?si=Nlp2oejepGQg7Pdxhttps://youtu.be/JXK1-wSFFEQ?si=BdPmE1T529H79W9Ehttps://youtu.be/K8iAOppqg3A?si=dhiDyYPQwIJxpdb-