There are several in this video of The Nationals in 1961 To watch it you might have to click watch on YouTube below.
Hey EG71, Sorry the link did not work. CLICK TWICE ON THE POSTED LINK... Here is the one from the You Tube network. 1961 NHRA US Nationals The "Watch on you tube" works, but the link has a difficult time registering. The So Cal Howard Cam Twin Bear FED race car showing some action, starts it off... Thanks for the link. Jnaki As a side, I did some searching in my files and came up with this set of information. Earliest Willys Race Cars in action. The 1320 record book shows George Montgomery with the record during the summer of 1961. (prior to the Nationals) We were in a recovery mode and had just sold our stuff a few months earlier. But the blue outline shows the Chevy sedan that was our compe***or in that last race on August 1960 at Lion’s Dragstrip night. A year later, he is registered as 12.65 for the record in B/Gas. What a hoot. In 1960, we turned 12.60 prior in the trial runs during that last day. My brother got the best start ever and left that opponent at the starting line by 1.5 car lengths. So, one year later, the record shows 12.65 as a new division was created. YRMV
Hello, As the interest in Gas Coupes and Sedans was still popular events at most So Cal dragstrips in the early 1960s, by the time mid 65-66 came along, there was a movement like no other. The very popular Gas Coupe and Sedan Cl***es, the Street Roadster Cl***es and most of the other modified cl***es started getting the shaft. No, not stroked crankshafts, but loss of cl*** compe***ion against those we all used to race as per rules and compe***ion. The drag racing interest started its move to top fuel entries and fascination by promoters to stage huge events. Add in the new FX cl***es and then creep into the modified sedans that eventually turned into funny cars… the downfall of drag racing as we all knew it, started. Jnaki So, as the 1964 all Gas Coupe and Sedan huge drag race event back at Lion’s Dragstrip drew a packed house, the promoters decided to have another one, this time using “Rosin” for added traction. Since the everyday local racer was now out of the picture as far as those street legal cl***es were, the promoters still needed something to draw the spectators back to the track. YRMV
Hello, In reading some of my old files, I came across this piece of information. It was from a time period that we were first ***ociated with Lion’s Dragstrip and the So Cal area dragstrips at the time. The main weekly newspaper for both of us was the Drag News Weekly. So, one of the earliest Willys Coupes with a Hemi motor was setting records, not in a Gas Coupe/Sedan cl***, but in the Altered Coupe/Sedan cl***. On this weekend of August 1957, the team was noted in their new record for the A/A cl*** designation at Colton dragstrip. Early history, but fast times… Jnaki So what else was interesting at this particular time was the famous Tommy Ivo and his T-Roadster also in attendance, racing in the Street Roadster cl*** and setting a record for that cl***. (despite not having fenders to be completely, street legal) But, wait, not only did he win with his T-Bucket, but then being Buick fanatics, he jumps into the Max Balchowsky Buick powered sporty car to set another record in the Modified Sports Car cl***. That was a very busy day for Tommy Ivo…YRMV Note: One month later in September, Tommy Ivo sets another record in the same T-roadster at San Fernando Dragstrip at 120.mph.
@jnaki, That was an early one and he was definitely fast and ahead of his time with a Willys Coupe and a Hemi. Thanks for sharing it
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