History Canadian Drag Racing History

Hello,

One of the most impressive race cars was the Syndicate Scuderia streamlined FED. As my brother and I were in our last Impala racing days, I found a semi secret filming area at Lion's Dragstrip that no one else, except one guy with a super telescopic lens on a 35mm camera was using. Over the months I wandered over there, I became friends with Mr. Childers, the famous white Pontiac ambulance driver from the local Dilday’s Mortuary Service of Long Beach.
Mr. Childers, Dilday Ambulance Services
Two brothers in their khaki pants and blue nylon jackets talking with Mr. Childers.

What was the most exciting spot for taking my drag racing films? Across the dragstrip from the spectator’s side bleachers and not having a chain link fence in front of me. But, wait, that puts me on the other side of the orange tower where the white Pontiac ambulance was always parked. Yes, that was the secret spot that would be good for maybe 15-20 minutes.

The shots were easier as it was a good background and closer to the action. (I did this enough, to time it, when the security guard would come by and yell at me to get back to the bleachers.) I went over there plenty of times and actually struck up a friendship with Mr. Childers, the ambulance driver from Dilday Mortuary. We became friends from the talks during the break in the action. The sons of the Dilday Mortuary family went to our local high school during the same time period.

Jnaki

Note: When my brother was in the accident and the ambulance took him to the hospital, Mr. Childers told me that he would stay at the hospital to keep tabs, until my parents and I came back to the emergency department. Friends help friends in an emergency.

The action filming from that tower side was not always available, as 90% of the professional photographers were in front of the spectators next to the actual dragstrip. Their camera equipment allowed them to be level, but far enough away to get great shots at the start.

So, when I was going through my converted digital archives of all of the films that I took at Lion’s Dragstrip, I came across this cool clip of the Scuderia dragster in action.
Scuderia at Lion’s Dragstrip

previous post:
1960
Hello,
While editing my old Lions Dragstrip films for the umpteenth time, I came across a race that was filmed by me in 1960 from below the Lions Dragstrip Tower. It was very short and maybe that is why I passed over it so many times. I had been standing there filming my brother racing his 58 Impala and thought it was the best filming location I could find. Watch the black 58 Impala entering the staging lanes behind the silver FED race car in the fire up lane.
Impala tower side

Then when other racers came up, I was still on the tower side down on the actual dragstrip near the ambulance. Over time, after editing the Lions films to try and get the correct dates and times, (as well as identifying the racers from back then) I must have skipped over this very short clip.

I was amazed that the streamlined FED in my early films was identified as the Scuderia in a race. It was over in a flash, but enough to identify the shape and design as the blue race car on a fast run down the dragstrip. Other racers from this time period have also identified the image as the Scuderia FED.

So, the famous, blue Scuderia FED dragster created by Canadian, Jack Williams:
Lions Dragstrip 1960
The tower location was a great place to film the starts, but that was it. Everything was not clear in a few seconds. But, the sound and action so close by was a little thrilling. The security force did not like it that I was standing on the dragstrip while filming and gave me a few choice words to get the #&%% out of there.

The streamlined “Scuderia” FED race car has been around a long time, with the original in the early 1960 to the reconstructed streamliner for the current nostalgia shows. The Canadian FED was beautifully constructed and was the envy of many drag racers back then.

Jnaki

The odd thing was in my research, there is no mention of the Scuderia FED prior to 1961-62 season.

“The car was the most famous race car in Western Canada in the 1960's, won best appearing at the 1962 Winternationals and held the A/D national record in 1963.”

“Scuderia made her debut at the 1963 NHRA Winternationals at Pomona, California in Top Gas, recording a best pass of 8.83 seconds at 169.17 mph (272.25 km/h) before mechanical trouble sidelined her. She also won the "Best Appearing" award. At Arlington, Scuderia set a Top Gas record (average of two passes) at 162.22 mph.”


Recently, the Scuderia FED is one of the more popular race cars in the vintage/nostalgia drag race circuit/events. It certainly stands out, with the bright blue paint. But, it was one of the first full body streamline FED racers on the scene that makes it unusual.

2016 Family Legacy:

“Thirty years since its last, disastrous local appearance in competition, one of Canada’s greatest AA/Gas Dragsters came to cackle with late builder-driver Jack Williams’ daughter under its signature canopy. Wendy Williams rescued Dad’s original trailer from nearly six decades of British Columbia winters.”

 

Dave Stobbe is still racing, as is his son. Also ran the Moo-Chick 55 gasser.

 

Dave’s a great guy. Grew up and went to school with his youngest son. His older son’s super stock 65 Chevelle is killer and sure packs the wheels!


