Mickey Thompson and Al Teague are my immediates and like everyone else I have so much respect for every single record holder! But I'm really enjoying the current fleet of piston and wheel driven 400 mph stream liners doing stuff right now. Charles Nearburg with Spirit of Rett ran a 422.645 mph out the back door finally breaking the 1965 Summer Brothers Goldenrod record! They reset the 409.270 to 414.316 mph for the single engine naturally aspirated record!! George Poteet took the Main and Poteet Speed Demon to 422.546 mph whilst setting a new SCTA record of 404.562 mph. Amir Rosenbaum in the Spectre Streamliner pulled out a 415.791 mph in only his 2nd season. This gave them a measured one way speed of 408.992 mph. And last in only speed was Mike Nish with the Nish Motorsports streamliner who finally broke his 400 mph boggie with an outstanding 412.515 mph out the back and a 407.057 mph measured! And I look forward to my weekly updates on Marlo Treit's & Les Davenport's Target 550 mph streamliner! The enormity of this project is mind boggling when you consider how long the Goldern Rod record stood, pistons and wheels chasing 550 mph!! You can follow the build at http://www.target550.com/ or follow them on facebook as target 550 Oh and I reckon the Cummins-Beck-Davidson-Thornsberry team with the #911 roadster who set a record of 301.150 mph need a shout! The A motored blown fuel roadster driven by Dave Davidson actually ran 304.606 mph through the mile, Respect gentlemen, Respect!!
There are many greats, many I would consider my heros, and many I also consider my friends, and some are no longer with us. Nolan White was a Hot Rodder to the core. Much of what he told me over the years was applied to the Spectre Streamliner. Rick White is also a 3 club member and great drag racer and his son Brad is an up and commer. Carr an Kaplan, more great folks. Rocky Robinson, George Poteet and many contempararies are in the league with the Thompson's, Cobbs, Seagraves and Campbells. Lets not forget Jack Costella, probably the most prolific record setter of all time.
For teams that are racing the last few years, I admire the Royal Purple crew and the Burklands are just nice people. George Poteet is just having TOOOOO much fun and I am jealous.
They are all somebody's hero. But I say once again. Mike Cook does so much work and gets so much done that trickles down to make the Salt experience better for everyone. And not enough recognition, I think. Also if Al Teague isn't on your list, your list sucks.
Thats a generous for you are putting out Rich! And I want to add Tom Burkland is one heck of a helpfull guy answering this newbies questions. and rex and Rich and Stainless and Glen, and Jack........................man this list is going to be long (prob 50 folks on it already) by the time I am done!
some very interesting submissions from the sublime to the ridiculous (stan barrett??? really???). in no particular order: mickey t, for being a true american hot rodder. craig breedlove, for vision and making it happen. al teague, for being tied with don vesco for the biggest balls and best drivers ever to hit the salt. don vesco, see above. jack lufkin, for ingenuity, craftsmanship, making turbos acceptable, going fast and his generosity. ak miller, for trying it all and making most of it work and painting a salami black, using it for a roll bar and slicing it up and sharing it after speedweek. noel black, for designing cars WAY ahead of their time and putting the throttle down. bert peterson, for building some of the baddest sounding engines i've ever heard. bob herda, for creativity, sportsmanship, workmanship and being one hell of a fast guy. bill burke, for being the fondling father of our sport, looking at a belly tank and thinking: that would make a great race car and being the best stag film commentator to ever attend a rod riders meeting. neil thompson, for the bitchenest comp coupe ever. my father, elmo gillette, for making us go fast with next to nothing and changing the way scta operated. i know i'm leaving a bunch of guys out, but not because of any particular reason, except brain-fade. i, too, have to wonder if burt munro would have made this list prior to anthony hopkins coming to the salt.
Every person who raced there is my hero. Ive been going there since 1984 & will be there this year. If youve never been, put it on your list, its by miles the greatest racing event there is.
Lance-Speed comes to mind for me. Only because I saw first hand his passion. Even if it's on a 100cc bike he has a personal quest to improve. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/LDojWKd2cqY" allowfullscreen="" width="640" frameborder="0" height="390"></iframe>
Mickey Thompson, Burt Munro, Rollie Free, Sir Malcolm Campbell we share a birthday, and my auto teacher Roy Angle.
Two names came up that I personally identify with. That is why it was my distinct pleasure to restore this historic Bonneville, El Mirage and Muroc Lake race car. Built by the first person to build and race a belly tank car. Bill Bukre bought this car brand new and took delivery on November 8, 1962 at the Hot Rod Magazine offices. Eight months later he set the first of many records with this car. He raced it. His kids raced it. His grandkids raced it. Mike Cook raced it for 12 years and set a bunch of records with it. 6 people got into the 200 club driving this car. The yellow paint is for Mike Cook and his late great dad Doug "Cookie" Cook. The purple paint is of course for Bill Bukre who painted this car numerous times but always made sure there was some purple paint on the car for his purple loving wife. Not only did we restore the car, I got to race it at El Mirage and Bonneville Also one other name that touched my life, Norm Thatcher. He was a customer of my dad's auto parts store in Van Nuys and he used to let me hang out at his shop in the Summer. Saw some cool Mopar stuff built there. The list is long but these three touched me personally and I count my life better because of it.
My favorite LSR heros would be my lunch buddies , Art Chrisman and Roy Fjastad . And I can;t leave out the worlds fastest pinstriper , Dennis Jones , he got in the 2 club last year !
Ab Jenkins! He was a big promoter of the flats and got the Britts interested in coming out. Besides the Britts, I'd next have to say My Vesco. I was amazed when I saw him driving the Turbonator well over a 450+ mph. I have never seen anything on land ever move that fast......AMAZING. RIP Mr. Vesco.
Sounds like you have just read "Speed Duel" or you should have a read of the new book, I think you would enjoy it.... My Vote : Burke, Chrisman, Breedlove, M/T, Henry Ford and the list goes on.....
MT, Breedlove, and my latest hero, Mike Charlton! This documentary preview is a MUST see! Sick Mick and the Boys, Land Speed Documentary
I'm adding Bill Warner to the list this week - 311 MPH in 1.5 miles, on a sit on bike. No relation I am sorry to say. DW
hey!! i have a t-shirt of the redhead. probably got it in the late 80's, early 90's. we went out to Bonneville quite often to hang out with my uncle, Tom Bryant.
The Jalopy Journal
