If George Sitko laid down on a therapists couch and spoke for hours on his thoughts, emotions, fears and personal victories, the doctor would ask if he had anything to say which wasn't somehow linked to drag racing. She would ask George what he did for a living and he would reply "well, I quit my job working on high performance racing machines and started my own business." She'd ask what business his company was in and he'd reply "I work on high performance racing machines." Then she would have to ask how this affects his family life, to which George would explain how his son Ken worked on his early machines and then how Ken started driving them when he was 16. He would tell her how his next son, Steve also worked on his race cars and drove one for over 10 years himself. Then he'd bring up his daughter, Sheryl and what she does on the weekends: she photographs race cars at the drag strip in Edmonton, Alberta. Photographer unknown.

She would start to ask "well, how does your children's families deal with all of the drag racing. I'm sure it is time consuming." George would tell the therapist how Ken's sons, Troy and Nathan started drag racing before they were teenagers in the junior dragster class and how they both have their top alcohol dragster licenses, both have driven alcohol funny cars and how they now own a nitro funny car. He would then talk about how Steve's kids, Nicholas and Sarah are budding junior dragster stars themselves. While Sarah is recently licensed, Nicholas is known at the track as a terror on the tree. He can cut a reaction time just like the rest of the Sitko family. And he would speak of Austin, who has begun writing about drag racing and picture taking the cars himself. He would say "even Troy and Nathan's wives are into it. Carla and Shelley along with Ken's wife, Irene are the team's support group and they guide their husbands back after they complete their burnouts." And just as the therapist would start to speak, George would interupt, "even my 13-year old granddaughter, Brittany is into it. She has a junior dragster ready to go out to the track this season!"

The next weekend, George would have his therapist out at the track with him, ready to get her license to drive a race car. It's a disease that no doctor can fix. It's the drug habit that is darn near impossible to quit. In a crowd of 10,000 people attending a National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) national event, after smelling, hearing and feeling a nitro car blow by them at 300 miles per hour, 9,500 will be back next year to see that event again and possibly add more events to their schedule. It affects you deeply and it will never go away. Often, when professional drivers retire from the sport, they refuse to go back to the race track for fear that they will get bit by the bug again and suddenly find themselves "un-retired." The Sitko family team has been through it all. From George's early record-setting days and Kenny's 1985 AHRA World Championship to Troy, Nathan, Nicholas, Sarah and soon Brittany entering into the junior dragster class, the team has survived going flat broke, to crashing a race car, to rolling the race car trailer on the side of the highway and they still move along at a rapid pace! Sheryl Ogonoski Photography. We all had to start somewhere and this is where our little obsession began. I'll be getting as much information on every picture I put on this site so there will be lots more to read for each one. It'll just take me a little time, so keep checking back. I'll write everything I know for each photograph for now and I will get comments from the people involved to give you all a more in-depth look into our history with drag racing! Photographer Unknown A rare color photo of the roadster George Sitko built. At a car show yet! For those of you who know George, it's kind of weird to see one of his cars in a display. George is a firm believer in "it's a race car, it doesn't have to look pretty to go fast." Photographer Unknown.

Just a little article about the roadster pictured above. Edmonton Journal.

The Regals were a hot rod club running in the 1960s, which George Sitko was a part of. I believe Phil Broderick is the driver pictured. George was the crew chief for the Regals. They set many records. This looks like Edmonton International Speedway. Photographer unknown.

The Regals Car Club members at work. Edmonton Journal.

George Sitko stands above the Bartz Shell Special. George would have been 25 or 26 years old at this time. Photographer unknown.

A full page in a race souvenir program for Edmonton Internationl Speedway.

An iconic image in Edmonton: the Pacemaker Automotive logo. Artist Unknown.

More to come. Stay tuned!