And why not? It's been a huge part of his life. Doll describes it best: "It's been a labor of love."

Doll was just 25 years old when he first started working drag races at the York US 30 Dragway. If you've lived in York County for more than 40 years, you will know York US 30 Dragway was located at the Thomasville Airport, where drag races were held every Saturday for two decades before it shut down in 1979.

Back in the day, the Thomasville facility was known variously as "York US 30," or just "US 30," or "the drag strip," or simply as "York," by those who attended drag events with any regularity. It was, according to Doll, "the finest (drag racing) in the East."

He should know because he spent as much time there as almost anyone.

"At the time it was the best planned, best-executed, best-looking and most-efficient drag-racing plant" you'd find anywhere, Doll said.

And on race night, it was always packed with drag-racing fans.

I admit I attended two or three times, at most, in my youth. I didn't know the names of the drivers, the cars or the numbers, but I knew one thing about drag racing -- it was loud. My goodness, it was loud.

So loud, in fact, that I could sit as a child at my home in Bair Station, just a couple miles away from the drag strip as the crow flew, and hear the races being held every weekend. Even from that distance, I could hear the roar of the engines and, if the wind was blowing just right, I could hear the announcers calling the races.

It wasn't like being there, but it was better than nothing. And it was exciting.

Anyway, Doll was there. Every weekend.

"I worked the modified tech area at the track and was the head of staging for many events in the early days of 'York.' It was through my involvement at 'York' that I was given an opportunity to work at the US Nationals, was offered an opportunity to work at 'National Dragster,' and eventually was considered for Northeast Division Director for the National Hot Rod Association," he said.

Doll left the NHRA in 1981, and went to work for Roger Penske at the Michigan International Speedway as director of corporate relations. He was appointed general manager of the speedway in 1982.

"I was not looking for money, but the opportunity to contribute to a sport that totally engulfed me until 1981," Doll said. "US 30 President Monk Reynolds and his partner, Bill Holz, gave me that chance."

It'll be 32 years, this year, Doll said, since the US 30 Dragway at Thomasville closed. But, he said, "We can now look back and say we were a part of it. The current-day drag racers think we are living in the past, but they never competed during the best days of drag racing. That, no one can take away from us."

Though there was no more drag racing at Thomasville, Doll never lost the itch. Almost 20 years later, he started thinking it might be fun to have a once-a-year drag-racing reunion in York.

It took two years worth of planning and organizing, but finally in 2002, "a nostalgia drag race and muscle-car show" became a reality.

"We wanted to do it right the first time," Doll said, "so we took our time. I'm happy to say the show has become the annual reunion for the former staff and management of York US 30 Dragway and for the legends of drag racing."

Now, 10 years later, it's a bigger deal than it was in 2002.

"We know of no other show in the country that has the number of legends (more than three dozen) and legendary cars in attendance as we do," Doll said. "York US 30 hosted many of the top-name racing personalities over the years and produced the largest one-day event with the 1965 Super Stock Nationals, which to this day is known as the 'Woodstock of Drag Racing,'" Doll said.

A lot of those legends, and their cars, make the annual trip to York each year to be part of Musclecar Madness at the York Reunion in the York Expo Center. This year, the event will be held Friday and Saturday, July 8 and 9.

And this year, there will be a distinct York flavor, since Doll will honor York native Dave Strickler and his family for their contributions to drag racing. Strickler is deceased, but the 1961 Chevrolet Biscayne that launched his drag-racing career and the career of Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins, will be unveiled at the show.

Diehard drag-racing fans already know this, of course, but Strickler and Jenkins teamed up in the 1960s to command respect for the "Old Reliable" Chevrolets provided by their sponsor, former Chevy dealer Ammon R. Smith Auto Company, 201 Carlisle Ave., York.

Strickler's 1961 car will be at the show, along with the 1962 and 1963 Chevrolets he raced, plus a tribute car built by Strickler's son, Mike, to honor his racing career.

The unveiling of the 1961 Chevy will be done by Jenkins at 2:30 p.m. Friday, July 8.

"If you were never there (at the US 30 Dragway)," Doll said, "you never lived."

So this is a chance to relive the "greatest days of drag racing and explore the history of a legendary racing facility," he said.

You'll have to excuse Doll's enthusiasm. Like I said earlier, drag racing is his passion. And he makes no effort to hide it.

Sports columns by Larry A. Hicks, Dispatch colum nist, run Thursdays. E- mail: lhicks@yorkdis patch.com.