{"id":24056,"date":"2025-10-19T08:30:58","date_gmt":"2025-10-19T12:30:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/?p=24056"},"modified":"2025-10-18T17:17:31","modified_gmt":"2025-10-18T21:17:31","slug":"bobby-bennett-it-used-to-be-my-playground-a-love-letter-to-a-lost-drag-strip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/bobby-bennett-it-used-to-be-my-playground-a-love-letter-to-a-lost-drag-strip\/","title":{"rendered":"BOBBY BENNETT &#8211; IT USED TO BE MY PLAYGROUND: A LOVE LETTER TO A LOST DRAG STRIP"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"24056\" class=\"elementor elementor-24056\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ec2bce1 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"ec2bce1\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-16b60a7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"16b60a7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/4hWig8C\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"115\" src=\"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/competitionplus_peaksquad.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-13363\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/competitionplus_peaksquad.png 800w, https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/competitionplus_peaksquad-300x43.png 300w, https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/competitionplus_peaksquad-768x110.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-10a36c2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"10a36c2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-323caca e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"323caca\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-05132d6 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"05132d6\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-daa27df elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"daa27df\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p data-start=\"114\" data-end=\"380\">To anyone who grew up at a drag strip that\u2019s now gone, this one\u2019s for you. To those who remember the smell of burnt rubber, the sound of open headers echoing through the pines, and the thrill of Saturday nights spent chasing dreams\u2014your memories are sacred ground.<\/p><p data-start=\"114\" data-end=\"380\">\u00a0<\/p><p data-start=\"382\" data-end=\"675\">For me, that ground was the Spartanburg International Dragway on Canaan Road in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. Developers have since erased every physical trace of it, turning the land into subdivisions where homeowners have no idea their backyard once sat on a quarter-mile of history.<\/p><p data-start=\"382\" data-end=\"675\">\u00a0<\/p><p data-start=\"677\" data-end=\"1013\">But for those of us who lived it, that drag strip wasn\u2019t just a patch of asphalt. It was our church, our classroom, and our proving ground. It was where Spartanburg\u2019s drag racers built not only engines but legacies\u201438 world championships by 18 different drivers, all tracing their roots back to a place that now exists only in memory.<\/p><p data-start=\"677\" data-end=\"1013\">\u00a0<\/p><p data-start=\"1015\" data-end=\"1392\">When I drive through that area today, it\u2019s hard to imagine the noise and chaos that once filled the air. Children play in yards where the burnout box once smoked, and joggers run past the faint traces of the return road. Yet if you listen closely enough, on a quiet evening, you can almost still hear the echo of a high-winding small block cutting through the Carolina night.<\/p><p data-start=\"1015\" data-end=\"1392\">\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1698690 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"1698690\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"356\" height=\"466\" src=\"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/editorial_cropped_01.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-10863\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/editorial_cropped_01.jpg 356w, https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/editorial_cropped_01-229x300.jpg 229w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 356px) 100vw, 356px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0ab127e e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"0ab127e\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-434aab1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-shortcode\" data-id=\"434aab1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"shortcode.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-shortcode\"><iframe width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/vOTEKiDlUVw?si=iTJb7HYXWBxJr1rQ\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-57ff0ad e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"57ff0ad\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5f05be1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"5f05be1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/41MIjsL\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/pulde_warrior_800_400.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-12590\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/pulde_warrior_800_400.jpg 800w, https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/pulde_warrior_800_400-300x150.jpg 300w, https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/pulde_warrior_800_400-768x384.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-adc163e e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"adc163e\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1c70b2a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1c70b2a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p data-start=\"1399\" data-end=\"1678\">Built in 1963 by Paul Clayton Sr., Spartanburg Dragway wasn\u2019t the kind of facility that would have impressed outsiders. The pits were dirt. The return road was cracked and broken. The lights were dim by modern standards. But to a kid growing up a mile away, it was a cathedral.<\/p><p data-start=\"1399\" data-end=\"1678\">\u00a0<\/p><p data-start=\"1680\" data-end=\"1941\">\u201cI could hear the small-block Modified Production cars winding out through the gears on Saturday nights,\u201d I told The <em>Spartanburg Herald-Journal<\/em> in an interview years later. \u201cThat sound pulled me in. I didn\u2019t need a ticket; I just needed to be close enough to hear it.