Shop Tour - Hardcore Drag Racing

  The Legacy of Jack Chrisman Part I     Jack Chrisman was an American Drag Racer who had an active racing career that started in 1953 and ended with retirement in 1972,but he remained active behind the scenes.   Throughout his career he raced at Southern California tracks such as Lions, Pomona,Riverside, San Fernando & Santa Ana. Jack wasn’t just an inovator he was also a record setter.  In 1961 he drove the Howard Cams Twin Bears gas dragster to the first 8-second run in NHRA national event history and won the first ever Winter Nationals with an 8.99 second pass.     Chrisman won the 1961 World Championship after winning in national, regional, and divisional meets throughout the United States. In 1962 Jack joined Mickey Thompson’s team where he drove the Tommy Ivo-built A/Gas Dragster to an 8.34 second pass,giving him the Top eliminator crown at the U.S nationals.                                         J ack Chrisman with Mickey Thompson. Mickey is turning the wrenches on

  Formerly part of the private collection of world champion Bruce Larson , it was purchased  in 2001 and restored it in 2007. This Top Fuel Dragster was raced by TV Tommy Ivo, It debuted at the '74 NHRA Winter Nationals  and sponsored by Honest Charley's Speed Shop. Ivo's Digger was one of the first Top Fuel cars to go 250 MPH in the 1/4 mile , It features the original chassis built by Larry Sikora in fall of 1973 . The Stream-liner body was designed by the legendary Nye Frank .   In an attempt to create better aerodynamics the front wheels were enclosed with what looked like rudders from an airplane . They were referred too as wheel pants.  The body work also extended below the lower frame rails and wrapped around the bottom giving it the look of a Monocoque Indy car . Ivo was quoted as a saying - "It was a brand-spankin' new car on my fourth run in the 1974 Winternationals. The engine exploded so fiercely that it turned into a fireball and punched a hole in

  T.V. Tommy Ivo was one of the original Mouseketeers, when he wasn't acting he was Drag Racing . He raced this 76' Charger bodied Funny Car for the 1976-77 season . Years later it it was found in terrible condition. When all the parts were found it was rebuilt and painted by two-time Funny Car champion Cruz Pedregon. It's also the original body, because only a handful were made in 76'. The Charger features a Murff McKinney chassis with an all aluminum Keith Black 426 CI supercharged Hemi  engine. It Burns over five gallons of  nitro-methane in the quarter-mile. The body features a race day paint scheme in the Red,White & Blue  Rod Shop livery. All exterior sponsorship logos are painted on just like they were on 1976.                                                                                                                Here is a shot of T.V Tommy getting ready for a run in the Charger.                                                                          

      These are some of the sights and sounds from Island Dragway located in Great Meadows ,New Jersey     It was a hot afternoon at the 61st Funny Car Throwdown presented by The North East Timing Organization (NETO), it was well over 90 degrees , and the cars were just as hot ! There were over 16 vintage Nitro & Alcohol  Funny Cars and plenty of vintage Drag Cars to enjoy between rounds . There was everything  from classic 1950's front engine Dragsters to Altered wheel base cars , and 8.90-9.90 Door Cars . Do to the intense sun shining that day filming the racing action was  difficult but we did capture some great pit action.  We shot some great photos and captured the true essence of grass roots racing . Island Dragway is one of two quarter mile tracks still operating in New Jersey , it's about 50 miles west from the George Washington bridge .  The Dazed & Confused 69 Camaro Funny Car is owned by Neil  Murley from Weymouth,Mass. The power plant is an all aluminum 5