Motion Pictures 1962 NHRA Winternationals at 60 FPS

Jive-Bomber submitted a new blog post:

1962 NHRA Winternationals at 60 FPS

Continue reading the Original Blog Post

 

“…Super Stock class that was won almost entirely by 409-powered Chevrolets that year.” **

** Super Duty Pontiacs were absent

 

Hello,

It was a historic time, as the Dragmaster became very popular prior to this meet. As one notices, there were quite a few Dragmaster chassis cars in the competition races. The original Dragmaster with the front mounted Potvin style supercharger on an SBC motor back in 1959 had changed to a top mount 671 and won the whole event.

Here is a film I took and it has the original sound of the exact motor with the Potvin style blower.

Dragmaster

Jnaki

The odd thing was the matchup for a race of two twin SBC motor racers was reminiscent of one of my favorite silent films. The race between the twin SBC of Lefty Mudersbach and the twin of the Howard Cam SBC racers.


At the time, this was the race that brought everyone up from their seats to see the conclusion of the race.

Note:
The "Shark car" of Tom McEwen was just the beginning for that FED. Gene Adams collaboration is/was always innovative and powerful.

"McEwen's relationship with Adams continued for several years, and, in 1962, he drove Adams' Shark car, which was one of the first dragsters to use a streamlined body with an enclosed 'chute pack and one of McEwen's most famous rides."

Progress in early drag racing is/was exciting, but the memories of those old days is still lingering... YRMV

Plus:
@Dean Lowe yowza!!!

 

Where were you in '62 ?

 

Great video to watch. If only one could take a trip back in time. When I was doing research for my book on Corvette drag racing (Corvette Drag Racing-The Golden Era) it turned out that the 62 Winternationals was one of my all time favorite stories. I saw a number of the Corvettes in the video including Mazmanian's 61 that took class in C/MSP but also Mike Lenke's 62 that the press after the meet declared one of the haulingest Vettes in the nation. With Earl Wade Lenke's driving Lenke's black 62 he won class in A/SP (the class for stock 62 fuelies) but dispatched all of the competition in Street Eliminator to take the crown over the supercharged Willys of Pittman and Edwards-heads up. Bill Kashishian also took class with his Vette in B/MSP and so did Earl Peterson in his Vette. Reggie Nelson in his 60 Vette and Karnig Kashizian in his 61 D/SP 61 Vette. Another impressive Corvette victory of the meet was Brendan Grassman's 61 B/SP Corvette which took class and faced Hayden Proffitt in the Mickey Thompson 421 A/FX Pontiac Tempest built by Mickey Thompson. HAMBer Bert Brown drove the car on the street for years before restoring it to as raced condition and it was recently sold to a friend in Wisconsin. According to Bert, Hugh Osterman who was driving the Grassman car led Proffitt as far as the 1000 ft mark but lost just short of the stripe. One of the best days for Corvette drag racing when they were first starting to make a mark IMO.

Here are pictures of Lenke's 62 with Earl Wade and Mike Lenke and the Grassman 61 with their trophies at the 62 Winternationals..