http://www.lostindiana.net/html/us_30_drag_strip.html

Nice article on an important part of drag racing history.

Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! I remember all those old radio spots on WLS back in the 60s. Only raced there once in '69.

SMOKIN US 30 DRAG STRIP were the great 11111111's RUN RUN RUN RUN.

Rich -

Thanks for the memories. Back in the early sixties we campaigned a '57 Dodge at US30, the "Grove" - Union Grove, Wisconsin and Rockford Raceway in Rockford, Illinois. 30 (it was never US30, just plain 30) always had the big names and the racing was as good as it could possibly get. We got caught in a surprise downpour one Sunday and the pits flooded so bad that the water was up to the door sills. The only time we blew bubbles out the headers!

Listening to the radio promos all week long was a way of life. Everyone knew what Sunday, Sunday, Sunday was all about, even if they didn't know squat about drag racing. WLS was a 50,000 watt blow torch and on a quiet night it was heard over the entire Midwest and way beyond.

Ah yes, the good ol' days.

Yes we could get WLS at night only in my small hometown in far southern IN. We would listen in awe of the spots for US 30, Rockford, Union Grove, Oswego Drag Raceway, etc. This was mid-late 60's.

Here in PA, we had a famous race track that went by the same name of US30 Dragway. It was actually located on the landing strip of the York Airport. Back in the day (before my time) the racers would have to clear the track in order for a plane to takeoff/land.

A book was written about this strip and there is much history surrounding the very first US Nationals, which took place there. It is said that spectators were standing so close to the lanes that you could reach out and touch the cars at the top end of the track. Cars would be lined up out on the highway waiting to get in and traffic became a nightmare on this major throughway.

It's always nice to read a bit of history about the hobby we all enjoy so much.

Yes we could get WLS at night only in my small hometown in far southern IN. We would listen in awe of the spots for US 30, Rockford, Union Grove, Oswego Drag Raceway, etc. This was mid-late 60's.

Yes! We ran at Oswego too. How could I have forgotten about Oswego?
Chalk it up to old age. Thanks for the reminder Von.

Yes! We ran at Oswego too. How could I have forgotten about Oswego?
Chalk it up to old age. Thanks for the reminder Von.

Oswego became a nursery and now has been subdivided. I haven't been over to Merriville in a long while but last time I was I walked the quarter mile of US 30 and remembered all those great drivers I had the opportunity to watch run over those years. Probably all gone now though. Maybe condos or strip mall by now.:sad:
Da Grove, US30 and Oswego were all tracks I went to and ran at years ago. Great memories were made there. Like getting a little one on one instruction on drag racing a 4 speed at US30 from none other than Ronnie Sox! Things like that live on forever in my memory! Or the first time running a 140mph pass in my best friends brothers' '67 Corvette!:thumbsup:

I just looked at the link! That is pretty much how it looked when I was there last.

That was cool. I like those old dragstrips.

Was Oswego near Aurora or was that another? I remember Aurora being mentioned in directions in one of the WLS ads. I got to race once each at Rockford and Union Grove in the late 70's. Never been to US 30. Wish I would've gone.

Was Oswego near Aurora or was that another? I remember Aurora being mentioned in directions in one of the WLS ads. I got to race once each at Rockford and Union Grove in the late 70's. Never been to US 30. Wish I would've gone.

Yes it was, I was lucky enough to grow up 8 miles from the strip in Oswego.

Here in PA, we had a famous race track that went by the same name of US30 Dragway. It was actually located on the landing strip of the York Airport. Back in the day (before my time) the racers would have to clear the track in order for a plane to takeoff/land.

A book was written about this strip and there is much history surrounding the very first US Nationals, which took place there. It is said that spectators were standing so close to the lanes that you could reach out and touch the cars at the top end of the track. Cars would be lined up out on the highway waiting to get in and traffic became a nightmare on this major throughway.

It's always nice to read a bit of history about the hobby we all enjoy so much.

Yes that is what my dad told me as he and his firends went there many of times back when they ran there. he got to meet all the big names that raced there. and alot of thoes old cars are still around the area I live in. you just have to know the right people to hear the good stories:thumbsup:

Our local dragstrip from the '70s, Cornhusker Dragway, is now a storage location for a cement block company. For years following the closure the finish line win light indicators were still there telling us which stack of blocks and bricks just won the race. As long as those signs stood there was always hope the track would reopen. Once they finally came down, all hope faded. We haven't had a track close to this area since. Someone built one about an hour and a half out in the country in the middle of nowhere, but it too closed a few years ago. A local guy who has more money than brains wants to build a new track but he can't get any cooporation from the county board to let him do so.

Man, do I remember those days well. My older brother and I used to frequent ol' US 30 and Blue Top in Highland Indiana. I would love to see that drag strip come back to life!!!

