I dunno. But if I had to guess it might be something like flashbulb going off in the face of the guy wearing the driving suit as the tree came down, or some such... Buster Couch doesn't look too happy either.
That was an old picture, not sure what happened, but it was published years ago, with the explaination. It was 2 photographers fighting over the spot (I think) to take pics from. I beleive, in HOT ROD magazine.
In the high anxiety moment of a lot of cash during staging in final rounds of Modified one night, I saw a camera flash start a race. A lot of rivalry added stress on the starting line when someone stepped out of no where and snapped a shot causing both drivers to leave in unison with a cloud of smoke and dust and wheels in the air, and every body else wondering WTF. Tom S. in Tn.
Magazine photogrpaher competes for same space as NHRA photogrpaher resulting ina shoving match. Guy on right lost his wig (you can see it fall if you look close enough). Purportedley distracted the VW driver causing him to red light and lose the race.
Maybe yes - maybe no. The paint job is almost completely opposite, the roll bar has an additional horizontal bar, and the driver has a different colored jacket on. Maybe it was reworked / updated at a later date. Its fun to study these old photos - "looking for clues at the scene of the crime..." - Joe Walsh
I see the Ohio license plate. I remember a orange '54 at York US30, with a hardtop, had an all black crew. Somehow the hardtop came off half way down the track. Could it be the same car?, maybe about '68-'69ish.
Photos of the famous [infamous?] Rocky/Tuck Rambler Rumbler shootout at the first HAMB drags. I won the first round with my flathead 196 but Tuck came back to annialate me the next few rounds...even with my "sneaky pete" nitrous system...
Most US built sixes were cammed and carbed for low speed torque. That's why we all remember them as good sturdy engines that wouldn't give up (because they wouldn't breath good enough to turn fast enough to throw a rod!) but turds as far as any real performance. A cam change will get you more bang for the buck than anything else! A better intake/carb and exhaust let's the better cam really work, of course! Anything you can do to a V-8 to gain performance you can do to a six. Do be careful with the long stroke AMC 258 and Ford 300 though! The rods are pretty stout, but you can get into trouble turning them over 6500 rpm. I know they will turn up to 6500, but I don't think I'd keep on much over 6000 for long, and even then you need good ARP rod bolts!
OK, some one with better eyes and a bigger screen take a look. Isn't the first car a 27' and the second a 23' ? Need more clear evidence from the first photo. Tom S.
Thanx Dodger. Just being recognized is good nuff'. Some body tell us where this staging lane photo was taken. I can identify Houston Platts mustang in lane 3, and I wonder about the white one 4 or 5 cars back. The black B/SR with the round hoop roll bar strikes a familiarity also. Too much time past. Tom S.
Went to a car show today and one of the displays was several albums from Inliners Hall of Fame member J. R. Bloom.I was like a kid in a candy store, found several pics of Inline powered racers from around these parts.In the next few months I am planning on going to see him and pic up a bunch of pics and will post them with his permission.
found a link to this on another thread here on the H.A.M.B. I started in the summer of 1968, aged 17 at Beeline Dragway in Phoenix. I had a 1963 Falcon with a 144cid 6 cylinder engine and 3 on the tree. Ran mid 18's. A year later I had installed a 'Dagenham' 4 speed, 9 inch rear end with 4:57 gears, Sig Erson cam and a big 1 bbl carb off of a Chev truck. Ran low 16's, about 4 tenth's under the AHRA record. With polyglass rear tires the car would run within a couple of hundreds every pass. Won a lot of races, a lot of money and had a lot of fun most importantly. In late 1969 I sold the car to a friend of mine, we rebuilt the engine put on a 200 head, changed the 4 speed for a C-4, installed 5:67 gears, put a 2 bbl on it and ran 15:20's. Things were much simpler then. Haven't made a pass in over 20 years now but I still have friends that race so I can tag along every now and then.
The Jalopy Journal
