"Quarter Million Quarter Mile" Sixties East Coast Street Racers

[69NovaYenko]

In the 2011 “Fast and Furious 5” there is a scene in which Dominic Toretto and three of his street racing crew (Roman Pearce, Hen, Brian O`Conner) decide to have a stop light to stop light quarter mile race for a million dollars.

However, art imitates life. Around 1968 there was actually an east coast  “street race” for a quarter million dollars. Magazine editor Tony DeFeo published the story in Cars Magazine. It is said that the story may have appeared in a 1986 issue.  DeFeo titled this legendary street race the "Quarter Million Quarter Mile." DeFeo knew an ex-street racer and speed shop owner who originally told him about the race. The story published in Cars Magazine basically quotes what speed shop owner told DeFeo.

Supposedly, the way the story goes is that during the last sixties there was a bitter rivalry between Newark New Jersey and Brooklyn New York street racers. The “Mutt Brothers” (Newark street racers) would consistently come over to Brooklyn and kick the butts of the Brooklyn street racers; they'd take their money and make them look bad on our own turf.

After a period it was decided by both sides that the issue of who was king of the east coast street racers needed to be resolved. So eventually, it came down to one run between the two cars Newark’s “Mutt Brothers” with Ronald Lyles their star driver most likely have been behind the wheel and Brooklyn`s "Super John" McFadden. The stakes were high; each side put up  $125,000, for a quarter million buck purse; winner takes all. Now remember, we're talking 1968 bucks here. According to my calculations, that would be well over  $6,977,140 in 2016 dollars!!!

My question is, is anyone familiar with the "Cars Magazine" article, does anyone have a copy of the article or by chance familiar with this story? 

Edited July 19, 2016 by 69NovaYenko

[Snake45]

I was reading CARS magazine around that time (still have most of them, in fact) and am very familiar with Joe Oldham's accounts of the New York street racing scene (also recounted in his book). I don't recall reading any story like this in either magazine or the book. Not that it didn't happen, just I don't recall reading it.

Was CARS magazine still being published in 1986? I was thinking they folded up in the late '70s.

At any rate, Joe Oldham is still alive and kicking. He writes an occasional column for Hemmings Muscle Machines. Maybe you can get an email for him through there. If anyone knows this story, it would be him.

[Mark]

I just happened to have the magazine in question right here, sitting on top of the pile in a small copy paper box (perfect size for magazines).  It's CARS Illustrated, Volume 4 number 5.  No date on the magazine, but the table of contents mentions that the "next" issue went on sale October 21, 1986.  The real name of the magazine is "Schneider Performance Series"; it was published as CARS Illustrated and MUSCLECARS in alternating months, I'd bet to use the same bulk mail permit. 

Joe Oldham isn't in this one (hadn't he moved on to Popular Mechanics by then?).  Schneider Publishing ran the article in one of their other magazines a while later, I remember the second printing was edited to delete a couple of F-bombs that made it to print in the CARS Illustrated version.

Trivia: Joe Oldham was editor of CAR MODEL briefly, in the '67-'68 time frame.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Google is your friend. This is said to be a copy of the article in question.

http://www.lxforums.com/board/showthread.php/271729-A-GREAT-read-Quarter-Million-Quarter-Mile

[CapSat 6]

That's the one, Ace. I have that mag somewhere. IIRC, it had an illustration of the Black Dart & Primer Camaro at the top, too.

[Xingu]

That is some serious money! I have been around $10k street races and thought that was a lot.

[69NovaYenko]

Google is your friend. This is said to be a copy of the article in question.

http://www.lxforums.com/board/showthread.php/271729-A-GREAT-read-Quarter-Million-Quarter-Mile

I just happened to have the magazine in question right here, sitting on top of the pile in a small copy paper box (perfect size for magazines).  It's CARS Illustrated, Volume 4 number 5.  No date on the magazine, but the table of contents mentions that the "next" issue went on sale October 21, 1986.  The real name of the magazine is "Schneider Performance Series"; it was published as CARS Illustrated and MUSCLECARS in alternating months, I'd bet to use the same bulk mail permit. 

Joe Oldham isn't in this one (hadn't he moved on to Popular Mechanics by then?).  Schneider Publishing ran the article in one of their other magazines a while later, I remember the second printing was edited to delete a couple of F-bombs that made it to print in the CARS Illustrated version.

Trivia: Joe Oldham was editor of CAR MODEL briefly, in the '67-'68 time frame.

Thanks for the assist Ace & Mark. I was given a tease of the story but never told who won. I finally had a chance to read the story in its entirety. All, I have to say is the T.V. show "Street Outlaws" racers have nothing on those old school east coast street racers......just saying.

Edited July 20, 2016 by 69NovaYenko

[Mark]

Thanks for the assist Ace & Mark. I was given a tease of the story but never told who won. I finally had a chance to read the story in its entirety. All, I have to say is the T.V. show "Street Outlaws" racers have nothing on those old school east coast street racers......just saying.

Here's the illustration.  It was used twice: cropped, on the first page, then in full size as shown here.  The Camaro's hood scoop is too new, they didn't use snorkels yet.

[High octane]

Yeah just gotta love dem Mopars!