WAITING FOR THE END OF THE WORLD It didnt take long to dispatch another contender he thot his Merc was quik...fat chance up against my 57! That big old sled had a Cadillac engine, he just couldnt catch me. I was halfway to the end of the quarter by the time the Caddy began to breathe. Didnt matter, when he got close to overtaking me, I was already parked alongside the road, leaning against the tailfin, awaiting my cash or steeling myself for the fist-fight I hoped wouldnt come this time. After an illegal street drag, back in 1962, there was a good chance a fist-fight would follow, especially if the other guy got beat fair and square. Happened to me, a lot I wasnt big enuff to back up any race happened to my friends, too, and always from out-of-town guys. It got to a point races had to be picked carefully, otherwise Blood spatters on the hood and trunk of some cars were badges like a road rash, definitely an ill-gotten honor. Most times they were there becuz tuff guys owned those cars, theyd leave the spots there for all to see a warning dont mess with me or Ill beat you bloody. It was especially intimidating on a light colored car even more intimidating on primer-spotted, lowered cars running whitewalls and fender skirts at football games in town or out of town. Guys that owned primer-spotted cars the original juvenile delinquents smoked, wore engineer boots and cuffed levis, hadda be tuff theyd work on their own stuff welding, mechanical, bodywork: REAL car guys and maybe those blood spatters were just from skinned knuckles blood was always on the front of the car. Regardless, theyd still take time to go hang out at the football game cheer on the varsity boys Yeah, ri-iiii-iight! The only thing they were after on Friday nites was a good time chug some beers, hit on the other teams cheerleaders and a chance to turn a few bucks into a lot more a drag race or two wasnt out of the question. The J.D.s from the other football rivals always showed up expecting the same. I seldom parked with the J.D.s my green 57 was never primer spotted and only four years old. Guess thats what caught his eye to him I was simply a Mommas boy with a new car Daddy bought he assumed that becuz my two-door wasnt nosed or decked, primered or even modified, save the whitewalls, small caps and Lakes Plugs that exited from the front wheel well, I was an easy mark. I should have known not to walk past his car that nite in the first place he yelled, Hey Jet. Your name is Jetter, isnt it? Yeah, I acknowledged. Heard your 57 is fast I think my Ford can take it, the guy talking towered over the lowered 54 Ford not small by any means. I kept walking. Hey, he yelled. At a safe enuff distance, I turned, You mean you THINK you can beat it that is, if I decide to take YOU on. The only saving grace I had was that I didnt think he knew my car very well. A reputation always seemed to precede my car, no matter where I went, some hot-shot always wanted his chance. I didnt know the primer-spotted 54 Ford hadnt seen it around really didnt know anything about it, other than it was a V8, from its idle didnt even know what kind of tranny it had, but wasnt real worried. Yeah, but I think youll decide right now, he said, moving away from his car, toward me. Aw man, I really dont need this tonite. Look, I said, backing up. How bout you and I set up a race for next weekend and say well go at each other for 20 bucks. Dont really have time tonite. No man, he shouted. Now right now and I got fifty bucks that says I can take you two out of three. I backed into something firm it didnt move. Ford-boy grinned. I turned to look one of his buds as big as Ford-boy but not smiling. Im definitely in trouble it wouldnt make any difference right now if I beat this guys Ford or not I could tell Ford-boy was intent on beating up on me a race was just his way of calling me out. Fifty, huh? I said, trying to figure a way out of this. Lets make it a serious race especially a two out of three an even hundred bucks each. Id hoped upping the ante would scare him off. He conferred with his buds they dug into their pockets. Uh-oh, no deterrent there he clutched a fist-full of tens one hundred dollars worth. Now I was going to have to back it up, the secret stash in my wallet would have to come out. My pal, Tiny, no small guy himself, wandered up, hed gone off to find the john earlier, nodded at Ford-boy. Whats going on, Pauley? Your pal just upped the ante on our race, Pauley offered. think hes trying to scare me off. Race? What race? Youre not taking on his 57, are you? Tiny asked. Hope youve got the cash to lose, how much you putting up? Pauley explained I was shocked Tiny knew this joker he shook Pauleys hand like they were long lost pals. I stood back, not wanting to get any closer to the pock-mark faced Ford lover. Tiny walked over to me, shaking his head. Tried to talk him out of it, couldnt, hes dead-set to see what kind of damage he can do. To my car or face? I asked. Nothing to worry about you can beat him all three