\u201d<\/p><p data-start=\"1680\" data-end=\"1941\">\u00a0<\/p><p data-start=\"1943\" data-end=\"2151\">That sound wasn\u2019t just mechanical\u2014it was magical. It called to every kid within earshot who dreamed of going fast, of building something, of belonging to a brotherhood that only the drag strip could create.<\/p><p data-start=\"1943\" data-end=\"2151\">\u00a0<\/p><p data-start=\"2153\" data-end=\"2463\">Back then, drag racing had a heartbeat that pulsed through small-town America. Spartanburg was no different. The legends came\u2014Butch Leal, Hubert Platt, Ronnie Sox, Roy Hill, and even Don Garlits versus Shirley \u201cCha Cha\u201d Muldowney. For a kid with a notebook and a dream, it was better than any amusement park.<\/p><p data-start=\"2153\" data-end=\"2463\">\u00a0<\/p><p data-start=\"2465\" data-end=\"2751\">When those cars came to town, it felt like the center of the drag racing world had shifted to Canaan Road. You could feel the anticipation building as trailers arrived, the smell of high-octane fuel floating in the humid summer air. It wasn\u2019t just another Saturday\u2014it was a happening.<\/p><p data-start=\"2465\" data-end=\"2751\">\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f247cd2 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"f247cd2\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-99931c5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"99931c5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"515\" src=\"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/mccorkle.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-24058\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/mccorkle.jpg 700w, https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/mccorkle-300x221.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">It wasn't a rare sight to see members of the Spartanburg-based Marshall Tucker Band on a Saturday Night playing with their Modified cars.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3749a74 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"3749a74\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-499bf17 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"499bf17\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"320\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/spartanburg_dragway_2.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-24059\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/spartanburg_dragway_2.jpg 320w, https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/spartanburg_dragway_2-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-55159a9 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"55159a9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p data-start=\"2758\" data-end=\"2945\">The dragway\u2019s concession stand had its own kind of fame. The chili cheeseburgers, greasy and perfect, set the bar for what track food should be. I\u2019ve been chasing that taste ever since.<\/p><p data-start=\"2758\" data-end=\"2945\">\u00a0<\/p><p data-start=\"2947\" data-end=\"3153\">And that smell\u2014burning rubber, hot oil, and VHT traction compound\u2014it was as comforting as cookies baking at my grandmother\u2019s house. It meant racing was underway. It meant someone was about to chase glory.<\/p><p data-start=\"2947\" data-end=\"3153\">\u00a0<\/p><p data-start=\"3155\" data-end=\"3335\">Watching Bob Earnheart\u2019s high-winding \u201967 Corvette in Modified Production was, to my young eyes, a symphony. \u201cThat sound,\u201d I said, \u201cwas everything I wanted to be when I grew up.\u201d<\/p><p data-start=\"3155\" data-end=\"3335\">\u00a0<\/p><p data-start=\"3337\" data-end=\"3578\">When the lights came on and the control tower glowed against the Carolina night, I imagined I was watching from the grandstands of Orange County International Raceway. You just had to see that glass tower on a summer evening to believe it.<\/p><p data-start=\"3337\" data-end=\"3578\">\u00a0<\/p><p data-start=\"3580\" data-end=\"3786\">And while the facility may not have matched the famous West Coast strips, in my imagination, Spartanburg was every bit their equal. We didn\u2019t see cracks in the pavement or faded paint; we saw opportunity.<\/p><p data-start=\"3580\" data-end=\"3786\">\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ab3fc34 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"ab3fc34\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ff3f19a elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"ff3f19a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.strangeengineering.net\/product-category\/rear-axles\/pro-race-axles\/?utm_campaign=RaceAxles&#038;utm_medium=1920X258&#038;utm_source=CP%20%20%20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"108\" src=\"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/1920X258-RaceAxles-1024x138.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-9745\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/1920X258-RaceAxles-1024x138.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/1920X258-RaceAxles-300x40.jpg 300w, https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/1920X258-RaceAxles-768x103.jpg 768w, https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/1920X258-RaceAxles-1536x206.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/1920X258-RaceAxles.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-28feb0b e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"28feb0b\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-203ec25 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"203ec25\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"720\" height=\"572\" src=\"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/spartanburg_dragway_00.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-24061\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/spartanburg_dragway_00.jpg 720w, https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/spartanburg_dragway_00-300x238.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f0d4b5b e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"f0d4b5b\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-63fd070 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"63fd070\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p data-start=\"3793\" data-end=\"3947\">Spartanburg Dragway was more than a track\u2014it was a training ground. Future champions cut their teeth there before going on to rewrite the history books.<\/p><p data-start=\"3793\" data-end=\"3947\">\u00a0<\/p><p data-start=\"3949\" data-end=\"4176\">You had to see Gene Fulton blow the rear end out of a borrowed D\/Modified Production car one Saturday night, then return a week later and win with another borrowed car. That kind of determination was the essence of the place.