1950’sto

1978

The Batmobile had it’s public debut at Motor City Dragway in 1967.

Same announcer tower 50 years later. The roof is gone, but you can still make out where the window edge is on the fallen over piece.

Pictures of the same silo 40 years apart. The farm is also long abandoned with the dragstrip.

My buddy Roger trying to get a beer at the concession stand.Service was slow that day.

Does anybody remember standing here in the 50’s, 60’s, or 70’s?

It’s hard to believe we were standing where Don Garlits, Connie Koletta, and Sox & Martin drove. The track is intact for another 3/4 mile past the farm debris. The ‘U’ of the return road is fairly clean at the end, & then it’s gone. Mother Nature does wonders in 30 yrs.

Even Keener radio was involved!

It’s amazing that it’s still here. Detroit dragway is now an industrial park, & Mckinley airport is a Meijer with the only clue to it existence being the “Airport Deli” inside.

Little Red Wagon, a wheelstanding legend on the drag strip DETROIT – The Little Red Wagon became a drag racing legend as the first "wheelstander" back in 1965. There wasn’t enough room for the huge engine under the hood, so it was placed behind the cab, in front of the rear wheels, which required cutting a hole in the pickup bed and another into the cab itself.

In a 1965 practice run at the Motor City Dragway north of Detroit, the Hemi's astounding torque and horsepower, and the truck’s rear wheel drive and slight rear-weight bias, all combined to surprise the Wagon's driver by throwing its nose into the air. The result was an unexpected, thrilling, and moderately dangerous quarter mile. When the accidental automotive acrobatics were repeated for race fans, they went wild. Their popularity continued for many years, and Golden last ran the Little Red Wagon in 2005 – 40 years after its debut.

The Wagon outlasted the track by 28 years, but it started it’s fame here. It did loose to the Batmobile.

This is near the end of the track. The left lane was more overgrown out here.

Here is a pre 2003 aerial view of the track taken in the early spring. It is just south of 26 mile (Marine City hwy) and runs from Meldrum towards Church. There is no way into it from the road. It’s a hike through 4 feet of growth. Anybody want a tour?