Carl Kirk sat in the shade, outside of the direct sunlight encompassing National Trail Raceway. The former
Rod Shop Dodge team 
member sat with his former teammate Eddie Eckard
taking in the action. Both are well past their drag racing years, Kirk,
70, Eckard, 80, but on last Friday, at the ADRL Ohio Drags, they shared hot
dogs, soft drinks and a few memories.
Those memories nearly flowed freely as they recollected moments while racing at the NHRA Springnationals and other events.
“Those were the good old days,” said Kirk, who raced a B/Altered and
A/Gas Mopar back in those days. “We raced until about 1972 when we
realized that we had to raise families.”
Carl Kirk sat in the shade, outside of the direct sunlight encompassing National Trail Raceway. The former
Rod Shop Dodge team member sat with his former teammate Eddie Eckard
taking in the action. Both are well past their drag racing years, Kirk,
70, Eckard, 80, but on last Friday, at the ADRL Ohio Drags, they shared hot
dogs, soft drinks and a few memories.
Doug Kirk looks at a photo of his son Justin, now 16, wearing a
racing helmet while sitting in a baby stroller. Carl Kirk, the
patriarch of the Kirk racing family, raced as a member of the Rod Shop
Dodge team and was a National Trail Raceway regular in the 1970s.
Those memories nearly flowed freely as they recollected moments while racing at the NHRA Springnationals and other events.
“Those were the good old days,” said Kirk, who raced a B/Altered and
A/Gas Mopar back in those days. “We raced until about 1972 when we
realized that we had to raise families.”
Both the elder Kirk and Eckard have children who race in competition.
Eckard’s children have raced for years in the NHRA’s Super Gas
divisions. For Kirk, he’s having the time of his life watching his son,
Doug Kirk, a former multi-time IHRA Pro Stock world champion and past
Extreme Pro Stock champion, compete last weekend at the famed facility
he once claimed as his stomping grounds. Soon he’ll be checking out his
16-year old grandson Justin Kirk, who is scheduled to begin licensing
procedures later this year for Pro Stock competition.
Doug pointed out that he essentially spent the majority of his youth at National Trail.
“You’re born and bred into it,” Doug said. “There are so many memories
for me because I spent so many years here. I watched him race for so
many years and knew that was what I wanted to do when I grew up. It was
neat to grow up in a drag racing family like that.”
“He was just your typical kid,” said the proud father. “I watched him come out and was proud of what he did.”
Now the torch is starting to pass to Justin and for Doug, he
understands the pride his dad had in watching him race and win for the
last twenty-five years.
“I watch my son and it’s a lot like my dad used to do with me,” Doug
added. “The evolution of this racing keeps getting better and better
and he’s already beyond me because he’s in charge of the racing
computer and that stuff. I can’t do it and I can tell you my dad can’t
do it.”
Regardless if his offspring are better suited for the current
technology, the memories of yesterday is what has made Kirk’s time in
racing complete.
“Those were some of the best memories I had in drag racing,” Kirk said.
“Today’s racing is just all work and no fun. I have fun watching my son
and now my grandson.”
Doug quipped, “My mom always accused my dad of living his life through
me because back when he raced he couldn’t afford it. It’s all worked
out for the best.”
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