History Drag cars in motion.......picture thread.

I saw that on some clowns blog the other day.

 

Well gang, I got my slides back from Bob today and what a treat it was to see these again. Didn't count them but probably over 200 decent ones-maybe more. We'll kick off this round with this cool double engine injected car at the Nationals. As always, if you recognize him let us know.

 

Joe Cunningham from Wichita pilots the Action Motor Co C/SR at Tulsa in September 1966. This is probably the weekend after the Nationals.

 

The miracle of photoshop. One of the first rolls I ever shot was with a borrowed camera and some out dated film my brother-in-law gave me. I spent a couple of days at the 65 Nationals with my cousin Tom Kelly from Akron and snapped a roll which came back looking like a dismal failure on my part. Overexposed and shot too far away, but some look salvagable so I'll throw them out for your entertainment.

This one is of Bill Lawton in the Tasca A/FX Mustang during time trials. I've always been a fan of Lawton and the Tasca cars-no idea why as I only saw them a few times. Can't make out the lettering on the Comet on the return road but maybe it will stir someones memories.

 

Bud Fauble has the Hemi Honker crankin' as he takes on another factory car at Indy in 1966. Can't tell who the other guy is.

 

car in the other lane is the ex Sox&Martin, Buckeye&Vernon Mr. Speed AWB Plymouth

 

Not sure if this one has been posted yet....

 

Man, I cant seem to figure out if this is either George Fina or Jerry Verheul. Hmmmmmmm...either way its classic "kool"

 

^^^That is Jerry Verheul out of Seattle...R.I.P. Jerry

 

A lot of top fuel guys who ran Lions had Leo Brightopth's number, he actually managed the track with his wife in the early 60's, and was the instigation for the "Top fuel revolution" in late '62, when he refused to pay round money...so the top fuel guys (plus some little guys like us) met at the Taitian Village (Santa Fe Springs, maybe) and signed a petition not to race at Lions...all the big guys were there -- Zeuschel, Black, Jack Ewell, Mickey Thompson (who said "I think police officers are pricks!) after Gary Cagle spoke on behalf of the "little guys")...Eddie Potter, Jack Carter, Bob Noice, Frank Pedregon, Kenny Safford, etc...then Brightoph (never could spell his name) got up, sort of dressed like a used car salesman, and defended his policies...later came to a compromise, $100 round money if cars had numbers, crews had uniforms (t-shirts didn't count), and for the round money you had to make a full pass, even if the other driver red-lit...it was also the start of the Professional Drag Racers Association.....(the most memorable statement was from Keith Black, who said "We rarely leave California and we spend over $20,000 a year" You could hear the collective gasp, that was more than most guys made in a year (early 60s, remember)...a lot of us realized that fuel drag racing could no longer just be a hobby except for rich guys...

 

Picture from 1968 Manufactures funny car championships at Orange County International Raceway. Dave Beebe in Super Chief vs Kip Brundage in the Parts Mart Camero.

 

"Mickey Thompson (who said "I think police officers are pricks!) after Gary Cagle spoke on behalf of the "little guys")."

Mickey sure would have welcomed a "prick" or two when he and his wife were looking down the barrells of the guns being held by their two assailants!

 

I was thinking the same thing...

 

Bones Dubach and Pisano's AA/G takes on another AA/G in the class rounds at Indy in 1966.

33Hemi and 1939Fiat indicate the green Hamberis and Mitchell car was running in BB/A at the 66 Nationals. So this must be a time trial run.

 

Jim Hayter from Cushing OK in the wagon is trying to catch a 55 Jr Stocker during Stock Eliminator at Pomona in February 1968.

 

No idea at all on these gassers at the 65 Nationals.

 

John Walling on the tower side is driving the Dodson and Walling AA/FD against I believe the Burt Brothers from Tulsa at Southwest Raceway in Tulsa in April 1967.

 

Shirley Shahan from Tulare CA is out against an unknown Dodge SS/A during class eliminations at the 1966 Nationals.

