Sunday will never be the same...

[Gone Dead Train]

(Talkin' 'Bout my Generation)
The first few pictures No ID

AA/FD

AA/FD

AA/FD

AA/FD

AA/FD

AA/FC Gene Snow in the seat. The year is 1971

AA/FC Fantastic night shot, the late Willie Borsch in the seat

AA/FC "Magnum Force" with Arnie Swensen in the seat

AA/FC Let's get it on!

AA/FC Great in the lights shot. With the laundry just coming out. It's Leroy Goldstein

 

[Gone Dead Train]

September 6th is 'National Blower Explosion Day'

Fred Mooneyham checking out his not so good blower

TV Tom after a pass at the 1967 Nationals.

No ID

The "Ace" at the hit. The year is 1976

The late Steve Carbone doing some house cleaning "Atlas Oil Tool Special"

"The Joker" of Kalivoda & Hamlin. Who's laughing now?

Gary Burgin chucking the blower.

The late John Mulligan having a bad blower day.

No ID Bang, nitro, oil = fire and a bad day.

 

[LAZYC]

September 6th is 'National Blower Explosion Day'
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Fred Mooneyham checking out his not so good blower
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TV Tom after a pass at the 1967 Nationals.
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No ID on this dead blower.
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The late Dan Horan clean's off the top of the motor, at the hit.
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The late Steve Carbone doing some house cleaning "Atlas Oil Tool Special"
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"The Joker" of Kalivoda & Hamlin. Who's laughing now?
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Gary Burgin chucking the blower.
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The late John Mulligan having a bad blower day.
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The End!

1974 World finals qualifying pass, both axels broke when shifting into high gear. Later found out that they were heat treated incorrectly, that was the 7th pass on those new axels.
Almost quit after that explosion.

 

[Gone Dead Train]

Part two...Celebrating 'National Blower Explosion Day'

It's Dan Horan, in the lights at Tulsa.

No ID this baby is dead

Lew Arrington in the seat, is topless after a big blower bang. The year is1970

It's 1964 and Art Malone decides to bang the blower on the starting line
at the Winternationals.

No ID but for sure it's Carlsbad. Starting line, blower ka-boom.

Gary Ritter hanging the blower off the side of the motor.

It's the 1977 Winternationals, Steve Harris in the seat and the blower rotor on the ground. Bitchin

Gary Matranga at the Dale 1971, murdering his blower.

Ray Stutz blower has seen better days!

Bill Leavitt in the seat of his "Quickie Too" AA/FC having a bad blower day!

 

[Gone Dead Train]

Remember when Funny Cars did long smokey burnouts?

 

[LAZYC]

Remember when Funny Cars did long smokey burnouts?
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NHRA Winternationals Pomona 1972

 

[Gone Dead Train]

A New Day Yesterday

AA/FD. Tom Toler in the seat. Dick Stahl's fuel dragster

AA/FD. Walt Rhodes at sunset, at the 1972 PDA race. OCIR

AA/FD. Just another fire burnout. From Washington State Herm Peterson

AA/FD. Leland Kolb in the seat and the laundry out

AA/FD. Bob Beaulieu in the seat "Eastern Raider" of Al Hanna

AA/FD. The "Goo$e" in the seat

AA/FD. Fantastic in the lights shot. "Kansas John" Wiebe near lane and Don Enriquez

AA/FD. One of my favorites from the early 70s. Dwight Salisbury

AA/FD. Jeff Good in the seat, nitro burning BBC, long skinny car

AA/FD. It's 1972 and "The Snake" and Bob Noice. Gettin' It On at Lions

 

[Gone Dead Train]

The "Rail Jobs" are coming to town this Saturday Night "Be There"

AA/FD Warren & Crowe

AA/FD Darryl Greenamyer

AA/FD Saturday Night

AA/FD "Assassin"

AA/FD The "Anti-Rain Dancer" is coming to town, to keep the wet stuff away. Canadian Indian Bob Beazer doing his dance.

AA/FD Ron Goodsell

AA/FD Warren-Coburn & Miller

AA/FD There will be plenty of action in the pits, to check out

AA/FD Have your Browning Camera ready for all the action this Saturday Night!

