Re: Thorn Hill?

magicman_1968 · by magicman_1968 on February 12th 2010, 3:41 am

They got me twice back then in an old 73 Nova i had a 350 with a 4 speed.....i had them all the way til the end and they would pass me just before the line......I was so pissed and when i found out they were sprayin and lying about thats when i got my first NOS kit Very Happy

good times Very Happy

RebStew · by RebStew on February 12th 2010, 3:52 am

LOL I didn't think anyone would remember them guys. I wondered later how much spray they was shooting through that car. Taking off it bogged so bad I thought it was going to stall out a few times. I thought the motor was junk but I think they had the timing so far retard in that thing it wouldn't jet off the line without spray. Wonder what happened to those guys?

Shelly's SS · by Shelly's SS on February 12th 2010, 3:57 am

The one boy was who i got my 2nd 66 Chevelle SS from.....he was a real burnout if ya remember.....i kept calling him Yo-man-dude because thats how he talked Very Happy

magicman_1968 · by magicman_1968 on February 12th 2010, 3:59 am

Shelly's SS wrote:The one boy was who i got my 2nd 66 Chevelle SS from.....he was a real burnout if ya remember.....i kept calling him Yo-man-dude because thats how he talked

My bad thats my post......i jumped on the computer and didnt reallize she was logged on here lol!

Had ya wondering though didnt it lol!

hp77skylark · by hp77skylark on February 12th 2010, 4:05 am

That wasn't my old nova was it?

magicman_1968 · by magicman_1968 on February 12th 2010, 4:06 am

yes it was Very Happy

After that was when i put my first Velle back together with NOS.....i gave that car back to ya if i remember

RebStew · by RebStew on February 12th 2010, 4:11 am

Jim Werthington seen this post and called me today. He was giving me a pretty cool history lession on it. Ralph Pain I think he said was who owned the property years and years ago. During WWII They were worried about getting planes in and out. I'm not sure because of too many or worrying about a bombing on Lunkin in case it happened. Anyway they made a deal with this Ralph and built Thorn Hill. It was an air plane landing strip during the war. Planes used it. Around 1953 to 55 a car club help Ralph turn it into a drag strip as we know it now. Not too much was said but it sounded like this Ralph kind of screwed the car club over when they got it into drag strip form. Jim said it was a car club from Covington. I ask if it was the Clutch Jumpers from Newport but he said no that he thought they were from Covington. I wonder if the Clutch Jumpers had anything to do with it or if the clubs worked together. I have some old letter here where the Clutch Jumpers Car Club was asking Newport for money to donate towards opening a drag strip. I'll see if I can find that stuff. Thorn Hill has a cool history. I had heard that Garlits race there once but have never been able to confirm it. I know he ended up with the old speed dails we use to race against. They are in his museum.

magicman_1968 · by magicman_1968 on February 12th 2010, 4:16 am

RebStew wrote:Jim Werthington seen this post and called me today. He was giving me a pretty cool history lession on it. Ralph Pain I think he said was who owned the property years and years ago. During WWII They were worried about getting planes in and out. I'm not sure because of too many or worrying about a bombing on Lunkin in case it happened. Anyway they made a deal with this Ralph and built Thorn Hill. It was an air plane landing strip during the war. Planes used it. Around 1953 to 55 a car club help Ralph turn it into a drag strip as we know it now. Not too much was said but it sounded like this Ralph kind of screwed the car club over when they got it into drag strip form. Jim said it was a car club from Covington. I ask if it was the Clutch Jumpers from Newport but he said no that he thought they were from Covington. I wonder if the Clutch Jumpers had anything to do with it or if the clubs worked together. I have some old letter here where the Clutch Jumpers Car Club was asking Newport for money to donate towards opening a drag strip. I'll see if I can find that stuff. Thorn Hill has a cool history. I had heard that Garlits race there once but have never been able to confirm it. I know he ended up with the old speed dails we use to race against. They are in his museum.

Yea i been to Garlits place in Fl....back in the 80s Car Craft Mag had some pictures of Thorn Hill and Florence Ky on one of their Tours.....back when the water tower said Florence Mall.....They raced a Camero they built at Thorn Hill....i wish i still had the Magizine.....it was around 83-84

hp77skylark · by hp77skylark on February 12th 2010, 4:17 am

What did I do with that car I can't remember? I do remember Bill nearly blowing both of us up in that garage trying to lite that old gas heater, it blew his (BEEP) all the way under that nova, never laughed so hard in my life.

RebStew · by RebStew on February 12th 2010, 4:18 am

I found it. Wasn't asking for donations but close. Here is the letter and a pic from the track. I wonder if this was Thorn Hill back in the 50's?

magicman_1968 · by magicman_1968 on February 12th 2010, 4:21 am

Cool as hell....that looks like the tree line out there dont it.....

RebStew · by RebStew on February 12th 2010, 4:21 am

Jim Werthington Sir.... Very Happy

Did you know any of these guys in the Clutch Jumpers? If so I have some pics of some of the members you may know.. I'd like to talk to them a little if any are left.

RebStew · by RebStew on February 12th 2010, 4:31 am

It looks like it from the first pic but here is the starting line. With it being so long ago it's hard to tell.

These guys in the Clutch Jumpers were tied in good with the city of Newport. I have letter on top of letter from Commissioners and the Police Chief bragging on what a good job the club is doing. If it was a Covington car club maybe Newport was helping out. It's hard to say without digging.
Here is one from a car show The Clutch Jumpers put on held at the Newport Shopping Center. Nothing to do with Thorn Hill but it's just cool.

RebStew · by RebStew on February 12th 2010, 5:02 pm

The law is cracking down on them and the drag strip can't race real late into the night or on Sundays any longer. We would need to figure out when we could go and make a day of it with everyone. I think it would be pretty cool.
I also heard that Edgewater may be on it's way out the door. The gravel pit or whatever that is around it bought it out. They are in contract to run either 1 or 2 years and after that it's doomed too. That means Tri State is going to get busy! Mad

hp77skylark · by hp77skylark on February 12th 2010, 5:24 pm

First they take all the places for our kids to play now they want to take our places to play away. Its just a matter of time till we start getting into trouble and running amok.