Folks Of Interest Another one passes on.

Just read in my local paper,"Gentleman Hank" Johnson, PNW drag racing legend, passed away at 74 on 4/8/17. He was the original owner/driver of the Kent Fuller built chassis that would later become my little FED I ran in the late 70's/early 80's. Course it was in the early 60's when he ran the car with a direct drive, blown SBC. He won Top Fuel in 1971 at the Super National's Event at Ontario Motor Speedway in California. He switched to Alcohol Funny Car in 1977, winning that class in 1984 at Pomona, California's Winternationals. He retired from Drag Racing in 1986. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

I met him a couple times back in the '70's, my employer Al's Auto Supply was one of Gentleman Hank's sponsors. He used to bring his car to the stores for meet and greets, gave me some Fallnationals tickets.

 

I grew up in Lynnwood, when the ORIGINAL Al's Auto Supply was on Hwy 99 ( at 200 St. S.W.), just the one store.
Last time I saw Hank Johnson, he was driving someone else's "experimental" dragster that was TURBO'd. Two big turbos hanging out to the side on a RED; car did't do too well. That was long before turbochargers came into their own. It was at that event I talked to him about me having his old FED. He was busy, but still talked to me a little, and looked my car over. It was also back when Rockstad was still running Seattle International Raceway, leasing it while the Fiorino family was back living in Italy. When his lease ran out, the Fiorino's came back, and renamed the track back to Pacific Raceways. When the family built the track in 1959 it was called Kent-Pacific Raceways. Up for sale now; just hope some developer does't buy it for housing! I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

Hank's old Willys. Now owned by a fellow in Arlington WA. Hank's former company that he sold to one of his employees MEB Manufacturing rebuilds hydraulic cylinders for our RT cranes and fork trucks and has done so for many years. Always a decent guy to deal with, maybe that's where the Gentlemen handle came from? RIP Hank, and peace to your family too.

John