History Drag cars in motion.......picture thread.

The Giraffe car had the same style push bar (common to a lot of TV's early cars but the tail was more like the Surfers 11/ Bandel/Tatum car.

Roo

 

Glad you had good luck, I've met him numerous times, he was always, well, rude.
This was at Famosa and at the various Bakersfield hotels around the Doubletree.
I never imposed on him, merely said hi, got a "yeah right" back most of the time.
Leong on the other hand is GREAT, talks, shows respect for fans, LISTENS to you and responds.I told Prudhomme once one of the first races I ever attended was to see The Hawaiian at Woodburn.He said, "is that right?" and walked away. I said the same to Leong, he SMILED a huge SMILE and said "I'll be back in a minute, came back with t shirts autographed by himself at Terry Capp, FREE.We talked for maybe 20 minutes. I would never disturb a racer while they are working, and would never intrude or impose.
'Goose will love to talk, mostly about himself but that's the Mongoose. He will reminisce with you while he sits on his throne at the entrance to the Grove.
He talked about the Hemi-Cuda, the $50,000 (I think) two low ET winner take all at OCIR with Bennie Osborn and all sorts of stuff.
Nothing against Prudhomme! I DO NOT MEAN TO TRASH HIM!

 

I guess that it helps that I have known him since I worked the tour full time in the late 80's with Etchells and Smith. I also mounted a body for him before they started doing that stuff in house. He has never been really outgoing (like Goose and Hop Sing) but has a very dry humor and can be fun to hang out with. I spent some time with Larry Reyes at Bowling Green last weekend (he was hanging out with Roland) and he is cool too.

Roo

 

Purple Gang vs Adams Warye & Mulligan.

 

It looks a little more cozier inside that cage than usual. Looking at the hoop over his head it looks like the chassis was narrowed some. Anyway it's a very interesting picture. That motor is pretty much in your face. Almost looks like a photo-shop deal.

 

I have to agree with the Rooman. Snake has always been polite and friendly with me, even before I went to work at IRP. One of my yearly highlights was running the clocks on the pre-Nationals practice days and having Don come up there for hours at a time and discuss drag racing in general. Made a big fan out of me.

 

Ok, I guess it's me! Lets let it go, sorry I said anything! I SAID I didn't mean to trash him.
Lets get back to pics!

 

From WDIFL Comments by Don Ewald
In late 1964 James and Roger teamed up with Chuck Holloway, it was then on to a 327 Chevy powered fueler, known to everyone as the ‘Blue Car" that quite often out ran the big Chryslers. At the first UDRA Championship Top Fuel Show held at Lion’s Dragway on February 1, 1964 they qualified #16 at 8.01 @ 185.18. On Sunday, February 2, the second day of the event, they qualified #5 running 8.17 @ 182.03 and went to the finals against Gary Gabelich but a broken rocker arm cost them the win.

 

Gary, I have the same feeling about Prudhomme

 

Milton Dragway.

 

ID needed.

 

Sure would like to know more about this one.

 

Ok folks here we have photos from the VERY FIRST Winternationals.

For the whole story:
http://www.hotrod.com/features/hist...-from-the-first-nhra-winternationals-in-1961/


The NHRA Winternationals, since its inception in 1961, has become one of the most significant events in the yearly drag racing calendar, coming in second only to the Nationals for its history, tradition, and significance, due in part to being the race where all of the new machinery debuts. It’s the first race of the year, and everyone starts with a perfect record and high hopes. To show its depth and tradition we have gone into the HOT ROD archives to dig up some shots of the first Winternationals in 1961, which took place in the parking lot of the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds in Pomona, California. It’s the same track and location that the Winters have always been run.




Winner in A/Stock was Bill Patterson with his 1960 Impala, tuned by none other than Dyno Don Nicholson.





Mickey Thompson fielded five dragsters and several stock cars, going on to win Middle Eliminator with this injected half-a-V8 Pontiac banger, beating all comers with a 10.50 at 131 mph in the final to the B/altered of Hirshfield and Buky.



Top Eliminator honors went to Jack Chrisman and the Howard Cams Special with its plywood aerodynamics and twin-Olds power featuring new roller cams. Tuning was 16-year-old Jerry Johannson. This is Chrisman getting the trophy from NHRA President Wally Parks, with HOT ROD’s Tex Smith in the cowboy hat just to the left.




The man that would go on to start Street Rodder magazine 10 years later is Tom McMullen in the near lane in his pre-flamed Deuce roadster running in A Street Roadster against Jim Cassedy in his blown Chrysler T roadster. Cassedy would go on to win the class.




This is the Fred Stone and Leonard Woods B/Gas Willys driven by KS Pittman. This was pre-Stone Woods and Cook, but the Swindler II Gasser was a terror even back in 1961. It won B/Gas with a 126.93 mph at 11.22 seconds, which was a faster time than A/Gas!





In B/Competition, the Sorokin, Bacilek, and Pistone 1936 Willys beat out the competition, even though it broke in the final round coasting to the finish. All three principals would go on to race for years, with Mike Sorokin becoming the driver of the infamous Surfers Top Fuel team in the mid-1960s.





The Dragmaster “Two-Thing” was one of the most famous twin-engine dragsters of the age, setting an AA/Dragster speed record at the Winternationals of 174.92 mph.





Another famous name in drag racing, Joe Pisano, in his 1929 Model A coupe, getting an A/Gas class win in the Little Eliminator races.





Besides the racing action, the Winternationals Rod and Custom car show was held in the adjacent County Fair buildings at what is now called the Fairplex. Friday night kicked off the opening of the show.





NHRA racing couldn’t start the finals on Sunday without the “Canadian Indian” Bob Beazer and his “rain dance” which became a fixture at NHRA events for years.

 

Repeats schmeepeats! With this gigantic thread it's bound to happen. Couple of Ruth's gassers. That 38 Chevy survives and shows up at the Arlington dragstrip reunion, fellow that owns it is on the HAMB.I believe Ruth's Reality is still around. So nice to have you back Gary, great history lessons from you and the other folks who got to see this stuff. Nice tribute to your Dad. Maybe we'll run into one another at Bakersfield? I'll be the slightly overweight guy with graying hair. That should help!

John

 

Missed one!

 

Has what's left of my waning memory become even less reliable? Don't remember the twin-Olds power in this car.

c

 

LOL not sure Chuck but that article is right from Hot Rod mag

 

I'm sure that's what the magazine said and looks can be deceiving but I can read "C H E V R O L E T" on the valve cover and the rest of the motor looks suspiciously like a Stovebolt.

I was sorry to have missed the first Winternationals but I didn't arrive in California until June of '61. Haven't missed too many Pomona race events since then.

c

 

Before Jerry owned the 38 Chevy Coupe his brother John owned it. Before John owned it Earl Rue owned the car. If anybody has any info about any of the Rue brothers (Earl, Dean, or Quinton) it would be great.

You can see the cars history back to 1950 here:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/media/albums/my-1938-chevy-coupes-history-1950-to-today.44614/