Islip Speedway & the Two Six-Packs
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
The speedway chicks break out in the Z29, and on the prowl, Joanna, Marianne, Cathy, and Juliet are making their presence known, as if power shifting and burning rubber were not enough. Juliet downshifts into second gear and dives into the local McDonald’s parking lot while slowly passing by the junior motor heads in front of their machines. The horsepower echo gets the lot’s attention as all eyes are on the girls now, and they know it, so they park right in between the drooling young boys. After exiting the Camaro, the girls do that ’70s-style walk—long strides ringing the bell bottoms of Levi’s and Jordache while sporting platform sandals and coolies—when, suddenly, Juliet stops in her tracks and spins around real fast to catch one of the boys about to put his head in the window of the car. Juliet (yelling): Hey, don’t even think about it. You can look, but don’t touch . . . At the same time, the girls managed to continue ignoring all the cheap catcalls, which quickly ceased as soon as the boys got a good look at some of the Six-Pack and the Pushrod club plate. Beauty still tended to intimidate the wise asses of the day. Yet not only were the boys affected, but also the impact on girls was much greater—role model searching age. So most of the girls there were simply impressed with how these seniors handled themselves. To them, it was not only just the hot car but also the complete package. Although they would have to agree with the guys, chicks looked good strutting along as their beautiful “shags” were blowing in the warm September breeze. However, on the other hand, all the young studs noticed were four foxes with their tight hot bodies in their tight jeans, braless (tube tops and halters), strutting into the restaurant, and as they do, Marianne pleads . . . Marianne: Can we get something to eat this time, guys!\ Joanna (cracking up, laughing): Yeah, OK. What do you want to do besides just driving around? Cathy: Ah, then what’s the plan, bitches? (The girls are sitting down, munching, while keeping an eye on the car.) Juliet: So are we all tired of the attention? (They all say no and then start laughing.) Joanna: You know, I think we were making an impression on those younger girls over there and in the front. I saw it in their eyes. Juliet: We’re on our best behavior, right? Marianne: As we walked by, I was saying to myself, Not that long ago, I was—no, we were right where those girls are now. Look how we turned out. We’re cool, right? Joanna: You know we must be cool with the both of you having to ask. Cathy: Speak for yourself. Juliet (laughing): I do know what you mean, Marianne. It does change my perspective a bit. Marianne: I could never have imagined in my wildest dreams that we would have young girls looking up to us. Joanna: I’m loving living in this moment. Cathy: No shit. It’s like a fracking movie. While eating french fries, Marianne looks up across the dining room and notices two girls looking at them. Marianne: Oh my god, those girls are in eighth grade, and my sister knows them. Cathy: Relax, Marianne. Hold your head high when you walk by. Don’t stop till you get in the Z and flee. Marianne: Poet know it! Joanna: Oh, good one, Marianne. (High-fives all around.) After munching out, Juliet and Marianne walk out first, followed by Joanna and Cathy a few steps behind to check out the scene. There are at least half a dozen of various kinds of street machines now parked in the lot and around the Z. While exiting, the girls are swarmed by all the catcalls, “Nice car. Nice chassis.” So just to be polite, the Six-Pack return all the hellos. Juliet: Thank you. The girls waste no time getting into the car. While a few of the guys are trying to get Marianne’s attention in the passenger seat, one teen can be heard getting through to her, “I’m fast enough for you.” Juliet closes the door and starts it up. The 500 lift solid cam loping at idle through the Arvin turbo mufflers is noticed by all. Marianne (in rebuttal): Hey, wise ass, you couldn’t catch me if your life depended on it! A young man says to Juliet, “I know I can catch you!” Juliet puts the Hurst Super Shifter into reverse on the first try. Cathy: Oh, that was righteous, kiddo. (She is now driving by in first gear.) Marianne: Now we have to lose these guys! Juliet (speaking to the teenager): So if you could catch me, is that what I have to look forward to? (In reference to his car) No, I’ve got a better ride! As the radio goes on, “Life in the Fast Lane” by The Eagles is under way. Juliet turns it up! Marianne: Now’s the time to peel out, Juliet. I don’t want these guys following us. Joanna: I suppose this is as good a time as any! While pulling out onto Main Street going west, M21 in first gear, she takes it up to 4000 rpm and dumps the Hayes clutch. After the 4.33:1 twelve-bolt positraction leaves a twelve-foot patch of N50 rubber, she lets second gear leave a five-foot pair while lifting the front end. After slamming three out of four gears and over a half a mile down the road, Juliet