Thanks to pal-o-BangShift Dawn Mazi-Hovsepian we were tipped off to one of the most comprehensive and cool vintage drag racing videos we’ve ever seen on the interwebs. This film starts with converted 8mm tapes taken in the early 1960s and travels over steps in time though photos and video footage. We see relatively stock cars like ’57 Chevys racing, then there is some evolution to the super stockers, and then we start to see some old school funny cars and front engine fuel dragsters, and the video continues like this through the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and into the current time (well 2012 to be exact). What’s really neat about this is actually seeing how a drag strip evolves over a 50 years span.
Literally things start as a strip of asphalt with no lines, no guardrails, no paved pits, not concession stands, and the appearance that the restrooms are masquerading as tall trees in the background. Then slowly but surely the place gets a little nicer, the guard walls appear, a small tower is built, and on and on. Today, US131 Dragway in Martin, Michigan is one of the nicest tracks in the country, bar none. Both Chad and I have been there (multiple times for me, not sure about Chad on that front) and from the racing surface to the cool and huge timing tower, the place is top shelf. We see so many videos and stories about tracks that have died along the way or folded up and been made into condo complexes that it is sadly rare we actually get to see a track come from virtually nothing into one of the finest facilities in the country.
All of the huge names from yesterday and today are shown here. You’ll have to watch to see them all. We think that it’s cool the dude who made the video included some footage shot in the stands during a filming of the show Pinks (we think an All-Out episode) as that show really had the drag racing world by the scruff of the neck for several seasons and the popularity is evident by the fact that US131 was packed out for that taping and the place went nuts in the finals.
This video makes us happy. It tells a great story without saying a word. Happy 50 years US131, we wish you 50 more (at least)!
PRESS PLAY BELOW TO SEE THE HISTORY OF US131 DRAGWAY PLAY OUT BEFORE YOUR EYES!
Great footage and terrific editing job. Kept my interest all the way through.
Jim Amos
Bee On Video
Chad and I have been there on Drag Week a couple of times. There is a picture on the wall in the main office of Chad’s 69 Camaro Convertible. It was owned at the time by Jay and Pam Sanders.
Great video!! Mid Michigan is the place to live if you love racing. 3 strips within 1 hour drive, 4 circle tracks within 1 1/2 hours. as for the weather, we race on the ice and snow in winter! been to 131 many times, the best when a guy with a slant 6 open wheel blew everybody away. we have been going since the mid 60’s and plan to go racing until the day they turn off the life support machines
Spectacular!
I ran the first time ever at Martin in the early 90’s, and I’m pretty sure the “Mott’s service” special shown on the super 8 film was at least worked on if not owned by my friends Dad… whom I’ve sent this to for him to look at, this is absolutely fabulous!
Huge thanks to the folks that put all this together – this was a time consuming effort I’m sure.
Wow! Thanks so much for for all the kind comments about my video. This was a tough one to make and very time consuming mainly because of the poor condition of the 8mm film that I received from my friend. I felt that it needed to be seen because of the fact that it is the earliest film of Martin that I have ever seen and it also includes footage of Arnie Beswick’s A/FX ’63 Tempest Wagon and Dick Brannan’s ’62 406 Galaxie and his ’63 A/FX Lightweight Galaxie. If anyone can ID the wild Allison powered dragster in the ’62/’63 footage I would love to know more about it. I couldn’t find anything about it on the Net. Thanks again for watching and thanks to Dawn for recommending my video!
I thought it was art arfons original green monster that I believe had a Allison. I used to race there from 67-72-super nice now!
I’ve been going there for decades now. A lot of memories there. I remember a couple incidents involving jet cars. On one pass, the jets took out the lower windows of the tower and the other is when one blew the starting line away on it’s pass. The shutdown was always bumpy in the early days and the big MPH guys weren’t fond of it but since the total remodel, the track is straight as a string.
Great footage! My Dad and I went for many years.Late 60s-80s. A lot of good memories! Made it to every Popular Hot Rod meet. I remember when Dragster “Kentucky Moonshiner’s” shoot didn’t open and he ended up IN the TREES! at the end of the strip!! I need to get back there. Hear it is better than ever now.