Nitro Revival 6 aka Sensory Overload/Ode to Nitro 2.0

Photos and Text by Ted Pappacena

The following report on Nitro Revival 6 will be done as it was last year as a daily diary. The contents are solely my opinions on my experiences at the event.


   At the end of last year’s account of Nitro Revival 5, I alluded to me coming back this year. It was too much to experience last year and I was overwhelmed and not as prepared as I thought I was, so a return was almost mandatory. One year later the so called Pomona Posse reassembled minus one at Newark Airport at approximately 8 A M Thursday morning November 2. The crew consisted of me, John Cerchio, Warren Bader, and Keith Hudak. Our flight was uneventful (thank God) and we landed in sunny California at about 2 P M. We picked up our luggage and took a shuttle bus to Hertz where we picked up our Chevy Tahoe and went directly to our hotel. L A traffic didn’t disappoint as it took us almost 2 hours for a 45 minute ride. We arrived at the hotel, freshened up, and met Good Vibrations Motorsports rep Pete Mauriello for dinner at a Mexican restaurant in Pomona. After dinner it was back to the hotel for a much needed good night’s sleep.
Friday Nov 3


   Friday is setup day at the track and admission is free. However, unlike last year when the track opened at 8 A M, this year it was to open at noon. This would give us the whole morning to visit the Lions Museum. We got there promptly at 9 A M when it opened. It is quite an experience. There was a special discount for those of us that would be attending Nitro Revival. Upon entering we were greeted by the Beaver Hunter AA/FA and a blown Willys gasser followed by rows of old cars and one row dedicated to the Willys. One area is filled with movie cars in a movie theater setting. Then you enter the star of the place; a recreation of Lions Dragstrip complete with murals depicting the track. We are greeted with Big John Mazmanian’s candy apple red Willys side by side with the Stone, Woods, & Cook blue Swindler Willys. Behind them are the original Pure Hell and Pure Heaven AA/FAs, and to the left is the Pisano & Matsubara Vega F/C. There are driver displays and lots of memorabilia. And it’s always expanding. There was a dry lakes area being prepped when we were there with murals being painted. Thanks to docent Darr Hawthorn, we photographers were allowed access inside the exhibit to get better photos. Thanks Darr! While there, the newest member of the posse, Dave Ferrin from Chicago, arrived straight from his flight to meet and hang out with us for the rest of the weekend.
   Once we were finished, it was time for lunch and we were able to find a Jack in the Box (not my choice). Then it was on to the track and we got there at 1:30. I promptly unloaded my stuff at my west coast office for the event, Ross Howard’s trailer that housed (among other things) the 1973 Custom Body Dodge Challenger funny car. Then off to find Don Ewald who had my media credentials consisting of a media lanyard and gold speckled wristband. I asked if this would be it and was told to go to the track office around 4 PM to get their wristband and I did just that. I was also told that absolutely no photographers would be allowed on the track during Saturday’s “Line of Fire”. So now I have a media lanyard, gold speckled wristband, and the track’s very own wristband that I had to sign a waiver for. Okay, now I’m set (or so I thought). Back at my office I met Sirena Lee Hicks (daughter of famed top fuel pilot Lucile Lee). I brought along a photo I took of her mom racing Shirley Muldowney in 1982 at the NHRA Summenationals. I presented her with the photo and it was quite an emotional experience for both of us. Then it was on to shooting the cars and stars of the event.


   At this point I have to go into a bit of a different direction. A few weeks prior to the event I was checking the Nitro Revival site to see who and what would be at the event. Under the cars section I saw that a Jungle Jim funny car would be attending. No year given and no owner/driver next to it. We all know that when any car with the Jungle Jim name comes up all hell breaks loose. Not everyone can have a Jungle Camaro/Nova/Vega and yet they pop up every once in a while. So, is it real? The correct chassis, engine, color, roll cage, wheels, etc., etc., etc.? So I thought I’d call the media guy for the event and ask him about the car. However he was under the weather at the time so I did the next best thing and called Ross Howard to see if he knew anything.
   We both did a lot of speculating about the car because Jungle had 2 Camaros that he ran from 1970-72, a red one and a blue one. We really couldn’t come up with anything solid so Ross said “Call Steve Gibbs”. Steve runs the show along with daughter Cindy and a host of volunteers so he should know. So I did. I called Steve and asked about the car. He didn’t know all the details but did say that the car would be making its debut at the event. A big deal for sure! He did tell me who would be bringing it and as it turned out, I knew the person.


   In the meantime I had conversations with 2 of my friends; John Cerchio and “Big” Bob Snyder as to what car it could be. They both sent me photos of what car they thought it was and then I found out that it’s the 1972 blue/flamed version. Then I called Ross and told him what I found out and I said, “Wouldn’t it be cool if it could be pitted next to your car (The Custom Body Challenger)?” To which he replied “It would be cool anyplace on the grounds”. That’s when I came up with the bright idea to see if we could put both cars at the starting line for a photo shoot. Ross then says “Set it up with Steve”, and “I’m in!”
   And I did just that, I called Steve again and pitched the idea to him and with all of the planning going on in his world with N R 6 just a few weeks away he agreed it would be cool and one way or another, he’d get it done. All I had to do was get an agreement from both parties (I already had one). The gentleman bringing the Jungle Jim car was Ron Hugley. I knew Ron when he came east back in 2010 with his Tiki Warrior Monza funny car for a big nostalgia funny car event at the now deceased ATCO Dragway in New Jersey and when he came east again in 2012 to Maple Grove Raceway for their 50th Anniversary event. I did not have his number but “Big” Bob did and he gave it to me. I called Ron and pitched the idea to him and he agreed to participate. Plus I got the rundown on the car, it being the blue/flamed car that was run deep into the 1972 season. After I got off the phone with him, I called Steve and told him both parties agreed. Steve said that Sunday morning around 9 A M would be the best time to do it. And that was that! Done deal! Whew!


