History Early drag racing photos

Square tube everywhere!

 

Does not get much earlier than this: Dode Martin, next to the Bean Bandits, and Ed "Axle" Stewart's roadster. The guy on the fuel bike (forgot his name) won top eliminator, Santa Ana, around 1951/

 

Hello,

We were able to see the whole series of early Dragmaster racers at Lion’s Dragstrip during the 1958-60 time period. Here is the original Dragmaster 671 SBC front mount race car in action. The film has the sound we heard almost every weekend when they drove up the coast to get to Lion’s Dragstrip from San Diego County coastal city of Carlsbad.

The film was shooting location was from the "secret" spot next to Mr. Childer's white Pontiac Ambulance, next to the orange timing Tower.

The film was at Lion’s Dragstrip in the Summer of 1959. The sound was from the Dragmaster FED in September of 1959 at the Detroit Nationals. Same race car, same 671 SBC sound…


Jnaki

But, the popularity was not just for the factory Dragmaster race car. They sold the great ch***is designs to a lot of So Cal racers and the different motors all played a big part in their popularity.
Then, this was very tempting for all racers… Several months later: March 1960:

What???
Now, it was Cyr and Hopper, Dragmaster Ch***is, World’s Fastest Chevy powered FED.
DRAG NEWS 1960


Another San Diego County racer makes it weekly, up the coastline of So Cal to race at Lion's Dragstrip.


The new challenge was a Potvin styled 671 in front of an SBC motor, in a lighter, Dragmaster frame. Instantly, it became known as the “Worlds Fastest Chevy.”

at :31


Note:

Different variations of the Dragmaster ch***is in compe***ion:



Note 2:


Rarely does it happen, but in late 1959, a lot of power made the wheels come up for a race at the Riverside Raceway drag meet. YRMV

1960 March Meet at Bakersfield… First Race


2nd race VS another 671 on top, Dragmaster

 

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Just an incredible color photo from this era. If it was colorized from a B&W photo someone put a lot of thought and effort into doing the job right. Especially love all the "rail birds" perched on the fence in the background. Waiting to hear the Green Monster fire up and make a p***, I'd guess!

 

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A couple from the early 60's. The two pictures are the same car, from different years. Taken at the Des Moines Dragway.

 

Too cool! Backyard bomb. No money, junk laying around, let's build a dragster. I really like the "hood".

 

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Here are a couple more from Des Moines Dragway. Second Picture, that is me bent over by the car.

 

I have the frame got it from Don Garlits and the Johanasen brothers clarrafied it is the frame that Gleen had

 

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A few more. Again, early to mid '60's.

 

More Des Moines, Iowa

 

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I thought I would just post links to my YouTube pictures instead of individual ones.


I hope that is OK....

Leon

 

Jenkin’s Monster Mash, one of the all time great Jr. Stock cars. I sure would’ve like a look at that ch***is and 265 to see the secrets they held.