Sometimes it is the simple things, right? On a day when I’d give my left arm to be at the drag strip a friend send a link to the video below. This is a television ad that ran in the New York market for the NHRA Summernationals in the early 1980s. Personally, I think it is for the 1982 race but I am not 100% sure of that fact. Either way, it’s from somewhere around that time window. It’s not that flashy but it is great. The theme music used is called “Strings in Bondage” and while the title has a weird name, it is still used today in sports montages and stuff. It was a signature piece of NHRA music back in the day. They used it on broadcasts, under highlights, and clearly in these ads.
Steve Evans is the hustling voice in this one and the most radio spots I do in my career the more I appreciate what I am listening to. No, it ain’t breaking rocks in the sun but there is a skill in sprinting through an ad like this and still making it sound like English. He does not waste a second here but it doesn’t sound like alphabet soup. The guy was the man. We all know that.
So hey, 30-seconds to make you smile. Enjoy this.
So great. My first National Event was this race in 1983 and never missed one until they shut down drag racing at Raceway Park a few years ago.
AWESOMENESS!!!
Quick calendar research shows that July 14-17 was Thursday thru Sunday in 1983, so there ya go.
Boy we remember that race and others the heat and humidity during July and August was unforgettable. Being able to see l of the sports stars in one place was amazing Raceway Park had it all.
Back then it was a fun time at the Summernationals. Yes it was usually 95deg and 90% humidity! During the downtime when a funny car or dragster blew an engine, the grandstands on both sides would start yelling “the other side sucks!”.
$7.00 to get in on Thursday and all the Pro classes ran 1 qualifying,
and of course all the sportsman classes.
Saw a lot of good stuff on Thursdays.
My first Summernationals was in 1971 and I went at least 20 times. For many years it was the only time all season that I went to Englishtown strictly as a spectator. The rest of the time I was racing there.