@HEMIDAV @jimmy six @old flopper Hello, Yes, a very young hot rod kid in 1959 when the first chassis and motor were seen in the So Cal area. Black cladding, then Red cladding and finally the record books had no chance to recover. Don Prudhomme was born in the same year as my brother and in 1959 he was 18. Lion's Dragstrip By the end of 1959, the Twin Buick of Tommy Ivo was setting records and was one of the fastest FED race cars. By early 1960, Don Prudhomme had his first Buick powered single engine car. 1960 Lion's Dragstrip pits with a Bakersfield March Meet wheelie and powerful run. 1959 Riverside Raceway Jnaki In 1959, Tommy Ivo showcased the new dragster at Lion’s Dragstrip and Riverside Raceway. It was so powerful and fast that records fell quickly, starting with the unheard of sub 9 second barrier down the quarter mile. Not only were they prepping for the always packed So Cal contingent in the A/Gas Dragster Class, but after the record setting runs, the team of Ivo and Prudhomme started the whole pro touring attitude to dragstrips all over the country. The first one that was the most famous, due to the fact that no one else was doing cross country road trips for drag racing sponsorships. Sure, others towed across the country for a big Westcoast event starting in 1959, but these two guys started the whole “pro touring”DD events and attractions. “Road Kings? Ha! True to the club's title meanings...” Ever since Don Prudhomme was part of Tommy Ivo’s crew and friend, my brother and I have always liked the progress of his career. It was one long, successful, competitive career. He was seen as an integral part of each of Tommy Ivo’s Buick FED race cars. He was even part of the first professional USA road tour of the major dragstrips with the Ivo Twin Buick FED. Don Prudhomme Book excerpt: “Then, as history has told us, he and Don Prudhomme went on a cross country road trip to start the whole touring thing for the big time, big name drag racers, first from So Cal, then from all over. They were getting paid to tour and show up at various drag strips in the USA.” We all started somewhere, some just started in the right place at the right time… San Fernando Valley, So Cal. + Lion's Dragstrip...YRMV
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