Abandoned US 30 Drag Strip in Northwest Indiana
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- Опубліковано 9 лис 2020
- The abandoned US 30 Drag Strip in Northwest Indiana once entertained drag racing fans from Chicago and the surrounding area for decades. Opened in the 1950s during the heyday of the sport, the strip remained popular until its closure in 1984. Today, all that remains of the starting line structures is a long, empty strip of road, the buildings either demolished or vanished long ago.
#abandonedplaces #indiana #us30
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Not just sad it's tragic. It wasn't just a track, it was history.
I remember those commercials. It was awesome back in the day!
I ran a Pro Stock 68 Camaro in 1971, Pendergast&Smeltzer. My dad was part owner in Dodge Of Gary, across from Andrean HS on Broadway. He and I went every weekend after church. First time I ever saw jets run, and absolutely loved them. Moved to CO in 1986, no regrets, and had a jet dragster built in 2000. Ran all around the West with it, but mostly at Bandimere. Bandimere is now closing after the Nationals in July 2023. Truly sad, and brings a tear to my eyes. Really enjoyed growing up that era and at US 30. "SUNDAY". Miss the commercials too. Great video, THANKS
My Dad took me there in the mid 60's. It was the first time I saw and heard a Dragster. I was hooked bad... real bad. Shake Rattle Run, Melrose Missile, Mr. Norm, Green Monster and so many others. Thanks for the Video and memories.
There's another dragstrip fully functional in Morocco, Indiana about an hour south of this. U.S.41 Drag Strip. Wheelstanders and local guys making runs with what they drove. Motorcycle racing. Its all there and AFFORDABLE!
First, they closed US30 Dragstrip, then Southlake Speedway (a dirt track about 5 miles away), then Illiana Speedway (a 1/2-mile paved oval about 5 miles down US30).
We went from having three tracks within a few miles of each other offering all kinds of different racing, to the closest track (US41 Dragstrip) being an hours' drive. Sad.
My father used to take my brother and I here on Sunday's. I loved it .
So sad....when I see abandoned race tracks it's not just the obvious but a picture of the way life use to be before all the over the top high tech social media world we live in. It's a reminder of simpler times😢
rest in peace Jan, the whole country misses you and your golden voice. I'll see you again someday. this is a very sad situation, history was made here
I loved this place, So many memories.
Makes my heart heavy. Made many passes down the track with several different cars . Front engine dragster being the last . Miss this so much !
I loved going there...sad it's gone
SUNNNNNDAYYYY!!!!!!! at beautiful US 30 drag strip... where the great ones runnnnn....
Yep
GREAT place for a kid to hang out on a Friday night!
Love going to u.s 30 when I was a kid . Got to see all the great ones!!!! My great uncle and dale raced TF the Kentucky moon shiner there it was awesome to see all the big names from back in the day ! 😆
Where is/was US 60 drag strip?
Sorry that should have been u.s 30 in Gary Indiana
Damn, I remember those commercials way back when, brings back memories.
1971 - my friends dad would take us there and I clearly recall the noise those cars made was like being on an aircraft carrier deck during flight operations which I experienced during my time in Navy. Makes your skull vibrate
You are correct it does sound like that. I lived on a carrier below the flight deck. My bunk was between the two arresting gear cables on the USS Constellation. I miss US 30 drags trip.
Thank you for your service god bless
Man, oh man😢😢😢!! Tears aren't enough, so many memories, and, this theme music, wow!
My brother raced there the day it opened, he had a new 1957 Chevy really hopped up he won and got a watch, my aunt lived about a 1/4 mile North of there on what was called Goodridge Rd then and I had a friend that lived right across the road, when my brother was racing I and my friend and other kids would play in their barn. I lived in Portage and when there were running jet powered dragster we could hear that far away, My aunt and uncle would go out for the day when they were running,
My brother raced there also, and I would sit and watch from the stands all day long. The family moved from Gary in 71 and I graduated from Portage High School in 75.
Wow, I remember going out to US30 back in '65 through early '70s, was so much fun. remember green monster, no big thing, little red wagon, hemi under glass, so many more
And now, you need to go south one hour on US 41 to Morocco Indiana, to find a dragstrip
1964 Mid Season Championship radio commercial, I was mentioned in it. Norm Mills Daring 56 Chevy the Avenger ! Wish I could hear that again !
My late Dad used to take his ‘65 Chevy Malibu there to race it on weekends before he went in the Army and shortly thereafter, Vietnam.
Thank your dad for his service to our country.. Did youre father come back after Vietnam....
@@rayspasov1398 "Late dad" so too late to thank him. A shame so many came back to anger and ridicule. My late husband served in the 82nd Airborne in 'Nam.
We used to race a '69 Malibu there in the early-mid 1970's.
Wow! Pretty neat!!!! Sad to lose another one
I ran my 64 Impala wagon there ! Those were good times !!
Pretty sad, now 66 and Osceloa are gone too. To many its not much but to car guys there was so much history at that track, anybody that was somebody in the last 4 decades or racing that made it big ran there.
