Former drag racers gathered in Savannah for the Southeast Georgia Timing Association 2012 reunion. Photo by Mike Bell
By Mike Bell
Posted in Feature Stories 9/8/12
When you start out at 6 AM to a new place, you always hope that it is worth it. After about four hours in the road, I found Gregory Park in Richmond Hill, near Savannah, GA. Not having been to Gregory Park before, I did not know where to go. At first, I went to an open-air pavilion but saw a bunch of kids and knew I was in the wrong place. But wait! There are two street rods headed to a small closed building. It was 87 degrees at 10 and I knew the worst was yet to come.
There was a sign for the Southeast Georgia Timing Association and I followed it and the street rods.
Eventually, there were some 80 folks enjoying the tales of drag racing in the Savannah area from the old days. Some brought photos and I talked with many about theirs. The main players that day were Larry Lanier (who raced slingshot dragsters), Lynn Wardlow (who was a NHRA official), Sandra and Jack Quick (who were there from the very start) and so many others.
William Taylor furnished the Low Country Boil for everyone and many came back for seconds.
The facility used was a building that would hold a little over 100 people, and is one of 5 facilities in the 32-acre park. The city is proud of their park and well they should be. There were several other gatherings going on at one time with probably over 500 people in all at the Park. It was well worth the trip!
If you wondered what old racers do after they quit racing, check out the photos of the street rods.
Lee Lanier smiles for the camera. His father, Larry Lanier, was very involved in early drag racing in Savannah. Photo by Mike Bell
Patricia Lanier’s NHRA official license to be the first A/GAS dragster female driver in USA. It is signed by Wally Parks. Photo by Mike Bell
A framed poster advertising Jack Patrick as coming to the drags in Savannah with his Green Flag Speed Shop Special. Jack still runs the speed shop but in Valdosta now. Photo by Mike Bell