The story of Captain Jack McClure's 220mph rocket go kart

[nedannouncer]

This guy is my hero!

Bang Shift : : The Life and Rocket Propelled Times of Captain Jack McClure, One of Drag Racing's Most Incredible Performers

 

[willy]

Very cool, Brian. Great job!

I raced karts when I was a kid and have gone 87mph. I can't imagine 200+...in 1/4. Big 'ol sack.

 

[none]

This guy is my hero!

Bang Shift : : The Life and Rocket Propelled Times of Captain Jack McClure, One of Drag Racing's Most Incredible Performers

What a show he put on !
I saw him at Fremont Raceway in Calif. and Garlits was at the fence watching ! After the run he walked away shaking his head !!
He had titanium pads that were sparking when the car was underway AND on the ground ! At one point they weren't sparking so the kart was in the air a bit !

 

[nedannouncer]

Supposedly the Jackson Brothers have some video of the kart in their archive, which would be the only footage in existence I think.

Thanks for the good words guys. Jack is an awesome guy and (as you'd imagine) a GREAT interview!

Brian

 

[Nunz]

I saw jack run his kart at the Empire Nationals in 1972, at our home track in Leicester, NY. It was absolutely unreal. The Courage of Australia Rocket car was there that weekend as well, for those that remember '70s drag racing.

 

[Surfer Ed]

I saw him run at Epping in the 70's and have some Super8 footage of him getting ready to run. Unfortunately I got sprayed with nitrogen peroxide or whatever he was running for fuel and never got a shot of the car underway. it was funny at the time, really intensifies a sunburn.

 

[dubldart340]

Saw Jack run at Thompson Drag Raceway when I was a kid. Still have the hero card (which is the head-on color shot in the article). I remember it being very fast and very loud.

 

[mach9]

I saw Captain Jack run at Rockingham in '73 I think it was. Ran 6.90 at 211 MPH and, yes, the crowd went WILD! What a show.