   But, you know what they say about plans, right? The Tuesday before the event Steve calls to inform me that that JJ Camaro wouldn’t be coming. Great, now what? “No problem”, I said. There will be other funny cars there that I’m sure would like to participate and when I got there I would go around and see which car(s) would be interested in my idea, then touch base with him. I did just that when I got to the track. I approached a famous funny car that made its debut at the event and pitched my idea yet again and all parties involved with the car agreed. I told them my plan and asked them to have the car ready at 8:30 A M Sunday morning as I would be there around 8. Again back to Steve to tell him that I secured another car. At that point I thought it prudent to get a few more cars just in case. I didn’t want any last minute surprises. I approached Darryl and Pam Conrad and asked if they would like to participate with their restored Veney’s Vega and they immediately agreed. Then turning around I spied the Holy Toledo Jeep. I had a pretty good rapport with Robbie Fellows from the year before so I asked him too. However he declined saying that he’d be leaving the event Saturday night. So I was about to look for another car when Robbie talked it over with his crew if they could stay another night just so they could do it and they all agreed! Now I have 4 cars. I also asked that there be “drivers” in the cars to increase authenticity with the shoot. They would be suited up with firesuits, masks, and goggles, basically the whole 9 yards. This is going to be so cool! And it was, but not without a price.
   The rest of Friday consisted of the In-And-Out Burger meet and greet from 4-7 P M and then a special memorial for Walt Stevens who sadly passed away a few weeks before the event. It was hosted by Jack Beckman and it was very moving. Then it’s back to the hotel and much needed sleep.
Saturday Nov 4

This is the main day of the event. A noise day and again it lived up to its name with cackles galore all day long as well as on track push starts for the dragsters and fuel altereds, as well as nitro exhibition runs, and like last year The Outlaw Gassers of Southern California. Adam Sorokin’s digger, Kazanjian & Lemon & Konno Mustang F/C, the Halstead “Over the Hill Gang” AA/FA, the Flournoy Family AA/FA, and Eily Stafford in a rear engine car, were just some of the cars making exhibition runs. The autograph session was as big as last years’. You could get signatures from the likes of Herm Peterson, Larry Brown, John Force, Jack Beckman, Linda Vaughn, T V Tommy Ivo, Gary Beck, Carl Olsen, Don Prudhomme, Frank Bradley, Glenn Way and a host of other notables. I had conversations with Gary Beck, Frank Bradley, and the owner of the Lil Old Whinemaker all steel Dodge Dart funny car (his name escapes me). It seemed that everything was going on all at once. You really had to choose what to do and see as the Southern California Outlaw Gassers were making their qualifying runs and fuelers were cackling all while long lines were gathering for the autograph session. So prior to all of this as I went to get on the track to shoot the action, I was told by a track worker I couldn’t go there. I showed him my media lanyard, gold speckled wristband, and white track wristband. “I don’t care about those”, says he. “You need a green fluorescent vest, go to the office and get one “. So I did. I went into the office and asked for said vest. Someone who I assumed was the track manager informed me that they didn’t have anymore. Twenty five certified media and the track has only 20 vests and everything else doesn’t matter. So I calmly asked “What am I supposed to do, not shoot the event?” “There’s nothing I can do”, says he. I left the office and went on the track anyway. This isn’t right.


   This leads us up to recognition awards to those involved in the Greater San Gabriel Valley drag racing scene. Recipients included Jim Dunn and Henry Valesco. After the awards, more push starts and gasser racing lead up to the Line of Fire. All of the cars are jockeyed into position and Cindy Gibbs starts them up a few at a time until they are all cackling at once. As a photographer I quickly learned from last years’ event that I had to pick and choose which cars to shoot as all do not produce the same amount of flames and there’s not a lot of time to do it. That’s what everyone comes to see. So I went to where the fire was so to speak. Along the way I saw some photographers on the track during this part of the event. Huh? I thought that absolutely no photographers are allowed on the track at all during the Line of Fire. So, why are they allowed? Are they better than the rest of us? But what do I know; I’ve only been doing this for 56 years. As I got to the end of the line of cars at the 1/8 mile mark, I was literally gasping for breath. There was that much nitro in the air. A very big yellow cloud hung over the track. Nitro overload for sure. The cacklefest ended with a fireworks display. Saturday’s events are over and the Pomona Posse heads over to Whittier for a Chicken dinner at the Chicken Coop with Pete Mauriello’s posse and then back to the hotel for much needed sleep because……..
Sunday Nov 5   


   I have to be at the track for my photo shoot at 9 A M. After breakfast we all pile into the Tahoe for the trip to the track and we arrive about 10 after 8. Steve Gibbs was a bit under the weather and wasn’t there so I had to seek out Cindy and fill her in as to what Steve and I had planned on doing. So, at 10 after 8 she calls the track office to let them know what I had planned. Getting off the phone she tells me it’s okay but I have to do it now and get it done in ½ hour because the track has to be prepped before racing starts at 10 A M. Well this isn’t possible but I scrambled to get the cars to the staging lanes so I could get them into position. All except for one glaring absence as it was still in the trailer with no one connected with it to be found anywhere on the track. I had to work with the 3 that I had and proceeded to go to the track where I was met by the track manager who hassled me every step of the way. Even at one time threatening me to hurry up or he’d stop what I was doing. He relished the idea of shutting me down I might add. Generally one doesn’t smile while breaking my chops.Nice. Trying to keep cool, I set up the first pair; the Custom Body Dodge with Larry “The Okie Smoker” Brown inside and Kelly Bar Anderson at the helm of Veney’s Vega. When I was done with that pair, I motioned the Custom Body forward so that the Holy Toledo jeep could get into position. Robbie and Bob Waldman positioned the jeep next to the Vega with Robbie’s brother Mike at the controls. I have to hand it to him, because throughout the shoot, Mike did not move a muscle till we were done.