<\/p><p data-start=\"3949\" data-end=\"4176\">\u00a0<\/p><p data-start=\"4178\" data-end=\"4446\">You had to see Tommy Mauney, Charles Carpenter, Michael Martin, and Blake Wiggins\u2014names that would later define Pro Modified\u2014make their early passes there. They didn\u2019t know it then, but they were laying the foundation for one of drag racing\u2019s most explosive classes.<\/p><p data-start=\"4178\" data-end=\"4446\">\u00a0<\/p><p data-start=\"4448\" data-end=\"4654\">And you had to see a young Quain Stott driving Scott Duggins\u2019 father\u2019s Vega in Super Pro, long before either of them became world champions. That was Spartanburg\u2019s magic\u2014it made believers out of dreamers.<\/p><p data-start=\"4448\" data-end=\"4654\">\u00a0<\/p><p data-start=\"4656\" data-end=\"4857\">The track was a launch pad, not just for cars, but for people. It built confidence, humility, and perseverance\u2014traits that carried Spartanburg racers to 38 world championships across multiple series.<\/p><p data-start=\"4656\" data-end=\"4857\">\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-73d4500 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"73d4500\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-322f9be e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"322f9be\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2123750 elementor-widget elementor-widget-shortcode\" data-id=\"2123750\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"shortcode.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-shortcode\"><iframe width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/tVX8D4Uml30?si=uTH0rWks7fa2IQmL\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c55dac1 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"c55dac1\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5466134 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5466134\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p data-start=\"4864\" data-end=\"5049\">For those of us who came from that little strip, the wins and losses weren\u2019t measured in trophies. They were measured in friendships, lessons, and memories burned deep into our souls.<\/p><p data-start=\"4864\" data-end=\"5049\">\u00a0<\/p><p data-start=\"5051\" data-end=\"5324\">As a kid, I used to write about those drivers in a handwritten magazine I\u2019d sell to racers in the pits. I didn\u2019t know it then, but I was already chasing my future\u2014telling the stories of people I admired. They believed in me because we all believed in Spartanburg Dragway.<\/p><p data-start=\"5051\" data-end=\"5324\">\u00a0<\/p><p data-start=\"5326\" data-end=\"5444\">That strip gave me my direction in life. It shaped my career and my understanding of what makes drag racing special.<\/p><p data-start=\"5326\" data-end=\"5444\">\u00a0<\/p><p data-start=\"5446\" data-end=\"5614\">It also taught me that greatness isn\u2019t defined by facility size or corporate backing\u2014it\u2019s defined by passion. And there was no shortage of that in Spartanburg County.<\/p><p data-start=\"5446\" data-end=\"5614\">\u00a0<\/p><p data-start=\"5616\" data-end=\"5822\">Even now, decades later, I see that same drive in racers from the region. It\u2019s like the old strip left behind a kind of DNA\u2014something that keeps pushing us all forward, even when the track itself is gone.<\/p><p data-start=\"5616\" data-end=\"5822\">\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9fc3731 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"9fc3731\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9d5659f elementor-widget elementor-widget-shortcode\" data-id=\"9d5659f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"shortcode.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-shortcode\"><iframe width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Vgo0E4urwWs?si=kDnCn7CRFBIvJVXz\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ad92b8d e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"ad92b8d\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-190b9c2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"190b9c2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"770\" src=\"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/marshall_smith_spartanburg.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-24062\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/marshall_smith_spartanburg.jpg 960w, https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/marshall_smith_spartanburg-300x289.jpg 300w, https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/marshall_smith_spartanburg-768x739.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2a233ad e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"2a233ad\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5895f77 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5895f77\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p data-start=\"5829\" data-end=\"6077\">When I last visited what was left of the dragway, I ignored the \u201cNo Trespassing\u201d signs and walked through what used to be the pits. The fences were still there, overgrown and rusted, like old guardians standing watch over the ghosts of our youth.<\/p><p data-start=\"5829\" data-end=\"6077\">\u00a0<\/p><p data-start=\"6079\" data-end=\"6308\">There wasn\u2019t a section of ground that didn\u2019t stir a memory. Every footstep felt like flipping through the pages of an old photo album\u2014one filled with noise, laughter, and a kind of hope that only existed under the track lights.<\/p><p data-start=\"6079\" data-end=\"6308\">\u00a0<\/p><p data-start=\"6310\" data-end=\"6511\">Standing in the middle of what used to be the starting line, surrounded by brush and silence, I realized how much the place had meant. It wasn\u2019t much by modern standards, but to us it was everything.<\/p><p data-start=\"6310\" data-end=\"6511\">\u00a0<\/p><p data-start=\"6513\" data-end=\"6674\">If you\u2019ve ever lost a local track, you know the feeling. That sense of loss cuts deep, but it\u2019s balanced by gratitude for having been there in the first place.<\/p><p data-start=\"6513\" data-end=\"6674\">\u00a0<\/p><p data-start=\"6676\" data-end=\"6880\">The past may be overgrown and paved over, but the memories still roar louder than any bulldozer. They remind us that while developers can build houses, they can\u2019t build what that place gave us\u2014identity.