I’ve been taking photos of cars in some way or another since my teenage years. Back in high school, my friends and I would go to the drag races at SIR (Seattle International Raceway), now called Pacific Raceways. These are pictures of one such outing back in the 1970s, and reflect a different era for drag racing.
The pit area used to be free to wander through
You could look the engines up close.
Some of those were objects of art.
There were also the funny cars.
Dragster and track up close.
Not a good day for this one…
This image shows that I probably should have owned more than a 50mm lens…
But on the return to the pits, the lens was good enough.
One of my favorite cars at the time, “Sonic Muffin.”
There was a drag strip just west of New Orleans years, years ago.
Not only were there drag racers, but individuals could also race there private street legal cars as well.
As I remember it, lots of Camaros & Mustangs & Firebirds.
Made of a fun day.
Very cool shots! I think I like the amXceleration best. Do you happen to know when in the 70’s these were taken? I’m guessing 1973 or 74 based on the background vehicles.
I’ve never been to SIR, but I heard the ads on the radio a bazillion times. It seemed like every radio station in the Seattle area was running them back in the late 70’s. SIXTY FOUR FUNNYCARS! BE THERE OR BE SQUARE! (Great photos, BTW.)
Great shots. I love the one with the Chevy truck, either owned by or sponsored by Joe Pignataro Chevy who also had Nissan and VW franchises at one point. The Chevrolet dealer was a victim of the 2009 dealer culling while they sold the Nissan and VW brands later. Interestingly another local dealership group eventually opened once again in the same location after replacing the building.
The trailer appears to carry an Al’s Auto Supply another long lost PNW business that had been owned by Paccar. It was sold to another PNW chain, Shucks that was eventually bought up and combined with Checker and Kragen then sold to Orielly’s. Al’s was one of my top choices and one location I used to frequent managed to survive all the buy outs and is still in operation today.
That Cammer is a work of art between the tightly contoured body panels and header.
Ex-Al’s Auto Supply employee here (1990-1995, during the Paccar era…) It was the end of the locally-owned time of PNW-owned auto part chains. I’ll admit it (30+ years after leaving retail auto parts) that it still was fun to be involved in the auto parts biz back then. After Al’s, I went to work for Performance Warehouse for 23 years. Sadly, the industry changed and lost the fun factor-replacing knowledge and enthusiasm with the “Employment-by-the-Low-Bid” method employed by various new, out-of-state conglomerates that took over everything.
Yeah the industry has changed dramatically with so many independents and smaller chains long gone. I used to work just down the street from the PAW warehouse in Auburn and attended a couple of their supplier trade shows when I worked at one of the Piston Service member stores.
HOLY COW! What cool shots! The lighting, medium used, content… Just A+ stuff here!
That CAMMER!
There was a drag strip just west of New Orleans years, years ago.
Not only were there drag racers, but individuals could also race there private street legal cars as well.
As I remember it, lots of Camaros & Mustangs & Firebirds.
Made of a fun day.
Very evocative shots that really capture the times and place.
Very cool shots! I think I like the amXceleration best. Do you happen to know when in the 70’s these were taken? I’m guessing 1973 or 74 based on the background vehicles.
Yep, 1974 I was a senior in high school
That AMX funny car even looks like it has an AMC engine, which had to have been a little uncommon.
I’ve never been to SIR, but I heard the ads on the radio a bazillion times. It seemed like every radio station in the Seattle area was running them back in the late 70’s. SIXTY FOUR FUNNYCARS! BE THERE OR BE SQUARE! (Great photos, BTW.)
Great shots. I love the one with the Chevy truck, either owned by or sponsored by Joe Pignataro Chevy who also had Nissan and VW franchises at one point. The Chevrolet dealer was a victim of the 2009 dealer culling while they sold the Nissan and VW brands later. Interestingly another local dealership group eventually opened once again in the same location after replacing the building.
The trailer appears to carry an Al’s Auto Supply another long lost PNW business that had been owned by Paccar. It was sold to another PNW chain, Shucks that was eventually bought up and combined with Checker and Kragen then sold to Orielly’s. Al’s was one of my top choices and one location I used to frequent managed to survive all the buy outs and is still in operation today.
That Cammer is a work of art between the tightly contoured body panels and header.
Ex-Al’s Auto Supply employee here (1990-1995, during the Paccar era…) It was the end of the locally-owned time of PNW-owned auto part chains. I’ll admit it (30+ years after leaving retail auto parts) that it still was fun to be involved in the auto parts biz back then. After Al’s, I went to work for Performance Warehouse for 23 years. Sadly, the industry changed and lost the fun factor-replacing knowledge and enthusiasm with the “Employment-by-the-Low-Bid” method employed by various new, out-of-state conglomerates that took over everything.
Yeah the industry has changed dramatically with so many independents and smaller chains long gone. I used to work just down the street from the PAW warehouse in Auburn and attended a couple of their supplier trade shows when I worked at one of the Piston Service member stores.
Great photos of a bygone era!
Lovely photos .
-Nate
I am kind of surprised more people weren’t running AMC engines. They have cylinder heads that make small-block Chevy heads look downright silly.
Phantastic Fotos, man…
Seems funny now to think people ran actual T-buckets alongside rails & Beetles…all seems terribly relaxed compared to now.