old thread, but no less relevant, MT for me..amongst the sea of many worthy of the hero title... Cheers, Drewfus
Sir Malcolm Campbell - was my first one - As I study it I find many in class type racing. Each and every driver and team that has ever tried are all hero's!
For me its the small guys who spend the time and money to challenge the salt.A couple of louisiana guys that have been successful are Boogie Scot and Phil Landry. Both have set records in there class.
My choice s Gene Winfield because he's the most approachable,nicest sort of guy you'll ever meet! Always has been too! See you in Detroit and Syracuse this summer hopefully Gene! Chris.
I am also going to have to go with Al. My first year running a car there, he came by to say "You have a pretty good running Jimmy there." Think that didn't make my day? Of course then there are the Markley Bros. And Kugel. Burklands. It goes on and on.
Jack Costella.......box? what box? Designer, builder, driver, legend, philosopher, poet, record destroyer, family man, nice guy.
Don Nuss, of Redwood Welding Service, A/Fuel Streamliner, runs at World of Speed with the USFRA Why? Because he is a local to me, and he is basically a one man show. He has a volunteer pit crew of a few other guys, but that's it. No sponsors, no nothing, it all comes out of his pocket. He's run close to the record, but went sideways at 271 this year and scrubbed off the tires, not rich enough to have another set on hand, finding 18 inch diameter 400 mph rated tires in Wendover on a Sunday afternoon ain't gonna happen, so maybe next year...
Anybody that has Driven over 200 MPH . Any Crew Member or Spectator that has driven to the Bonneville Salt Flats more than 5 times
Dave Davidson (911) 301.150 in a hiboy roadster, Allen Fogliadini 290 hiboy roadster, Gary Brauer Ed stuck, just not my heros but good friends too
M/T, He did it his way. Al Teague, same speed with one engine. And anyone else with salt in their blood.
Stuart Hilborn Bill Burke Alex Xydias Bob & Dick Pierson Don Waite Barney Navarro Bill Kenz the list goes on.......
I agree for my Canadian obvious reason. Also, his, actually just about everyone's, attitude while there. Just keep plugging away at getting faster, answering questions, and promoting the mystique/thrill of Bonneville. They are all heroes in my eyes, it was the mutual respect among all those racers which made me feel real good about the sport, when I visited there for the first time. Kudos to Gary Weldon who travelled all the way there from Ontario, to work at the bugs, and not even get to make a pass, due to mechanical issues.
I think that all of the people who dropped money into Dave Bloombergs hat at World of Speed in 2010 for a guy they didn't know who needed a fuel pump but had no money to buy one are heroes of the highest order. They didn't know it but they bought the fuel pump and help me fulfill a 57 year old dream and go 160 with a used engine. Not only that but the money left over fed my wife and I for the week which was not in the budget beyond very dry and cheap sandwiches. LSR is not just racers, they are a family of the highest order and we are blessed when we have a chance to rub shoulders with them. Dan
I thought I was the only hamb'er who knew who Don Nuss was! I remember seeing him run his wicked, Ford-powered roadster at Samoa dragstrip many years ago. I also saw the RWS streamliner at the Sea Cruise car show a few years back and agree, he is a true NorCal B'ville hero.
I could list all night like everybody else, but my favorite is still my buddy Albert Eschenbaugh. He survived the top fueler wars of the sixties, told me the best story I have ever heard about womens anatomy and common sense, has the 200mph club hat and earned it, and is just basically crazy!
MICKEY THOMPSON & his "Challenger 1" and its 4 Blown Pontiacs that went 406.6 one way at Bonneville. That has to be one of the most awesome "Garage Builds" of all time! When I was growing up in the 60's & early 70's, my father mixed & sold a line of model airplane fuels thru a small (3 stores) LA area hobby shop "chain". He bought all his raw materials (Nitro Methane, Methanol, Castor oil) from Mickey. It was always a neat experience every time we went there to Wilmington or better yet Lions... He never forgot who I was and in the early 1980's he cut me some really good deals on some of his old Pontiac "hardware".... I was not smart enough to take all I could have afforded to buy.... dumb move!
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