Drag Racing legend moves within 2 miles of my house

One of the IDRA inductee to the hall of fame. I have a buddy who owns a lumber yard here in my town. He tells me he has a new kid that works for him that has this old drag racer living with him. So what?

Well, here is his rap sheet. http://www.metalshapers.org/nitrogeezers/connie_swingle.htm

I am gonna go and visit with him soon. His health is not very good and he seems to have some days that are better than others. I'll take the camera and ask him a few questions. Stay tuned.

 

Get your tape recorder, Champion spark plug hat and shirt on........and begin the interview.
You lucky duck

 

I'd like to hear his story.

 

I had the privilege of watching Connie set one of Don's dragsters sideways at Mokan and never lift. Was one of the finest drivers I have ever seen. I also heard the story that he and Don started a new dragster and were finished 24 hours later. Sorry to hear that he is not doing well and intend to order one of his posters.
Pete

 

well you will enjoy him for sure, i met hjim and visited with him a couple of times down at jorskis shop before he died. man the stories he can tell....

 

cool...go get him!

if he's able, take him down the road...

 

I'd like to videotape it.

 

He is one of my heroes, that guy is a legend for sure. I really admire guys like him, He has loads of natural talent.
Jimmy White

 

Sam-

Jorski passed away? That was one of the first rod/race shops i came across when i moved up here. Very nice man, but i had to make sure to have a few hours to spare if i stopped by. He had some great pics of Boneville stuff(Wayy before i was even thought of)

Oh- and on a different topic, I went by Reno Rod and got to see Johnnys modified T you said he ran at Mokan. That whole group was talking how they plan to make the trip next year.

 

Yeah Jorski died a few months back. It's a Shame...

 

For all ya'll interested post any questions you would like relayed. I'll try and ask em....

 

yeah, we are going to mokan on the 8th of october for the ahra reunion race and have a shootout rae of the central states gasser assoc within that race and could use a couple more cars if we could get em in that area... gonna be fun as hell

 

just a note, i remember him talkin about building a chassis one weekend and how they used filler rod and torch to put it together and ran out of filler rod, well they were off of 10th and may in okc in an alley and they startting taking threads of wire out of the ladys fence next door to the alley and using it and by the next morning has unravesed a whole section of her fence. stuff like that that is priceless and it made a dragster chassis in a weekend..in an alley

 

I am gonna try and find someone with a digital camcorder so I can load it up to the net for you guys.

 

I met him at the HRR at bowling green. have been to several meets where he and gar were.Wish him well. Take every thing you need to record your session with him. jim

 

Connie is one funny sombitch. You'll love his stories about Garlits and TC Lemmons- also residing in Oklahoma occasionally- I think TC is in Florida restoring cars for Garlits' museum. Brad

 

I've heard some stories second hand from a man who did some work for
Garlits and Swingle during that era. Would really be neat to hear from Swingle
himself. Good luck with the interview, hope you can somehow share with the
rest of us.

 

I clicked on here thinking it was Gene Snow that moved down the way from you!

Thank god it's really Connie Swingle!

That man has some STORIES!!

Do tell!

Sam.

 

I made contact with the dude he's living with today. He told me that he would get in touch with me when he was up to talking to me. His health is failing...

 

Man! I remember buildin the AMT model of the Pirana funny car! Did they call them funny cars back then?

 

Thankfully it's not the Snowman.

 

TC is here in FL. He is a hoot.

 

I am not sure but I think Connie has Lupus or something similar.