Hot Rods R.I.P. Barb Hamilton

Just found out that Barb Hamilton passed. Our condolences to her family and friends .

 

Not exactly sure who she is but she sure looks happy behind the wheel of that Willys!
Looks like she was living the good life!
RIP.

 

condolences to family....great pic of a great lady,,,

 

Her name's on the door. Must be her car. She's badass!

Much respect.

Hey guys. Try this while you're stuck at home wondering what else to eat. Super easy, super good. Hot cook-style chocolate pudding poured over vanilla ice cream. You're welcome. LOL

 

http://www.jrthompson.net/barbhamilton.html

Condolences to the Hamilton Family and Friends on the Loss of Racer Barbara... Women in Race and Wrench, always good to see...May She Rest in Peace...

Thanks for sharing this loss to the Community @40ragtopdown

Regards,
Stogy

Credit to Photographer, Owner

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Did a quick search.
First woman to receive a license from the NHRA to drive a supercharged car.
Yup... badass.

Hey guys. Try this while you're stuck at home wondering what else to eat. Super easy, super good. Hot cook-style chocolate pudding poured over vanilla ice cream. You're welcome. LOL

 

Wow - what history she made - sincere sympathy goes out to her Family, friends and fans

 

I saw Barb at the Thompson, Ohio Dragway when she was honored at the Gasser Reunion. Barb never had the recognition that Shirley Muldowney has enjoyed but she was also a long time female racer. Godspeed Barb.

 

I've always appreciated active, competitive women in the sport... my wife worked with me in my shop, 6 years+. (customers, fellow drag racers, etc. always praised her for her engine expertise.
One day in the pits (Fremont/Baylands Raceway) some big blowhard walks up, looks at our legal A/Street Roadster, then scoffs at my T-shirt. (Shirley Muldowney)
He says, "What! You're wearin' a woman's shirt??"
I said, "Oh, yeah...When you put Garlits on the trailer, I'll wear yours, too!" True story.

Mike Terri built Cha-Cha's chassis, she was 'pulling left' when leaving, he said.
My shop was a stone's throw from his, I was visiting, we looked at 'crane lacing' along sides, were discussing placements of laterals, left to right...'Frame twist'...
In thru the door slams a disheveled black haired woman, loudly, "MIKE!!!"
He stands, she stomps up, screams "Isnt this thing ready YET???"
Mike responds, "Just gotta change some angles, and weld it up...'Uncle Mike and I were just talking about it..."
She turns, grumbling, makes for the door, then turns, and loudly: "WHO THE FVGK IS UNCLE MIKE???" Then she jumped in a van, drove out of there like she was mad...
I laughed, but not loud.....
Crap. Thought I was somebody...

 

Sounded like a cool lady! RIP!

 

Sad news, RIP .. thoughts and prayers to the her family and friends..

 

Condolences to family and friends .

 

RIP Barb

 

Never met her personally but knew of her from the Willys and gasser world. RIP Barb.

Pat

 

I met her 20 or so years ago at the Henderson, Tennessee show. Really nice lady. She told me she had gotten a call from Don Garlits and he was wondering if she knew where her old Gasser was. She told him, "Yes, it's in my garage." I think that's when she got it out and started showing it. I believe she would loan it to the Don Garlits Museum when she wasn't showing it.

RIP Barb.

 

My son, Joe, and I met Barbara Hamilton a few years ago. A real lady, and a real competitive racer. May she rest in piece. Condolences to her family.

 

My wife says top it off with whipped cream & a cherry ..

 

I watched Barbara race back in the sixties at Quaker City Dragway. I last talked to her at Goodguys Columbus a few years ago. Traditional Rod & Kulture mag did a tremendous two part article on her in issues #24 & #25 . By the way, the paint on her Willys drag car is still the original paint. Very cool lady . Bill

 

Rest In Peace Barb. You were a history maker and a class act.

 

Yum and yum again.

 

Godspeed Lady Racer.

 

RIP Barb. Will miss you at Thompson and Annabelle's

 

From Hemmings

Barbara built, and drove, this 1937 Willys coupe, driving it since 1963, built her own engines, racing it in CC/Gas Supercharged. She owned the car in conjunction with her racing teammate, Nancy Leonello. Barbara drove this car through the late 1970s. She precedes Paula Murphy, Della Woods, Shirley Muldowney--all of them--as a licensed driver for blown cars.

I didn't take this photo; it comes from Barbara's scrapbook. This photo was taken at the airport in Akron, Ohio, where they ran drag races. The car was candy blue with a supercharged small-block Chevy. Barbara drove this car until the NHRA did away with the supercharged Gas coupes. She considered building a BB or AA/Gas car, but it was just too expensive. She saw the handwriting on the wall. She drove blown Gas coupes from her late teens to her early 30s.

 

Much respect. Thank you.

Rest in peace.

Sent from my Pixel 3a XL using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

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Barbara Hamilton
The first Woman in drag racing to receive an NHRA license for driving supercharged cars. Barb and best friend Nancy L. campaigned this beautiful coupe from 1964 through 1971.

A professional technical writer at TRW during the week, this weekend racer won the 1966 NHRA Springnationals and was runnerup at the 1968 Indy Nationals. All the while holding the NASCAR C Gas Supercharged ET record of 11.94 seconds.

Barbara is one of only a few women who built, owned, wrenched, and drove her own car. A true pioneer in the sport of drag racing, she was inducted into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 1992.

The car below is now on display at the Don Garlits Museum in Florida.




Barbara Hamilton & her 1937 Willys Coupe


Indianapolis in 1966 - CC/Gas Willys. That's Barb on the right.
Contributed by Rick Kaiser©


In Barb's backyard in about 1966.


Hot Rod!

 

What a class act!

 

RIP..Those TRK articles on her were great..

 

a couple more pics.

 

Great lady, made a great driver, met her at the Bruce Larson open house last year.
R.I.P.
D. Glover, Former drag racer