Pittsburgh International Dragway

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Presented by
Remembering the
Pittsburgh
International
Dragway
Here’s How It Works
Runnin’ Down the Road
Page 20
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Bu b of
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Page 12
P.I
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Tagging Along with the
P.I.D. Hall of Famers
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E D I T O R I A L
F L A S H L I G H T DR A G S
“Like” us on
P.I.D. Day at the
Flashlight Drags
W
Michael Schindel, editor
e talk a lot about “good old-fashioned, heads-up racing.” Today you get
to see it done – the way it used to be – the way it all started. Anyone who
remembers Pittsburgh International Dragway has got to feel some nostalgia.
Anyone who raced at P.I.D. will no doubt relive the thrill. And all you young
tuners … pay attention because these are the masters.
We are so excited about this First Annual P.I.D. Day at the Flashlight Drags.
This event constitutes the paragon of racing; the soul of the sport. The P.I.D. story is the story of drag racing,
and you’ll have the opportunity to meet the guys who keep the story alive. Jim Senkewitz, Jim Henderson, Don
Bye, and Bill Truby truly are some of “Pittsburgh’s Finest Automobile Enthusiasts.”
Producing an event like this requires many constituents to join forces. From Greene County, the Commissioners got on board - Chuck Morris, Archie Trader and Blair Zimmerman; Director of Parks, Jake Blaker, and his
team helped set the stage; Elizabeth Menhart and Candace Tustin from the Go Greene Tourism Office shared in
promoting the event; Safety arrangements were handled by the Waynesburg VFD; Administrative duties were
managed by Greene Country’s Chief Clerk, Jeff Marshall; Warden Harry Gillispie and his work team agreed to
oversee the grounds; Melanie Longstreth at the Waynesburg Chamber of Commerce pitched in to support the
event; and I can’t forget all of the pilots who graciously agreed to a ‘no-fly’ afternoon.
A special thanks goes out to Mr. Jack Pratt of Jack’s Excavating for being the Presenting Sponsor again this year.
And thanks to all of the sponsors listed below.
Title Sponsor
Jack Pratt of
Jack’s Excavating
Event Sponsors
InstaCare Urgent Care
Open Throttle 360 TV
Pittsburgh International Race Complex
CS Tire
Snyder Performance Engineering (SPE)
Hartman & Hartman Constructors
Greene County Tourist Agency
Observer-Reporter
Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix
TalkHotrods.com
Chuck Carnahan of
State Farm Insurance
Rodeheaver’s
Hot Rod & Auto Repair
John’s Sales & Service
Spray-It-Racing
Contributing Sponsors
CarCruises.com
Elmer’s Engines
Royprographics
BigAlsList.com
Apex Performance
WVstreets.com
And finally, to all of the Racers and Race Fans here in Greene County, we thank you for being a part of this celebration of racing. YOU are the reason that Hot Rod Magazine selected the Flashlight Drags at the Waynesburg
Airport in Greene County as one of the 57 Gearhead Must Attend Events! Yep, we made #35 on the list.
Check it out in the August 2013 Issue of Hot Rod Magazine.
On behalf of the Flashlight Drag Crew, I extend our appreciation to all of you. Be Safe. Have Fun.
Michael Schindel
Publisher
Altered Gas Performance Events, LLC FLD
Photography by
Dan Dishart
Publication design by
Bill Bingham
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F L A S H L I G H T DR A G S
O F F I C I A L
R U L E S
Simple Rules
These events are intended for street cars
and trucks only!
• SAFETY FIRST!
• Have fun – this is a family-friendly event
• 1/8 mile distance – 660 feet of the fastest
pavement in Greene County
• Valid Driver’s License
• Proof of Insurance
• Current State Inspection (if a PA car)
• DOT Tires
• Burn Outs – Designated Area only
• No Passengers (except Parade Lap)
• Racers must sign Greene County Waiver
• Convertibles – tops up or bring a helmet
• Speed limit in the spectator return
lane 25 MPH
How does this work?
How do I find
someone to race?
These are the two most often asked questions at the Flashlight Drags. Finding a race partner isn’t hard … someone
will usually find you. When you are ready to race and if
you don’t have a race partner, simply drive up to the staging
lane and follow the signs to Singles Lane. This lane is set
aside for racers who don’t have a partner or for the person
who just wants the thrill of racing, they are happy to race
anyone who pulls up next to them at the starting line. It’s
just like “street racing.”
What if I lose?
There is no limit to the number of races you can run. Our
format is simple: win or lose a race, get back in line and do
it again. One year we gave an award to a racer for running
37 times in one day.
