MCGEE PRESERVES BRISTOL HISTORY
Sun, 2010-06-20 14:10
The history of Bristol Dragway is important to David McGee. Preserving that history, he admits, is his lifelong challenge.
McGee, of Bristol, Tenn., is so passionate about the drag strip carved out of a valley that he’s attended every major national event since 1979 and has written a book chronicling the history of track in pictures.
“This was one of the first places I came to, to attend a national event,” McGee said. “I grew up about four hours from here so this was the closest major event to my house.
The history of Bristol Dragway is important to David McGee. Preserving that history, he admits, is his lifelong challenge.
McGee, of Bristol, Tenn., is so passionate about the drag strip carved out of a valley that he’s attended every major national event since 1979 and has written a book chronicling the history of track in pictures.
“This was one of the first places I came to, to attend a national event,” McGee said. “I grew up about four hours from here so this was the closest major event to my house.
“I had heard about this all my life. When I first came here I was struck with the acoustics of the place. The whole aura about it hooked me. It was just a mind-blowing experience to be part of it. As the years went on I worked for the IHRA and I had a more intimate knowledge of what was going on around here. I realized that this really was a very special place.”
McGee was so impressed with the experience that he took a job with the IHRA, formerly the sanctioning body for the drag strip. The corporate headquarters for the IHRA were located on the grounds of the track.
“It was pretty cool to come to work every day because you never knew what was going to show up,” recalled McGee. “Somebody might come and test or your might have spectators just come by. You see that today with the circle track where people will stop and want to take pictures. That was the case even back in the mid-1980s. You would have race fans who would stop and just want to stand on the starting line. They wanted to see it. It was really cool.”
The memories of the fan interaction went a long way to convince McGee he wasn’t alone in his admiration of the facility and served as an inspiration for his book titled Bristol Dragway.
It is the second book he’d authored, the first being on Bristol Motor Speedway.
While the speedway book moved quickly, the drag strip version catered largely to a smaller niche audience.
“Bristol Dragway came on the heels of a book we did on Bristol Motor Speedway with the same publisher, Arcadia Publishing and it was a new venture for them,” McGee explained. “I think their expectations were very high because the Speedway book did very well. (This one) didn't sell as well as that did. But, at the same time, it was very well received. It's still selling well. It's still out there and on the market. It's only been out there three years.
“We see throughout motorsports, we see people looking back; looking at where the sports have been, whether its NASCAR, whether its Formula 1, whether its NHRA or IHRA. I think people are beginning to appreciate, as the population ages, I think people think back and remember they went there as a kid or whatever. People are reaching out to that. You look at all the nostalgia websites, Facebook and people have put up tributes to tracks where they grew up. I think people recognize and appreciate that history. I think as people as we get older, as the population ages, we long for our youth and I think that's a big part of it and where the appreciation comes in.”
And for Bristol Dragway, few can appreciate the unique facility like McGee does.
McGee, of Bristol, Tenn., is so passionate about the drag strip carved out of a valley that he’s attended every major national event since 1979 and has written a book chronicling the history of track in pictures.
“This was one of the first places I came to, to attend a national event,” McGee said. “I grew up about four hours from here so this was the closest major event to my house.
David McGee has authored a book on the famed Bristol Dragway and has contemplated a second book. He’s seen the track through the good and the bad. He believes there’s none finer than the drag strip carved out of a mountain.
McGee, of Bristol, Tenn., is so passionate about the drag strip carved out of a valley that he’s attended every major national event since 1979 and has written a book chronicling the history of track in pictures.
“This was one of the first places I came to, to attend a national event,” McGee said. “I grew up about four hours from here so this was the closest major event to my house.
“I had heard about this all my life. When I first came here I was struck with the acoustics of the place. The whole aura about it hooked me. It was just a mind-blowing experience to be part of it. As the years went on I worked for the IHRA and I had a more intimate knowledge of what was going on around here. I realized that this really was a very special place.”
McGee was so impressed with the experience that he took a job with the IHRA, formerly the sanctioning body for the drag strip. The corporate headquarters for the IHRA were located on the grounds of the track.
“It was pretty cool to come to work every day because you never knew what was going to show up,” recalled McGee. “Somebody might come and test or your might have spectators just come by. You see that today with the circle track where people will stop and want to take pictures. That was the case even back in the mid-1980s. You would have race fans who would stop and just want to stand on the starting line. They wanted to see it. It was really cool.”
The memories of the fan interaction went a long way to convince McGee he wasn’t alone in his admiration of the facility and served as an inspiration for his book titled Bristol Dragway.
It is the second book he’d authored, the first being on Bristol Motor Speedway.
While the speedway book moved quickly, the drag strip version catered largely to a smaller niche audience.
“Bristol Dragway came on the heels of a book we did on Bristol Motor Speedway with the same publisher, Arcadia Publishing and it was a new venture for them,” McGee explained. “I think their expectations were very high because the Speedway book did very well. (This one) didn't sell as well as that did. But, at the same time, it was very well received. It's still selling well. It's still out there and on the market. It's only been out there three years.
“We see throughout motorsports, we see people looking back; looking at where the sports have been, whether its NASCAR, whether its Formula 1, whether its NHRA or IHRA. I think people are beginning to appreciate, as the population ages, I think people think back and remember they went there as a kid or whatever. People are reaching out to that. You look at all the nostalgia websites, Facebook and people have put up tributes to tracks where they grew up. I think people recognize and appreciate that history. I think as people as we get older, as the population ages, we long for our youth and I think that's a big part of it and where the appreciation comes in.”
And for Bristol Dragway, few can appreciate the unique facility like McGee does.
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