Pro drivers real jobs .

[nope]

What was Bill Simpson's day job before going into safety equipment full time?

 

[Tony]

Don, from Bill Simpson's autobiography, 'Racing Safely, Living Dangerously'. I'm about 60 pages in, it's a good read:"Until I started the business, I had moved from job to job, doing anything I could to help fund my racing. For example, during the period when I made that first parachute, I was working in the sound department at MGM studios. I had dated a girl whose father was a sound man, and he got me the gig. I'd go out to the movie locations and work as a cable boy, hauling rolls of wire and helping the guys who carried those big boom microphones. The job had its perks: The money was great, I got to see a lot of famous movie stars-all of 'em, it seemed, worked for MGM-and best of all, I was a day laborer, meaning I only worked when I felt like working. Most weeks I worked one or two days in th sound department and spent the rest of my time sewing parachutes together. Before long, the chute business became a genuine occupation and then an obsession."

 

[wilkfan]

Tim Wilkerson still operates service center, machine shop, besides owning his team and son Daniel's Alky car team

 

[nitrofishblue]

Del Worsham= Kid

If my memory serves me correctly, the first thing that Del ever drove was a nitro funny car. I seem to remember him being only 16.
Anyone else remember?

Del went straight from racing BMX bicycles to Funny Car. I saw him that first year he ran at Columbus riding his bike around the pit area.

 

[cstarns]

Del went straight from racing BMX bicycles to Funny Car. I saw him that first year he ran at Columbus riding his bike around the pit area.

Do you happen to remember how old he was?

 

[Mooseman]

Feel free to put down crew members real jobs and other people involved in drag racing .

 

[Fireball]

Alan Bradshaw- Doctor of Chiropractic

 

[Nick Name]

The late Elmer Trett was a Kudzu farmer.

Jay

 

[Husky]

Dan Pastorini NFL QB

 

[Four Kalitta]

Jack Clark-Pro Baseball Player

 

[staggerlee]

Troy Buff-Machinist

 

[Johnny Mopar]

Jack Clark-Pro Baseball Player

Jack Clark has made it back to Missouri. He was released by the Dodgers (he was their hitting coach), and landed a job managing the Columbia (MO) Mavericks, a Pioneer league team. After the team disbanded he's shown up at a few Cardinals events in St. Louie. I believe he has something to do with the River City Rascals in O'Fallon, MO. They're part of the Pioneer league as well. It's good having 'Jack The Ripper' back in town!

 

[Al smith]

back in the day top fuel racer Marvin Graham was a TV repairman. I can remember in the very early sixties they would show up at your house (we had a neighborhood guy we knew) with a leather bag tool kit just like a doctor with a collection of tools and tons of vacuum tubes.

 

[Al smith]

around the same time Doug Kerhulas drove a top fuel car for Earl Newman.

Correction.. that should be Denver Shutz the worlds fastest raisin farmer driving his Raisin Express.

 

[Mooseman]

I wonder what Jungle Jim Liberman did before he went drag racing fulltime?

 

[Johnny Mopar]

I wonder what Jungle Jim Liberman did before he went drag racing fulltime?

I wonder what Jungle Pam was doing....

 

[john]

I wonder what Jungle Pam was doing....

Lookin' good.

 

[d'kid]

Lookin' good.

Still is

 

[Johnny Mopar]

Still is

Prove it!!!

 

[john]

Jungle Pam Rides Again - Photos of Pam Hardy

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