Can I race my buddy?
Yes! We call that Grudge Racing. Some grudge matches actually go back years – maybe even decades. These races
happen in several different ways:
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• Any racer can call out any other racer and get in line
• Any fan can call out a race – notify the DJ and we will
call out the cars for you
• A grudge match may happen spontaneously as
anticipation in line grows
Who is the fastest?
This is a hard question to answer. We try to stay away from
putting cars into classes, and for the most part, we don’t
classify racers. But everyone asks, “Who is the fastest?” It
must be a result of good old American competition. So, we
give out 8 PINK SLIPS for four different vehicle types:
Top Street – these racers are our true street cars,
usually made in the USA
Big Dog – you’ll know these cars when people say, “That
can’t be a street car!”
Top Tuner – sometimes called imports, usually a less than
8 cylinder under the hood, in the trunk, or even behind the
back seat
Diesel Truck – this is a new class, and as the name
implies, it’s for trucks. This will be a wild class.
Rain Out Policy
All Sunday Rain Outs will be rescheduled based upon an
agreeable schedule with the county. We will try for the following Sunday.
If the event gets rained out after we start, keep your numbered armband for admission for the following Sunday. No
one will be admitted free of charge without a rain check
armband.
W H E N I T ’ S N OT Q U I T E A N E M E R G E N C Y
EASY ACCESS. EXPERT CARE.
Your time is valuable, and so is the health of your family. At
Southwest Regional Medical Center, we care about both. That’s
why our new InstaCare Urgent Care is designed to treat less
urgent, non-life-threatening medical conditions quickly and
EASY ACCESS – we’re close to home and easy to find when time matters most
LESS WAITING – in and out of the clinic quickly
EXPERT CARE – you will always see a medical professional, that’s our promise
EXPANDED HOURS – we’re open Weekdays 9 am – 9 pm and Weekends 10 am – 6 pm
CONVENIENCE – when you don’t have a regular doctor, we are here for you
OCCUPATIONAL – Pre-employment physicals, laboratory testing, drug testing and
MEDICINE treatment of non-emergency injuries
conveniently, with the same quality of care you’ve come to
expect from our full-service hospital. Best of all, we’re right in
the Greene Plaza, close to home, where you need us.
InstaCare
URGENT CARE
220 Greene Plaza • Waynesburg, PA 15370 • 724-627-1950 • www.southwestregionalmedical.com
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F LLA SAHSL IHG HLT I DR
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Remembering the
Pittsburgh
International
Dragway
By Jim Senkewitz
Editor’s note - Jim Senkewitz and a hand
full of guys work year round to keep this
piece of history alive. The Flashlight
Drags crew Thank them for their efforts!
T
he Pittsburgh International Dragway (P.I.D.)
opened in 1964, and for the next 11½ years,
it was a special time in history. Motors,
Muscle Cars, and Memories . . . until the oil embargo in the 1970s, when many tracks, including
P.I.D., were forced to close. Twenty years later, Tom Lang was the DJ on the
“Rappin’ on Racing” radio show. He recounts that
every time a caller would mention the old P.I.D.
Drag Strip, his phone lines would light up. Realizing the significance of the P.I.D. experience
to those who had been a part of it,
Tom organized the very first P.I.D.
Reunion at the Keystone Drag Strip. The weather was a disaster for that
first gathering, but everyone saw the
potential of growing the event. CO NT I N UE D
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E D I T O R I A L
F L A S H L I G H T
www.FlashlightDrags.com | Flashlight Drags
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F E A T U R E
F L A S H L I G H T DR A G S
Remembering
P.I.D.
Over the succeeding years, the P.I.D. Reunion
idea has be resurrected by various enthusiasts at several local venues: Bobby Johns
organized an event at the Friendship Park
Drag Strip near Steubenville; Hud Hood and
the Pittsburgh C.A.R.S. car club held a Heidelberg Raceway Night; Don Bye organized
the yearly P.I.D. Reunion Car Cruise at Sonic
in Bridgeville; and a Pittsburgh International
Dragway Hall of Fame was established.
The 2013 season looks to be the biggest year
ever with the addition of several events:
• The P.I.D. Banquet and Hall Of Fame
Induction Ceremony was held in
February, and is scheduled for next
February at the South Fayette Fire
Hall
• Quaker Steak & Lube Restaurant
has agreed to design a P.I.D. room
at their Pleasant Hills location
complete with photos, trophies,
and other memorabilia
• The second annual P.I.D. Car
Cruise at Quaker Steak & Lube
was attended by 300 cars in June
C O N T INU ED
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PA G E
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F LLA SAHSL IHG HLT I DR
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A GTS
Remembering
F
E E
D AI T O
U R IE A L
P.I.D.