times, Tiny added. We drove out to a strait stretch of hiway, where there wasnt any traffic one of his pals flagged us off after Tiny was deposited at the end of the quarter. I got a decent hole shot on the little Victoria as he churned his tires maybe two lengths, but that was all I needed my six cylinder was strong and once I had the hole shot, could stay ahead of most anything. It was always catch-up time for a V8. The splits on my six rapped loud and I listened for the optimum time to grab second gear. Never did have a tach in the car a good ear is all you need if you know your car well. I could see his headlights in my side mirror back a bit not losing ground, but I had him so far I slammed the column shift into second gear, resulting in some rear tire chirping and I jumped away from him a bit more his V8 was having a hard time catching me but I didnt have it put away just yet. He hit second, the V8s torque propelled the Vicky toward the hiways edge, but he had control of it and pulled up a bit on me now I was getting worried. I could almost get thru the entire quarter in second gear left it there this time. The old six was hammering when I flew past Tiny I knew winding it that tite was dangerous but didnt want to take any chances losing this first one. Tiny said I had him by a full car length Pauley didnt agree but conceded I did win this one. Lets go again, thats only the first one. I dont know if Pauley and his pal had arranged some secret signal the second time we were flagged off but I almost didnt get the usual hole shot I needed fortunately, I heard the Fords engine lug a bit when he dropped the clutch, I reacted quik, but only got half a length on the Ford going to be a genuine race to the end this time. I got out of low faster this time, hoping the longer legs of second gear could get me some breathing room. My mistake second actually slowed me cuz I didnt have the rpms to maintain the speed I needed the six bogged he pulled even when he banged second his second had longer legs when we blew by Tiny, Pauley had me One for one, the next race would be the one we find out what kind of a guy Pauley is I was sure I already knew. Tiny always said wed be waiting for the end of the world after every race to collect cash from the guy that lost waiting for him to turn around and come back if he was a decent guy, hed pay if he wasnt, well waiting for the end of the world meant he kept going and wouldnt ever pay. I learned that by getting burnt a few times in the past. I liked to have a third party hold the cash back at the starting line, but it wasnt going to be Pauleys pals. It happened fast way too fast didnt have much time to savor the victory. Halfway thru the quarter Pauley missed his shift I saw his headlights fall back and knew it was all mine steak dinners and a couple of cases of beer coming right up with that kind of cash! I waited at the finish line with Tiny Pauley pulled up and came storming out of the Ford looking mad as hell, yelling Im gonna pound your face, and fists clenched the only thing I could hope for was the fight wouldnt last long. He swung on me and I ducked, he swung again, I blocked it his third swing was my opening an uppercut bounced him off the side of my 57 and he walked into a swing that connected with his nose dazed, Tiny grabbed his arms from behind Pauley, it was a fair race, and your pals are still back at the finish line so theyre no help to you. Theres two of us here and Im not going to let you whip up on my friend, understand? Pauley weighed his options and conceded. Tiny let him go, he wiped blood from his nose and pulled cash from his pocket the fight was over. Sometimes that was the only way to walk away from a fight not bloodied the only bad thing about ending a fight like that was you had to watch over your shoulder at every football game after that. My 57 had a reputation but it never carried blood spatters. Got more than my share of bloody noses, more than one tooth busted out of my head and got my head pounded against the car hood a few times, too. Blood has a tendency to stain light colored paint I always made sure I cleaned the blood off it as soon as I could after a fight most times it was mine anyway! Copyright 11/04 RAJetter/Aden Rush My new book: Bangin Gears & Bustin Heads is available. 208 pages of the 1960s in Lincoln, Omaha, Fremont, Nebraska and Iowa stories of drag races, fist fights, cruisin, four-oh-nines, four-oh-sixes, Plymouths, Oldsmobiles and the way it really was including vintage B & W photos. Visit my website: www.rajetter.com Now available: PayPal!!! For overseas & foreign, they will be an increase in postage e-mail me for correct amount. This book would make a nice Christmas gift for that hard-to-buy-for person. Bonus: When you order direct from the author (thatd be ME!!!), Ill autograph it to you personally. Also available at major bookstores and Amazon. com
sorry, man. had some paltry action tonight, but action nonetheless! great story, a favorite of mine i think already.
