FUNNY CAR MT. RUSHMORE

[JF]

I am not old enough to remember Jungle, .

Which is why you should just sit back and learn

 

[vegasnitro]

Which is why you should just sit back and learn

Learn me something then. I stated my case why he isn't on the fictional Mt Rushmore, yet not one person has said why he should be, they just say his name.

 

[vegasnitro]

My opinion is based on the most important and most influential racers.

It starts with one, Don Prudhomme.
Second was a guy who was at the right place at the right time, Tom McEwen.
Together, they introduced the world to NHRA Funny Cars, and both became household names during the formative years of the NHRA, before anyone outside of drag racing knew what a Funny Car was.. thanks to the genius foresight, and pitch to Mattel by Prudhomme.

Obviously, it's third head is John Force, the most successful drag racer to this day.
It ends with Kenny Bernstein, who was the smartest, exuded the most class, and absolutely the most professional drag racer in the history of the sport.

We agree on the four George, but I am pretty sure the pitch to Mattel was done by McEwen, who had to talk Prudhomme out of his dragster and into a Funny Car.

 

[Nunz]

For the alky version, you couldn't leave off Dale Armstrong. After winning in A/FD and AA/A (both in Pro Comp) his "Alcoholic" BB/FC was one of the most badass alky cars of the '70s. He didn't stay in the class as long as the others, but he definitely helped shape it.

 

[Rajunz]

Seams like most agree on Snake, Force and Bernstein.......

In Alky FC, Manzo and Pat Austin were two of the greatest racers of all time, regardless of class. But we can't leave out Ken Veney, he killed them in the short time he ran the Vega....

 

[FastJackFan]

Manzo, Prudhomme, Bernstein, & Force would be mine

 

[TooTall999]

Learn me something then. I stated my case why he isn't on the fictional Mt Rushmore, yet not one person has said why he should be, they just say his name.

If you have to ask why, you don't know much about funny car!

 

[Sandman]

Learn me something then. I stated my case why he isn't on the fictional Mt Rushmore, yet not one person has said why he should be, they just say his name.

Ok, since nobody gave you a real answer, I'll try my best: Before the "Big Show" became "Big Business", Jungle Jim and a few like him really made it a show. Chi-Town Hustler, Gary Dyer in the Mr.Norm cars, etc. Those are the types of men that made funny car racing so popular. Not guys chasing points, or taking dives for teammates, or kissing sponsor's ass in the finish line interviews. They were there to put an a show and kick ass. Jungle once arrived late for a booking and when he couldn't get his hauler in the gate, simply unloaded his funny car out on the main entrance road, fired it up and drove it to the starting line! That's the stuff that made Jungle a legend and that is why he deserves to be remembered.

 

[vegasnitro]

If you have to ask why, you don't know much about funny car!

I posted more about Jungle in this thread than anybody (until Mr. Elliott posted above).

I am NOT saying Jungle wasn't great. I am NOT saying he doesn't deserve to be remembered. I AM saying he wasn't one of the 4 best funny car drivers ever, IN MY OPINION.

I am not scoffing at or denigrating guys who think Jungle is one of the four best, I would appreciate the same in return from the folks that do.

 

[vegasnitro]

Ok, since nobody gave you a real answer, I'll try my best: Before the "Big Show" became "Big Business", Jungle Jim and a few like him really made it a show. Chi-Town Hustler, Gary Dyer in the Mr.Norm cars, etc. Those are the types of men that made funny car racing so popular. Not guys chasing points, or taking dives for teammates, or kissing sponsor's ass in the finish line interviews. They were there to put an a show and kick ass. Jungle once arrived late for a booking and when he couldn't get his hauler in the gate, simply unloaded his funny car out on the main entrance road, fired it up and drove it to the starting line! That's the stuff that made Jungle a legend and that is why he deserves to be remembered.