   But I got it done with minimal grief coming from the tractor driver with the rubber strips to prep the track. Nice. A track that is half in shade due to signage on one side and the hot sun on the other side, dragging rubber strips across the surface ain’t gonna cut it and it clearly didn’t. The track couldn’t hold a bicycle let alone the exhibition passes. All the dragging of rubber and not spraying traction compound does not a sticky track make. I somehow got it done with some time to spare and cleared the track for the day’s racing. I stayed on the track’s return road with another photographer when a track worker approaches us telling us we can’t be there. Bet you can’t guess why? Yup, that pesky fluorescent green vest! So I told the guy that the office didn’t have any and he told us that now they did. Hmmmmmmmm. So yet again we go to the office and ask for said vests. There were other photographers there getting dressed down by track management for God knows what reason while I asked for the vest and surprise(!) they weren’t there but on the way. Seriously? I then had to sign another piece of paper and include my phone number of all things. Then I (we) waited while there’s action on the track for a young lady to appear with a box of fluorescent green vests; enough for all of us. So where were these vests yesterday? My guess is they came from the circle track adjacent to the drag strip. Clearly management couldn’t be bothered to fix a situation they themselves started the day(s) before. Now, I’m really official pretty much when everyone is packing up to leave. Maybe next year these issues can be ironed out before media gets there?


   After more push starts, it was time for the big startup at 1 P M. Every car on the grounds started up at the same time. A sonic and aromatic assault on the senses. People were 3 and 4 deep by the cars and it was so crowded that I just lifted my camera over my head and randomly clicked off shots. Then back to my office for much needed refreshments. It was almost time for me to leave as the Posse agreed to leave at 2:30 so new member Dave Ferrin could go to the NHRA Museum in Pomona and possibly see the track and see where our infamous adventure from last year took place. We did just that and it was back to the hotel to freshen up and take an hour to decide where we would have a real sit down dinner (it was TGI Fridays). Then back again to the hotel to print out our boarding passes in the hotel lobby and more bench racing till midnight. Then we get up at 5 A M Monday morning to battle Los Angeles traffic for 2 hours to get to the airport for our 10:55 A M flight home. The flight home was as uneventful as the one on Thursday (thank God). We arrived at Newark Airport around 7 P M EST. My wife picked me up and we got home by almost 9. A quick trip to Chick-fil- A for the spicy deluxe sandwich, fries, and a cold Dr. Pepper was much needed. Then back home to hit the hay but not before sneaking a peek at my photos.


   All in my entire second trip to Irwindale Dragstrip for N R 6 was as good as it was last year, albeit bigger. More cars and more stars and I made new friends and saw old ones as well. I had a great time in spite of the track management putting roadblocks in front of the media throughout the event. This is without a doubt the biggest and best Nostalgia Drag Racing event in the country if not the world. Heck, people came from Down Under, Japan, and Sweden! I’m willing to bet that there will be at least 3 new (to the event) funny cars at next years’ event. So mark your calendars because next November 8 & 9 the earth will shake again in Irwindale, California. Next year it will be Friday and Saturday. Don’t miss it!


Special thanks go to;
Steve Gibbs
Cindy Gibbs
Don Ewald
The whole N R 6 Crew
Ross Howard
Larry “The Okie Smoker” Brown
Darryl & Pam Conrad
Robbie Fellows
Mike Fellows
Bob Waldman
John Cerchio
Warren Bader
Keith Hudak
Dave Ferrin
And everybody else who made the event brighter for me.

Illinois Outlaw Gassers

April 29, 2025
Illinois Outlaw Gassers was formed in 2022. We wanted to be considered as an alternative choice from other local gasser groups. We currently have 12 members and continue to grow. Also, we have plenty of guess that race with us as well. We are looking to grow into a larger group and continue to support and travel to Nostalgia racing events. We currently race at Midstate Dragway Havana, IL and Coles County Dragway Charleston, Il. We would like to be able to go as a group to some of the other big events and spread out to other tracks. If interested in racing with the group, contact Bill Eveland on Facebook or Illinois Outlaw Gassers on Facebook.