backs off the 780 Holley, downshifts to third, while pulling into the Gimbels parking lot because they are all out of control, laughing. Cathy (laughing and then composing herself): That was awesome, Juliet! Marianne: Cool burnout. Been a long time since Troy has. Juliet: This is the first time I’ve shifted barefoot. You really can get a better feel for the clutch. By wrapping my toes around the pedal, I could hang on to the clutch longer. The girls are finally catching their breath. Marianne: You left all those guys with their mouths gaping. Cathy: Yeah, that was better than an orgasm! Marianne: OK. Joanna: There were a lot of girls who were sophomores outside. You’re now a hero to those girls, Juliet—not just a varsity cheerleader but a race car driver too. Juliet: Stop. (In a deep voice.) We are Speedway Chicks. Marianne: No . . . We are (They all jump in) Islip Speedway Chicks. Juliet: Hey, check it out! As Juliet turns up the radio, she mildly chirps all four gears in sync along with the opening to their tribute song, “Native New Yorker” by Odyssey. “New York City girl . . . You grew up riding the subway, talking to people, up in Harlem down on Broadway. You’re no lady, but you’re no tramp, Oh, oh, you’re a native New Yorker girl, you should know the score by now . . .
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About the Book
This is a vivid look back at the last four years of the speedway’s existence as seen through the eyes of six guys and six girls whose last years at Islip High School coincided with its closure. It is a true unfiltered look at what life was like in the mid to late ’70s, particularly the class of ’76, ’77, and ’78. While most of the girls worked at the speedway, the guys grew up under its shadow. This was the last group of young adults who would be directly influenced by the speedway’s presence. Its resonant frequency echoing from the super modified cars is what permeated the souls of these extraordinary individuals, which now acted like a glue, bonding them together as they come together and grow together despite their many varied backgrounds. Also, they represented a pure slice of American culture during the disco era, so it’s easy to follow them on their journey from teen to young adult and then out the door at eighteen! It is a trip back to a time when Islip was a motorhead town and street machines ruled the day. It is a multifaceted read, which is part narrative, part screenplay, and part musical. And there’s a bitter satirical aspect as well. The reader is totally submersed while traveling along with these twelve for one hell of a hot rod ride to adulthood. You can strut along to the sounds and smells—yes, the smells—of the salty sea air as it wafts across the bay, filling up the streets in this beautiful beach town. However, tranquility is shattered during the summer weekends by the sound of pure American horsepower, and the sea air is transformed by the burning of 120-octane fuel. In every small town in the United States, one can find its thing that all residents will identify with, either good or bad. The speedway was the thing that made the people of Islip so interesting. Located just fifty miles east of New York City is what helped make Islip, Long Island, one of the coolest suburbs, and it also provided a great backdrop to hang their story. Along with the music of the time and hot rods too, their constant socialization helps complete the teleport. (Got marshmallows, anyone?) For many, this is a look back to a much simpler time, but what you end up coming away with is that everything comes with a price! Americans as a whole need each other, and these twelve had it in spades as they discovered early on that the real secret in life is to love and admire the differences that exist in each of us.
About the Author
About the author A recently retired engineer, Troy decided that after the passing of his third best friend from breast cancer that he would honor the second one’s wish and convert his college journals into a book. Having written mostly technical journals in the past, he just had to do this for Laurie. Troy’s daughter calls him a Renaissance man. “If he’s not building or restoring something, he’s designing and engineering prototypes. However, his real passion is ancient architecture, archaeoastronomy.” A true pioneer in the latter field, which he worked on while mastering geodesic architecture. A native New Yorker from birth and for the last twenty-five years, Troy is a well-healed world traveler who shelved a thirty-five-year research project to make Laurie’s wish come true. Daughter Jessica says, “He seems to live his life in the service of others. He’s timeless. I love the fact that he still finds the time to design me or find me a cool dress when I need one!” She goes on to say, “He definitely has a few more books in him and all completely different from one another. He is a true artist, the real deal.” Although Troy prefers to be a recluse, never forgetting that he is usually misunderstood, he still finds time to create one-off works of art for the discriminating individual in the know.