That is a cool story. The man was a natural showman and a promoters dream I am sure. You wanna do a "match race" Mt Rushmore, I am all in for Jungle being on that ... but for a NHRA Mt Rushmore, tough to put up a guy that only won 1 race, no matter how much everybody loved him (again, my opinion).

 

[mike mosby]

My four would be Dale Pulde, John Force, Don Prudhomme, Frank Hawley

 

[TooTall999]

That is a cool story. The man was a natural showman and a promoters dream I am sure. You wanna do a "match race" Mt Rushmore, I am all in for Jungle being on that ... but for a NHRA Mt Rushmore, tough to put up a guy that only won 1 race, no matter how much everybody loved him (again, my opinion).

The original post was about a funny car Mount Rushmore, not an NHRA only version. considering Jungle was one of if not the first to run a multi car funny car team, would race 3-4 races a week, wrenched, tuned and drove his car down more questionable tracks in equally questionable conditions than just about anybody, he deserves to be on the list period!

 

[none]

Force
Prudhomme
Beadle
Bernstein

Cruz, Capps, Hawley, TPed (he's got 2 titles), McEwen, Bazemore, Hofmann, Hagan, Jungle come up a little short.

 

[vegasnitro]

The original post was about a funny car Mount Rushmore, not an NHRA only version. considering Jungle was one of if not the first to run a multi car funny car team, would race 3-4 races a week, wrenched, tuned and drove his car down more questionable tracks in equally questionable conditions than just about anybody, he deserves to be on the list period!

I was going off of Reiff's intent of a NHRA funny car Mt Rushmore (since he was the one who brought it up on the broadcast). But I am glad you listed out some legitimate reasons people should consider Jungle. I would have loved to seen one of those crazy Wednesday night shows at ETown where Jungle was the star, and put on the show to back it up.

 

[stitcherbob]

funny how a simple unscripted quote from Dave Reiff can spawn 4 threads and such debate.... that's why our sport has the best heroes and fans IMO

 

[Dennis]

I AM saying he wasn't one of the 4 best funny car drivers ever, IN MY OPINION.

I don't think being the best funny car driver is what carries all of the weight. Do you believe that out of the 43 presidents, these 4 are the best? No, they are there because the forged the way.

In that vein, you cannot have a list with John Force but not with Jungle. Force is the current day Jungle, in my opinion. Jungle raced in a time when the NHRA national event wasn't the end all-be all.

And I'm not saying you're wrong, this whole thing is based on opinion...just giving you my two cents on why Jungle deserves to be there.

 

[Nunz]

Great post Dennis. And the whole "Mt. Rushmore" idea is more about those who paved the way, correct? Not necessarily who has/had the best stats. Hard to think about the FC class and not think of Jungle Jim. It's a shame he died so young, and he was on the verge of a major sponsor deal to boot. Who knows what he would have accomplished had he been around longer than 1977.

 

[cantdrive55]

Looking at it from a big picture perspective it's almost impossible to pick a 4 person foundation for any of the categories that have threads. There are so many great drivers, owners, tuners, and innovators that have shaped each category; many of which have their hands in more than one role and category.

 

[Pete]

The guys in the booth at Sonoma were commenting on how John "Brute" Force, Ed “the Ace” McCulloch, and Don "the Snake" Prudhomme standing together on the starting line comprised what could be a "funny car Mount Rushmore".
Who do you think would fill out that sculpture if it were to be done?

I think Kenny Bernstein's accomplishments in Funny car would qualify him....
Teddy Roosevelt looks a little like Raymond Beadle....

View attachment 3648

If the criteria is, a persons contributions to advancing the sport/class. Also, deciding where Snake & Bernstein belong, will be based on what era you grew up in.

My picks:

Snake
Bernstein
Force
Mongoose or Ace

Honorable Mentions:
Pulde
Hawley
Segrini (I'm from Boston)
Jungle Jim (strictly because)

 

[stitcherbob]