Part 2: PREPARING FOR PRO MODIFIED; LIFE BEGINS AT 200 MPH

April 23, 2025
After the 88 season and winning the IHRA Inaugural Heads up Quick 8 at Darlington, and UDRA season Championship, I decided to update Zeke for 89. Rick Jones who had opened a new Chassis Shop in Galesburg IL., Offered to do my changes as a sponsorship. First came removing needless wt. and cosmetic devices. Head lights removed and replaced with course screens. Dash and extra seat removed. And so forth. All the changes were legal for IHRA Top Sportsman, UDRA Outlaw Pro Stock, and match race bookings. Added was an escape hatch, mainly to relieve burn out smoke. But also became great fan and media attraction. I would sit in it and pose for pictures and on return roads that went by the stands. Rick also built a huge adjustable rear spoiler that worked wonders. Rick also added a few bars around my head to appease NHRA track rules to get a current NHRA certification chassis sticker. Rick also made a cute small hatch in trunk lid to access the nitrous bottle valve. A secret weapon I acquired by chance was a new light weight McCloud duel disc clutch my good friend (retired with crash injuries) Chuck Aronson sent me to try. Red at McCloud even knowing Ram Clutches was my clutch sponsor, was good enough to give a basic setup. The result was amazing. We had clutch management so defined with that RJ huge spoiler; when spoiler was moved up a click; the clutch would slip a bit from more rear down force as if some counter weight was removed. I won many races using that tactic. Many could not believe how I got down those nighttime dewed slippery drag strips. When the clutch needed service, I sent it to Pat Norcia at Ram and they did a great job. I managed to go on and make my mark as a professional Outlaw circuit and match racer. There are so many events and incidents devoted to my Zephyr we called Zeke. To tell it all about 1987, 1988 and 1989 alone, it would take 50,000 words to chip the tip of the per-verbial storied iceberg. Zeke served so well I shall still try to build it a monument of words. Here I will start by telling a few highlights. I had told in previous article about the history making final at the UDRA annual Spring National at Byron Dragway in 87. We won several races that year and we were second in UDRA season points. Bill Kuhlman was number one. 1988 I won the first ever IHRA heads up Quick 8. Won several UDRA events including the Word Series and a dramatic final against Gary Duckworth capping the 88 UDRA Season Championship. Plus Fun Ford events were frequently booking me along with other match races. At the 88 UDRA annual awards banquet at Pheasant Run in St. Charles, IL. Bill Kuhlmann and his wife Beth and I and my wife Linda were sitting at the big round VIP table. We filled it with Trophies and awards. At the afterglow promoter Duane Nickels was talked into providing a Super Circuit of nitrous door cars. With Ron Colson and Bill Kuhlmann and myself proposing it. After much conversation and whiskey the USSC was born that night. Duane hesitated his decision wondering who would star. Ron Colson pushed Bill and I forward toward Duane saying to him, “Right here in front of you are two of the biggest Stars. I am sure they can get Robbie Vandergriff and they can help find more peers.” DRAG RACE HISTORY WAS BEING MADE. The 89 season was a mixed bag of adventure, successes and failures and tragedies. The successes we relished. The failures we all learned from. The tragic death of Walter Henry at Atco that October we all mourned. 89 at Darlington was for me was my first failure that season. Being the winner of the Quick last year and being a first round loser in 89 was hard to take. At Darlington in 89 My crew and I had to struggle with defective pistons and excessive wind blowing course sand on the track jamming my throttle plates. We finally loaded up and headed home to get ready for the trip to Puerto Rico. Wild Bill Kuhlmann had tagged me as his match race partner at San Juan Dragway on Easter Sunday. Puerto Rico was a fun deal. It would take a chapter to tell about it. I just wish my Linda Lou could have been with me. She would not miss those days teaching at Mid County High School. About that same time Linda convinced me to close my customer business, use my shop for a headquarters, and drag race full time. She told me I better read what the media is saying about me. Linda told me I need to decide to pursue building engines, or drag race. And under her breath she said “It better be drag racing!” “OK then!” My future son in law Doug Fennell saved the day that spring. We were heading to the East Coast for the first ever USSC race and my truck started missing. We were only about to Champagne, IL. on I 74. Doug Fennell was on his way to see my daughter Jackie at Butler University in Indianapolis. Doug saw us pulled over and stopped. I told him to get to a pay phone and call my shop. It was only 4 PM. I told him to tell my employee Roger Holsclaw to clear the center stall. We turned around and made it back. Got the truck fixed and were back on the road in an hour. We made it to Buds’ Creek in time. The USSC (UNITED STATE SUPER CIRCUIT) was huge success! The first one in spring of 89 at Buds Creek Maryland was packed with fans. The pits and stands were so full of fans and media, we could Harley get ready. Car loads were still coming in during the finals. I was still driving my trusty 79 Mercury Zephyr we called Zeke. The engine was my original Boss 675 inch Ford Hemi we called the Monolith. I still had the original NOS single stage fogger, but I was still stuck with a fresh set of the bogus pistons I ran at Puerto Rico and the best couple from Darlington for spares. The piston problem was the skirts were too narrow and thin. I had sent samples and blueprints and explained on the phone how to make them. The new owners of BRC did not adhere to my directions to ditch cut the inside of the skirts and make them wide. I had to tune down the nitrous so the piston skirts would not collapse as they did at Darlington. The only good was, the damage showed which cylinders were strongest and helped later to tune the nitrous oxide deployment. At the 1989 inaugural USSC At Bud’s Creek Md. I ended up in the final with Robbie Vandergriff again. Just like the Quick 8 at Darlington I won in 88. I knew Robbie would be tough wanting revenge. This time we had better track conditions. I threw caution to the wind and tuned the NOS foggers for kill! Robbie and I did side by side huge burnouts. During our final run we did not play any staging games. Rob had lane choice by 1 hundredth of a second. Rob and I after wild side by side burnouts slowly backed up to stage. We both lit the first bulb almost simultaneously. Robbie being the gentle man he is, lit the second bulb first. I rechecked my line lock and skidded forward. My starting line chip we had bumped from 6,000 rpm to 6500. With the raratatat from our MSD rev limiters we were both staged. The three yellow lights flashed on. Robbie and had almost the same reaction times. His was better by .0015. I learned later. We were side by side the full quarter mile. According to announcer Bret Kepner, Robbie and I change the lead three times. Robbie’s retribution was served. He had won. The margin was only .001. My fault for no cutting a better light. But oh man, what a race. I was runner up and won the wheel stand and burnout contests. The next day, Sunday, the USSC made their way to English Town, New Jersey. This was to be a day time race. Sadly, the BRC weak skirted pistons collapsed badly, casing a rod to kick out. Sliding in my own oil, I damn near ran into Wally Bell at the finish line. I was not the only wounded racer. To provide 8 cars for round 1, a dark horse, Mike Ashley was employed. Amazingly Mike won the event out doing us all. Mike became a regular valuable asset to the USSC. I did again win the wheel Stand and Burnout contest. We all stayed Monday for the magazine pictures and interviews. All present but Norm Wizner and his 57 Mega Ford. He had a match race booking. “So it goes.” I went on to win my share of finals in UDRA and USSC. The most notable were the wins at Great Lakes WI. Capping the UDRA Championship again, and wining enough points in USSC to be Season RU in that circuit. I also won two UDRA “three peats” at Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio, and the Cordova World Series plus setting several records. Here I must tell about the bizarre tragedy of my friend Walter Henry. October of 89 Atco, NJ. Hosted the season end IHRA division event. Along with it, since our outlaw cars were getting so popular and IHRA being bugged about providing a professional class for us in 1990 ,they advertised a 16 car invitational. And with a decent payout. We still did not settle on a class name yet. More than 16 cars showed up. Sadly the event cost my friend Walter Henry’s life. It is ironic. Walter had flown 51 chopper missions in Viet Naum. And got killed by a score board barrier while drag racing. My good friend Wild Bill Kuhlman won the event. Me? My engine was hurt. My monolith engine swallowed an exhaust valve during the last qualifier. Prompted by Atco Dragway track owner Joe Sway I ran first round for history. With only 7 cylinders. The next weekend was Walter’s funeral. Unfortunately Carolyn Melendy, Norm Wizner, Charles Carpenter, and I were booked into Suffolk, Va. We reasoned Walter would be ok with us. We did honor him at that foursome match race. We also all honored our match race contract, and got full pay. I had one more match race obligation and the 89 season was done for me. I had couple more bookings I could have done. But I and my equipment were used up. Rick Jones offered to build me a 1990 Probe. NEXT WE WILL “ PROBE” INTO THE FUTURE! Watch for part 3 on www.nostalgiadragworld.com and www.animaljimracing.com for more of my Pro Mod adventures. May God be with ya all? As the late announcer and Dragway manager would Bob Fink would say, “I luv yuz all!” Animal Jim. a.k.a. Sam Foyer. Contact me on FB messenger or call 309.238.8556 .

