History Drag cars in motion.......picture thread.

In response to nitrobrother Post # 41515.
I TOOK THIS PHOTO AT FREMONT MAR. 14 1965.
YOUR POST AND MINE SHOWS THE SHORT PERIODS BETWEEN MORPHINGS.
IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME CORRECT.
THIS WAS MAIDEN RUN OF BOB'S "HEMICUDA".
NOTE! NO CAR NAME. NO SPONSORS YET! NOTHING!
[/QUOTE]

 

This is Don Young out of Kansas City. Note the sponsor was Ronnie's Speed Shop...as in Ronnie Runyan whose brother posts here quite a bit.

Edit: Oops, Ronnie wasn't the one I was thinking of! See updates below...

 

Now that's cool! March, '65, huh? KC was probably still snowed in...headed for the sun to run.

 

'Nuther one of Don Young (10/66 issue of Drag World):

 

I BELIEVE THIS WAS SULLIVAN'S LAST RAIL RIDE.
TOOK PHOTO'S AT KINGDON MAR. 15, 1964.
(1) SULLIVAN ON A SINGLE
(2) SULLIVAN vs CONNIE SWINGLE.
(3) STILL SHOT.

 

Nitro, Ronnie's Speed Shop was actually owned by Ronnie Shapiro, who did sponsor Ron Runyan's Vega funny in the early 70's after Runyan moved to Kansas City. Ron Runyan started racing funnies in Los Angeles in the '60's with a blown Corvair called Blue Hell. Ron moved to Raytown, quit racing and started a trailer manufacturing company. More recently, he built Chevy V-8 powered bikes.

 

Thanks for the correction...in the mid '70s when I bought my first rod ('40 Plymouth) Ronnie's and Arrow were the shops to go to for parts (Ruskin Auto was 'local' for me, but the other stores were more...exotic). Someone told me that Runyan owned it and for the past 40+ years I believed them!

 

I always wondered if Shapiro (whom I thought was more of a businessman than a car guy), Sponsored Runyan just because they had the same name and that maybe people would think it was Shapiro driving! Just a theory. Seems like it worked...whoever told you that thought so!

 

View attachment 2876334 Boy some mornings I check out this thread and I am amazed at the great shots that have been posted ! This is one of those mornings! Thanks Gary , ardun , enloe and FAM4WILLYS

 

Dave Hales and Fred Bear of the S&S Team.

 

John Maher, Calder Park, near Melbourne, Australia. This was John's second car following the shorty bodied car that is now Ross Preen's Banshee cackle car. Both cars ran A/D with a 392. John later ran an Attebury back motor top fuel car.

Roo

 

As the name on the 1/4 panel says, Bill Boer's Willys sponsored by Jack Merkel's shop. He ran at Westhampton dragstrip a lot. Jack Olcott later owned this car as a streetrod. Jack and son John have the Russo and Allen 41 Willy's sedan the still run today.

Pat

 

Any info on the charger I have one that is in desperate need of a makeover.

 

Les Hawkins and the beginning of the 15oz coupe. Les lived a couple blocks of our house in West Covina. Before I had a license, we rode our bikes up to see what Les was doing on the build.

 

Roo, yep, that IS Muncie.....old man Bowman's barn in the background and this was exactly as the stands were configured at that time! E

 

OK, so when did it get the grass down the middle? You have to remember that I came to the scene on this side of the big pond a little later than most and did not see most of the tracks in their early years. I got a close up look at the grass a few years back when I got a little out of shape in one of Paul Stender's jet outhouses at the night of fire event.

Roo

 

Believe it's one of Mr Norms cars.

 

Ray Testasecca from Astoria NY running at Dover Drag strip.

Pat

 

From Oregon

 

More, The T-Bird had Chrysler Hemi power !

 

Maybe a tad O/T but how cool ! Looks like Stepp..er....Mr. Stepp standing at the rear of the car.

 

Afew for Roo.