I found this site that everybody talks about and a few scattered photos of Jim's history in a search of the HAMB. So Here is some of the more HAMB friendly materiel and photos from this site all in one place on the HAMB. some reading materiel then a bunch of photos. http://wediditforlove.com/Champion-1.html It is not possible to talk about drag racing in Northern California without mentioning Jim McLennan. An inductee to the Bay Area Sports Writers' Hall of Fame and the National Hot Rod Association's Hall of Fame, Jim was selected in 2007 to the prestigious International Drag Racing Hall of Fame by none other than Don "Big Daddy" Garlits. Jim McLennan's contribution to the sport of drag racing is immeasurable. He did it all-drove 180 mph slingshot dragsters; ran Champion Auto Parts (a retail speed and machine shop); and, owned and operated several race tracks, including Champion Speedway which he built from the ground up. Jim McLennan died in February 2007, and his legacy is carried on today by sons Bobby and Mike, who continue to build, tune, and drive top fuel dragsters as part of NHRA's Hot Rod Heritage Series. Jim's life long passion for hot rods and racing started in his teens. While at San Francisco's Balboa High School, Jim worked in a gas station. He could fix anything, but what he loved to do was make cars go fast. He was well known out on the Great Highway near San Francisco's Ocean Beach for his street racing prowess with a '51 Chevy powered by a souped up V-8 Oldsmobile engine. In the 1950s, as almost all activities relating to hot rods and drag racing revolved around a car club, Jim became a member of San Francisco's Pacers Car Club, and was instrumental in moving the racers off the streets and onto the drag strip. As early as 1955, Jim was racing a flathead-powered dragster at the strip. The problem was that there were very few tracks in those days to drag race. But, that would all change when Jim stepped in and rescued the closure of Half Moon Bay. The airstrip at Half Moon Bay had been used by a couple of the local car clubs (the Lightning Rods and the Piston Pushers) as a place to race legally, but the city wanted improvements and insurance. Without the money to sustain their pastime, the car clubs had to give it up. By this time, Jim had already opened Champion Auto Parts in South San Francisco. His speed shop quickly became "the place" to go for rodders seeking specialty parts, hot tune ups, or to just hang out. When Jim heard that a 3000' long, 60' wide ribbon of concrete was available, he quickly negotiated a lease with the city and took over the track. Jim turned this remote little auxiliary airport into the hub of drag racing in the late 1950s. With Half Moon Bay and Cotati (which Jim also owned) open on alternate weekends, drag racers in Northern California finally had a legitimate option to street racing. This was the original Champion Automotive which opened in 1957 on El Camino Real; Colma Creek was immediately behind this building. How did Jim come up with the name "Champion"? Before this building housed Jim's auto parts store it had been Champion Fence Company. Jim moved his speed shop to 1685 Old Mission Road in 1958 which was around the corner from the original location. Bruno Gianoli, Don Smith, Jim, and an unidentified employee; Bruno ran the machine shop and Don was Jim's partner in both the business and the drag strips. The view customer's saw when they talked through the door of Champion Auto Parts. Taken in the back of Champion Speed Shop, this photo appeared in Drag News much to the irritation of both Jim and Jerry Light (owner of Vic Hubbard Speed Shop). Jim's biggest rivals at the time are standing there at the back of the dragster-Jerry and Denny Forsberg. (far left is Denny Milani; Jim is in the foreground and that is a Ford engine!! he's working on). A wire from "Big Daddy" dated 07/13/1964 sent to Don Smith at Champion Speed Shop. THE RACER Born in Chicago in 1932, the family moved to San Francisco when Jim was ten years old. By the time Jim graduated from Balboa High School in 1950, he was already a confirmed gear head and hot rodder. He was a member of the Pacers Car Club out of Daly City, and was well known out on the Great Highway for his racing prowess with his 1951 Chevrolet. Jim's dad was a police officer and did not look favorably on his son's need for speed. Jim later became president of the Pacers and started racing the club project cars at tracks like "Little Bonneville" in San Jose. In 1958, Jim teamed up with Ted Gotelli and their Champion Speed Shop-Gotelli Spl. would set many track and Standard 1320 records. Jim later built two more fuel dragsters, the most famous of which was the Champion Speed Shop Spl. driven by Sammy Hale. This was Jim's first race car--a flathead-powered rail (of sorts) 1955. Drag racing in the 1950s revolved almost entirely around the car clubs; Jim was a member of The Pacers , just one of many in the Bay Area at the time (see listing below) . Before HMB, Cotati, and Fremont, organized drag racing was held at a facility in San Jose called "Little Bonneville" (near King and Storey Rd). Jim is kneeling front row and center in front of the Pacers' modified coupe. Jim (far side) won this final round of Top Eliminator versus Ewell & Stecker at the San Luis Obispo Timing Association's (SLOCTA) drag strip at San Luis Obispo in 1957. Champion Speed Shop Spl.