75-80 Dragway

Fastest my Dads Lumina ran there was I believe an 8.06, mph was somewhere in the 160s., that was 1/4. Mostly ran 1/8s though as the track aged.

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Originally Posted by AlBeight View Post
I miss my 87 Turbo T also. However, I don’t miss that damn oil soaked air intake hose that wouldn’t stay clamped no matter what I did with it, resulting in a huge letdown while doing a full pull. Still loved that car no matter how many times that happened (which was a lot).

Atrox88 said:

There was a solution to that but dang if I can remember what it was anymore.

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I got this one. It was two band clamps that were connected by a wire grid (small pattern chicken wire). The grid kept the clamps from moving. Later we used thicker hoses that did not expand and contract as much when boosted.

AlBeight said:

I miss my 87 Turbo T also. However, I don’t miss that damn oil soaked air intake hose that wouldn’t stay clamped no matter what I did with it, resulting in a huge letdown while doing a full pull. Still loved that car no matter how many times that happened (which was a lot).

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I had an 87 GN with some mods, I don’t miss mine because it was broke down more than it ran and parts we’re a pain to get. However I personally don’t believe there is a better street car out there.

Choppin said:

I had an 87 GN with some mods, I don’t miss mine because it was broke down more than it ran and let’s we’re a pain to get. However I personally don’t believe there is a better street car out there.

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You're making me miss our GN. I don't recall the year, but when the family was done with it pop sold it to a friend of his who proceeded to add nitrous (along with other mods) to it. That thing could scoot! IIRC it's 1/4 mile ET's were in the 10's

I remember friday night motorcycle races, my buddies and I ran our bikes there a few times. we were slow as crap but still a thrill.

boothdoc said:

Love the place. I wish they opened up the kart track also. That was a ton of fun.

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Yes! I’ve logged a lot of laps there on various silly little motorcycles. I miss those days.

If anyone is looking, I have a buddy of mine with an 87 GN for sale. 2 owner 12k original miles.

FFBWMD said:

If anyone is looking, I have a buddy of mine with an 87 GN for sale. 2 owner 12k original miles.

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I'm afraid to ask how much.

basscat said:

I'm afraid to ask how much.

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Don't know, I'll have to ask.

FFBWMD said:

If anyone is looking, I have a buddy of mine with an 87 GN for sale. 2 owner 12k original miles.

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Details please.

FFBWMD said:

If anyone is looking, I have a buddy of mine with an 87 GN for sale. 2 owner 12k original miles.

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*****If it is in good shape, and not crazy outrageously priced, it should sell quickly. I get offers on mine many times when I take it out for a drive, or when I go to car shows, etc.. It's a cool car from a generation that many people my age were old enough to know what it was but perhaps too poor to buy one or young to drive one, etc.. I only knew about them from reading magazines as well as seeing them at the track just absolutely crush small and big block V8's from the 70's with a little V6 and a pretty big turbocharger for its day, some race gas, slicks, and a modified chip that altered timing and injector duty cycles, etc.. Really quite advanced for its day and am amazed at how much aftermarket support still exists for a car that old. Lots of really smart guys adapted more modern turbos and upgraded things like MAF's, Injectors, and designed better intercoolers, etc.. I've met many of the big vendors over the years and several are still in business catering mostly to the Mustang/Corvette/Subaru/Nissan crowd now but still have a section for the Grand Nationals. Wiring harnesses, gaskets, connectors, specialty beefed up convertors and transmissions (the TH-200R4) are still available as aftermarket.

Whenever I have my garage open and folks see the GN in there, it is not uncommon for folks to take pics of it, or if I am there ask if they can look at it, or take pics of it for their dads, brothers (Never ever ever their smoking hot sister or young single moms... darnit!)

The one I currently have is very clean as I'm a neat freak and like to maintain it, etc.. It's a great sunny Sunday morning car to tool around in and I sometimes take it to the gym and have guys driving modern Hellcats, Chargers, Mustangs, etc.. ask about it.

I have other cars, but the GN has always been a cool car for guys from my generation of hot rodding. I've worked on older and newer cars, big blocks, small blocks, etc.. but have always tried to keep a GN in the stable as it was my dream car when I was in college (waaay after they came out..), and I have awesome memories modifying them, racing them, and just cruising along with them and surprising more than a few tubbed out, monster blowered/chromed out and hood scooped cars with crazy loud exhausts, etc..

Lots of faster cars out now but there was a time when the GN was an absolute giant killer with a little V6 and really quiet exhaust, air-conditioning, and not much more than a couple of badges on the car sort of making it look like more than grampas old Buick.

Some of the most famous Grand Nationals of their day - a couple are absolute sleepers: super quiet cars, fake fuel tank hiding a fuel cell and just scary fast given they are not trailered and have Nitto drags or other such street legal drag radials.

