Motion Pictures Movie of the Week: 1961 NHRA Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park

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Movie of the Week: 1961 NHRA Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park

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Still a great location for the Nationals. I was there this year.

 

This popped up on my YouTube feed the other night.

 

"With cars...as with women, too much weight in the wrong place can cause problems."

 

At the 8:40 mark there is a B/Dragster identified as Donn Griffin's. I know Donn, not personally but as a friend of a few other racing friends. Last spoke to him a few years ago and believe he still lives in the Fort Wayne, Indiana area. If this car had any name attached to it, it was probably "The Lizzard". Two N's in Donn, two Z's in Lizzard . . . Why not?

Thanks for the link! Amazing to run into someone I sort of know in these old racing videos. But it isn't the first time it's happened!

 

This race is a testament to how fast Sneaky Pete Robinson came to prominence. I love the shot of Skeans and Pickering A/MR out of Vancouver, Wa. towing in.

 

I got the biggest kick out of the flag starter. He ruled!

 

I was there!!! Never seen that movie before….great memories.

I also took a bunch of pictures that weekend and posted them here on the HAMB.

If you haven’t seen them, take a look..

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...y-nats-1961-the-lost-pics-are-foundi.1070378/

 

How's the Willys at 16:23 running what looks like a Ford banjo rear end!

 

Yeah this also popped up in my YouTube feed, a few weeks ago. Truly awesome/entertaining nostalgia film. Very well done, for the time period. Wonder where this was shown???
And yes...the starter rules...as well as, the Kat in the Native Indian garb.

 

I believe one of his main duties was to perform a "No-Rain Dance" before each race day's events. Don't know how successful he was at it though.

 

The Kat in the native Indian garb is Bob Beezer from Canada. Bob also ran a hemi-powered Willys coupe.

 

Walmart of all places was selling this shirt about 10 years ago. I know it says 1962 but...

 

I have the NHRA Vintage channel on my TV and watched the 1958 Nationals just the other day in Oklahoma. Lots of unknown names, but also some big names too! One in particular was Ohio George Montgomery and his then Cadillac powered '33 Willys winning A/G!

 

I just watched the 1961 movie yesterday (1-8-23) on Roku NHRA channel, so they have it! I'm not sure when it might run again.