 

I'm pissed - two of my most favorite things in the world...In N Out and Drag Racing located in one location! and I missed out. (born too late)

 

Other car is Hamblis-(Mike) Mitchell.

 

Dont feel so bad, you and I are in the same boat,, only made it to OCIR once,
for the high school drags,
never went to Lions or other track until the late 80's and 90's.
my dad never thot that i would love to go see the guys whose model cars i was building for a hobby,, life goes on, just remember to pass on the torch to your kids and grandkids.

 

M/T & my dad were extremely tight friends from day one(54 or 55),up until M/Ts murder.
They were corresponding with each other thru snail mail 3 days before the murder & I have the orig letters to prove it (and so do the cops).

Troy Cagle

 

Whats this all about? Did I miss something?

 

From the previous page.

 

Heres a link to some cool Drags Cars in Motion...


http://bangshift.com/blog/vintage-d...a-1964-ks-pittman-the-554-coupe-and-more.html

WCD, Sometimes police officers are pricks, especially when their rookies!

 

It wasnt until my wife and I had been married a couple of years when she finally had the chance to delve into an In and Out burger. Driving back from Baja, we both voiced that we hungry. I offered In and Out, she wanted McDonalds, not ever having tried In and Out. So I stopped at McDonalds and got her what she wanted, then I drove through In and Out. The aroma alone told her that something was different. I gave her a bite of mine, whereupon she tossed her Big Mac out the window and devoured my Double Double. The customer service offered by the young people who work there should be mimmicked by industries.

Double Double, a Coke and two fuel altereds skating down the track under the hot Irwindale sky-what memories.

 

I've checked in on this thread from time to time and have always been thrilled with the stuff that turns up here... both the cool photos and the inside stories. Someday, when I have about a month's vacation and nothing else to do I swear I'm going to go through it post by post. Since I'm pretty sure this thought has already been brought up by someone else, I'll just echo the sentiment:

To me, vintage fan photos like the most recent ones from Partsrivet are just as great as the professional action photos taken during that time because they give me a view that I would have seen as a spectator... IF I had been there. That would trigger just as many great memories for me as any starting line photo ever would. Growing up in the rural midwest, the best I could do was read about my drag racing heroes in magazines. Never even attended a drag race in person until I was out of school. You who were there, took photos and have posted them here, have brought the action to life for me again.

Thank you.

Those really WERE the best of times, weren't they?

 

Yes, yes they were.
Unless you were there, you really never will understand how wonderful they were.
But, for my young friends, here on the HAMB...especially the teens:

Sure, the drag racing that I saw from the late 50's through the end of the 1960's will always will be regarded as the "Golden Years".
But, remember that the drag racing was one layer of the environment of that era.
That was also a time when we still embraced respect and self-respect. We honored and listened to...parents, teachers, principals, police and elders.
We didn't walk by people we didn't know and use vulgarity, especially around women.
We did what was expected of us and the knew that we would yield whatever we put effort into. The more effort, the better the results.
There was no free lunches at school and if a teacher put their hand on your shoulder to stop you to tell you something, you didn't cry to your parents and to an attorney that you had your "rights violated".
When a policeman told you to leave a location, you didn't spout off that you got their badge number....you simple left the scene.
Yes, I do agree that you should question authority, but leave that to the adults. When we were kids, we knew we were kids...otherwise known as "dip-shits".
Yeah, it was wonderful, but the racing and rodding was just a tiny bit of a world that will never be again, especially for me, growing up in the Los Angeles. I was surrounded by drag strips, speed shops, etc.......and, of course the weather was always right for something car related.
I could, and will, write it all down one day.
I wish I could tell you how to make it happen again. I wish it was as easy as giving you a recipe for a cake, but, sadly, the times of today don't give you the needed ingredients.
Most of what was good about the 60's is still at hand today, but it's up to us to exercise it.
The whole respect, self-respect deal hasn't changed. That simple rule is the gateway to a better life.

 

^amen^

 

Great thoughts. Thanks.

And this: "I could, and will, write it all down one day." Please!! And you better include photos!