when are we going to invite some front motored fuelers out to run... and some gassers. There are quite a few grass roots organizations that cater to these types of cars... get ahold of 'em and have 'em put on a show at MOKAN for the troops! Sam.[/QUOTE] The East Coast Gassers would be great for this! And right now, I'm working on a deal to have some of my buddies bring their racers out. I know there are a few old fuelers hidden away that can't run anymore without modern updates, but they'd be perfect for MoKan! But again, I don't know if Ryan wants to go in this direction.....
Are you refering to the "East Coast Gassers" group? The ones that say "Drag racing the way it used to be" and then BRACKET RACE????? Bracket racing sucks ass. Its NOT the way these old racers were designed to race, and NOT the way they used to race. Run what ya brung. Weight+Cubic inches/trans= class. Its that simple. Spike
Car is bad ass and Pedragons Rule for doing it. Had fun at the drags this weekend ,hanging with my dad , my b-day was sat at Pomona. Helped dad fire it up on return road, rushed deal ,but went ok, hoped it looked good from the stands? Fun Deal.
Spike, I stand corrected. I just saw their website and read the rules regarding their appearance (no modern stuff). Must've missed the part about BRACKET RACING (maybe I just didn't WANT to see it?). That's sad...Well at least my pals and I are into running heads up... And I agree with Sam - Tony ain't got a hair on his ass if he doesn't show up!
Yea... but what you end up with if it's not kept to the bracket racing level is the "nostalgia" racing that the Goodguys puts on... People bad mouth it, but it is as close to the old days as you can get. After all, these guys are racers, and they want to win... so they show up with iron that pushes the limits of the rules. You want to know what killed the class racing of the 60's? The racers that you love so much... one guy shows up with something that beats the next guy one week... the following week they all have one... Basic rule of thumb... the dude with the most money WINS. I think the HAMB Drags has something special though... it as the ability to keep it old... and pure... and... uh, old... and uh, pure... Invite the East coast gasser guys... when they show up, form a ladder to run 'em heads up... could be interesting... Sam.
I met Pat Foster years ago @ at Rockinham Dragway He was helping an Alcohol Funnycar team outta Texas. I also visited their shop near Dallas and was fortunate enough to get to see some of Pat's outstanding fab work. (...This should show how Cole seems to be a clone of his Dad!!) Without a doubt , Pat's one of the most talented builders/racers/legends in the sport....and to top that he was very down to earth & friendly ...plays a pretty mean golf game with a putter he also fab'd...... Now if ya look @ this latest FED creation , ya gotta see the nostalgic lines ,with very well blended modern styling...Now take that and plunk in a Dale Armstrong bullet bolted in a megakiller front engined chassis , put on a outstandig paintjob... and ... Dayum....!!! Whatta Car!!!!
I talked to Ken recently, he's so frustrated with my cars taking so long he asked me to send him one! He's pretty cool, and has a complete 2 Willys gasser match race show that is ready to go. He just can't get any tracks to book him or people to help crew the cars when he DOES run 'em. I have a friend in Seattle, a crazy ass punk rocker who has a shop building ALTERED WHEELBASE A/FX MOPARS!? "Mr. Rich the Performance King". He's got 2 injected 426 cars ready to run... I'm all for tradition and authenticity, but we have an opportunity here to create a whole new animal from all the new technology, communication options and the most terrifying racecars ever built. If the Pedregons applied all that new school sponsorship to this car, and did it using re-designed period logo work, i.e. REAL custom paint using REAL metalflake, 'leaf and candy, combining that with a little Tommy Ivo and some Jungle Jim well...look the !@#$ out. Standing on the sidelines is big fun, but this whole gig will go NOWHERE unless people start stepping up. Our asses are hung WAY out there in the breeze cousin, and although most of the time it feels refreshing and special...it's gettin' a might nippy.
HOLY SHIT!!!!!! That has to be the mosteciting piece to come down the track in a LONG time! I for one am so sick of "formula racing" that is going on now. Haven't been to an NHRA event in a long time. Most excellent to see some imagination coming to the front of dragging! THANK YOU Mr. Cole for thia exercise in beauty. jerry
New animals are fine..just look at Ken's Red Baron 2 '33 Willys Truck. NHRA legal, yet uses mostly 60's parts... But it aint no Bracket Racer! As long as the new breed runs the way they used to..not bracket race, people will pay to see 'em. Bracket racing is as boring to watch as friggin' bowling for Christ sakes. Damn. Now I'm all amped up... Spike
I was all excited as well when I first heard of the East Coast Gassers. Then I saw thier numbers and what they were doing. Pittyful. Maybe I hang out with the wrong guys in the pits. Joe Jacconna and the like. That guy is 70 by the way, and makes full on, wheels up passes in the Rolling Stoned Cuda. Joe is great people...