 

[Gone Dead Train]

Remember when you could go to the grocery store or drug store and buy a package of Fleer drag racing cards and
got a piece of stale bubble gum included (sometimes the gum would stain the cards). These cards are from my good
friend John, who has a nice collection of 55 cards. All pictures are from AHRA races.
Part 1

 

[Gone Dead Train]

Part 2 Fleer drag racing cards

 

[Gone Dead Train]

Remember when drag racing magazines (I miss drag racing magazines) would do photo shoots or a photo op.

Gary Beck doing a burnout in a parking lot somewhere? Fantastic photo op.

Here is a classic, the Bandel brothers had purchased the new AA/FD
from the "Surfers" it made the cover of Drag Racing Magazine with
Jim Morrison (The Doors) girlfriend, Pamela Courson.
See below. May 1967 cover shot.

The "Purple Gang" AA/FD at LAX. The year is 1967

Stephanie Rose posing with the AA/FC "Super Chief" Stephanie at onetime was
married to jet car driver Doug Rose. One of my all time favorite nitro floppers
when I was a kid, especially the 1971 version, the 1973 version pictured, Saw
both version's a couple of times at Seattle. Loved what Nelson Carter had written
on the front spoiler (Nelson was a Osage Indian, Okla.)
"Custer Had It Coming" Nelson passed 2/23/2023

Here is a couple of photo shoot and photo op of everyone's
favorite car thief and murder for hire, "Broadway Freddy" DeName.
Freddy doing a burnout on New York's Coney Island boardwalk.

Photo shoot with the "Mongoo$e" Tom McEwen at Lion CountrySafari in SoCal.

I've posted this photo before, but hey, I'm the one doing the posting. It's the AA/FD of Chuck Tanko
"They're real and they're spectacular"

 

[Gone Dead Train]

Last Time Around
Now I won't be back till later on
If I do come back at all
To Our Children's Children's Children
Gone Dead Train

AA/FC One of my all time favorite floppers

AA/FD My favorite rear engine top fuel dragster ever

AA/FD From days gone by. It's 1965, a classic leave.
Run to the fence kids, we got AA/FD up next!

AA/FC From Cle Elum, Wa it's Mike Miller in the seat and maybe, just maybe the
coolest name for a nitro flopper. "Boredom Zero"

AA/FD Thank you, Drag Racing Photo Greats magazines from the late 60s to the early 70s

AA/FD "The Surfers" the one car and team, I wish I had seen. They were together
from 1963 to Sept of 1966. My first drag race was June 1968 (8 years old) maybe
the next time around, I will get the pleasure of seeing "Skinner-Jobe & Sorokin"
This photo was taken February 13, 1966 AHRA Winternationals at Irwindale, CA

AA/FC My all time favorite driver, and my all time favorite nitro burning flopper! I miss 1975

AA/FC I miss photo shoots

AA/FD One of my all time favorite photo, Jeep Hampshire in the seat

The greatest drag racing magazine publication ever Drag Racing USA and my favorite cover ever.
It's the December 1973 issue with Cogo Eads on fire in the lights at Tulsa 1973

 

[Gone Dead Train]

Kids in America

AA/FC Pat Foster in the seat. A car that should have won more races

AA/FC "Fearless Fred" Goesky at OCIR

AA/FC Billy Meyer, fantastic under the lights shot

AA/FC Early funny car action "Jungle Jim"

AA/FC The late Leroy Goldstein, having a bad day

AA/FD Larry Dixon at Irwindale

AA/FD Stan Shiroma in the seat

AA/FD It's Tony "The Loner" Nancy

AA/FD It's 1975 and it's Marvin Graham in the seat

AA/FD Don't remember this car. 1979, Rich Zoucha in the seat, must have been
one of those short lived deals. Looks like a former Jeb Allen car?

 

[Gone Dead Train]

No political BS or talking about lawn mowers or what ever, here.
Just fantastic pictures of days gone by.

