2014 Hall of Fame
Francis Reynolds Jr
and
Francis "Pop" Reynolds
Legendary MIR Racers
Pop Reynolds began
racing at MIR on the
second weekend the track
opened in 1966! Pop
raced nearly every
weekend from then until
several years ago. He
usually ran Fords. Pop
has said that, “I only
ran other brands when a
Ford was not available."
Pop’s love of Fords went
back to his childhood in
the 1920s. His son
Francis tells the story
of Pop having three
uncles who worked on the
farm. One had a Chevy,
one had a Dodge, and one
had a Ford. When it got
really cold outside, the
uncle with the Ford had
to pull the Chevy and
the Dodge to make them
run. Pop made the
decision then and there
that he would always
have a Ford! Pop worked
at the service station
at the corner of Route
234 and 301 for years.
He never won the MIR
track championship, but
he won a lot of races.
When asked what he is
doing today, Pop says,
“As little as possible!
Hey, I’m, 93 and still
going strong!”
One of Pop’s biggest
contributions to MIR was
his son Francis! Francis
Reynolds started racing
at MIR 45 years ago! He
started in 1969 as soon
as he got his license.
Francis raced his
1961 Ford Ranch wagon
and then Pop’s new
56
Ford the next year. In
1971, Francis bought his
trusty Ford Maverick.
That’s right – the same
car you see him racing
today! Francis bought
the car at Aldridge
Ford, modified it, and
towed it to Colonial
Beach that same weekend!
Francis has seen great
success in the Maverick.
At age 24, he won the
1977 NHRA Division I
Bracket Finals in Heavy
Eliminator. He then
followed that up with
the 1978 MIR track
championship in Heavy.
Francis has a wall full
of trophies earned over
a lifetime of hard
racing.
During the day, Francis
is a school bus driver
and he's been doing that
for 13 years. He's also
a mechanic in his own
shop during the day.
Francis would like to
thank David Hall at D&G
Custom Specialties in
Leonardtown, who has
been his main sponsor
since 1989.
Pop and Francis Reynolds
form the type of racing
family on which
successful drag strips
are built. After decades
of weekly racing, both
men also consider MIR
racers and staff part of
their family. And it
continues: Francis’s
daughter Molly has the
bug now and is looking
to continue the Reynolds
legacy into the future!
Pop and Francis
Reynolds, MIR Legends!
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