Over the succeeding years, the P.I.D. Reunion idea has be resurrected by various enthusiasts at several
On Sunday, July 7, 2013, the first annual P.I.D. Day is scheduled at the FLASHLIGHT DRAGS in Waynesburg, PA at the Waynesburg Airport. An old-school match race is planned. Jim Henderson is bringing
out his NHRA legal CHEVY Stocker (1965 Chevelle with a 327 4-speed transmission) to run against Bob
Liberatore’s clone of a 1963 FORD factory lightweight racer (427 cubic inches – maybe more). Other
old-school drag race cars will be on display for this event. Check the website www.flashlightdrags.com
On Wednesday, July 24, 2013, the third annual P.I.D. Reunion Car Cruise will roll into the Sonic in Bridgeville. Last year’s event saw 800 cars on display!
And finally, the 2013 season wraps up on September 28 and 29 with the PID/Keystone Nostalgia Nationals at Pittsburgh Raceway Park. Funny Cars and Front-Engine Dragsters are scheduled along with the
Super Stockers and Gassers. Check the website for more program and schedule information at www.
pittsburghracewaypark.com.
Next year, 2014, marks the 50th Anniversary of the
Pittsburgh International Dragway track opening. Exciting plans are in the works including a
new Pittsburgh International Dragway book
co-authored by Bill Holt and Bill Truby. You can
keep informed through the following media
sources:
www.PittsburghInternationalDragway.com
P.I.D. Facebook Page (including Bill Truby’s
photo collection)
P.I.D. Twitter Account
FLD
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Flashlight Drags | www.FlashlightDrags.com
SPEdiesel.com
SNYDER PERFORMANCE ENGINEERING
And many many more!
For all your turbocharged diesel needs
“IF ITS PERFORMANCE WE CARRY IT FOR YOUR GAS OR DIESEL”
Specializing in
Powerstrokes
Call 724-833-5834
Custom built turbos
designed for specific
applications including
2.6 2.8 3.0 and
compound setups
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www.FlashlightDrags.com
Presenting by
1/8 Mile Racing, Heads-Up Racing Grudge
Matches and Fun Runs on the Runway
INTERNATIONAL
DRAGWAY
Event Sponsors
Poster Compliments of
PID DAY
WAYNESBURG AIRPORT
GREENE COUNTY PITTSBURGH
First Annual
JULY 7 2013
F LLA SAHSL IHG HLT I DR
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Tagging along with the
P.I.D. Hall of Famers
By Hersch
T
hanks to hot rod Ambassador
Jim Senkewitz and the very
gracious permission of Mike Kosky
and his wife Janet, I was privileged
to be able to tag along with a small
group of PID Hall of Famers who
went out to see the track.
Yes the track is still there, but it’s also very close to a
housing development, which just about guarantees it
will never reopen. We can only dream.
In one of my dreams, I’m driving Joe Minert’s ‘64 Pontiac, “The Alaskan.”
Announcing
New Owners
Joe was at the track along with Don Liberatore, Bob Tedesco, Ted Brine, Mark Becker, Jerry Heard, Bob Jones
and others who had a special connection to the track
and its history. There’s a lot more to the story (video
included) coming soon to talkhotrods.com.
Thanks Mr. Kosky. You are a true hero to all of us who
love hot rodding in Western PA.
Be careful in the hot rod. —Hersch FLD
DAN DISHART Photography
Specializing in Automotive Photography
You’ve spent all that time and
money in the garage, now,
preserve the memories!
724.612.5080
[email protected]
www.DanDishartPhotography.com
Cash and DJ want to welcome
you to our new shop!
Traditional and Non-Traditional Tattoos
1249 National Pike, Hopwood, PA
724-963-1057
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Flashlight Drags | www.FlashlightDrags.com
State Farm.
www.FlashlightDrags.com | Flashlight Drags
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F L A S H L I G H T
D E PA R T M E N T
RIDING
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O
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James J. Pitterich Jr.
Hometown: Elizabeth, PA
Driver Profile:
Cars are a big part of my life, both work and play. During
the day, I am an automotive technician. In the evening
my time is spent between family, motocross with my son
and my friends race cars. My car started out as a shell,
and with the help of my friends, it is now a classic car
that I’lll enjoy racing for many years.
Likes - I really like the diversity of cars and the competitiveness between the racers.