I used to race at Oswego and sadly remember when it closed in '79.. Anyone remember my car? Here are a couple of pictures from when I raced there and its different looks. I still own the car altho havent raced it since.

http://home.comcast.net/~Tynker/CAMARO5.bmp
and from a couple years earlier..
http://home.comcast.net/~Tynker/CAMARO4.BMP

Great photos!

boy, that brings back memories. WLS and WCFL ran commercials for those tracks. What were the names of the DJ's back then. I remember when the jet cars first went to US30 and started the tower on fire. Where do the run now in that area?

boy, that brings back memories. WLS and WCFL ran commercials for those tracks. What were the names of the DJ's back then. I remember when the jet cars first went to US30 and started the tower on fire. Where do the run now in that area?

The closest drag strip now is US41, south of US30 at Enos Indiana.

I was on the US30 property near Gary Indiana a couple of years ago and it is still just vacant property. It looked just like the pictures on the Lost Indiana web site. If anyone would like to cruise by to check it out, the old US30 dragstrip was located just north of US30 on Clay street, just a little east of Merrillville Indiana.

thats so cool! I always said I was born in the wrong generation:( Im 21 and i love everything old from cars, way of life, how things were made, how ppl were treated, everything!

thats so cool! I always said I was born in the wrong generation:( Im 21 and i love everything old from cars, way of life, how things were made, how ppl were treated, everything!

Im totally with you there man I wish i was born in those days. People aren't as passionate about the things they do nowadays :(

boy, that brings back memories. WLS and WCFL ran commercials for those tracks. What were the names of the DJ's back then. I remember when the jet cars first went to US30 and started the tower on fire. Where do the run now in that area?
Larry Lujack was one of the DJ's. Anyone remember "Animal Stories" with "Good Old Uncle Lare" (Larry Lujack) and "Lil Snot Nosed Tommy"? It was hilarious.

Connecticut Dragway was closed in 1986 & is now Consumer Reports car testing facility.
ever notice that all the cars they test have CT plates on them?

http://www.vansenusauto.com/AboutUs/wlsus30Updated.wav

Here's a great WLS US30 commercial from Van Senus Speed Shops web site. US30 where the great ones run - run - run. :thumbsup:

here's another:

http://www.lakelandraceway.com/

I took a gander earlier this year, they're developing the site into houses.

Check this out!

http://cgi.ebay.com/RACING-FACILITY-DRAG-STRIP-MUD-TRACK-FOR-SALE_W0QQitemZ300254299584QQihZ020QQcategoryZ15825 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Larry Lujack was one of the DJ's. Anyone remember "Animal Stories" with "Good Old Uncle Lare" (Larry Lujack) and "Lil Snot Nosed Tommy"? It was hilarious.

Clark Weber, Dick Biondi, here this is easier!


http://rockradioscrapbook.ca/radwls.html

http://www.vansenusauto.com/AboutUs/wlsus30Updated.wav

Here's a great WLS US30 commercial from Van Senus Speed Shops web site. US30 where the great ones run - run - run. :thumbsup:

Not only do I remember that ad but I went to the event!:thumbsup:

last time I was on Indianapolis blvd. the Blue Top was still there.

I remember the John Landecker name also. Are Larry Lujack and Tommy Edwards still around somewhere? I remember Larry Lujack was big into golf for a while.

Are Larry Lujack and Tommy Edwards still around somewhere?

From WIKI

Biography

Born in Quasqueton, Iowa (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iowa) as Larry Blankenburg, he later changed his last name to that of his football idol, Johnny Lujack (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Lujack). He attended the College of Idaho (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/College_of_Idaho) in Caldwell (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caldwell,_Idaho), Washington State University (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_State_University) and was a radio (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio) disc jockey (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disc_jockey) starting in 1958 at KCID (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KCID) in Caldwell (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caldwell,_Idaho). He subsequently worked at several other radio stations (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_station), including KJR in Seattle, but is best known for his antics on Chicago (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago) AM radio (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AM_radio) stations WLS (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WLS_(AM)) and WCFL (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WCFL).
Though he retired in 1987, shortly after his son from his first marriage died in a traffic accident, Larry began working again in May 2000 for then-WUBT (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WKSC-FM) in Chicago via remote ISDN (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrated_Services_Digital_Network) link from a New Mexico (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Mexico) recording studio. He was teamed up with Matt McCann (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_McCann) who was based in the Chicago studio. The ratings for the show out-paced the rest of the radio station. In 1997 he had moved from Palatine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palatine,_Illinois) to the outskirts of Santa Fe (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Fe,_New_Mexico), where he plays golf and landscapes. Lujack was inducted into the Illinois Broadcasters Association (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Illinois_Broadcasters_Association&action=edit&redlink=1)'s Hall of Fame in June 2002.
In 2003, he re-teamed with his Animal Stories partner Tommy Edwards (Little Tommy) on RealOldies, WRLL (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WRLL) 1690 AM in Chicago, to broadcast his signature features on week day mornings. On August 16, 2006, Lujack was fired along with the entire WRLL on-air staff as it was announced the "Real Oldies" format would cease on September 17, 2006. On November 6, 2004, he was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Hall_of_Fame). On April 15, 2008 Larry Lujack was inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame during their annual convention in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Lujack is married to Judith (Jude) his second wife and has two surviving children.