Street race '57

[Ron B.]

In an ongoing effort to find the history of my '57, I came across this picture from a newspaper dated July 29,1968. It was taken on Third Avenue, between 29th and 17th streets,in Brooklyn, NY, just before these two cars were about to race. Apparently, the police pulled in a moment later to prevent that. The caption for the picture stated that about 75 tickets were given out that night to drag racers. The Vette in the photo shows numerous similarities to pictures I have of mine, although all could be just coincidental. My '57 had a hood scoop, fenderwell headers, missing parking lights, missing fenderscoop chrome inserts, damaged front pan, Grant steering wheel, a crack in the front passenger side fender (same place), even a hole in the rear passenger side bumperette where the antenna is. None of this might mean anything but...

I put this picture in in hopes that someone may recognize it and perhaps give me some history of the racer. Could this car and mine be the same? The license plate on the Vette is a NY plate, 1110-BZ. There must be some NY street racers from the '60's and '70's out there. Any one recognize the car, or raced at that spot? You can admit it now you're safe, retired and a grandfather. Who would suspect? How about pictures of Corvette street racers from that time? Anyone have pictures they would share with us all? Not to glorify street racing, but for nostalgia sake. The other picture is my car in 1971. Feel free to comment or contact me. I appreciate any information. Thanks.

[Joel T.]

Re: Street race '57

I can't help you with the car but I can certainly identify with the timeframe and the location. I grew up in Brooklyn and that section of 3rd avenue as well as Marginal Street, along the waterfront, were prime drag racing spots. Guys would come from miles around (some actually towing!)to race and once the crowd grew the cops would basically stay away. Late 1960 early 1970's the son of one of my father's friends was actually killed down there when he lost control of his red C2 Vette... made all the local papers. That aside, there was always lots of action in that neck of the woods, Friday and Saturday nights...

[William L.]

Re: Street race '57

Ron
GREAT picture. It looks like your vet left on the other guy???

[Verle R.]

Re: Street race '57

Ron,

I'm sorry I cannot help with your question but I love the pictures.

It brings back memories of Friday and Saturday night street racing in Tulsa.
We called it the Mohawk Timing Association because we usually raced in Mohawk Park. Not many cops out there at night.

One of the strong running cars was a 57 Corvette with a 389 Pontiac and 4-speed.

Verle

[don izzo]

Re: Street race '57

Ron, back in the early 60's I lived in Yonkers, NY and I Drove a 62 Vette. We all "heard" about a place called "The connecting highways" were street racers would converge to race on weekends. Would this picture be from that "infamous location"? Though I never made it there it was a legend in my town.

Don

[Ron B.]

Re: Street race '57

Don,

My car was sold in Yonkers in 1971. It must have been crusing your streets during that time period. It was reported to have been sold out of a house on Central Ave. across from a diner down from Yonkers Raceway. Any recollections? How about friends of yours who might know something about the car? Any help is appreciated. I lived on Staten Island at the time, and the hot spots there were Hylan Blvd on the south shore, where there were miles of road and few lights, South Avenue in Mariner's Harbor, the abandoned airstrip where the S.I. Mall is today, Richmond Avenue, and after the S.I. Expressway was built, the Bayonne Bridge extension, where cars were towed in to race.

The "connecting highway" was in Queens and was famous for street racing in the Tri-State area.

[Joe C.]

Re: Street race '57

Hi Ron,

Brings back great memories. Sorry, I don't recognize the car, but third ave adjacent to Bush Terminal, along South Brooklyn's waterfront was a favorite racing spot up until, I believe 1970, when the cops finally clamped down after a fatality in the summer of 1969.
There was a burger joint called "Mitchells" (later Wetsons, now Nathan's)on 86th street/Ft Hamilton Parkway, which was a kind of "pre staging" area, where many of the "money" races were arranged, plans and deals struck.
The crowds were into the hundreds, the local people would be at their windows, drinking servesa, and enjoying the noise, smoke, screeching, and yelling!
When the cops "closed down" third ave, then we would all move over to first ave. It was all a staged cat-and-mouse game between the racers and the cops, but the cops, as I said, got serious, and permanently closed it down in summer 1970 after the fatality.

Connecting Highway is part of the BQE, a spur of I278 that leads to the Queens approach to the Triborough Bridge.
Does anybody remember "Avenue D"?
How about "Cross Bay Boulevard"?

[don izzo]

Re: Street race '57

Ron, I know the area around the Yonkers raceway very well, I Totaled out my 62 trying to cross Central Avenue a block away from the race track when A Yonkers cop waived me through a red light!

I still work about a mile from there, but I can't recall a diner on Central Avenue in that area in the late 60's early 70's. there where two diners on Yonkers are across from the track could be that neighbor. I did know one guy from that area that was always building crazy Vettes. His name is Pete spiak, and along with a guy named Al they were know for working on Vettes. Pete lived right off Central Ave. about 3 blocks from the track. Al own Crugers auto paint supply in my home town. He retired and his son took over the location with a Mountain bike store. It's still there. I see Al from time to time during the summer months when cruise nights are in full swing.

If any of these names ring a bell, I can reach out to Al's son.

Don

[Philip C.]

Re: Street race '57 That @#%## is still

going on today. on Long Island anyway. The ZR1 boys started it up big time around the late 90's. They run the beach road every sunday moring they can, on a nice day in winter you could 500 600 cars out there. Phil 8063

[Mike B.]

Re: Street race '57

How about perhaps one of the earliest legit drag strips....Roosevelt field shopping mall on long Island.With light poles lining the strip,not very far from each car....I mean the strip was the parking lot! 1962?