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

Enjoyed the whole series of Blue Hell cars starting in 1966. Seemed like you moved to the east for good in what 1969? I dont recall you being out here in California much after that time. As for Dellings, what was the real cause for the Mr T Vette crashing?

 

Willys is Ray Kobel racing at Dover and 50s Ford is Wilko Bros at Dover . Both picture are from the Dover collection.

Pat

 

Hi guys-
Just wanted to say that since I stumbled upon this thread in mid-August this year, I have been reading it since and finally came to the end of the thread. Like others have said this is THE best thread on the internet, bar none. Thanks a LOT for the memories!
I grew up in Bridgeport CT and went to CT Dragway for years with my brother so the few pix from CT Dragway were special for me. A lot of the CT Dragway pictures posted in the beginning of the thread have disappeared so I'm sure I missed seeing a lot of them, but for what I did see I want to thank you all. This thread was a wonderful ride back in time!

George "Pasta" Romano

 

Jungle Jim never had a vette funny car, this was a photoshop joke from a couple of years ago, and none of the Beach City Vettes survived

 

Thanks fellas, I'll check it out.
Thanks also for the welcome.

George

 

Heres the orginal photo that they made the Jungle Vette out of.

Mike Ditty photo.

Plum

 

Yup, I remember that one. They even messed up the spelling of Steve's name on the Jungle car.

 

So does Jim Oddy's Austin. Currently the car is in its final stages of a complete 100% correct restoration with help from Jim Oddy himself. The car may be at the NHRA reunion at Beach Bend in Bowling Green, KY in 2011.

 

Hot Damn, That's back when any idiot with a pit pass at Lions could wander up behind the cars when they were staging... I was standing right off to the side when it went off back farther closer to the bridge. Never forget that one, bet I wasn't the one one that had to change their shorts. That was LOUD!!! Of course it didn't help any that our senses were 'heightened' from a little illegal activity

 

Yipes, look like you didnt have to be real close to get singed,
hope the driver was quick to get out,,,,
Was this a "and they walked away" moment?

 

That was Lew Arrington.He walked away. Dennis Doubleday

 

thanks Dennis, amazing pic

 

hello all new to the hamb ive been a lurker for a year now and i finally figured out how to log on in here ive been racing since 68 and started out at lions at the tender age of 12 doin the time slips for c.j hart mazooma i used to sit right in the same area you sat when i wasnt working i was there for all the funny car shows in the 60 s and worked there until steve evans took it over in 71

 

Was this your intro HeavyHitter,,?

 

well it was the best i could do on a moments notice i have tons of stories from 40 years of drag racinr lol

 

Rusty Delling is a good friend of mine, and he told me on that day, Keith Black was tuning it. It kicked the rods out at around 1,000ft, banged the blower, the blower hit him in the face knocking him out, and then crashed hard. He was critically injured. He told me he remembered coming to, and put his hand up to take his helmet off, and his arm folded in half.

I've still trying to get him to sign up and post on here. I'll keep on him. He has a lot of great pictures of all the cars he has driven.

 

Is this the same "Blue Hell" that is in the process of being restored?

 

Considering the estimated speed, the Dick Fletcher chassis held up. And yes prod him into joining, he serves as part of important component of drag racing history.

 

Ronnie took the operation east Kansas City Mo in 69 so we could be closer to all tracks. In 70 uncle sam wanted me more than Ronnie. I joined the USAF and refueled planes in the air. Not like driving a funny but a rush just the same. I also briefly worked with Marv Eldridge and Rusty Delling helping my friend Mike D'Dario who is now the ticket manager at infineon. Rusty was a better shoe than Marv and don't know the details of his crash. As for Marv, Mike and I visited him in the hospital in 71 and he was in a coma and never recovered. We had alot of fun in racing in the west coast and alot of the pictures on this site brings back fond memories. you can see the Blue Hell cars on pages 290,421,435,756,757,758,758,763,790,868,830,875,937 and 978. Thanks Mike "the wrench" Runyan

 

Ronnie took the operation east (kansas city Mo in 69 so we could be closer to all tracks. We raced alot of match races for jim tice and AHRA which didn't get as much ink as california but, provided pay checks. I got a letter from Uncle Sam in 1970 saying he wanted my ass so, I fooled him and joined the USAF and refueled planes in the air. A rush but, not like driving a funny. Ronnie put me behind each of his funnies except for the last Vega as cheap insurance in case he was sick. In 69 hwe thought we had a single run at manhattan Ks and after my burn out the track manager signaled doug Rose to stage. Yeah, that Doug Rose in the jet dragster. We had won the Drag World championships at Wichita the night before and I left the tuning alone. 95% nitro and 33 over on the blower.I put 10 cars on Rose off the line but, he came by me 1/2 track like I was in reverse. Harry Schmidt and Mike burkhart were on the return road and said I carried the left front wheel the entire track. Rose went over 300. Harry asked me to go to Dallas with him and help build his new car however, I had promised my dad I would finish high school and returned to L.A . well, we all know what car he built. Paul Gordon was the first to drive it and then my friend Jake Johnston piloted the car. Do you know the car? Ronnie's last run was in 72 against Pisano's vega and he beat him but trashed the engine. He prided himself by running chevy and was independent which meant Joe had more money and speed costs money so Pisano came back in and Ronnie sold the whole operation. They were really the good times. Mike

 

i remember reusty dellings from lions when he drove for c-o autos hi ho silver vette i can still remember him goin by us at 1000 ft with the tires hazing and goin 9.75 136 i believe he drove the chicken little devin for service center too and a variaty of other cars too he was a great driver and i would love to see him post on here

 

Great picture of home town World Champion from the day...Billy Kidd....thanks.

 

That is what I hear but the guy is putting a hemi in it which is NOT a recreation but I would like to see it anyway and do a burn out or two. Lol Mike

 

Wow ! You could have ended up behind the wheel of the Blue Max.Pretty cool.What might have been ! Dennis Doubleday

 

Dave ray photo. Dennis Doubleday

 

[ As for Marv, Mike and I visited him in the hospital in 71 and he was in a coma and never recovered.

Wasnt Marv piloting a blown Anglia in Hawaii at the time of his accident?

 

Yeah, go figure

 

Dennis, I showed Ronnie all the photos you sent me and he and i thank you. Yeah, my life is full of shoulda's and coulda's but, I am glad I joined the USAF and stayed for 21 years. Drag racing was fun but, the retirement system sucks. Ronnie and I plan to attend Bowling Green next year. We also attend the KCMO muscle car events and hang out with our friends Larry Reyes, Dale Pulde, John Troxel, Butch Larsen. We try to remeber the good old days and lie alot. We all plan to attend next years Bakerfield nostalgia event. thanks again. Mike