It's sad for all the greats that have died this year especially the families. But consider and celebrate the full lives these pioneers lived doing what they loved.
God speed my friend and thank you for all your contributions to our sport. I only ever saw you run once and that was at Wattsburg near Erie, PA IN 1962. The chutes didn't open and you ended up with a broken arm from your ride into the trees. Dan
Art you sure knew how to make a grounded aircraft fly,first piston power, then jets. God speed for a true inovator in the racing world. GV
We loose another Hotrod Icon. He's one of the guys that made us love our hobby. He reached goals unreachable to most of us and gave us something to dream about.
At 81 years old I can't say i am shocked,... but truly sad about this loss,... I just tried to get word to E.J. Potter about Art,... they were best of friends. Seems the ranks are thinning,..... One of his other Monsters,...
One hell of a fabricator and machinist. Racer yes. Engineer and brainiac hell yes. Walking, talking, did it all and never needed a big hat to cover the ego of a very, very humble man. The big man must be putting on one hell of a book in show up there. God Speed Art and thanks it was truely our pleasure and honor.
My condolences to Art's family. Art was a true hero to our hobby. Look what he accomplished with no large budgets, square feet of chrome or cubic feet of aluminum billets. Although his LSR cars were not cheap. I had the opportunity to run against him at York US 30 in 1962 during some practice runs. Art had his rear engined "Baloney Slicer" Allison powered dragster with a propellor. I was running my I/SP NSU Sport Prinz with 38 HP. The missmatch was memorable. I hope someone at Speed Channel puts together a documentary of his life and accomplishments. It would be interesting especially the early days with piles of surplus aircraft parts. N B R
I first became a fan when he campaigned his Allison engine Green monster. He really impressed me. I'm sure he had sponsors but it never seemed like a corporate enterprise. He always appeared to me to be a backyard builder that always went faster than everybody else. He'll always be a hero of mine. God's speed...
Fu@k! ! ! ! ! MAN.......... WHAT A BAD YEAR! God speed to ya ART , our Prayers are with ya and your faimly
I saw a clip years ago when he crashed at Bonneville at 300 or so in his 2-wheeler. (Research tells me now it was at 350 in 1989 while a film crew was there, hoping to catch a new record) They rushed out there as he was climbing out of this thing, still calmly brushing himself off. He's explaining what happened; he thought everything was feeling ok, then the "view out the windshield turned to all sky." Some guy yells "What did you think then?" And he nonchalantly says, "Well, I thought .. .Shit !!!" Funny. Great article here: http://www.thrustssc.com/thrustssc/Club/Secure/Art_Arfons.html
I saw a clip years ago when he crashed at Bonneville at 300 or so in his 2-wheeler. (Research tells me now it was at 350 in 1989) while a film crew was there, hoping to catch a new record. They rushed out there as he was still climbing out of this thing, calmly brushing himself off. He's explaining what happened; he thought everything was feeling ok, then the "view out the windshield turned to all sky." Some guy yells "What did you think then?" And he nonchalantly says, "Well, I thought .. .Shit !!!" Funny. Great article here: http://www.thrustssc.com/thrustssc/Club/Secure/Art_Arfons.html
This one Hits Home my family and I have gotten Christmas cards from Art&June since meeting Art at the tractor pulls At Thompson Speedway back around 1976.He pulled here 3 years and I got to be part of his crew for 2 I have a pit pass framed on my wall that he gave me that was his own competitor pass.The second year he was out here he wrecked his Honda Motorcycle on a back road by his own words at better than 80mph.When asked if he'd ever ride a bike again by local reporters he said"We'll I been waiting for the time to install the big bore kit I got at home Now looks like as good a time as any while I'm doing the repairs!He broke several ribs in the accident but still did a full weekend of pulling and walked away with most of the wins .like a lot of folks have said for the celebrity he was in the motor sports Art was just a guy!10 minutes after meeting him it was like we knew him for years very soft spoken guy next door.Of course I know who Evel and the other guys we lost are in the last few weeks ,But<I knew Art and myself and my family have lost a friend today!and from now on when i see a light streak through a night sky I will think about Art because I'll bet it will be him testing one of his latest jet powered creations!our condolences to the Arfons Family
Art also had a brother named Walter and they both were involved in much of the racing. They were simple farmers, but their imaginations real ran wild and the stuff they built was beyond most of our thinking. I really want to extend my condolences to his family, and Walt if he is still alive.
Throttle Jockey,Speed Merchant, lived to pull the trigger. Survived a long thrilling life at the ragged edge. I liked his style,going balls out ! Keep haulin' Art.
Been reading about the guy for years and finally got to see the car(but not the man).Didn't realise how small the car was till I got to stand next to it at Petersen's Museum.What an era that was in the '60's when every one was having a go at the LSR,Bonneville became a byword for anyone interested in speed(going fast.that is).This year has certainly been one for losing all the greats of rodding.RIP ,Art. Keep on roddin.
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