<\/p><p data-start=\"6676\" data-end=\"6880\">\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-73ce493 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"73ce493\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ad9ce34 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"ad9ce34\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"757\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/shirley_muldowney_spartanburg_02-757x1024.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-24064\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/shirley_muldowney_spartanburg_02-757x1024.jpg 757w, https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/shirley_muldowney_spartanburg_02-222x300.jpg 222w, https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/shirley_muldowney_spartanburg_02-768x1039.jpg 768w, https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/shirley_muldowney_spartanburg_02.jpg 963w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 757px) 100vw, 757px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b37f985 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"b37f985\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e918374 elementor-widget elementor-widget-shortcode\" data-id=\"e918374\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"shortcode.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-shortcode\"><iframe width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/WUNCqtTX46Q?si=Qc5smUSPlD4TwCNh\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3c43cf2 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"3c43cf2\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-affa403 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"affa403\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p data-start=\"6887\" data-end=\"7104\">Today, houses line Canaan Road where the burnout box once smoked. Driveways sit where legends launched. The people who live there may never know that a world of horsepower and history once roared beneath their feet.<\/p><p data-start=\"6887\" data-end=\"7104\">\u00a0<\/p><p data-start=\"7106\" data-end=\"7353\">But that\u2019s okay. Because those of us who were there remember. We remember the smell, the sound, the feeling of belonging to something bigger than ourselves. We remember the nights when the lights flickered on and the drag strip became our world.<\/p><p data-start=\"7106\" data-end=\"7353\">\u00a0<\/p><p data-start=\"7355\" data-end=\"7722\">Spartanburg Dragway is gone, but its spirit lives on in every racer from the Upstate who ever dreamed of going faster. It lives in the 38 world championships born from that patch of Carolina clay. And it lives in all of us who still close our eyes and see that glowing tower, that packed staging lane, that endless stretch of blacktop where dreams once took flight.<\/p><p data-start=\"7355\" data-end=\"7722\">\u00a0<\/p><p data-start=\"7724\" data-end=\"7845\">My years in drag racing tell me it wasn\u2019t much of a track. But my heart says it was the greatest drag strip ever built.<\/p><p data-start=\"7724\" data-end=\"7845\">\u00a0<\/p><p data-start=\"7847\" data-end=\"7940\">It used to be my playground. And even now, when I close my eyes, I can still go back there.<\/p><p data-start=\"7847\" data-end=\"7940\">\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1bd52d7 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"1bd52d7\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-30724c4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"30724c4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"630\" src=\"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/spartanburg_dragway_01-1024x806.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-24065\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/spartanburg_dragway_01-1024x806.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/spartanburg_dragway_01-300x236.jpg 300w, https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/spartanburg_dragway_01-768x605.jpg 768w, https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/spartanburg_dragway_01.jpg 1289w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3bff568 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"3bff568\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c724293 elementor-widget elementor-widget-shortcode\" data-id=\"c724293\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"shortcode.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-shortcode\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/plugins\/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fquartermileclassifieds%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02MTveKtHBik7RPTRM9nZELJSsSBbMrqMmmui1LMZJiRpf51FyMaL96chhT4YvWq6Ll&show_text=true&width=500\" width=\"500\" height=\"0\" style=\"border:none;overflow:hidden\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-42a5ec5 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"42a5ec5\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-64bbdd1 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"64bbdd1\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c38f188 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"c38f188\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>To anyone who grew up at a drag strip that\u2019s now gone, this one\u2019s for you. To those who remember the smell of burnt rubber, the sound of open headers echoing through the pines, and the thrill of Saturday nights spent chasing dreams\u2014your memories are sacred ground. \u00a0 For me, that ground was the Spartanburg [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":24057,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_theme","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,8],"tags":[68,67,69,29,65,70,30,71,35,53],"class_list":["post-24056","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-commentaries","category-breaking-news","tag-dragracinghistory","tag-dragracingnews","tag-mcleodracing","tag-drag-racing","tag-drag-racing-video","tag-ihra","tag-nhra","tag-pdra","tag-peaksquad","tag-street-outlaws"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24056","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24056"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24056\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24057"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24056"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24056"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/competitionplus.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24056"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}