Messages

1

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Larry Sutton's take on "real" race car drivers

« on: May 16, 2015, 04:13:15 PM »

AF150,
 That's exactly right! Richard is from Las Cruses, as am I and he was always hanging around the family and dad. I used to laugh at my mom (probably a big mistake) because she used to always blame Tharp for my dad getting in trouble, ha. Boy was she wrong, lol. Talked to Richard a while back when my mom passed, but he's still pretty busy, Richard is still Richard! I was just a kid in the 60's, but I remember hanging out in Irving at Curt Carrolls house in the garage and over at the Anderson Bros shop in Oak Cliff. It was a great time, they were always thrashing on something and getting ready to go racing. I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, I always thought I would grow up to drive a fuel car, but we lost dad in the early 80's things changed. Family came first. So now I bracket race around here and up in Oklahoma. Maybe our paths will cross one day at Tulsa. Send me a facebook request so I can see your operation if you get a chance. Mike Bailey

2

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Larry Sutton's take on "real" race car drivers

« on: May 16, 2015, 07:54:09 AM »

Back when I was a kid, my dad Gary Bailey drove for several teams here in div. 4. I remember going to the track with dad and the Anderson Bros. here out of Dallas. It was always a thrash for those guys, they were either going to set a record or blow up. Back in those days everyone around here ran the steel headed 392 and if you popped a blower it was pretty much over unless someone would loan you one. I remember when dad and the Carroll Bros. got their first 'big' sponsor, Valvoline, they got free cases of oil and man did they think that was great. Times have changed in the big show, kind of wish they would tone it down a little, but you know the saying, money talks. There are still a lot of us out here that race like in the old days, build our own engines, transmissions, owner operator, thrash between rounds and hang out, help and wrench with the guys that we stage our cars against. Racing is still alive and well, just on a different budget.