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Here is another installment in my favorite fifty funny car series. My choices are personal favorites and not really based on performance, just good old showmanship. Way back in the day, when it seemed like the class was more about the show and not how quick and fast a car may run at a major sanctioned event. Everyone has their favorites so here are some more of my choices. Enjoy! If you wish to purchase prints of the photos below or any others, they may be obtained by contacting us at breyes@reyesontour.com. Other photos for purchase may be viewed by following the links at www.reyesontour.com.
His Engine Masters "Big Al" featured a one piece 1934 Ford Sedan fiberglass body covering a huge Allison airplane engine. "Big Al" was a very loud, noisy and big car that was also not so quick and fast but it was very different. The fans at Fremont didn't really know what "Big Al" was when it lumbered down the quarter mile. Heck, I did and enjoyed watching it run.
"wildmen" of the funny car class, Terry Hedrick, and you got the mighty Seaton's Super Shaker Corvair funny car. The Midwest based duo's colorful Corvair toured the country in the late 1960s. Hedrick never failed to impress in the Corvair with his long burnouts and wheels up passes.
funny cars. The candy lime green 'Cuda was raced by the St. Clair brothers and driven by Clare Sanders. Clare jumped from the Evil Doer A/SR into the Limefire. The candy green 'Cuda only ran a short time but it remains one of the most striking cars I have ever seen run in the funny car class.
of Memphis, Tennessee. The Kingfish 'Cuda was piloted by Larry Reyes (no relation) This high riding 'Cuda was another popular all steel funny car in 1967 that could be found racing nationwide.
This is Gene at the controls of his Destroyer Jeep. I loved the jeep funny cars with their open air driver. Never heard of Ciambella? That is because Gene Ciambella changed his name to Gene Conway at the beginning of his funny car career. Too many other funny car racers were referring to Gene as "Cinderella" instead of Ciambella, which wasn't at all complimentary. Therefore, the change was made.
Northern California racer Roger Hardcastle and the Stinger II was created in 1967. With Gary Southern at the controls, the kit car bodied funny car threatened all cars in the California funny car class. This 392 Hemi-powered, nitro burning, sports-bodied car ran direct drive and at certain Southern California tracks, the car would light its slicks on fire when racing. As the car ran faster and quicker the other owners/drivers in the class wanted the Stinger II banned from racing in the funny car class in Southern California. NHRA had already put the car in the AA/FA class at the NHRA Winternationals in 1967. After a short stint in the funny car class it was banned from the class. To say the owners were upset was an understatement. The car was stripped of all components including the engine and rumor has it that the car was sunk in a swamp in the San Diego area.
Mr. Norm Super Charger funny car to Fremont and I thought that was the greatest thing since sliced bread. I even got to chat with driver Gary Dyer that long ago weekend at Fremont. You see I was in the parachute area of the track when Dyer caught the Charger on fire. Yes, I got photos of the smoking burning Charger coming to a halt with Dyer opening the door (yes, the doors worked) and exiting the smoking car. Dyer wasn't hurt and the car only had minor damage. He strolled over to me and asked if I had photos of his barbeque and I replied, "Sure do." I went by his trailer and he handed me his business card and became one of my first funny car photo customers.
That was my first sighting of Bob and Shirley Sullivan's Pandemonium Cuda. Fast forward three years and the ex-Midwest top fuel owner/driver was piloting a rather cool topless Camaro funny car. Sullivan just didn't cut off the top, he finished the body off with a nicely molded area around the roll bar and driver's compartment. Everything on the Camaro was first class. The Camaro was only around for a short time and was replaced with a standard 'Cuda body funny car in 1969.
Alley was a fan favorite wherever he raced. The 'Cuda did nice smoky burnouts and great wheel stand launches. Ray knew what funny car fans wanted and that was action!
by the "Flyin' Hawaiian", Danny Ongais. This Pat Foster built Mustang featured many innovations that would change the funny car class forever. Ongais and the Mach I kicked some big time butt in the funny car class in 1969. Even nature tried to derail the mighty blue Mach I. At Bakersfield in 1969, while testing, a large bird was sucked down the injector s on a test run. Yes, the bird failed, however, the engine was stripped down, cleaned, and put back on the track. Ongais and his bird-less Mach I won funny car eliminator at the March Meet over Big John Mazmanian's candy 'Cuda.
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