AA/FD John Wiebe in the lights at Fremont

AA/FD It's 1965 Bob Downey in the seat "A&W Root Beer Special"

AA/FD The late Steve Carbone in then seat

AA/FD It's Fremont 1966, Gary Ormsby gettin it on

AA/FD No ID but nonetheless a great photo

AA/FC Jim Dunn photo shoot, Drag Racing USA Magazine

AA/FC Shirl Greer doing what we all miss, long smokey burnout

AA/FC The late Don Schumacher flopper, not sure who is in the seat?
It could be Bobby Rowe. SS&DI magazine didn't say. Can you say fire burnout

AA/FC It's under the lights. Tom Hoover "White Bear Dodge"

AA/FC Connie and Shirley side by side burnout's at sunset

 

[junglevsbrutus]

No political BS or talking about lawn mowers or what ever, here.
Just fantastic pictures of days gone by.
View attachment 14230
AA/FD John Wiebe in the lights at Fremont
View attachment 14231
AA/FD It's 1965 Bob Downey in the seat "A&W Root Beer Special"
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AA/FD The late Steve Carbone in then seat
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AA/FD It's Fremont 1966, Gary Ormsby gettin it on
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AA/FD No ID but nonetheless a great photo
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AA/FC Jim Dunn photo shoot, Drag Racing USA Magazine
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AA/FC Shirl Greer doing what we all miss, long smokey burnout
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AA/FC The late Don Schumacher flopper, not sure who is in the seat?
It could be Bobby Rowe. SS&DI magazine didn't say. Can you say fire burnout
View attachment 14238
AA/FC It's under the lights. Tom Hoover "White Bear Dodge"
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AA/FC Connie and Shirley side by side burnout's at sunset

Thanks for sharing these great photos, Jim!
Regarding the '73 Don Schumacher "Stardust" Cuda, that's Bobby Rowe in the seat.
It's the very last Stardust Cuda FC. 1973 began w/ Shoe bringing THREE Stardust Cudas to the Winternationals: a yellow one for Don, red for Raymond Beadle and blue for Bobby Rowe. This was a very unique Winternationals because it took 3 weekends to complete! Don was the only one who qualified. But he made up for that by winning the event! It was the Shoe's last NHRA win as a driver. All 3 of these Cudas were painted by Don Kirby-Nat Quick. Car Craft's annual FC review had a photo of all 3 Stardusts posed at OCIR.

But 2 of the 3 didn't last that long into the season. Don's success continued as the yellow Stardust was r/u to Setzer-Foster at the Gatornationals. Soon after Shoe got the Wonder Bread contract. He tried to run the twin Vega panel Wonder Wagons but they'd never go straight. This forced Don to return to the Cudas. As crazy as it sounds 2 of the Stardust Cudas were repainted w/ the Wonder Wagon theme. Yup, the 2 coupes said "Wonder Wagon" on the doors!

But for whatever reason Bobby Rowe continued to race the blue Stardust in the NE. He must've had some kind of mishap cause the paint in your night time photo is NOT the same Kirby-Quick paint that raced at Pomona. The paint shown here is somewhat inferior. The Stardust lettering is overly large and the Superior Sizzler logo is where the comet fireball should be (it was outside of that on the original 3). Plus, the airbrushed grille isn't as nice as Nat's work.

By the mid summer months this Cuda was also repainted to look like the other 2 Wonder Wagon Cudas. Besides Don, Beadle and Rowe, some National Dragster reports show that Ron O'Donnell also drove the white Cudas. And my opinion at the time? I HATED the loss of the Stardust name and didn't care for the Wonder Wagon series. Ah, but that was the source of sponsorship money so it had to be! Don's late '68 Stardust Cuda remains my all time favorite Schumacher funny car.

 

[Gone Dead Train]

Thanks for sharing these great photos, Jim!
Regarding the '73 Don Schumacher "Stardust" Cuda, that's Bobby Rowe in the seat.
It's the very last Stardust Cuda FC. 1973 began w/ Shoe bringing THREE Stardust Cudas to the Winternationals: a yellow one for Don, red for Raymond Beadle and blue for Bobby Rowe. This was a very unique Winternationals because it took 3 weekends to complete! Don was the only one who qualified. But he made up for that by winning the event! It was the Shoe's last NHRA win as a driver. All 3 of these Cudas were painted by Don Kirby-Nat Quick. Car Craft's annual FC review had a photo of all 3 Stardusts posed at OCIR.

