# NHRA 2020/2021 TOP FUEL ELIMINATIONS



## FastTrax (Aug 8, 2021)

www.nhra.com/nhra

www.facebook.com/NHRA/

www.twitter.com/nhra

www.instagram.com/nhra/?hl=en

https://nhraofficial.tumblr.com

www.indeed.com/cmp/National-Hot-Rod-Association/reviews?fcountry=ALL

www.glassdoor.com/Overview/Working-at-NHRA-EI_IE464571.11,15.htm

www.nhramuseum.org

www.performanceracing.com/magazine/industry-news/11-12-2020/nhra-announces-complete-2021-national-event-schedule

www.carbuffnetwork.com/shop-service/national-hot-rod-association-nhra/

www.auto123.com/en/news/drag-explaining-the-technology-of-a-top-fuel-dragster/

www.motor1.com/news/265961/watch-dragster-engine-get-rebuilt/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Hot_Rod_Association

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Fuel

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Prudhomme

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Dixon_(dragster_driver)


























https://www.youtube.com/c/Nhra1951/videos

https://www.youtube.com/c/CompetitionPlusTV/videos


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## fmdog44 (Aug 10, 2021)

Remember it was Don Gartlis that drove the first rear engine dragster saving many injuries from exploding blowers, etc. I love the smell of nitro!


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## oldman (Aug 11, 2021)

Anyone remember Dave Strickler? Local hometown boy that was connected to Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins up in Easton, PA. Strickler died around the 70's or 80's, but his cars are still around, but not for racing. This picture was taken at a reunion show of the old cars that ran on the track at
*"York US 30 Dragway" *in York, PA, which is my hometown. I also had a drag car, but no big name sponsor, so I never was able to compete with the big money boys. I have several pictures of the older funny cars, so if there is enough interest, I will surely post them. 

The car in this picture is a '62 Chevy, which was the same as my car named "Northwind." My car was black with a blue belly-band.


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## oldman (Aug 11, 2021)

Here is a picture of one of Bruce Larson's cars. Bruce is still in racing, but now he is more of a designer and engineer. I spoke with him a few years ago at the Carlisle Corvette Show and he was telling me about his 4000+ hp funny car he was building. Bruce lives in nearby Camp Hill, PA, which is just outside of Harrisburg. He and "Big Daddy" Don Garlits are the only NHRA racers to have a car in the Smithsonian Institute. Of course everyone in drag racing knows Garlits is a Mopar guy.


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## oldman (Aug 11, 2021)

Anyone remember Don Nicholson? He loved his Comets.


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## oldman (Aug 11, 2021)

Remember Ronnie Sox and Buddy Martin? Here is one of Ronnie's cars. BTW, Ronnie died about 2006 of prostate cancer.


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## oldman (Aug 11, 2021)

Here is a nice picture of one of "Jungle Jim" Liberman's cars.


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## squatting dog (Aug 11, 2021)

oldman said:


> Anyone remember Dave Strickler? Local hometown boy that was connected to Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins up in Easton, PA. Strickler died around the 70's or 80's, but his cars are still around, but not for racing. This picture was taken at a reunion show of the old cars that ran on the track at
> *"York US 30 Dragway" *in York, PA, which is my hometown. I also had a drag car, but no big name sponsor, so I never was able to compete with the big money boys. I have several pictures of the older funny cars, so if there is enough interest, I will surely post them.
> 
> The car in this picture is a '62 Chevy, which was the same as my car named "Northwind." My car was black with a blue belly-band.
> ...


Cool.   This was my no sponsor drag effort.


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## squatting dog (Aug 11, 2021)

oldman said:


> Here is a picture of one of Bruce Larson's cars. Bruce is still in racing, but now he is more of a designer and engineer. I spoke with him a few years ago at the Carlisle Corvette Show and he was telling me about his 4000+ hp funny car he was building. Bruce lives in nearby Camp Hill, PA, which is just outside of Harrisburg. He and "Big Daddy" Don Garlits are the only NHRA racers to have a car in the Smithsonian Institute. Of course everyone in drag racing knows Garlits is a Mopar guy.
> 
> View attachment 178203


I was lucky enough to see his first funny car, (altered wheelbase) back in 1966.


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## squatting dog (Aug 11, 2021)

oldman said:


> Here is a nice picture of one of "Jungle Jim" Liberman's cars.
> 
> View attachment 178209


Most of us young walking hormones remember Jungle Pam more that Jim.  Wonder why?


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## oldman (Aug 11, 2021)

squatting dog said:


> Most of us young walking hormones remember Jungle Pam more that Jim.  Wonder why?
> 
> 
> View attachment 178219


I was kissed by Miss Hurst (Pat Flannery or Connery or whatever) after I posted a W in Richmond running in Class AA/F. All nitro in the tank that night. Flames flying out the headers at night looked so cool! But damn, it gets hot inside and the temp outside at night was 84°. A lot of heat that night.


