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Post by Jeff Kempton on Aug 4, 2011 20:23:21 GMT -4
I've been told that before the dragstrip at Oyster Bed Bridge began operations in 1971, there was drag racing in the Summerside area. My understanding is that it took place at the WWII training airstrip at Mount Pleasant that is now (or was recently) owned by the editor of the now defunct Canadian Classics magazine. I also heard a story (from someone who said he was there) of at least one organized and legally approved drag racing event taking place on a closed off section of public road near the former CFB Summerside air base.
Can anyone shed more light on this era in PEI drag racing history? Years and extent of operation, who organized them, what turnouts were typical, and any other info would be of interest to me and I'm sure many others too.
On a related note, the Ford Canada Racing Team supposedly stopped at "PEI Dragway" during their country wide tour in 1969. Can anyone fill in the blanks on that?
Jeff R, this should be right up your alley!
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Post by jkr on Aug 4, 2011 20:48:41 GMT -4
come on now kempton, i was only 11 in 1969 !!! and with that disclousure everyone who can do math will know how old i really am. i won't be like richard boyd and his endless attempts to hide his age on every tech slip he fills out.
as far as the mount pleasant thing goes i was actually there when a very unoffical event was run on that old training facility. no high tech equipement that i remember just two cars at a time. there was also runs on the old c.f.b.summerside runways also i believe.
kinda like the outlaw stuff that went on late sundays at robinsons island on the north shore just up the road from "pei dragway". but thats another story for around a campfire not where snoopy police can read about it here.
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Post by scottiebarebum on Aug 4, 2011 21:37:04 GMT -4
ive saw some pictures from races at mount pleasant, and some tropheys from the events there. for many years it was a sunday afternoon gathering spot for people to rip their cars up the strip. its still there but todays generation just dont seem to have the ambition to use it.
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151A
Full Member
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Post by 151A on Aug 4, 2011 22:27:21 GMT -4
I raced at Mount Pleasant a number of times in the late 70's. Most of the time the cars were divided into 4 classes. SB stock and modified and BB stock and modified. The winner from each class than raced off . At one point they tried to use some sort of a timing system and handicap the cars.Prizes were mostly trophies. Carl
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Post by cobrajet on Aug 5, 2011 21:31:41 GMT -4
The Ford of Canada was at HFX Dart international drag way,
I have some pictures some where.
I can't imagine them going to PEI.
Barry Poole and John Elliot( with their Super Stock Mustangs) were in HFX also, not at the same time,when it was rained out they packed up their stuff and visited PEI until the next weekend.
They came back and put on quite a show.
Bill
E/SA 1428
ps I went to Mount Pleasant once and destroyed and engine just
playing around not an offical race.
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Post by Jeff Kempton on Aug 5, 2011 23:37:43 GMT -4
Thanks everyone for the feedback. The Ford Racing Team story came from a friend who says he has a 1969 team program stating they would be at "PEI Dragway". I know; it doesn't make sense to me either.....
With trophies and classes; it sounds like Mount Pleasant was run at least once as an "official" dragstrip; but it also sounds like at times it was just a bunch of hot rodders getting together to race with no official sanction?
If and when it was run as an official event(s) who put it on? A local car club or someone else? And it sounds like it's been an occasional place to race for decades, and maybe still so?
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151A
Full Member
Posts: 14
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Post by 151A on Aug 6, 2011 6:08:15 GMT -4
Jell, if my memory is correct Mount Pleasant was run by a bunch of local guys. When I first went there to race there wasn't much organization but as they held more events they started to do tech and run things as most events would run.That would be around 1977 or78. This is before I kept log books. Like a lot of tracks noise was a factor for a few residents and when the novelty of a drag strip in western PEI wore off the car count dropped and they stopped running. I heard from a friend in the area that they tried to start up again a couple of times in the 80's but access and other issues kept much from happening.If my feeble memory recalls anything else I will post. Carl
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Post by Jeff Kempton on Aug 6, 2011 8:13:12 GMT -4
That fills in a lot of the blanks; thanks Carl.
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Post by oldtimer on Aug 6, 2011 10:05:34 GMT -4
Raced there many times myself,seems to me it was local guys,not very well organized, but still a lot of fun,not as much fun as running from the cops on Robinsons Island,(right Jeff?haha).
FYI, it memory serves me, Barry Poole was born and raised in Montaque,PE. I have an old late 60's HotRod mag with a few pictures and wrtie up about him,Brian
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Post by Patrick on Aug 8, 2011 5:57:47 GMT -4
...I also heard a story (from someone who said he was there) of at least one organized and legally approved drag racing event taking place on a closed off section of public road near the former CFB Summerside air base... This is true, it was put on with the help of local police and volunteers on the road that runs parallel to the main highway and runs from South Drive to the set of lights at CFB Summerside. My father (Ivan Noonan) won his class at this event and I believe he has the "Race Report" from the local paper at home somewhere. I'll see if I can dig it up and scan it or at least get you some more details. I believe it was in 1970. |
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