The little pic is of one of the fastest early modified Grand Nationals: the ATR tubbed out twin turbo GN. Brutal for it's day - somehow street legal. There are several guys in my area with GN's and we get together every now and again to chit chat, talk about the old times, and drive around a bit. I'm one of the younger guys by far in the group. Bunch of old dudes in the group - ornery, some are also into guns, etc... A good group.

I remember passing the track as a car crazy youngster in the late 60's on the way to the Peter Pan Inn. No hope of convincing the parents to make a detour.

Last time I was there was maybe 2009. I can't wait to go back.

FYI. The Hicks’ posted this an hour ago.

Opening day July 31st. Time to party.

This is not going to be the 75-80 that our dads raced at or we went to as kids. It will be the smell of weed, pit bulls on logging chains and a parking lot full of ex police cars bought at an auction. Just stand by and watch it all unfold!!!

303 said:

This is not going to be the 75-80 that our dads raced at or we went to as kids. It will be the smell of weed, pit bulls on logging chains and a parking lot full of ex police cars bought at an auction. Just stand by and watch it all unfold!!!

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I have one of those cars


Sent from an undisclosed location.

i remember driving by a couple of months ago and was sad to see the trees growing up the bleachers and hoped one day someone would resurrect it.

I still have all my slips and fond Friday test and tune memories.

And, the plot thickens....

If you guys can imagine this...
County government seems to be blocking the re-opening of 75-80 Dragway...
Evidently, someone isn't following the "rules"...

Here's a quoted letter from County Councilman Steve McCay:

"Good Evening!
75/80 Dragstrip
A few weeks back, I was just as surprised as many of you to see lots of activity taking place at the dragstrip. Pleasantly surprised. Not all of you may agree with me on this, but I am glad to see the track being reclaimed from nature and that a new operator wants to make a go of it. I live very near the track and for most of my 22 years here, I heard the racing and enjoyed it. For me, the noise wasn't a bother - it was one of those unique features of our County that made it special. The dragstrip was there long before I moved in and I accepted and embraced it as a part of living here.
As I said, however, not everyone agrees with me on this and some folks complained to the County. Now, the County apparently had no inkling of the work being done at the dragstrip, nor of the intended reopening on July 31. There's a reason for that. Apparently, the new operators didn't check on their permitting or zoning requirements. That was a mistake on their part.
Let me address the zoning and permitting issues separately. The County's first response to me included the claim that the activity wasn't permitted in the zoning, which is a mix of general commercial (where this use is permitted) and agricultural (where it isn't). The current zoning is actually the same now that it always was when the track was in operation, but the County zoning folks were initially contending that whatever grandfathering or prior allowance that was in place was no longer valid following the several years of inactivity at the site. I'll tell you this - I'm prepared to argue against that point because I think that would be an arbitrary and subjective decision that isn't backed by zoning code. The good news is that I don't think I'll have to make that argument. My last discussions with senior County officials is that the zoning issue should be workable.
Permits and code issues are another story. I won't argue against the County insisting that things like electrical wiring be done to code standards. Today, I heard from a bunch of people complaining that the County wasn't allowing the operator to use portable generators at the site and that didn't seem fair to many of you, particularly knowing that they are used at carnivals and elsewhere. So I asked about that issue and learned that the generators are fine. The problem is the wiring to the generators being out of code. I just can't argue against that. This is a situation where the operators need to put things right and I hope that they can do so.
I don't know what other code and permitting issues the operators face right now. I don't know if their plan to open on July 31 is going to happen. I suspect not. But I hope that they can open soon. If we need to take an action on a zoning issue, I am prepared to support that, but I hope it won't be necessary because those take a lot of time. Otherwise, I hope that the County will continue working with the operator, and that the operator will bring the site up to code so they can get back to racing."

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and, Breaking News...

Hurricane Tours, has also allegedly taken over management of another local closed track, aka CAPITOL RACEWAY.

At this point, and hopefully I am wrong...but it feels like we're all being TROLLED, IMHO....

Pretty much IMPOSSIBLE to re-open Capitol Raceway TOMORROW...lol.
EDIT: NOW IT SAYS OPENING NEXT FRIDAY, JULY 30TH

Thankfully, there is no pipe dreams and trolling at my home track, CECIL COUNTY DRAGWAY. They are 100% open for drag racing tomorrow night, and open all season, until it snows....

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CRm5NbRFBnL/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Same guy trying to open both tracks. I have heard so many stories why Bradshaw stop running it and why Capitol would never reopen. I don't know what is going on.
I hope it opens but I will believe it when I see it.

I heard they are going to check ID's. Weird.

omegared24 said:

I heard they are going to check ID's. Weird.

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****Checking ID's - so there won't be any voting going on then..