But 2 of the 3 didn't last that long into the season. Don's success continued as the yellow Stardust was r/u to Setzer-Foster at the Gatornationals. Soon after Shoe got the Wonder Bread contract. He tried to run the twin Vega panel Wonder Wagons but they'd never go straight. This forced Don to return to the Cudas. As crazy as it sounds 2 of the Stardust Cudas were repainted w/ the Wonder Wagon theme. Yup, the 2 coupes said "Wonder Wagon" on the doors!

But for whatever reason Bobby Rowe continued to race the blue Stardust in the NE. He must've had some kind of mishap cause the paint in your night time photo is NOT the same Kirby-Quick paint that raced at Pomona. The paint shown here is somewhat inferior. The Stardust lettering is overly large and the Superior Sizzler logo is where the comet fireball should be (it was outside of that on the original 3). Plus, the airbrushed grille isn't as nice as Nat's work.

By the mid summer months this Cuda was also repainted to look like the other 2 Wonder Wagon Cudas. Besides Don, Beadle and Rowe, some National Dragster reports show that Ron O'Donnell also drove the white Cudas. And my opinion at the time? I HATED the loss of the Stardust name and didn't care for the Wonder Wagon series. Ah, but that was the source of sponsorship money so it had to be! Don's late '68 Stardust Cuda remains my all time favorite Schumacher funny car.

James, great information for the younger generation of fans, here on Nitromater, but I'm not sure anyone even
checks out this thread. Me, I just like posting photo's (it take's me back to my childhood) and writing my own
captions. Maybe next time around, I will work at Drag Racing USA magazine...lol. Speaking of Wonder Bread, I
don't think I ever saw the Chevy Vega wagon car. I know I saw the Cuda body AA/FC at 64 funny cars (Seattle).
Don S, and Kelly Brown drove the cars and didn't Jake Johnston drive too? We did have a Vega wagon BB/FC
here in the Northwest (I believe the car was out of Canada) called "Banzai" between 1973 and 1975.

AA/FC Kelly Brown in the seat, the flopper was ill handling at best

Update 2/28/24-found a picture of the "Banzai" flopper, and yes the car was from Canada, Alberta

 

[TSK]

I almost hate to post this picture due to its very poor quality. This is what happens when film is not properly stored for the past 50+ years.
Anyway, I shot this at the '73 Tulsa National Challenge. It's not the Vega station wagon, but is still the Wonder Wagon.

 

[none]

James, great information for the younger generation of fans, here on Nitromater, but I'm not sure anyone even
checks out this thread. Me, I just like posting photo's (it take's me back to my childhood) and writing my own
captions. Maybe next time around, I will work at Drag Racing USA magazine...lol. Speaking of Wonder Bread, I
don't think I ever saw the Chevy Vega wagon car. I know I saw the Cuda body AA/FC at 64 funny cars (Seattle).
Don S, and Kelly Brown drove the cars and didn't Jake Johnston drive too? We did have a Vega wagon BB/FC
here in the Northwest (I believe the car was out of Canada) called "Banzai" between 1973 and 1975.

View attachment 14240
AA/FC Kelly Brown in the seat, the flopper was ill handling at best
View attachment 14241

People are checking it out! Please keep posting pics. I love every time this thread pops up.

 

[junglevsbrutus]

Thanks, Jim!
I'll share some more Wonder Wagon info this weekend (not much free time during the work week!).
But yes, Jake Johnston drove a WW very briefly...

 

[Gone Dead Train]

Those Were the Days

AA/FD John Wiebe in the seat

AA/FD From Bakersfield it's James Warren

AA/FD Gary "Mr. C" Cochran in the seat

AA/FD Larry & Pat Dixon with Larry in the seat and a full house

AA/FD Dwight Hughes getting some air

AA/FD It's 1973, Gerry Steiner in the seat. One of the last FED ever
to run the 1320

AA/FD No ID. it's Fontana

AA/FD Jim Dunn in the lights at Pomona. Check out the crowd

AA/FD "Savage" with the late John Martin in the seat

The End