Is 66 officially done?
@@MetalBlade81 Osceola was some fun times too bad it's done route 66 raceway is not done it will be having an nhra national event in May of 2023 I'm so going to be there
@@scottchapell31 good news
@@MetalBlade81 found that out at Indy for the U.S. nationals
Osceloa closed??? When?
Me and a few friends lived at this place from 1975 to 1984. We raced our Kawasaki 900's and 1000's all summer long. Wed night, Friday night, Sat and Sunday,
loks of memories from the 70s there,,the armor all jet car was wild
US 30 dragstrip, illiana speedway and southlake speedway all gone.
The kids these days don’t have a place like those for their dads to take them to on a Friday or Saturday night.
My boyfriend used to take me.
Remember the commercials on the Radio about US 30 ♥️🇺🇸♥️❓❓❓ So Friggin sad said my dad , Now you won't get killed drag racing that killer v 57 Chevy ♦️♦️♦️‼️
I think a very rich man should buy that reopen it and bring back the memories
Was there ever a round track towards the end of the track? What is that round engravment ?
Spent many a Friday night there!
What a waste. Owner was going to convert the property for housing. Never made it there or to Union Grove. But I remember the commercials. 😥
SUGGESTION: NHRA DRAGSTRIP RESTORATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. GREAT VIDEO AND THANKS FOR SHARING.
My brother in law Bill Kissinger used to race here
We got old drag strip in Ohio abandoned 2 it was called Powell's drag strip reform Ohio
Nice video. How can I get in contact with you about it? I'm in Merrillville.
so who is playing piano? its beautiful
I NEED TO BUY MORE NHRA MERCHANDISE TO SUPPORT YOUR CAUSE.
Wish someone would buy it and reopen it better then ever
Such a shame ! I drive by and can barely see that lane. I heard a lady was tired of the loud noise 1 or 2 nights a week and demanded it close. Supposedly she got death threats. Sad.
It closed because the owner got greedy. The rent from the drag strip wasn't enough. He was told he'd get rich if he developed it. And there it still sits, 40 years later and still empty.
Wish it had been grandfathered to remain open!!!
Used to go there. I was getting pretty rough due to undesirables from Gary and Chicago. Could see fights and arguments. Less safe.
Anyone else see the episode of Roadkill where they stopped here?
3:08 as strong as a brick shit house
Can me and my friends go there and race?
It’s blocked off to cars unfortunately.
@@artofexp aw man I hope somebody rebuild it that would be dope
You can turn that into an airstrip.
Open it back up ? But Chicagoland drag way open so Indiana is out
No limits Racewayway in Morocco Indiana off of us 41
Screw "progress".
I was married in 1974 and lived about a mile away. Every Sunday morning the dragster would rattle the dishes in our China cabinet.
@ US 30 dragstrip a young man of 23 was killed in 1968 apparently his car quit and stop and went past the track into a house why wasn’t a sand trap there to stop the car from going any farther why wasn’t preventive Measure to protect the drivers
Hey vic ....you have to remember that back in the 60's technology wasnt the way it is today from helmets to roll bars and even seats with 4 point harness straps. It's as time went on and racing commission and safety teams got more involved and came up with new ways and ideas of stopping vehicles. Of course now cars are going over 200 + mph so safety GUIDELINES have been well up graded from parachutes to the seats that are pretty much molded to your body and you cant really move anything except your feet and arms ...kinda like football equipment back then compared to now it took lots of meeting and discussion about helmets to improve contact ...
joe montiero Oh yeah technology has changed that’s why people are trying to open up US 30 they don’t understand the complications of doing that and can’t even find the old cars to build anyway and the safety regulations are so much different than it was in the 60s you’re right so why people think all they can open up US 30 again and I’m saying no I will guarantee you you probably will never get it open again
@@victorpizarro9838 if that reopens it would have to be upgraded from track to grand stands, but vic anything is possible lots of people who have lots of money could make that happen quick fast and in a hurry...! And make it 100 times better than it was and much safer. Because lots has changed from EMERGENCY crews being on hand to much better technology as I mentioned earlier these cars now have super lite bodies that sometimes when they go airborne the bodies fly off and the driver is seated in his or her safety seat strapped in super tight and helmets that cover dam near all of the drivers face except the eyes but they also wear fire protection suits too..! But just like Dale erhardt when he crashed it looked so normal I guess you can say, but the impact was very very hard going at those speeds hats off to all who get in those things and do what they do...!
joe montiero Hey Joe here’s the problem they’ve been trying to open up that track since 1984 when they closed it everybody’s mother has the money but they’ve been refused because of noise and it’s turned into commercial the community does not want it there it’s not being leased for hunting only that’s why I’m saying I will never open up Hobart politicians are saying no
@@victorpizarro9838 ok, gotcha...!
SUGGESTION: PLEASE CONSIDER USING OCEAN CONTAINERS FOR YOUR NEW BUILDINGS. CHEAP, EASY, AND QUICK.