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https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/a-silent-film.223662/

...Here's a link to a Thread @Ryan posted many moons ago with an unidentified film above from 1956 with a Canadian Bacon connection as it was identified after some interesting discussion by Hamber @Jalopy Kid and furthur verified by @Old Wolfy as Alberta...what a cool bunch O' Hotrods...I'm very proud of the Canadian connection to this Big Picture...its only 2:14 seconds but you'd wish there was more...

Enjoy...I sure did...

Anybody out there know Old Wolfy...I sure wish he was still around here...he only had 114 posts but he sure left a mark...

If you see him say hello to him for me...

Happy Friday Hambers...
​

 

Mission 2019. This is a nice car!

 

I recently bought this old altered. Owned by two brothers in Saskatoon for the last 40 years. They bought it out of Edmonton in ~1979 and the trail runs cold there. Has a SEMA #37 tag on the chassis, pointing towards it being a Ron Dixon chassis (Spokane, WA). I’m currently working on putting it back on the track, as it’s been sitting for the last ~30 years. All the chassis updates have been done. Now just time to put it all back together. If anyone recognizes it or knows any more history on it, I’d love to hear it!

 

^^^My rear engine, Super Comp Dragster was a Dixon chassis also^^^. I've been hearing and reading rumors that they want to "re-develop" the land Mission Raceway currently sits on. I hope that's not true, but if it is, Ashcroft may have a chance at reopening. Also read in the paper yesterday, that 5 local airports are in contention for "expansion"; Paine Field (virtually next door to me), Arlington Municipal Airport, Shelton's Sanderson Field, Tacoma Narrows Airport, and Lewis County's Ed Carlson Memorial Airport. Three of those either have been, or currently are, home to drag strips. Paine Field and Arlington are right along the I-5 corridor, so I can't see the others being seriously considered, but we just can't lose Bremerton Raceway. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

Track down Jamie Fiesel. Last I heard he was living near Fort Qu'Appelle. He might be able to shed some light on this car. Are the Halabura's still around S'toon? They might be able to help. Not sure where he ended up but Wayne Scraba is another one.

 

Maybe 240 Gordie can get you lazy Canucks to get some more drag racing history going on here!!



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Hey, Olboy, I’m about 99% sure this is the same T coupe? This is hanging up in my garage.




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The Hettrick brothers?
.

 

Neelin and Murray Willys out of Winnipeg Manitoba and the Bison/Keystone Dragway
Started with an injected Lincoln before giving way to a SBC and it would change hands a few times before Dennis Neelin got it back. There was even one version of it where it was pink and hemi powered (Pink Elephant) The car spent time on the street before being restored to it's original version.




Injected SBC for power


A shoprt lived version of the same car.


Life on the street w Dennis Neelin


Current restoration

 

Jim Pratt in the infamous street driven Hemi Scout. Bison/Keystone Dragway

 

Hi, are you sure this is a Ron Dixon? He happens to be my grandfather and I was wondering if you actually know

 

Anyone heard of know of Art Wyatt? out of London, ON. He was the next door neighbour of my grandmother on Brampton Rd. I believe his brother owned Corey’s Auto Wreckers. As a kid I remember him building a rail type dragster in his “extended” garage. Thought it was the coolest thing. He would have surely raced it at the St. Thomas dragway.

 

Hi Jnaki - amazing footage you got of Jack at Lions racing the Syndicate dragster - he told me he did race a couple times at Lions - your footage shows the dragster with its top mount blower set up on the car - Jack switched to this set up in 1964 so your footage would be for that time frame not 1960 as Jack ran the front draft Potvin blower from 1958 when he first built the dragster until late 1963 when he switched to the top mount blower.

He went back down to California to race at Bakersfield and was invited to a few other California tracks to race the dragster is what he told me in 1964 and again in 1965 then retired the car from racing in 1966

 

How about a little bit of early Saskatchewan drag racing history? My good friend Clair Hicks and I raced our 1955 gassers out of Moose Jaw, primarily at SIR, back in the late 1960s, early 70s. Clair ran a F/Gas '55 Chev while I ran a E/Gas '55 Pontiac. We both flat-towed until Clair and his dad built a beautiful ramp truck. Sometimes I got to ride on it or behind on the stinger, but mostly I flat-towed behind my 57 Chevy wagon. Clair later ran an Anglia, then an Acadian. At the time, I also wrote a western column for Wheelspin News.
I often wonder what happened to my Pontiac. It was dark blue when I purchased it from a Toronto car club. Jim's Paint and Body changed it to silver (check out those stripes!). I heard it may have gone back east after I was posted to Texas in 1972 (Air Force). Maybe someone knows where it ended up? View attachment 5551665