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

You got that right George.

 

I believe the starter went into the stands to help. drawing a blank on the name right now.

 

Larry Sutton, starter at the beach, applied pressure to an artery to stem the bleeding, but I recall that was a young man. I even recall a reunion photo taken a few years ago with Larry and the victim. Anyone? I hate getting old, everything gets scrambled.

 

Couldn't find a photo, but the young man's name is Tim Ditt. The wife and I were there that day.

 

I think that may be this on, which I took at Lions December of '63 ('66 date on photo indicates a later re-print).

The repop is quite different in proportion.

Rod's '56 wagon was the pushcar here.

 

I've been looking back on this thread and others......a big ONE FINGER salute to PHOTOBUCKET for ruining so many pictures! Deciding I should PAY THEM 300 dollars to link to MY IMAGES ON MY PAGE.
How greedy is that???
FU PHOTOBUCKET!

 

Cordova, Illinois World Series

 

[QUOTE=" I know it is an unintentional accident but still this person lost an arm. I have always been a major Don Garlits fan but he should have been sued by this woman. Does anyone know what happened in this regard after the accident. Cheers. George[/QUOTE]

There is a reason that race crews and spectators at drag races are required to sign a liability waiver when they enter. Drag racing is dangerous, even for spectators, that fact is spelled out in the waiver. By signing the waiver, people are agreeing that they understand the danger and accept the risk.

 

Thanks for putting this shot up. This is apparently the Chizler that was cloned several years back. It seems different from the Chizler I posted on #55904.

 

larry told me the story at pri last year. sounds like it got crazy that day. he said the person injured in the stands would have for sure died due to blood loss if he didn't help out.

 

There is a reason that race crews and spectators at drag races are required to sign a liability waiver when they enter. Drag racing is dangerous, even for spectators, that fact is spelled out in the waiver. By signing the waiver, people are agreeing that they understand the danger and accept the risk.[/QUOTE]

From my experience in drag racing, those "Release of Liability Waivers" are basically worthless, including the ones embedded on the race driver's tech card, signed or not. If you wanted to sue someone because of an incident at a drag strip, either the track owners or the promoters, any lawyer can get around any of those so-called "release of liability" waivers.

 

From my experience in drag racing, those "Release of Liability Waivers" are basically worthless, including the ones embedded on the race driver's tech card, signed or not. If you wanted to sue someone because of an incident at a drag strip, either the track owners or the promoters, any lawyer can get around any of those so-called "release of liability" waivers.[/QUOTE]

You are right, these days a liability waiver is probably not much good in court.

When this incident occurred forty odd years ago, courts placed far more responsibility on individuals to look out for their own personal safety. Back then, if an individual decided to willingly engage in an activity with an inherent potential of danger (like spectating at a drag race), and signed a paper saying they understood and accepted that potential danger, they would be far less likely to win any law suits over any injury that resulted from engaging in the activity.

 

Looks like Jack Carter, owner of Carter Drag Chutes working on the car...

 

The shot I posted is the same car that is in your posted shot The Ron Johnson re-pop posted was reworked shortly after it was completed but still just a little off.

 

Bean Bandits at Ramona


Jim Dunn and Henry Velasco with the Winternationals class trophy


No i.d.


Classic '29 on deuce frame..


Gene Conway's "Navy Destroyer," Lions...hanging on to the roll bar brace...photo by Tom West...

 

1964

 

Lefty Little in "Big Red" at Lions, Don Prieto photo


Vic Smaldino's Fargo-headed 4-banger, at San Fernando. The car ran in the high 130s, pretty good for 4-cylinders.


This car was very competitive.


Jess Vandeventer, running what looks like a 3-71 blower. Jess set many a national record and won many a national event with this car.


Gil Hayward's "Monkey Motion" at Lions, maybe Ron McKibben driving.

 

Thanks for another trip down Memory Lane.
Jimbo

 

Lineup of gas dragsters, Pomona, 1958. This was a year after the SoCal fuel ban started. I cannot identify all the cars here, from right to left: unknown flathead, Cyr & Hopper "Ole Blue" (the '58 NHRA Nationals winner), maybe Bobby Tapia with the ScoT blown flathead in an early TE-440, unknown Ardun, blown Cadillac-powered Delta Machine sponsored car, John Bradley's blown flathead, unknown, etc, Mickey Thompson's twin Chrysler car at the end. Photo from the Hot Rod Magazine archives.

 

Boy, a young Jim Dunn is a dead ringer for son Mike Dunn today. Genes are amazing things!

 

>>>>>>>>>>>> Genes are amazing things!

Specially these new stretchy ones they sell now.

 

Hey Dave,

Jess VanDeventer had this earlier version of the same roadster at Lions in 58 and 59. It was one of the first race cars I shot on film. I was trying to get a feeling for the whole Lions Dragstrip scene, like a real Hollywood producer. The blower came after these films.

Junji

 

Great video....interesting that Jess is racing Hill Alcala in Creighton Hunter's old roadster, still flathead powered, I think, but he gives Jess a run for his money...thanks for posting!

 

Dave,
Speaking of the red, Hill-Acala Roadster, it was one of the highlights of the recent Lions Dragstrip Museum opening. By the way, it was sitting just under the huge TV screen playing some guy's old Lions Dragstrip films all day and night, until closing.

The roadster is beautiful up close and looks as good as those early racing days. It is one race car that should be available to see the history from those good old times.

Junji
Hopefully, the Lions Museum will be updated and ready for the general public very soon. I met a lot of interesting people from back in the old days and with the race cars, it was certainly eye opening. Currently, it is closed after this racers/industry only event back in June.

 

The coolest thing about the Hunter/Alcala roadster is that it is exactly as it was back in the day. Original paint, lettering, everything. A true survivor. It has not changed since I first saw it a Pomona in 1959.

 

Dean,
Yes, it stays the same,(with a new polish job) even with the original Moon Eyes, While the rest of us march on in age... How fair is that? Ha!
Junji

 

It's not, Junji!!

 

Bob Perry was from my home town. He had about a 68 Corvette wheel stander before the Army sponsored tank.

 

NHRA Nationals, no i.d. on either roadster


Driver's view from Hayden Proffitt's Chassis Research blown Chevy


Unknown Potvin-blown Chrysler car, looks like the nose came from a car hood...NHRA Nationals



Around '58, rear-engine dragsters were nothing new...


Don Montgomery converted this gasser to street use after he retired it from racing. Hope he is ok, have not heard from him recently...anyone know?