- Gotelli racing Ed Cortapassi in The Glass Slipper at Vacaville (1959). I think it is safe to say Emory Cook (near side) lost this round of eliminations at Vacaville (1959) to the Gotelli-Champion Speed Shop Spl. Cover shot of the Champion Speed Shop-Gotelli Spl. when it set a new Standard 1320 B/FD record of 8.77-171.45 at HMB in 1960. Jim and Ted put a blower on the rail for the 2nd Annual U.S. Gas and Fuel Championships; Bakersfield CA 1960. By the fall of 1960, the Champion Speed Shop-Gotelli Team consisted of Ted's black Scotty Fenn dragster with a blown Chrysler and a new Scotty Fenn rail with a blown Chevy. Initially Jim drove the Chevy and Bud Barnett drove the Chrysler, but at times one or the other drove both cars. In March 1961, Rod Stuckey sustained severe burns from a fire while driving his top fuel dragster at HMB. To help pay the medical bills, the Organ Grinders organized a benefit race on his behalf at HMB. Bud Barnett drove both cars that day, and as fate would have it, suffered similar serious injuries from an engine explosion right before the lights. This accident for all intents and purposes ended Bud's driving career. Ted Gotelli took a torch and cut up what was left of that Scotty Fenn rail. The black Gotelli-McLennan Spl. at the 1961 March Meet. This is the dragster in which Bud Barnett incurred his horrific burns from a fire at the Rod Stuckey benefit race at HMB in April 1961. Jim built this Scotty Fenn car, the red Champion Speed Shop-Gotelli Spl., in 1960 when Ted made the decision to put a Chrysler in the original Scotty Fenn rail. This photo was taken for the October 1961 issue of Hot Rod Magazine when the magazine ran a 3-page feature called "Rail for a Reason". Left to right: John Zucca, Jim, Ted Gotelli, Bruno Gianoli, Marcel "Lem" Lemmelet, and Bud Barnett. Jim and a model posing for a publicity shot for the 1961 California State Championships at HMB, nice hood ornament. Jim campaigned this AA/GD during the NHRA fuel ban, but could never get it to perform the way he wanted and quickly returned to fuel racing. The Twin had a 6:71 blower in back and a 4:71 in front, both equipped with Algon injectors. He was also wearing what possibly could be the very first fire suit-(Cotati 1961). Fire suit testing: After the accidents to Rod Stuckey and Bud Barnett, Jim got a proximity suit from the San Francisco Airport Fire Department. He planned to test it by igniting gasoline tossed onto the ground and then running through the flames. Unexpectedly, Jim tripped and fell into the fire during the experiment, and after rolling around on the ground in the inferno, discovered that the suit actually worked. But, it was not the answer to the problem of fires caused by engine explosions; the suit was simply too hot and uncomfortable for driving a race car. Sammy Hale complained that it leaked fiberglass and made one itch all over. Jim wearing the proximity suit prior to a pass in Ted Gotelli's new Fuller car. After Bud's accident at HMB, Ted cut up the Chassis Research car and ordered this Fuller car. Kneeling at Jim's right is Ted Gianinni (The Owl) and on the left a very young Sammy Hale. After giving up on the AA/GD experiment, Jim returned to nitromethane. In this race at Fremont In 1961, he beat 'Slim' Sumner driving the Sumner-Bert-Mewes A/GMC for top eliminator. The infamous Organ Grinders Racing Team of which every member was named Sam; Sam was actually their donkey that always accompanied the guys to the track. Back row: Larry Gotelli; no ID; Andy Brizio; Ted Gotelli; Bud Barnett; Marcel Lemmelet. Middle row: Jim; Fremont trophy girl; Bruno Gianoli; Vic Gotelli (Ted's brother) Bottom row: Lou. Jim could not believe how easy it was to drive the Fuller car-said it was like driving a Cadillac compared to the Chassis Research car. This was also right around the time Jim and Ted Gotelli split up. Jim was so impressed with Fuller's design that he went to Southern California and ordered one for himself. This would be the car that Sammy Hale was so successful in driving, eventually becoming holders of the No.2 spot on Drag News' Mr. Eliminator list. Editor's note: when Jim went to L.A. to order a chassis from Fuller, Kent had a car on the jig he was building for Ronnie Hampshire and George Bolthoff. Jim, apparently, made Kent an offer he couldn't refuse and that piece of chrome moly tubing became the Champion Speed Shop Spl.; George and Ronnie got the next one. Jim in Ted Gotelli's new Fuller car; after Jim and Ted split up, Jerry Card (El Cerrito),Archie Liederbrand, and Jesse Schrank each drove the car, but briefly. Ted eventually settled on Glen Leasher who took the car to runner up honors at the 1962 March Meet. Photo of the Fuller (CSS #1) and Fenn (CSS #2) dragsters at Cotati in early 1962; left to right: Bobby McLennan, Jim, Chet Thomas, Bruno Gianoli, Don Smith, Tom McGuire, and Sammy Hale. Swinging" Sammy Hale (a nickname given to Sammy by Don Smith) and Jim packing the chute. The Fuller car in the pits at HMB; Jim had decided it was time to get out of the seat and turned the driving chores over to 19 year old Sammy Hale. With Sammy at the controls, the Champion Speed Shop Spl. held down the No.2 spot on the Drag News Mr. Eliminator Record List for most of 1962 and they did it with a 364 cid Chevy, a 4:71 blower, and Algon Injectors. Classic shot of the Fuller car with Sammy smoking the hides at pastoral Half Moon Bay. To be continued this is all the photos allowed in one batch.