McKinney Corp Continues as The Official Fabrication Source of Chaos Drag Racing Brand

March 26, 2025
Lafayette, IN. 25 March 2025 – Throughout the course of a racing season, Funny Car Chaos, Nitro Chaos, and Fuel Altered Chaos see various types of racing vehicles from the old to new with a myriad of combinations. For all those teams racing in Chaos, having an official fabrication source to go to for all their needs to make race day is a great asset. For the third year in a row, McKinney Corp will continue its partnership as the official fabrication source of the Chaos brand and its three series, while also retaining the title sponsorship of the Nitro Chaos “A” Field competition. Murf McKinney, a former Funny Car racer himself, who established McKinney Corp in 1981 building Funny Cars believes for the Chaos racer, McKinney Corp is a “one stop shop.” At McKinney Corp a customer can order a custom item as small as a tab for their own chassis build or an entire new chassis with all the modern amenities ready to race. There are several examples of Chaos racers using McKinney Corp products in planned competition in 2025. “We’re looking for the do-it-yourselfer, the guy who does modifications himself, ”Mr. McKinney said. “We’ve got all the hardware to do the job.” An example of a do-it-yourselfer is Ken Singleton. Singleton captured three Funny Car Chaos Championships in a row as a driver, while also earning his first FCC championship as a tuner in 2024 with Shayne Lawson driving the Man ’O War II Funny Car which is a McKinney chassis. Ken is currently building a new car for a first time FCC competitor which will be decked out with components from McKinney Corp such as fuel tanks, oil tanks, seat pan, and more upon completion. Another new ride that is ready for all the Chaos racing available in 2025 is with Chuck Loftin Performance. Chuck Loftin had many issues in 2023 with his Nitro Psycho Funny Car. Often consulting with Murf McKinney on adjustments, the car that he was competing with was unresponsive to changes or would respond in a way that wasn’t normal to a well-built chassis. Chuck decided, “Well, let’s just build a new car!” The Texas diesel mechanic will be rolling into 2025 with a new chassis tailored to him along with a renovated Trans Am flopper body. Chuck is the best prepared he has ever been to compete at a high level in Chaos this season as he is equipped for both Funny Car and Fuel Altered trims. The McKinney Corp brand is one that through Chaos has been showcased well beyond just marketing. Within Chaos competition there are many McKinney Corp cars that showcase the dependability and excellence of a Murf built car. Colin Thomas, with his “Twisted Sister” Mustang Funny Car campaigns a chassis that was originally built in 1989 for the late great Roland Leong. You also have the “Made in America” team of Tom Furches, the 2023 Funny Car Chaos Champion, with a chassis dating back to the early 1990s. Even the most recent champion in FCC, Shayne Lawson, pilots a McKinney chassis that was originally built for Jay Payne around 2016. If it’s old, or if it’s new, a McKinney component or chassis will stand the test of time even in the highly competitive ranks of Chaos. Murf McKinney and his McKinney Corp have been at the forefront of the industry for what will be 45 years in 2026. During that time many brands in drag racing have come and gone all the while seeking marketing partners for their endeavors. When asked if the Chaos brand has delivered on its return on investment, McKinney Corp founder, Murf Mckinney responded with an emphatic “yes!” The partnership with Chaos is deeper for Murf than just a matter of business. “The thing that stands out is that people came with their families to go racing, it wasn’t a lot of fly-in people,” McKinney reminisced of his visit to Chaos In The Cornfield at Eddyville Raceway Park which was a combined Funny Car Chaos and Nitro Chaos event. “It just appeared to me that Chris [Graves – series owner and promoter] really was trying to interact with the spectator, like when they warmed up the cars down-the-line instead of just one car randomly warming up here or there.” For the racers and teams in Chaos, with McKinney Corp as the Official Fabrication Source, they have the go to place for all their component and chassis needs. As Chaos continues to grow, McKinney Corp is pleased to be associated with a grass-roots effort that is passionate concerning the sport of drag racing in every facet from the stands to the action on the strip. The motorsports division is ready to assist with your needs from front to back including body and tin mounting, roll cage adjustments, steering and rear end alignment and all the things you will need to get on the track and safely compete at your peak performance. ABOUT MCKINNEY CORP McKinney Corp. was founded by Murf McKinney and two brothers in 1981 to build Funny Cars for the sport of Drag Racing. Over the years, after solidifying a name synonymous with excellence and winning, the company has grown to become a self-sufficient manufacturing and research and development center. What started as a motorsports company has diversified into commercial machining and fabricating as well, staffed by a growing number of employees and equipped with state-of-the-art CNC machinery. In addition to Motorsports, we are also currently serving the following industries: Recreation - Medical - Marine - Aviation - Agriculture - Transportation - Academic, and more.  Contact McKinney Corp by visiting www.mckinneycorp.com or call directly at 1.800.542.3088

