History Drag cars in motion.......picture thread.

Love the black & whites Rick. Any idea who the Bantam car is in the last pic?

 

I got a whipping from Frank L. Brown at San Fernando. Don Wilson had bought an old B/gas roadster, and needed a driver. I was just back from the Navy, out less than a week, and gladly drove for Wilson. Problem was that while I was in the Navy they invented the Christmas tree, so when I drove up to the starting line expecting a flagman, there was this weird bunch of lights there. They went green and off went Frank, leaving me to look at the back of his Anglia. I humbly explained myself on the return road: "been gone for a few years, what was that light thing?" He was a good guy, said "if I'd know that, I wouldn't have beaten you so badly." Didn't exactly make me feel better!

 

Harold Nicholson vs George Burkhart, looks like Paradise Mesa, early '50s. Nicholson was running a Bantam roadster body with a blown GMC. The car was evil-handling, but way ahead of its time. Those who knew Harold said he was one of the smartest and most innovative drag racers of his time. He was killed at San Fernando in 1959 driving a blown flathead dragster. He was survived by his famous brother Don, who used to entertain me when I was taking classes at Pasadena City College by running the dyno down the street at C.S. Meade Chevrolet. It was damn hard to understand algebra with a Corvette motor turning over 7 grand on Don's dyno!

 

Mickey Brown in the Brown, Frank, and Harryman blown Olds gasser at Santa Maria. This car was reportedly the first gas burner to exceed 150, running 157 at San Fernando in 1958. Nye Frank would go on to run the "Pulsator" series of twin-Chev dragsters, and Dick Harryman built blown gassers. Mickey would die at Lions in the Scrima and Adams gas dragster.

 

Demeteo Bros? I know I spelled it wrong.

 

Johnny Burrell from Alabama in his Chrysler-powered Fiat bodied competion coupe.

 

Yup, the DiMatteo Bros...

 

They had a benefit race for Mickey's family at Pomona. I won street eliminator. Got a certificate for a set of Cook safety hubs. Still have the certificate, never collected the prize.

 

Leland Kolb?...

 

Bob Mayer...

 

Kelly Brown...

 

Walt Stevens...

 

Jeep Hampshire, was badly injured in this car... (it ended his driving career)

 

Ed Pink's former "Old Master"...(Al Freidman driving)

 

Gerry Glenn...

 

Moe...

 

This was Ron Bizio's truck.

 

Ed Weddle I think.

 

George Bolthoff

 

Shoe polish on windshield denotes that the flattie is a fuel burner. Very cool.

 

This 331" Chrysler Austin was active on So-Cal BB
/GS circuit for a few years.

 

John Bradley, "Mr. Flathead," running a home-made induction system for front-mounted blower

 

Paul Scheiffer/Bean Bandits, etc. This car was modified constantly, from front to rear engined, went through multiple owners, I think it would up as the Henslee-Cook modified roadter, ran fuel chrysler, direct drive.