History Nix Racing Footage

Thanks - very Cool - recently posted here - wish the background music was not so overly mellow

 

Thanks Ryan! Great footy to kick start the day!

 

Racing the way I remember it,Midwestern style.And what's wrong with the music?

 

So awesome. Can you imagine actually being there!? I'd love to see more cars/rails like this at the HAMB Drags.

 

I was at Greer Dragstrip in Greer, South Carolina for a match race with Nix and Pete Robinson in 1967. They were two of the best at the time. Robinson's AA/FD was Ford SOHC powered, Nix's Chrysler Hemi. It was a two out of three and on the third round Nix was going for the track speed record which was 212 mph IIRC. My friends and I were down at the finish line just in case he set the record. He did set the record at 214 IIRC but ran off the track just past the clocks. It was a very, very bad crash and slung the engine out of the frame. The car disintegrated.
I was one of the first to arrive to the roll cage which was turned upside down. Pete got out of his car and got to the remains of Nix's car as I and others did. He asked us to help him turn it upright. I did help but didn't want to see Nix so I turned my back as it flipped upright. As I was walking away I couldn't believe when Nix asked for help getting out.
Nix lived to race again but both he and Robinson lost their lives in their dragsters, something they both understood could happen and accepted.

 

Very cool footage!

 

How things have changed! Diets were different then - so many slender people. The end of flag starts - the beginning of Christmas Tree starts. Home-built trailers and truck toppers. Innovation and experimentation. The "burn-out" was the actual drag race! No special starting line prep except for the occasional sweep. I could go on.

 

I spent many days watching Nix race in Okla. what a legend he is. I saw him race at the fairgrounds in Okc, San Valley, Okc, Willow Run Choctaw Rd Okla. Tulsa Dragstrip . I also saw him race in California and other places while I was in service. I was at the Enis Texas track the night he took his last ride. Bad news. I was getting ready to fire up the AA/FD of Jon Barrett when he crashed. Enis was having a match race of two rearend dragsters running first then two front engine AA/FD dragsters next. Sam Chastain in one and Jon Barrett the other. What a LEGEND How do I get a copy of this ?

 

Jimmy Nix is buried in the cemetary about 20 plots away from my sister. Good folks.

 

Thanks for the memories, I remember seeing Jimmy Nix race at Pel State Dragstrip in Eunice, Louisiana back in the 60's.

 

I have some more shots of it somewhere but my buddy Corey Conyers of Crowne Customs in Wichita finished this replica of the Nix car last year. Here it is at the 2015 Hot Rod Garage Open House in Sand Springs, OK.




I'll look for some cackle footage on my phone.

 

I have not heard about it. I bet that makes Jimmy Jr. proud.