Front Engine Dragsters

February 26, 2025
Dragsters in the 1950’s and in the 1960’s were truly unique, as in, each one was somewhat different from all the others. We use to have front engine dragsters, rear engine dragsters, dual engine dragsters, three engine dragsters and even four engine dragsters. Some of the dragsters had four-wheel drive. Some of the multi-engine dragsters had engines mounted side-by-side, some mounted in-line. There were even some that were mounted sideways. Some had full bodies, some had partial bodies and some no bodies at all. As far as engines, we had dragsters with Ford engines, Chevy engines, Pontiac engines, Chrysler engines, Buick, DeSoto, Cadillac, Packard, Lincoln, GMC, Oldsmobile, you name it. I don’t think you could name an automotive engine that wasn’t mounted in a dragster at one time or the other. We even had dragsters with aircraft engines. In the early 1950’s when drag racing was still something new, the media called the dragsters “rail jobs”. This was because the early dragsters were not much more than a car with an engine mounted in frame rails. Get a car, remove the body, fenders pretty much everything else, and you had a “rail job”. Sometimes it’s hard to remember that before we had 18-wheeler “transporters” with tool cabinets that cost more than a house, we had single axle open trailers and a tool box we could carry with one hand. Our “transporter” was usually a trailer hitch on the of the family station wagon or pick-up truck. It was a different time, but it was our roots and it is our heritage.

MY PRO MOD DAYS. AND HOW PRO MODIFIED CAME TO BE! PART 1

By Jim Feurer • February 24, 2025
Success claims many fathers. I want to say here and now. My stories are true as best as my 84 year old brain can muster. My still acute memory and the ability to prove what I tell may be the reason God delegated me to live this long. To tell true stories and try to set my drag racing history correct. THANK YOU GOD!  Let’s go back to 1986. My mountain motor days. My best friend and arch rival, Wild Bill Kuhlmann and I were jaded with our careers. We needed something new and with better pay. Bill and I set up a private meeting Dec of 86, at the Holiday Inn in Springfield, IL. That was midpoint distance for Bill and me. Bill was from Wentzville, Mo. Me Jim Feurer (Known better in drag racing as ANIMAL JIM.) from Lacon, Illinois.. Bill and I brought all our press clippings, resume etc. We decided we could not afford to run NHRA or IHRA Pro Stock. AHRA was long gone. So it was circuit race or match race for low budget professional drag racers. Bill and I even considered UDRA Funny Cars, and went to their annual UDRA Funny Car meeting. No way. Too much equipment changes. We needed more bookings and for more money. To achieve that we needed to orchestrate something new. We both decided it had to be with door cars. One big thing Bill and I had was an overload of PANACHE. (RECKLESS COURAGE) This was very infectious to fans, media and promotors and even sponsors. I have always believed, that overload of panache Bill and I shared was a natural born attribute. “How about 200 mph match race touring team of Pro Stock bookings?” Bill and I hit on that idea simultaneously. We then called around to various heavy duty promoters, race car journalist, and finally our own agent Duane Nickels’ of the famed Nickels and Associates. Duane thought our idea was great. But he said, “Before we advertise 200 mph Pro Stocks, someone has to do it first.” Then we realized no door car anywhere had ever hit 200 drag racing door slammers yet! OOPS! Some IHRA Mountain Motor guys had broken into the 190. mph mark. What an opportunity. To be the first to run 200 mph in a door car. After our meeting, I lost focus due to family matters, caring for my invalid old parents. I am not blaming them. It is what should be done. Linda’s mother was also failing. We lived 45 miles from each. My parents had no insurance. We finally tapped out. Their church even helped. I had forgotten all about a 200 mph touring team. Bill knew of my problems. So he did not bug me. My friend and former sponsor and owner of NOS (Nitrous Oxide Systems) Mike thermos did call me a couple times that winter offering to sponsor me again and was confident with my 675” Engine and the new NOS fogger nitrous system I could go 200 .Linda and I had so much family problems Mike’s offer fell on deaf ears. But Wild Bill Kuhlmann did not lose focus of our dream. Unknown to me Bill Kuhlmann was methodically transforming his current pro stock Camaro into a one purpose machine. It was to be the first door car to break 200 mph in a quarter mile. By the time February came, IHRA plus some fans and colleges asked if I was going to race Pro Stock at the IHRA Darlington Winter Nationals in March as usual. I told my wife Linda Lou. She said, “Send in your entry. This is business. That first race brings lot of promoters looking for match race talent. It always produces some bookings for us.” So I entered Pro Stock as usual. When my crew Al and Douglas Schmitt, and Ed Fogelsonger were sitting in line at Darlington with our rig waiting for the gate for professional entries to open, I looked over at the Top Sportsman pits. Low and behold. There in the grassy area sat the Wild Bill Kuhlmann 87 Camaro, sporting a huge rear spoiler, new huge hood scoop with Sonny Leonard decals. Plus huge NOS decals all over the body. Top Sportsman was only a high level bracket class. But Nitrous and other modifications were legal. It instantly it hit me. Bill was going to go 200 in Top Sportsmen. A lesser class. But with softer rules. Not Pro Stock rules. TS still is a door car class. Silly me. I never thought of that. Bill did not disappoint. He went 202+ March 14, 1987. And smoking the ties from mid track to finish. Talk about panache! WOW! As much as I admired Bill’s success, I got a sick feeling in my gut. Nitrous was legal in UDRA Pro Stock. I will have to run Bill in that venue and match races. I had no choice. I needed to conform. Hello NOS again! My next race was a month later. The annual UDRA Spring Nationals at Byron IL. Dragway. To some that event, the Outlaw Pro Stock final became legendary. Byron then was NHRA sanctioned and also hosting an NHRA Div. 3 Event. Which meant all racers and cars had to be inspected by NHRA tech. My car along with most Pro Stock cars needed a new even larger bar once again under the driver side rocker panel mandated by NHRA for 1987. I pointed out that last year we added a new size bigger bar alongside the excising one, so both bars creating a duplex would be stronger than that the new rule. The NHRA tech official did not buy that. I responded with “You best brush up with your physics and common sense!” I was so upset, I threatened to load up and leave. My friends UDRA Event director Ron Colson and Super Stock Magazine Editor Jeff Burk talked me into staying. The NHRA waved the new rule till next event. Those two friends went to bat for me. So I stayed. This would be my first time with nitrous on my Kaase 675” Monolith Engine. Bill and I made history qualifying. Both of us ran couple tenths quicker than rest of the field. Wild Bill and I qualified one and two swapping record setting numbers and went through that field of entries like poop through a goose. Bill ended number one qualifier and me a close number two. And we ended up facing each other in the finals. By this time I decided to use the nitrous sooner than hitting it in third gear. I planned to use it when shifting to second. I did feel I could win and perhaps go 200. We both did humongous long burnouts. While backing up I had a miss. I think I broke an exhaust rocker arm stand. (So much for trying to win.) Al backed me up and I stage anyway hoping Bll would red light , get loose, shake the tires, or break. Bill and I played no staging games. Bill made a perfect run. I followed trying the nitrous to no avail. Never the less. History was made that day. That final has become a legend. Pictures are all over face book. Bill and I went on be in 9 UDRA finals that season. We were always one and two swapping records and wins. This event was the start of something big. I don’t think anyone knew how big. Bill had kicked the door open breaking 200 at Darlington that March. The Pro Modified seed was planted. Part two I will tell about four of my Pro Mod rides. 1989 to 2001 and about the modifications and updates of Zeke, plus my three purpose built Pro Modified cars’. The modifications and updates of my 79 Pro Stock Zephyr we call Zeke were done by me and Rick Jones 1989/90. 2. The Rick Jones Amazing Psychotic Probe 90 and 91. 3. The fabulous Jerry Haas WunderBird Thunderbird Super Coupe 1992 to 1996. 4. The sleek chopped top Tim McCamis Ballistic Thunderbird Super Coupe. 1999 to 2002.

