CompetitionPlus.com reader Harold Bradey raced for many seasons at Spartanburg Dragway and admitted that he could relate strongly to Bobby Bennett's editorial
It Used To Be My Playground.
Bradey, of Spartanburg, SC, raced a series of Modified Production entries at the track, the latest of which was this Stingray that he later sold to Garfield Freeman.
He sent us a few of personal photos and we felt it would be neat to do a few comparisons as well as a sampling of extra snapshots.
CompetitionPlus.com reader Harold Bradey raced for many seasons at Spartanburg Dragway and admitted that he could relate strongly to Bobby Bennett's editorial It Used To Be My Playground.
Bradey, of Spartanburg, SC, raced a series of Modified Production entries at the track, the latest of which was this Stingray that he later sold to Garfield Freeman.
He sent us a few of personal photos and we felt it would be neat to do a few comparisons as well as a sampling of extra snapshots.
If you raced at Spartanburg Dragway, we'd love to hear from you. Email us at comppluseditor@aol.com, and if possible send us your pics. Scanned newspaper articles are welcomed as well.
Every first Saturday of the month was designated as Super Stock/Modified combo night. This particular weekend attracted nearly 60 entries and in the end Bradey went to the finals. There he lost to 16-year old Debbie Johnson, who drove her B/Econo Dragster to an incredible string of 5.30 eighth-mile passes. Below, you will see the same angle of the above photo thirty years later.
By today's safety standards, Spartanburg Dragway would have been considered a death-trap facility. Note the lack of guardrail along the left lane and the return road running parallel. Teams used to park in the grass to the left of the return road. On the other side of those trees is a creek. Towards the end of the track's existence, a few cars ended up in that creek. Below, you will see the same angle of the above photo.
The above photo was not just your average crewman. Spartanburg rock-n-roller George McCorkle of the Marshall Tucker Band was a regular at the track with Bradey.
The view from the tower as the G/Modified Production two-door Nomad belonging to Dane Pearson and Glen Strange launches from the starting line. Below, you will see the remants of that two-story tower where CompetitionPlus.com editor Bobby Bennett announced as a 12-year old while his father handed out time slips from his post below.
Spartanburg Dragway had the distinction of running under NHRA, AHRA and IHRA sanction at one time or another. These pictures are of the tech inspection shed that once inspected the race cars of Butch Leal, Hubert Platt and even "TV" Tommy Ivo. Erosion from the nearby creek threatens one of the few remaining remnants of the track.
The left lane win light still remains and was a dangerous one foot away from the track with no guardrail. The track was quarter-mile from 1965 until 1979, when it was shortened to eighth-mile. The "Win With Sprite" scoreboard covers are missing.
At the end of the visit, Spartanburg Dragway yielded one gift to one of its staunchest supporters -- a burned out photo cell bulb.
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