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## fmdog44 (Aug 12, 2021)

oldman said:


> Anyone remember Dave Strickler? Local hometown boy that was connected to Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins up in Easton, PA. Strickler died around the 70's or 80's, but his cars are still around, but not for racing. This picture was taken at a reunion show of the old cars that ran on the track at
> *"York US 30 Dragway" *in York, PA, which is my hometown. I also had a drag car, but no big name sponsor, so I never was able to compete with the big money boys. I have several pictures of the older funny cars, so if there is enough interest, I will surely post them.
> 
> The car in this picture is a '62 Chevy, which was the same as my car named "Northwind." My car was black with a blue belly-band.
> ...


Try to find this bubble top now. My buddy had one with a 409 back in 1964 til ? He did all his own work and it was damn near unbeatable. Describe for us how you feel about selling it? I had a 62 Catalina and I still have the pic and regret selling it but I was boke and so was the tranny.


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## oldman (Aug 13, 2021)

fmdog44 said:


> Try to find this bubble top now. My buddy had one with a 409 back in 1964 til ? He did all his own work and it was damn near unbeatable. Describe for us how you feel about selling it? I had a 62 Catalina and I still have the pic and regret selling it but I was boke and so was the tranny.


I sold the car, trailer, parts, everything. Even the one spare engine that I had as a backup. If I could have secured a sponsor with deep pockets, who knows how much better I could have done. I was a member of the AHRA, so I only ran on AHRA sanctioned tracks. While racing in Ohio, I blew a head gasket while coming off the line during the trophy run. I had already ran two elimination races, so my engine was loose. On this race, I was deep in the pocket at the staging tree, so I was able to pull a hole shot, which gave me a nice advantage. About halfway down the track, I felt a sudden loss of power and saw nothing but a big white cloud over me. I knew then that my night was over. I had my own mechanic who also happened to be my uncle.

When it came time to sell everything and leave the sport, it kind of saddened me. Back then, if you wanted to be a big name driver, you really needed a sponsor. Today, a lot of people have money to spend, until they can prove themselves and retain a sponsor. I had some big name sponsors, but they would only give me parts. I had Stahl-Moroso, AC/Delco, Felpro, STP, Hurst, and Iskenderun Cams as my sponsors, but no money, just parts. If it wasn’t for my dad, I doubt if I would have ventured into drag racing. 

I could go on and on about drag racing, but I don’t think there is much interest in it here.


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## FastTrax (Aug 13, 2021)

oldman said:


> I sold the car, trailer, parts, everything. Even the one spare engine that I had as a backup. If I could have secured a sponsor with deep pockets, who knows how much better I could have done. I was a member of the AHRA, so I only ran on AHRA sanctioned tracks. While racing in Ohio, I blew a head gasket while coming off the line during the trophy run. I had already ran two elimination races, so my engine was loose. On this race, I was deep in the pocket at the staging tree, so I was able to pull a hole shot, which gave me a nice advantage. About halfway down the track, I felt a sudden loss of power and saw nothing but a big white cloud over me. I knew then that my night was over. I had my own mechanic who also happened to be my uncle.
> 
> When it came time to sell everything and leave the sport, it kind of saddened me. Back then, if you wanted to be a big name driver, you really needed a sponsor. Today, a lot of people have money to spend, until they can prove themselves and retain a sponsor. I had some big name sponsors, but they would only give me parts. I had Stahl-Moroso, AC/Delco, Felpro, STP, Hurst, and Iskenderun Cams as my sponsors, but no money, just parts. If it wasn’t for my dad, I doubt if I would have ventured into drag racing.
> 
> I could go on and on about drag racing, but I don’t think there is much interest in it here.



Not true. I always loved NHRA events at Englishtown. Like to get to Gainesville to see some holeshots.


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## FastTrax (Aug 13, 2021)

oldman said:


> I sold the car, trailer, parts, everything. Even the one spare engine that I had as a backup. If I could have secured a sponsor with deep pockets, who knows how much better I could have done. I was a member of the AHRA, so I only ran on AHRA sanctioned tracks. While racing in Ohio, I blew a head gasket while coming off the line during the trophy run. I had already ran two elimination races, so my engine was loose. On this race, I was deep in the pocket at the staging tree, so I was able to pull a hole shot, which gave me a nice advantage. About halfway down the track, I felt a sudden loss of power and saw nothing but a big white cloud over me. I knew then that my night was over. I had my own mechanic who also happened to be my uncle.
> 
> When it came time to sell everything and leave the sport, it kind of saddened me. Back then, if you wanted to be a big name driver, you really needed a sponsor. Today, a lot of people have money to spend, until they can prove themselves and retain a sponsor. I had some big name sponsors, but they would only give me parts. I had Stahl-Moroso, AC/Delco, Felpro, STP, Hurst, and Iskenderun Cams as my sponsors, but no money, just parts. If it wasn’t for my dad, I doubt if I would have ventured into drag racing.
> 
> I could go on and on about drag racing, but I don’t think there is much interest in it here.


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## fmdog44 (Aug 16, 2021)

The strip we went to was US 30 in Indiana. The pic is the indoor drags in Chicago at the Chicago International Amphitheater. Lasted only a couple years the track was a 1/16 of a mile.


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