MUSCLE CAR AND CORVETTE NATIONALS 2024

February 4, 2025
PHOTOS by RICHARD JAESCHKE WWW.HOTRODONLINE.COM

MOUNTAIN MOTOR MADNESS!

By “Animal” Jim Feurer • January 3, 2025
For 1984 , I switched from SB Nitrous Cleveland to a humongous 675 CI Mountain Motor we dubbed the “Monolith”. ( I have to explain hear and now, “Motor” is not the proper name. “Engine” is. But “Mountain Motor” has a better limerick cadence to it than “Mountain Engine”. Look up definition of “Motor” and “Engine”. Or how about “Elephant Engine”? Too clumsy! My engineer mentor Bob Olmsted would flip in his grave, if he read this. Never called an engine a motor around (Bob! ) RIP BOB! This 675 Jon Kaase Engine sported Allen Root special Aluminum Block 11.2 Deck Ht. Steel Chrome Mollie Sleeves with O rings. Bore was 4.635 , steel BRC crank ,Arias pistons and Venolia aluminum rods, with 5” stroke X 0.7854 x 8 =675. Had AR Aluminum Hemi Heads. Worked over by Jon. AR Tunnel Ram worked over with two Holley 1100 dominators and MSD Crank Trigger Ign. Dynoed 1150 HP @ 7,000 RPM. Jon called me all excited about the results. Winter of 83/84. Cost was $25,000! Remember-This was 40 years ago! That engine also included a special .800+lift cam and 2.500” diam. Intake and 2.00” exhaust valves. All 16 were Manley Titanium valves of course. Funny story: Shortly after Jon called, some dude called from Chicago area telling me he developed a Ford Cammer using Gilmer belts instead of timing chains. He wanted to team up with me putting his Cammer in Zeke. Then, before I could respond he insulted my persona telling me I would have to cleanup, starting with cutting my hair. Then!!! I responded. I told him about my Kaase 675 Boss Hemi, and Jon calling with results. I added, “As for my grooming .I would not cut my hair for my mother, let alone for you! You insulting joker!” And I hung up. I do not recall a name. Once I did trim my hair a bit. Promoters, media and fans did not like that. Especially the late great Bill Bader. And my little girl cried when she saw my hair trimmed. 2. First time out with the “Monolith” 675 was not successful. One problem was the new fiberglass doors. That big engine had so much torque it would twist Zeke out of shape launching the driver door. It would fly off. It happened twice in a row. I had orange duct tape, and had my crew chief Cliff Sturm tape me in next run. Door stayed put. But had to wait for Cliff to come untape me at top end. Tech would have had a cow if they knew. (At US 30, perhaps not) Another problem was starter was not strong enough for that engine. I could see some other matters would need looking after with that much power. So we loaded up and went home. I never experienced so much brute power. At my shop at home we cured the starter problem by connecting another battery and solenoid to create 24 volts just when cranking, and included a MSD retard with momentary toggle switch. And just a cheap rebuilt starter worked great. Until two years later and went to a dry sump system, and had to use a mini starter do to different pan. Amazingly that Hamburger mini starter and MSD retard and 12 volts worked fine. For the next three years, 1984,85,86 and first race in 87 we ran pure Mountain Motor Pro Stock , mostly in UDRA and Match Races . We did ok, winning several UDRA events, and went rounds at a couple IHRA Nationals. One of my most memorable IHRA Mountain Motor runs was Aug. of 85 at Norwalk, Oh. I had Bob Glidden first round. I took a shot at the tree and cut a spectacular .002 light. I was way ahead of Bob. Then by fourth gear I saw that Thunder Bird nose appear. We went through the traps side by side. Bob got the win light by .001. While waiting for our tow vehicles, Bob came over and asked if I had a pretty good run. I said it was good. When I got my time ticket I realized I had run a career best et. But, so did Bob. He had won by .001. However, during my 3 year pure Mountain Motor Pro Stock effort, as I told earlier, I won several UDRA , match, and special events. 