Possibly the proudest moment for this Champion Speed Shop rail came on July 22, 1962 at HMB. In what had been coined as a real David versus Goliath encounter, Jim McLennan, Don Smith, Sammy Hale and a Gary Rowan-prepared 364 cid Chevy took on the mighty 454 cid Chrysler of Don Garlits and Connie Swingle. Connie, in the left lane, came out of the gate in a huge veil of smoke and was soon overtaken by an unfazed Sammy Hale. At the finish line it was the team from So. San Francisco by more than a car length with a virtuoso 8.40 at 180.36 In August 1962 Bruno Gianoli and Sammy Hale towed the Champion Speed Shop car back to Cordova, Illinois for the World Series of Drag Racing. These unique injectors were built by Bruno Gianoli and called "The Swifty". Champion Speed Shop in the pits at Cordova; behind: Chris "The Greek" Karamesines who had recently lengthened his TE 448 chassis. Big' Bob Haines in the Fuller car after the Masters-Richter makeover. Can you believe he's looking at her face? Ed Garlits was better known for his blown Chrysler gas dragsters than Swamp Rat. this photo was on the HAMB before and there was some discussion as to the driver. The view at HMB looking NE from the return road; the drag strip would be on the racer's left and Hwy 1 on their right. "That is Rod Stuckey in the seat, and yours truly, standing on the starting line lining him up for a qualifying pass. I'm sure this photo was taken on the Sunday morning of March 30, 1961.Later that afternoon when Stuckey was running Bob Sullivan in his Pandemonium car for the No. 5 spot on the Drag News List, Stuckey's engine let go out the bottom, and a fire came thru the firewall and the belly-pan and burned Rod's lower body very badly. It was exactly one month later at Stuckey's memorial race at Half Moon Bay on April 30, 1961, that I got critically burned, and flipped Ted Gotelli's car off the end of the track".-Bud Barnett "The Snake" with HMB's 'theme girl' Tammy Taylor (1964). Note: the Greer-Black-Prudhomme car had been lengthened and repainted (from yellow) back to a shade of orange (the car would be sold in December 1964). HMB hosted many championship drag races from 1957 to 1969 including the California Fuel and Gas Championships. This shot taken in 1963 features the Moody-Zeuschel-Fuller top fuel dragster against The Dragmaster. Note back wheels off the ground on near side car. Jim and Micky Thompson were the best of friends, and in many ways pursued similar careers as drivers, businessmen, and track managers (Micky at Lions). This shot was taken at Las Vegas with Micky, Judy Thompson, Don Smith, Pat Smith, Dorothy, and Jim. Andy Brizio under the poster; Sue Brizio in front of him; and, Debbie Brizio wearing the white gloves. Jim and Andy Brizio in front of Champion Auto Parts flanking Andy's first "Instant T" hot rod 1967. Don Smith, Bobby McLennan, and Jim in the shop at Champion Auto Parts with Andy's "Instant T"-1967. Chassis builder Kent Fuller and engine whiz Dave Zueschel contemplating how in God's name they were going to get this lawn mower engine to fit in the frame. If you are interested there is more later history in the article that is too new for the HAMB http://wediditforlove.com/Champion-1.html
I grew up within 4 miles of that cluster of great racers, spent a lot of time in champion auto parts with high school friends buying parts to soup up hot rods, went to school with Jim's sons,later lived behind Historic old Malloy's, some 200 feet from where the shops were on old mission road in the town of Colma. Wish I knew how instrumental he was in drag racing and paid more attention to the hot rod scene around me. The times I met him in later life he was quite the character and a grand gentleman. Thanks for the insight
I met "big" Jim working for PG&E in front of his house on Mission in the early 90's. He wanted an extra gas service and the foreman said " take care of Jim he is drag racing royalty". I did the service and saw the freight train 2x chevy and even an STP miniature dragster he had up on a shelf in his garage below his house. Jim bought us a pizza and some beers for the job. Anytime I was nearby his place I always stopped by for a chat about drag racing. Even when his caregiver had just let him rest he would bolt up-right and want to talk shop. He was a true gentleman. Saw him many times at Roy B's shop parties. You really miss these great men when they are gone. If you can spend some time with an old rodder, famous or not DO IT !! I used to sweep the shop floor up on Macarthur in Oakland at Bruce Alexander's tire shop for .75 cents a hour. He owned Bite by Bruce's drag slicks for everyone from the Melrose Missile to the Glass Slipper. What days they were indeed. By the way that picture "Sprint Car action at 'The Speedway' back in the day " is not sprint cars but rather midgets racing inside Oaklands Exhibition building next to the Oakland Auditorium , Laney college now sets on that spot. Great post , thanks for the energy and all the pics.
The Jalopy Journal
