History Early drag racing photos

What a weird looking dude hanging on that 55 Shivel-lay !!! Looks a little like Santa Claus........ Jus say'in
6sally6

 

That seems like a pretty smooth looking Fiat for a car of that era. Surprised that more of them didn't get finished up that nicely. Maybe running an inline 6 or a whole bunch of engine set-back? No exhaust visible from this side to give us a clue.

 

@ClayMart The "Heaven Pacers" ran this Fiat bodied altered around the Northern California area. Before the drags would start on Sunday, they conducted religious services. The picture was posted by @296ardun on Facebook.

 

Here's my grandfather, Ollie Morris, at the first NHRA US Nationals in 1955 at Great Bend, KS.

 

Hopefully that's on the return road and they're not trying to push-start them two at a time!

 

Hello,

Kenny Lindley’s early FED race car has gone through plenty of changes. Don Hampton (owner of Hampton Blowers https://www.hamptonblowers.com/superchargers ) has always been the driver of the sleek white race car. The HAMB has shown plenty of early versions of the team and competition.

We were fortunate to be at Lion’s Dragstrip when the sleek streamlined race car was always in the running for top eliminator. The sleek white body was as close to full streamlining as one could get without enclosing the front wire wheels.

This white dragster was one of my favorite as I took many different angles of photos/films in action.

1959 Lion's Dragstrip
1959
Kenny Lindley FED with Don Hampton driving

I wanted to show my brother and his friends how I stepped up my filming of the race cars to include some interesting shots. With an infinity fixed lens, I had to have close encounters to get some action shots in the pits or staging lanes. So, with that in mind, I stood my ground at the curve in the staging lane for FED race cars. As the Kenny Lindley/don Hampton race car fired up, it came charging toward me as I was filming the action.

“Here's coming at you…”


Jnaki

When I showed the silent edited film at our weekly gathering of teenagers at our house, they all hooted and hollered at the sight of the Kenny Lindley/Don Hampton’s race car heading right for everyone! YES!

But, many years later, I found some exciting sounds from 1959 of the Kenny Lindley/Don Hampton white race car on an old LP album my brother and I bought at Wallach’s Music City in Lakewood, CA. The sound proof listening room was fabulous as we listened to all of the drag racing sounds at full blast!

Then I had the sounds digitized and found the race that best matched the actual sound. I filmed it during the spring and summer races at Lion’s Dragstrip and the actual sound of the Kenny Lindley/Don Hampton race car came from the LP album also recorded live in September of 1959.


Have fun: Turn it up! Or better yet, watch it on your big screen tv on the You Tube channel (J NAKI)
REAL 1959 SOUND

Note:

Thanks @Dean Lowe Nice photo from 1959 in So Cal