Sure brought back some memories of my ol' '57 6-banger more door. 235 3-speed, but built as good as I could aford the parts for. Had more than a couple of races I won with the sleeper, but I lost my share, too. I don't ever remember any fist fights after any of the races, but then I was 6', 200# and could hold my own - just made sure I wasn't outnumbered !! Very cool read. Thanks for the memories !!
Hey Roger, Yet another fine read!!! They just keep getting better!! I remember growing up and seeing the same thing going on at football games even after I graduated,boy what I would give to have been around back then. Thanks for sharing these super stories and I can't wait for the book to arrive!!! Bill
Where you F'd up was when you turned and said " ..You mean you THINK you can beat it...." That is the second where the ass beatin is written in stone. No gettin out now. Somebody is gettin a beat down. You could have stayed quiet and kept on walkin...but where's the fun in that..? By the way, I've read the book a few times already and it rules... -Abone.
Great story! In my HS years (1991-1995) nothing like that ever happened. We all had POS cars, and the kids from other towns knew better than to show up because everyone ran everyone not from town out of town... I never really got that, but if I ever cruised through any small town near my own, you KNEW you were getting chased well out into the country by at least 4 cars full of kids. I never had the misfortune of getting into a fist fight luckily. You make it sound so glamorous though! Instead of getting beat up over having a faster car, it was always the goofy ass "Law of girlfriend"... Some dude would kick your ass because he wanted your girlfriend. Then the girl typically would go out with him! Things work differently in small towns than in cities. I fled to the city because I'm a pussy, and things work more logically here.
HAMB drags 2004, challenged Jetter and his Stude to a grudge race with my Henry-J. Thought I could sucker him into best of three. Let him win the first one and went to the pits to talk to him. Told him if he beat me again that I would kick his ass big time. He had his help with him. (His big brother) I took care of the big guy first, then turned to settle the score with Roger. Man, this guy sure is quick. When the dust settled, it was decided to finish this ass whippin next year at MO-KAN. Ok Jetter, get that book in the mail or you have another ass kickin acommin! Tell that brother I said HELLO. Tommy Mc
[ QUOTE ] Ok Jetter, get that book in the mail or you have another ass kickin acommin! Tommy Mc [/ QUOTE ] Hey Tommy...now I really know why you baited me...good thing I'm bigger than you! I ain't takin' that one lyin' down!!! I'll get you for sure next August... R- PS...the book will go in the mail next week! Hey Luketrash...you're from Ames...ever been to Ledges? Watch for a story about that... R-
Yep, been out there several times, though never overnight... Pic of the bike sitting down near the canyon road when flooded this spring and the directory of other photos from out around Ledges, but none in the park... I'll be waiting. I put your book on my xmas wish list. If none of my deadbeat relatives get it for me, I'm buying it after the 25th.
Hmmmm i hope i can get some money soon so i could get that book....Man that would have to be one hell of a six banger! But then again it was goin up against a ford....HAHA 20 bucks right?
It was a helluva six...just remember it was the early '60's... Yeah Johnny, 20 bucks for TWENY-SIX good stories... R-
Roger, another good read! Just pulling your chain last nite. The KEY word in my post was "ANOTHER". No rush on the book, but I can't wait to get it, just like I can't wait for the "Fri Nite Read". Headed for Florida Christmas day. I will have plenty of time to read your adventures as a teenager that remind me of MY adventures as a teenager. I also had a six in a 53 chev that would kick the crap out of my friend's 49 ford flatmotor as well as his brother's 55 chev 265.(That is before the timing gears went out, then it wouldn't pull the hat off your head). Thanks again, Tommy Mc
Wotta story! Jerks like that don't deserve a Ford. Why don't you write novels? Oh, wait, you did. -Crew
The Jalopy Journal