I'm sorry folks, I know I'm talkin' a lot. Just bare with me... I have 2 165" wheelbase front engine dragsters. They are running identical Donovan 417s with the same tune-up. NO computers. NO transmissions. Pedal clutches that are set up to NOT slip. Their engines are built to withstand a lot more horsepower than they are actually making.... Have you ever done a burnout in your hot rod? Y'know, brought 'er outta the hole and lit both tires up. If you have, you know that it doesn't matter how much money you put into that motor. It don't matter how much horsepower she's making....If the tires are spinning all the horsepower in the world don't matter. THIS is the beauty of running a tire smoking front engine dragster. The NDRA tried it in the late '80s but the damn drag racers were so competitive they wouldn't smoke the tires. Parts started breaking, engines started blowing and cash started goin'... I've heard a lot of trash talking about match racers. People say it ain't real racing. If you have two drivers in cars making twice the horsepower of the sixties running against each other but SMOKING THE TIRES, that means it's up to THE DRIVERS, not the cars as to who wins. Which driver can get that lane changin', slippery fireball to the other end first? THAT is a drag race. Not a money race. I'll calm down folks, ya gotta forgive me. I was a "Mongoose" kid. NOBODY @#$%ed with Tom when I was a boy. My rails are gonna run, and RUN HARD. If I'm lucky (and don't wind up on my head) I'll turn 'em around, adjust the valves and run 'em AGAIN. - Fuelers forever.
Dude, thats harsh! Its bad enough I decided to stay here and build a new house/shop! Then I hear of what MIGHT show at the drags!!! DOH!
Don't listen to him Ryan, he's craaaaazy.... I reckon I better get the squirt bottle out and calm everybody (me?) down. I've got some great input from this board on just about everything from help at the shop to information. I appreciate it. The Foster/Pedregon car is done. It's running. It's been built and is owned by some of the sharpest, well financed guys in drag racing. I love it. It's killin' me, but I love it. I on the other hand am not promising anything. My cars will run this year. If I manage not to blow them up, crash them, or run out of money (again) during that time and we find ourselves at the same track with these fellas... all I can say is DUCK! I hear ya laughin' Pat...great job man, wish us luck. - Tim
yeah, all that stuff you guys said.... AND...one mr. pedregon was poking his nose around famoso late last year getting a look at the good guys n/fc ranks and was heard to have quipped something to the effect of putting one together being fun.....hmmmmm.... worsham should have his out this year, why not...?!?!?!
Okay, just got back from work, and I've been thinkin' about this deal...First, I can't even believe who we're talkin' about here - Pat Foster has been a hero of mine since my childhood, and just continues to get cooler (and better). The guy is a fucking god, okay? Master fabricator, tuner and driver. Same with Frank Pedregon - and that car gave me the stupids for Comp Coupes when it was on the circuit (I was probably 8), and now I'm stupider than ever...Tony needs no intro here - he's very well known as a giant of the sport - nuff said...Then there's Conder...Already a legend in his own time zone, and probably a future mention in a folk song, at least...Then I think of MoKan, and man, if that track could talk...One of the most pure, unmolested, HISTORICAL tracks in the world.....THEN I think of the timing of this thing: It couldn't be more perfect! (I can easily see match race madness sweeping the country and sucking the dollars right outa NHRAs pocket within two years - the status quo has betrayed the consumers, and they're finally ready for the revolution) The new match race era can begin in earnest at MoKan, via the HAMB, and it just couldn't be any more grassroots honest, all the way around. So maybe I shouldn't worry about letting some big dogs into our little playground - at least for this one time - I think it'd be a shame NOT to do it... But then, I'm an excitable type.....And I find this deal wildly exciting...How 'bout you, Tony???
I can see it now. HAMB FUELER WARS! Let the bullets fly! That thing is just stinkin' badass. When is someone gonna answer the questions?
Ken Kull was ready to travel across the country to Cali for GAS MONEY, just to shut down the west in his class. Just like Pete Hill did in '68. Pete has another letter like the one he wrote back then. Problem is, Drag News isn't around anymore, and nobody has the balls to publish it, fearing the "may offend" some readers.... So...when and where does this revolution begin...? Spike
The Jalopy Journal
