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

1963 Indy Nationals

 

Sorry about this, but the facts of this story needs correcting. The Ape was in fact raced by DJ ONeil and the Rizzo Brothers. The fact stands that the Hard Luck Blues , Grape Ape, and the Ape is NOT the J & J Muffler Bantam. I own both the Hard Luck Blues car and the real J & J Muffler Bantam. The J & J car was built in 1960 by Ed Weddle, and Bacilek and Wilcox started racing it in 1961. Mike Soskin bought that car from Bacilek and Wilcox after they won the 1962 US Nationals. At the end of the 1964 racing season Soskin sold the car to Lundsford. His family business ( Bear Run Building Supply, Anchorage, Alaska ) sponsored the car, and named it "Silly Bear 1". It went through at least three unidentified owners after Lundsford sold the car, and was named " Sweet Thing" at one time. It was found in Oakhurst, CA in the Summer of 2021, before Pete Eastwood bought it late in 2021. I first saw the real J & J car at the Nitro Revival, Nov. 05, 2021. Purchased it in May 2022. That was several years after I bought the Ape's chassis from Sparky, under the belief it was the J & J Muffler Bantam. My intent is not to piss off anyone, just to share the true facts about the two cars. I am restoring the J & J Muffler Bantam.