Back in the mid 60's Malcolm Durham was the man to beat!!! He always put on a great shows for the fans which is something I find lacking with today's version of drag racing. Jimbo
And he was everywhere on the east coast. When we heard he was coming we made sure to save all our pennies from cutting grass, newspaper routes whatever we could do and try and convince one of our fathers to go to the drags that week.
Guided by blueprints from factory Ramchargers engineers, Landy’s Automotive Research finished the job in time to cash in on lucrative late-season match races in the Southeast. Back home in November, Dandy Dick clocked 146.57 (!) mph and won Top Production Eliminator at the same Riverside half-mile meet that produced the preceding Burke & Chastain photo. In mid-December, Rick captured what’s likely this car’s last burnout, ever, in a San Fernando Valley parking lot. Flying Dutchman Plymouth AWB running in C/A vs Moody's Garage coupe in one of the first clashes between the "New" style and older cars.
AWB "Bad News" dodge Owned by Steve & Kay Moths more Bad News AWB "Performance King" Plymouth Owned by Robert Schatz
Just getting into my stride again. I go looking for say vette hot rods and it leads from there to all kinds of stuff that grabs my miniscule attention span and before I know it I have a bunch to post in all kinds of threads and sometimes just a few corvettes LOL.
OK folks I came across a PONTIAC AWB site and it's a good one. So for today it's Arnie "The Farmer" Beswick's turn in the box. I know some of these may have been posted before but here they are all in one place for your viewing pleasure. The first one no name yet EDIT: From the Zettle brothers it does have a name "Mr. B's Runabout" Arnie The Farmer Beswick "Mystery Tornado" GTO. This was before the upcoming tiger car. Running Richard Petty in the 43 Barracuda
Next up the more well known Arnie "The Farmer" Beswick the "Tameless Tiger" tempest The big crash and fire. LOL we are not done yet stand by for more Pontiac AWB cars later
The first car is Beswick's " Mr. B's Runabout. The car was not altered. Later it would go on to become "The Tameless Tiger". The second car is "The Mystery Tornado", a '64 GTO, which also never was altered.
if iam remembering correctly arnie did not crash that car. I believe he had a hired driver for that race.
Just seen replicas of these two cars at the National Pontiac Convention in Bettendorf, IA last weekend
Ok Pontiac fans we still have more to go. I realize some of these are not yet AWB but they show the progression. Don Gay looks like he started out driving for Arnie "The Farmer" The caption looks wrong as that is not the GTO. Anybody remember if he was the owner of Gay Pontiac or a son? Don Gay GTO Infinity
And still more Lew Arrington Brutus ON FIRE More pleasant times Not for long now with MICKEY THOMPSON PONTIAC HEMI HEADS And were are not done yet. Never knew there were so many Pontiac AWBS. Stand by for more later.
Arnie was a friend of the Gay's out of Texas. He raced for them when he was in the southern states. The '65 GTO was Don's first GTO car. When he got the '66 his brother Roy started driving the '65. I believe it was Roy who got killed in the '65. Brutus was driven for a period of time by "Jungle Jim" before he went out on his own.
this might be out of place, if you think so let me know and I'll delete it...but I think it's kind of neat that Hot Rod put my car on the cover...probably the first time an actively racing altered wheelbase drag car has been there for a long time!
Yeah, it's out of place because AWB car's don't go on 1000+ mile cruises with the hood taped shut. Oh wait, I guess they do!!! LOL
The Jalopy Journal
