Why so little history on Alton, Illinois dragstrip?

[Aircooled]

By most descriptions Alton was an early and influential strip. National records were (or maybe were not?) set there. However, there seems to be very little historical info or pics available online compared to some of the other early tracks. Anyone know why?

I ask because Alton was the track my father visited as a teenager during the height of the Gassers.

[Grumpy]

I can't answer that, it was also left out of the recently published "LOST DRAG STRIPS" Book along with a few other strips that I thought were significant. I had been to Alton 3 times, twice to watch match races and once to race and of course that's where Chris the "Golden Greek" Karemesines ran the first 200 plus mph even though it was backed up there are those that still dispute it to this day because they would like to claim it!

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=chris+karamesines&mid=7F3F6E1158CD9CB6D2387F3F6E1158CD9CB6D238&view=detail&FORM=VIRE1

[Monk]

I'd be curious also as they had some big events there over
the years.

[Brian Lohnes]

Hmmmm....it is a good question that I don't really have the answer to. I had a recent conversation with a friend who makes my knowledge of the sport look like fly shit and he told me that there have been sever thousand recognized drag strip sites in the USA alone. (qualifier for a drag strip = a place that charged admission). Also another fact (and I trust this guy beyond 100%) is that there are more operating drag strips at this very moment than there have ever been in the history of the sport...both IN and OUTSIDE of the USA.

Alton was open until 1971 but to my knowledge, was never NHRA sanctioned (perhaps the 204 deal so soured Wally on the place that he wouldn't let them in the fold). It did have an AHRA sanction at one point for a short time, but was never part of their "Grand American" tour. Ultimately, I think the competition from other area tracks did it in. Why is their not much info? Maybe they did not have a track paper at the time like many did. Maybe after the early 1960s it became more of a match race, weekly racing program type of place that was off the "major radar" of the drag media in that era. Early tracks (outside of the California strips) seem to be largely thin on info. Here in the east, many were former military installations that either morphed into full time strips or were supplanted by "purpose built" drag strips.

Long story short, I think we don't have a lot of info floating around about Alton because there wasn't a lot of info to float out. I am not taking a shot at the place, but I am struggling with what other reasons could be.

Today, Alton Dragway is the entrance road to a trailer park...seriously. Here it is (wonderland dr) --

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Storeyland+Drive,+Alton,+Illinois&hl=en&ll=38.919503,-90.1057&spn=0.011269,0.022724&sll=38.889937,-90.14953&sspn=0.001409,0.00284&oq=storeyland+alton,+illinois&t=h&hnear=Storeyland+Dr,+Alton,+Madison,+Illinois+62018&z=16

[studemax]

that's where Chris the "Golden Greek" Karemesines ran the first 200 plus mph even though it was backed up there are those that still dispute it to this day because they would like to claim it!

If I remember correctly, Greek was using hydrazine on that run.... so they disallowed the run on illegal fuel.

[Brian Lohnes]

There were no rules against hydrazine at that time. The run was never recognized by NHRA because it was not an NHRA sanctioned facility with NHRA certified clocks. I do agree that this went down during the nitro ban, though.

Don Maynard, who was The Greek's crew chief was well known for his use of hydrazine and I believe it was in the tank on that run as you do.

[Monk]

Hmmmm....it is a good question that I don't really have the answer to. I had a recent conversation with a friend who makes my knowledge of the sport look like fly shit and he told me that there have been sever thousand recognized drag strip sites in the USA alone. (qualifier for a drag strip = a place that charged admission). Also another fact (and I trust this guy beyond 100%) is that there are more operating drag strips at this very moment than there have ever been in the history of the sport...both IN and OUTSIDE of the USA.

Alton was open until 1971 but to my knowledge, was never NHRA sanctioned (perhaps the 204 deal so soured Wally on the place that he wouldn't let them in the fold). It did have an AHRA sanction at one point for a short time, but was never part of their "Grand American" tour. Ultimately, I think the competition from other area tracks did it in. Why is their not much info? Maybe they did not have a track paper at the time like many did. Maybe after the early 1960s it became more of a match race, weekly racing program type of place that was off the "major radar" of the drag media in that era. Early tracks (outside of the California strips) seem to be largely thin on info. Here in the east, many were former military installations that either morphed into full time strips or were supplanted by "purpose built" drag strips.

Long story short, I think we don't have a lot of info floating around about Alton because there wasn't a lot of info to float out. I am not taking a shot at the place, but I am struggling with what other reasons could be.

Today, Alton Dragway is the entrance road to a trailer park...seriously. Here it is (wonderland dr) --

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Store...ois+62018&z=16

Lot of the smaller tracks in Missouri were AHRA in the 60's......the small one we ran at Ste. Gen was AHRA.

[Brian Lohnes]

AHRA was headquartered at KCIR, so Missouri was their "turf".

[Monk]

AHRA was headquartered at KCIR, so Missouri was their "turf".

I knew that.

[Jimbo17]

Sad but many old drag strips suffered the same fate.

There is so much history and memories from many of these really great drag strips that it is a shame when they go out of business.

Over the years the AHRA has had their share of problems and their history is well documented along with all their money problems.

The list of drag racers and promoters who lost their money over the years dealing with the old AHRA would fill a book.

I don't know why Alton went out of business but if they were involved with the AHRA that might have been part of the problem.

Jimbo

[Bruce Morgan]

Many many years ago, back in August of 1961 I spent a night in Alton and had a fantastic dinner there on a Saturday night. The following Sunday, I ran my 1957 Chevy B stocker there and at the time, Alton must have been an NHRA drag strip. I stopped there on the way to driving my car to Indianapolis for the Nationals. My reason for being there was the NHRA points that were awarded and I won my class and top stock eliminator. So, for sure it was an NHRA strip on that weekend.

[Jimbo17]

Maybe this might bring back some memories for you of Alton.

Jimbo