Until you put a '59 & '60 Biscayne side by side or on top of each other as in the above pictures, it's hard to think just how DIFFERENT they really are. I tended to think they had more in common than they really do. Neat pictures!

Love the 'big car' pics!

I know some might thing bracket racing is 'lackluster' but it is def more challenging that heads up racing - the strategy involves the whole length of the track, every run. If not for bracket racing, the guy with the most $$ would win - now the best driver / tuner wins! I used to think it was dumb, but once we started Jr Dragsters we thing heads up racing is dumb!

"strategy involves the whole length of the track"

This is the aspect of BR that many do not understand ... not just a test to see who has the best brakes -- TAZ

The car next to the Camaro is the Larry Lamardo Buckshot II. When Tim Worner owned it

Try cutting a light and banging gears and keeping the car straight "the whole length of the track" in an old school high rpm Modified eliminator car while it pops a wheelie with every gear change.

I grew up watching NHRA classes and eliminators at Raceway Park in Englishtown and remember when they gradually changed over to bracket racing starting in 1976. All of sudden it was a different ball game with home built, lower-rpm, single four-barrel carb and automatic transmission-equipped race cars (many with 2-speed Powerglides for God's sake!) with primered paint, or panels, dents in the body, front bumpers removed, interiors stripped out, and hardly any 4-speed cars to be found anymore virtually everywhere you looked in the pits and staging lanes. No more catchy names on race cars, in fact, hardly any names, no custom paint jobs, etc. All gone virtually overnight with the introduction of bracket racing. I know bracket racing and its cars have come a long way since that time but the lackluster type racing still exists. The virtually empty stands bear this out. Oh, sure, if you're in the car racing, it's a blast. But if you're in the stands, it's boring. At least to those of us who've seen better racing at the track.

Here are some examples of the junk that started showing up at the track once bracket racing started going..."run what ya brung" at its worst.

http://i.imgur.com/ntg50oL.jpg http://i.imgur.com/fUIbCcN.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/GyqDXU0.jpg http://i.imgur.com/m6In9UT.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/b8loAIw.jpg http://i.imgur.com/4UfXjw1.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/7ZrzlI4.jpg http://i.imgur.com/YAljZom.jpg

This video shows what was a common sight every weekend at the drags and virtually disappeared overnight as bracket racing took over at the local level. Take it from me, you haven't seen bad-ass drag racing if you have never watched Modified eliminator cars in the 1970s. Pro Stock eliminator racing was even more exciting.



I'm not here to argue with you about bracket racing...whatever floats your boat and makes you happy as far as automobile racing is concerned. But I know better (racing) 'cause I've seen it.

I'm with you Peter. I ran MP in the early '70s at E-Town and the pedal was always on the floor and the brakes weren't used until after the finish line. I wasn't a "bucks up" racer but the joy for me was just the fact that I was racing and trying to get the most out of the car that I could.

Of course it was always nice to win once in a while when the big boys weren't there (or they screwed up)

Verne

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I agree 100% our local 1/8 track barely pays it's bills and other 1/8 tracks are all closed around me..who fell into the bracket racing trap.

I want to see nice cars run not sh*t boxes that show up at my local track. 78 volare 4 door station wagon with no bumpers, primer and no interior.

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~ Pete

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~ Pete

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