Custom Engine Builds
and Machine Shop Service
• Drag Racing (Street/Strip)
• Classic Engine Restoration
Car Details
Year: 1968 | Make: Chevy | Model: Camaro
Modifications
433 cu. in. Big Block Chevy, single 82 MM turbo on
E85, TH400, 3.55 gears
CO NTINUED
PAGE
Bob Jones Racing
724-344-1156
Aeromotive Fuel System
Brad Penn Racing Oil
Custom Racecar wiring
and plumbing systems
Racecar Trailers our Specialty
The Performance
Specialist Since 1979
3782 Wexford Run Road | Wexford, PA 15090
724-935-4830 www.ElmersEngines.com
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F L A S H L I G H T
D E PA R T M E N T
RIDING
SHOTGUN
C ONTINU ED
FR OM
PA GE
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Glen Kinsey
Hometown: Waynesburg, PA
Driver Profile:
I am a 79 year old, total Gear Head. I built my first hot
rod in high school shop class. I built and raced Dirt Jalopies, Stock Cars, and Modifieds. I Moto-crossed until the
summer I turned 50. I started drag racing when Flashlights came to Waynesburg. No one remembers when I
wasn’t there, but I’ve only missed four or five events.
I traded a model A sedan for the S-10 and have raced it
from day one. The Only repair it had was a spark plug
wire melted on the header, and I had to fix that.
Modifications
The engine is a 350 bored-30 over, Double Hump 63cc
Heads, approximately 12:1 compression, a good Cam
and that damnedable Dog Bone Drive. The Transmis-
Car Details
Make: Chevy | Model: S10 Pickup
sion is a 350 with Ratchet Shifter. The tires are the biggest cheater slicks (DOT) that will fit without tubbing.
Editor’s note: Glen had a For Sale sign in the S-10 for a
short while. He removed it during the May 5th race. He
noticed that he was beating most racers from the line with
a quicker reaction time. I asked him, what happened to
the For Sale sign? He replied with a smile, “as long as can
best someone off the line, I’m going to keep racing.”
Uniontown, PA
724.430.1970 www.MillersYamaha.com
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Flashlight Drags | www.FlashlightDrags.com
Chris Cardiges
Hometown: South Park
Garage:
All the fabrication and restoration to transform this car
was done in my garage. Still needs dialed in, but she’s
ready to wake up and come to life.
Likes:
I like the whole experience – working with good buddies
in my garage, belonging to the LOCC car club, building,
driving, and racing.
Car Details
Year: 1956 | Make: Chevy | Model: 210 two-door
Flashlight Drags:
I’ll drive this car to the Flashlight Drags, race it, and drive
it back home again. That’s about 150 miles for the day.
It’s all part of the fun – plus I’ve met new friends, enjoy
the scene, and get the opportunity to race. Thanks to Michael at the Flashlight Drags for being one hell of a cool
dude that goes out of his way to bring this to us.
Modifications:
56 fiberglass tilt front end; glass doors; California
frame; straight axle front end; Ford 9” rear with a
locker and 4.11 gears; 4-wheel disc brakes; 462 big
block Chevy; rectangular port heads; dart intake
ZL-1 cam; 1050 annular boost carb; 400 transmission
with a manual valve body; 10” converter FLD
www.FlashlightDrags.com | Flashlight Drags
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A
C o l l e C t i o n t h At
S p e A k S
f o r
i t S e l f
For more informaton
on this collection, contact:
GEORGE MYRTER
100 North Meadows Drive
Wexford, PA 15090
724-935-2422
Cell 724-316-5070
Car Photography by Dave Anderson
[email protected]
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F L A S H L I G H T DR A G S
F E A T U R E
RUNNIN’
DOWN
THE ROAD
Editor at Large –
Gerry Kerna
O
n Saturday, June 8th, I hopped in the Chevy II
and went to the grand opening of the first Pep
Boys Speed Shop in western Pennsylvania. The day’s
events featured a car show, raffles, prizes, food, music, a dyno challenge, and best of all, sale prices in
the Speed Shop!
Ryan Serrino is the Speed Shop manager and a
great guy. He told me about the product lines they
offer and his goal to expand over time. I walked up
and down the aisles noting many brands including Flowmaster, Edelbrock, Holley, Spectre Performance, MSD Ignition, Moroso, Auto
Meter and more. The shop is
all about convenient access to
performance parts and supplies
for us “car people” and our rides.
The Pep Boys Speed Shop is inside the Pep Boys store located
on Clairton Boulevard across
from Century III Mall in Pleasant
Hills … so cruise on over and check
them out! FLD
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Western Pennsylvania’s SRT headquarters!
Visit us at:
1625 E High St. Waynesburg, PA 15370
Phone: (724)627-7111