Bismarck, ND had a real kewl place to drag race -- it was called Priory Road and it was south of the airport. The road was straight for over 2 miles and the local junior college surveying class usta paint the start and finish line of 1/4 mile of the road.
I was a senior in high school driving my dad's 1960 Valiant V-200 ('member them??) but I always hooked up with the older guys (probably 21 or 22!!) that had high perf Mopars. Anyway, it was the summer and one night I saw a pure white 1965 Dodge Coronet 500 2door hardtop. 426 wedge with 4 speed AND 3.91 SureGrip!! I was riding with a friend in his dad's 1964 Olds Starfire (394 CID 4bbl, hydromatic) that we thought was really fast. Let's head out to Priory Road and get it on. . .we did and that Mopar walked all over the Olds. I mean from a standing start and a rolling start!!! That 426 chirpped the tires in all 4 gears. After meeting at the local burger joint -- we talked to the driver of the Dodge. Nice guy, too, worked at the bank and just picked up the 426. We became good friends and always seemed to "arrange" races for him.
Late that summer, one of the guys I graduated with purchased a 1965 GTO, 389 tri-power. . .only time I saw that 426 go down to defeat but it was close. The Goat and cutoffs and we all attributed the loss to those "headers". Gad -- those were the days!!
EPILOG. One of the most feared cars in those days was a 1963 Pontiac Catalina, 421 Tri-power, 4 speed, cutoffs owned by a guy we usta call "fast Eddie". Nice kid and liked those Tin Indians. . .today he is the Governor of North Dakota, Honorable Ed Schaffer.
JC
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