History Early drag racing photos

Sanford, Maine, what a great place to grow up and watch my hero’s…
Sidebotham Richardson Creehan from my hometown, Reading, Mass

 

Opening day at New England

 

I saw this pic on the net with no info.
Anybody recognize the car?
Track location?
@Marty Strode another good looking drag 'liner.

 

With further research I found my answers:

In 1964, the Logghe-Marsh-Steffey team – famed chassis builders Ron and Gene Logghe, driver Jim Marsh, and crew chief Roy Steffey -- built this car, which had everything but the front wheel pants. The team, which had recorded the first unblown seven-second pass with its 389-cid-powered C/FD entry in March, built an identical engine for the streamliner and saw the performance plummet to an 8.25 when the car ran in Indy that year. After a few more races, the car was parked, but not without leaving a bit of mystery. I reached out to Steffey via email to ask about the car’s quick retirement. “We ran both the C/FD and the streamliner at Indy, and it was a tenth slower than the C/FD, and we felt it was due to the extra weight of a full body," he responded. “We later built a blown 354 Chrysler on fuel for the streamliner and took the car to Richmond, Va., around Thanksgiving time as that was the closest track to Michigan that was still open. Maynard Rupp made one half pass to check it out and a second full pass. From the starting line, I could see six feet of daylight under the slicks in the lights, and it was turning sideways. Maynard pulled the chute, and it straightened out. The Prussian [conventional slingshot Top Fueler driven by Rupp and tuned by Steffey] would run over 203 with that engine, but due to Maynard pulling the chute at the first light, who knows what speed the streamliner would have gone if it didn't fly.”

 

P

That must have replaced the “Giant Killer”, their famous C/FD.

 

Yes. From my follow-up post
"The team, which had recorded the first unblown seven-second pass with its 389-cid-powered C/FD entry in March, built an identical engine for the streamliner and saw the performance plummet to an 8.25 when the car ran in Indy that year. After a few more races, the car was parked, but not without leaving a bit of mystery."

 

Eddie Hill.

 

Tommy Ivo.

 

Dante Duce in England ?

 

Airing it out. Before "Lume".

 

Bannister Brothers.

 

The "Scuderia" dragster ?

 

Obviously, Tommy Ivo.

 

Again, a great photo.

 

I remember those phone numbers. MI4-**** (Midway).

 

@40ragtopdown
photograph by Pete Garramone

Hello,

Tommy Ivo was in the thick of the powerful race cars from the early days of San Fernando Dragstrip and Lion’s Dragstrip IN So Cal. The succession of the fast Injected Buicks led to plenty of records in the FED race car classes. As the year(s) rolled on, the attempt to go faster was always in all drag racers minds, so the next attempt at continuing the winning ways was the 671 supercharged Buick.

My brother and I saw this progression right before our eyes during this time. during those years, the FED race car changed right before our eyes. From a single engine injected Buick motor to a 671 supercharged motor to it being sold to Don Prudhomme and then the arrival of the dual motor injected Buick race car.

Don Prudhomme had his time in the newly painted white body and Stromberg carbs at first. Then. His progression was to add a Hemi motor for more power. Then a 671 version pushed it to its limits.


Jnaki

"First to 160 and 170..."

By Pete Garramone Thanks, Pete...

The Gordon Heth & Dave Thompson digger ran hard in 1960. Photo by Pete Garramone

"This is the Heth & Thompson car from Colorado. It was the first car to break 160 mph (June 5, 1960) and 170 mph (178.57 on August 14, 1960). The Heth & Thompson team was nearly unbeatable for three years. They eventually bought Tommy Ivo's first Buick dragster (less engine) from Don Prudhomme, put their Chrysler in it, and continued to dominate."

NOTE:
Prudhomme early days
WDIFL files
"Don Prudhomme" - Riverside Raceway, CA. - 1959
You want history? This is Don Prudhomme's very first run in a dragster. He bought Ivo's single engine Buick car. Don painted it white with a red nose.
Don Prudhomme
"Prudhomme & Zeuschel" - Lions, 1961
"Okay, who the hell's yankin' on my car?"
Prudhomme's first car post-Buick. Dave Zeuschel Chrysler on gas.


Note 2:
So, what became of the Hemi powered Kent Fuller chassis FED?
Pete Garramone photos and information:

"Gordon Heth in the seat of the Heth/Thompson with George Becker assisting. Heth went onto build race car engines and was quite successful. This car was later taken apart and lengthened. The car was stolen, before it was put back together and never seen again."

"Gordon and Dave bought this car from Don Prudhomme. It originally belonged to Tommy Ivo. It was
A Kent Fuller chassis (note the key shaped push bar) and was upholstered by Tony Nancy."

 

Ours was LU2 in Dearborn before they changed it to 582-....