Burn On: 1973 Drag Racing Documentary

November 26, 2011 4 CommentsRacing, Videos

This 1973 film called “Burn On” was filmed at the 1973 AHRA Grand American race at New England Dragway in Epping, New Hampshire. This isn’t your typical racing movie; the creative photography includes a lot of long lens shots, slow motion, pitwork, and interviews. The highlights of the video include some truly epic racing footage and a rare Jungle Jim video interview. He talks about racing Funny Cars, fire, and danger. Shirley Muldowney is also interviewed.

Watch 16-minutes of old school New England Dragway racing complete with its plumber’s pipe guard rail. You’ll hear long time track announcer Jan Landers, see fans packed to the rafters, and watch some of the coolest race cars of the era beating on each other while surrounded by the lush New Hampshire forest.

Burn On : Drag Racing Documentary (1973) from BrinkVision on Vimeo.

4 Comments

November 26, 2011 at 12:59 pm

Walter Gomez

Excellent! Looks like Peter Ogilivie, co-producer, if he is the same person, is a resident here in Santa Fe.
November 26, 2011 at 5:48 pm

CJ

Fantastic piece on the original enthusiast style of early drag racing, impossible to reproduce.CJ
November 27, 2011 at 7:11 am

Stan Mott

Thanks for the adrenlin shot, Gary! This is the kind of nostalgia that really gets the juices flowing!
December 14, 2011 at 1:44 pm

mark kaski

I am from Massachusetts and used to go to Epping a lot when I was a kid with my older brother, who raced.

I am not shure but I think I was at this race, and may be in the film. Right near the start of the video, there is a crowd of people standing behind Don Gartlits, as he is taking off from the starting line. I am the little blond kid in the ugly striped pants, that’s one reason I think it could be me, because I remember those clothes. Glad the ’70s are gone. What’s remarkable is the lack of safety, you could not have all of those people behind a car today, I was standing there having little pieces of asphalt and rubber hitting me in the face, what fun! But no one got hurt we were further back then it looks and when it got too crazy we were moved away.

We lived maybe 2-3 hours away and would caravan up with group of other cars being trailer or driven from our town, this was as fun as the races. Lots of inexpensive muscle cars from the ’60s were available then. We would park in the pits and walk around looking at the cars, watch my brother and friends race in the stock classes and then with them, watch the big boy. Later when I could drive, I went with my friends. It was very much about people who loved cars, working on them and racing. This brings back a lot of memories. Thanks.

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