History Post Your Speed Legend

Since we always see pics of our most notorious cars, etc. Post pics of your favourite speed legend. Post away !!

Here is Wally Parks with a person whom I have visited with a few times in Cali., Art Chrisman....... One of the first in the 200 MPH club, great drag racer, great engine builder, what else needs to be said ?

 

...Yuri Gagarin

 

How about "Speedy" Spiers? (Still building a few flatheads in Jacksonville.)




... and caught Ray Fox at the Living Legends Museum down in Daytona.

 

Chris Economaki and races is what I remember as a kid. Met him at Lime Rock Park in 2007.

 

He has a unique voice - you know it as soon as you hear it!

 

Don Prudhomme (yeah, yeah, I know)

I got to go on his motor home at Pacific Raceway in 2007, I had our company make him a custom gift with his Funny Cars from the 70's and contacted his General Manager through a client. Our client works for UST, which owns the Skoal and Miller Lite cars and shazam! Just like that I got to give him the gift myself, shake his hand, and act like a blubbering idiot.

He was my dad's favorite growing up so I had all the cool Prudhomme Hotwheels and posters and shit.

 

Oh, and he gave me free passes for life for NHRA Northwest Nationals because he was so stoked by the gift. We will actually see how long that lasts

 

John Fitch

http://www.corvettemuseum.com/library-archives/hof/fitch.shtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fitch_(driver)

I met John Fitch by chance with one of my sons several years ago up in Connecticut at LRP.
My son was stoked because here was this old school guy who took time to talk with us and show off his Fitch Phoenix. Amazing race legend.

 

Famous people don't want to be anywhere near me so I can never seem to get any photos, sorry.

 

There are so many, some of whom I was privileged to meet. Some standouts:
Norm Thatcher will forever be my #1, breaking the 200mph barrier in a Plymouth sedan at the age of 64. He opened his Van Nuys, Calif. garage in 1929!
Elwin "Al" Teague built a bitchin' Lakester/Streamliner by himself, in his mom's garage, and set many LSRs, ultimately going over 430mph.
Larry Lindsley for having the balls to go 330mph in a fuel-burning, KB-powered Pontiac Firebird. Twice.
The list goes on . . .

 

Jungle Jim who was a friend and made Funnycars the no.1 sport in the 70s.

 

Wally Parks.......(moment of silence for such a Legend) He made most of us what we are today so there is no greater a Hero in my Book.Wish i could have met him

RIP Wally.....Race In Peace

 

Smokey Y!
Best shop slogan too! (Best damn garage in town!)

 

NIKI LAUDA!
http://www.ddavid.com/formula1/lauda_bio.htm

 

John Fitch, bar none one of the most down to earth genuine guys Ive ever met. I spent quite a bit of time with him when i worked for the ill fated Cunningham Co. He has had alot of involvment in more things than anyone could imagine and has seen more in his lifetime than most could ever dream..even had a signifigant role in WWII.