Outrunning History…

I’m having a crazy morning. The better half is out of town and that has left me in a mad scramble to get the two big kids on the bus, the baby all settled in with a movie and some milk, and me in a mood to figure out an article for the day. Thankfully, I was inspired over the weekend by a little toilet bowl reading of the 1958 NHRA Nationals program.

Before the Nats, the national record for the D/A class was held by the Arfons Brothers and their “Green Monster” at 152.54 mph. Typical for the times, no ET is listed in the record book.

That’s pretty damned fast given the day and the technology, but not as fast as our resident digger killer – Kerry. This year at the H.A.M.B. Drag Nationals, Kerry went over 165 mph in his close to 1958 period built dragster. I know there is over 10 mph worth of technology in Kerry’s car and by ’62 guys were clocking well over 170 mph, but despite all that I have a big ole smile on my face just thinking about it.

In a day where nostalgia drag racing is dominated by blow hards, rules, cracklefests, and other oddities, it’s neat to put things into perspective like this. And it makes me think that this is where the racing action should really be focused – A race with the past of sorts.

Anyway, I gotta big day and an even bigger week ahead of me… I guess I should get to it. Hold on fellas, this is gonna be a crazy seven days or so.