I just happened to run across this little gem on Youtube while watching another Drag Racing clip on my Facebook page. My question is what's the red cylinder the crew chief is carrying walking with the gold dragster?
My "Guess" on the Red Cylinder is a Pressurized Pre-Oiler for the Engine. I have never seen it done like that, but that is my Guess.
that's to check cylinder displacement and needs to have the engine turning over to read the volume of the cylinder it is checking.
God, I miss those days ! Everything was so new and so simple. Yes, door slammers may be running that fast now , but to me it just isn't the same. Great video, thanks for sharing. Don
you can buy a new one http://www.summitracing.com/parts/pow-pow301000/overview/ http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mrg-3200...:cool:
I was there that day. Those old wooden bleachers were shaking so bad,I thought we all were going to fall off!
Even cooler that he was running Chris Karamesines in the Chizzler! When clutch dust replaced tire smoke I kind of lost interest. Nothing like two cars smokin' the hides for half the quarter.
Boy, I know. I used to drag race a lot in the '60's. Today I live 15 miles from Brainerd International Raceway and don't even think about going to the big NHRA meet there.
Great video, obviously shot by someone who had better than average access at this track. Then at the end of the video it mentions that the original film footage was shot by Al Brown, and it all made sense. Al was a long time Division 1 racer who holds the distinct honor of being the only racer to participate in all of the first 46 U.S. Nationals. The following is quoted from the NHRA Division 1 website... Al passed away on Sunday, August 12, 2001. He lost a hard battle with cancer. Even up to his last hours, Al was hoping to get back to the races with us and of course attend his traditional race at Indy. To Al, the BIG GO was a way of life. He began this trip with the first running of the NHRA Nationals in Great Bend Kansas. In that first event Al competed in the Open Dragster class with a Harley-Davidson powered, chain driven ‘35 Crosley. He competed in that one and every one since – until this year. He is the only driver in NHRA history who attended all 46 events. This year his wife Phyllis and stepdaughter Stephanie made the trip to Indy in Al’s honor to continue the tradition. Al was born 67 years ago in Rochester, NH. He later moved to New Jersey and then on to Maryland. He was retired from the U.S. Army Civilian Technician after 35 years of service. A charter member of the National Hot Rod Association for 50 years. He was a past technical director for the Good Guys Vintage Racing Association. Al worked with the NHRA Northeast Division and the National Event staffs for many years. He was part of the committee that set up the first Motorsports Education program at Luzerne County Community College. He taught classes there in Motorsports Safety and worked many Youth and Education days at National Events for the NHRA. He was asked to help produce the first few of the California Hot Rod Reunions – a task he took to with great relish. Al also was instrumental in the building and the operation of Island Dragway. From the first stages of planning he was involved. Making trips to the town board meeting and helping to lay out the plans. He was there to begin construction and helped with managing the track and even ran his car there in shows. His ISLAND DRAGWAY famous corvair Funny Car is currently being restored by Bruce Larson. His latest venture was helping to provide many of our racers with chassis certification. He traveled all over the Northeast trying to help get this enormous job done. He worked most of the Northeast Division events and many NHRA National events. He would staff shows to promote NHRA Drag Racing and loved the trip annually to the PRI show. Al was a real people person and a very kind man, always ready with a kind word or to just share in a story. He could be seen along the tracks taking video as he also produced the annual Northeast Division Year in Review video played at the banquets. He spent unknown hours splicing and editing for the enjoyment of those attending the affair and celebrating their championships. Behind the scenes he would work with the DJ’s and the production staff from the facilities to make every detail appropriate for the participants. Over the years he has made many friends along the way and will never be forgotten. Rest in peace my friend.
That's what I was thinking too cheap-n-dirty. But I always thought they cranked the engine over with a bar by hand not walked with the car.
Thanks so much for the Al Brown story. I knew Al well in the late 1950s when he was President of the New Jersey Timing Association when I was a member and later an officer. Al and I went to Great Meadows for the first meeting with the dragstrip partners. The rest is history. I lost track of Al in the 1960s but did hear that he had passed. I have written a history of the New Jersey Timing Association and mention Al in several places. I've been unsuccessfully trying to interest The Rodders Journal in it. I even have lots of pictures - Linden Airport Drags in 1954, Woodbine in 1956, etc. Maybe some day.
In those days the cars were push started down the track. They were then turned around on the track, then turned around to race. It took quite a while to run the big cars.
The Jalopy Journal
