Here is just a short video of a few passes of my last day visiting Atco Dragway (April 16th, 2022). I had breakfast with my sister on this morning and she suggested that we go to Atco and watch the races. I told her, “Not today. I have too many things to do today.” I dropped her off at her house in Atco and I left. I was in my beautiful ‘61 Dodge Dart Seneca “Annabelle” and I had to pass by the dragstrip on my way home. The temperature was about 78 and it was beautiful. My windows were down and I could hear the engines, and I could smell that wonderful burnt rubber filling the air. I paused by the track briefly and the folks in the lanes getting ready to race were all staring back at Miss Annabelle! It dawned on me just at that moment: Life is uncertain. We should enjoy the day, as the list of things to do will always be there, but days like these may not. I called my sister and told her to get ready! I hung a U-Turn right at the street, right next to the start line and went back and retrived my sister. We ended up spending the day there just watching the races. It was a good call, as I moved away 4 months later and I was never able to go again. Without any warning on Tuesday July 18th 2023, the announcement was made by Atco that they were closed permanently! The 2023 Pan-American Nationals had just taken place that weekend from the 13th to the 16th. Most of us were stunned, and still feel saddened and cheated that they did this to us without ANY notice. There is nothing particularly special about this video. Just an average day enjoying the races at Atco. This however will be held in very high regard for me and with the memory of what it was like to have Atco nearby, and having the ability to just go whenever we wanted. I will miss Atco very much and I encourage any comments that you have about your memories and experiences of Atco Dragway. Memories are now all that we have of this historic and famous place. ALL of the greats have raced here, and I may have taken my street car down the track a few times myself. From my youngest days of seeing Bob Hall’s Paddy Wagon perform a quarter mile wheelstand, or Bunny Burkett taking the time to pose with me for a photo from my little 110 camera, to watching Bigfoot crushing cars, to “Benny the Bomb” blowing himself up in front of our eyes, to standing next to the Green Mamba and asking my dad how anyone could fit in the cockpit, and then to look up and see Doug Rose with his artificial legs standing there (and he heard my entire statement), to seeing Rob Vandergriff’s 1957 Chevy “Thundercraft” making ridiculously fast passes, to watching Richard Hutchins in his “Chevy Rebellion” sending sparks everywhere with the front end sky high, to watching Doug Malewicki’s “Robosaurus” eating cars, to watching Roger Guston’s “Lava” jet car setting the track on fire, to watching Eddie Hill in his top fuel dragster setting blisteringly fast runs with his famous smile and thick white hair, to watching the spectacular thrill shows, to seeing the Virginia Beach Beast crushing cars, to getting to ride in the tractor and trailer that transported Bigfoot from Medford Ford to Atco, to winning 1st place for my Volkswagen Rabbit at Waterfest, to simply catching a painful but worthwhile sunburn and just watching the street cars do their thing, to; you get the idea. I have spent thosands of hours here, and I sure will miss this place. If you actually read this entire description, then you either have too much time on your hands, or you love Atco and drag racing as much as I do. Your comments and memories are welcome. To Atco Dragway : thank you for 63 wonderful years. We sure will miss you. In memory of Atco Dragway 1960-2023
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