3. One of my favorite wins was August 10th. 1986. I had the unbeatable Bob Olsen in the final. I was still driving my trusty Mercury Zephyr with the Monolith 675 engine. This event was The Annual Pro Stock/Funny Car Open at Byron, Il. Rules? Ha! It was “Run what you Brung! And you better Bring Enough!” I went to finals, caught a great light and beat that Steward and Olsen Pontiac by a fender. Then another big change happened. My friend, Wild Bill Kuhlmann, In March of 77 put A NOS Fogger System on his new Sonny 632 bb Chevy. Bill entered Top Sportsman. Nitrous was legal there. Bill’s motive was to be the first ever door car to go 200 ! Which I witnessed him doing so at IHRA Nationals at Darlington SC. OH! OH! Nitrous was also legal in UDRA, No one had ever taken advantage of it with a killer mountain motor till Bill. Bill Kuhlmann had gone ahead with his dream we both shared and discussed back in December. While I was side tracked with other matters. I had no choice. I had to go same direction to compete from then on. UDRA was my main arena. So hello NOS. My old friend. My Kaase/Allen Root, 675 Ford Boss Hemi loved it! It sure did! We estimated we went from 1200 hp to1700hp with just a basic single NOS Fogger system. And basic tune up. Just hitting the Nos during second gear on, would net 5 tenths quicker and 10 mph. It felt like a powerful passing gear. We won many races and the U DRA Outlaw Pro Stock Championships 88 and 89. I consider 87,88, and 89 , The formative days o Pro Modified. Wild Bill had kicked that door wade open! I ran our next car the same way. By then, we were running Pro Modified. The 90 Probe was one of the first cars purpose built for Pro Modified. Built and sponsored by Rick Jones. Officially it was the first Ford door car to go 200 mph. 4. I was still using old engines, the Kaase Monolith 675 Ford Boss hemi and the Jim Ehlen 666 we called Damian! And it ran high 6 second runs, still on a basic same Fogger system. But I was now hitting nitrous right after the launch. Better late than never, August of 91 we put a new Kaase 698” beast in the Probe. We won a third championship with Probe with the USSC. That made 5 championships for me altogether. In 92, came the fabulous Haas Thunderbird Super Coupe we named Wunder Bird! We set many records and won many races. With son in law Doug Fennell’s awesome design and paint job, it won IHRA Best Appearing/Engineering two years in a row. Which was unheard of. With this car we used nitrous on the launch, and a second system @ .5 second timer , producing 1800/2000 hp. Running 6 sec/200 +mph runs at will. Ronnie Sox, Wane Torkelson and I, swapped records of quickest Ford door slammers on the earth for several years. Well, it seems I am getting ahead of myself. My next chapter about my Pro Modified years will be my next article.  Written by ANIMAL JIM FEURER. MAY GOD KEEP YA ALL.

The History of the Hill-Boys' 1953 Studebaker Champion”

By HEMI-ROID • June 4, 2024
The year was 1961, and Don Hill bought the 1953 Studebaker as a parts car to his street 53 Studebaker. After pilfering all the parts Don needed off the Studebaker, one sunny summer day in 1963 Don and the family were having a picnic at their house in Ballwin Missouri. Don’s brother Jack Hill was there and the two of them were playing horseshoes and Jack made a bet with Don that if he threw the next horseshoe as a ringer Don would have to sell the Studebaker parts car for $25.00. Well Jack did just that and handed over the $25.00 to his older brother Don. You see Don and Jack Hill were not just brothers, they were also a team together as the Hill-Boys racing team out of the Midwest. After the second world war, the two of them started racing an open wheel stock car. The Hill-Boys were known coast to coast on dirt tracks and later, asphalt tracks as fierce competitors. It was their way of life. In 1963 by now they both were not racing open wheel cars anymore and Jack had the need to play around with the 1953 Studebaker that he had just bought from Don. Jack decided to put a 392 Chrysler Hemi with two four barrels, 727 torque flight transmission that all was put into the stock Studebaker chassis. Custom headers, Olds rear-end, ladder bars and a 4-point roll cage were added. The car was now ready to race, and the year was 1964. After a few runs the Studebaker took a back seat to work. Just a few years earlier Jack started a company called Precision Rebuilders which is still in operation today. In 1972 Jack gave the car to his son Mike Hill on his 16th birthday. The car sat around for a few years and in 1979 Don’s son Butch Hill and Mike became partners/owners in the Studebaker. In 1990 Butch decided to sell out to Mike to build a 1939 Ford Coupe so they could go racing together. In the late 80s during a race in Wentzville, Mo at MAR raceway, the Studebaker was having trouble creating real horsepower. Don Garlits was at this race and took a liking to the car and within one hour after sitting down with Big Daddy he spelled out all the tricks to make the Hemi perform like it should. In 1992 the car was chopped. Later in 92 Jack Hill lost his battle with cancer. In 1994 both Mike and Butch willed their cars to one another to make sure they stay in the Hill family. In 1995 Golden Hawk fins were added to the car. 1997 came along a new paint scheme from red to the Blue/Purple with flames. In 2006 the car was awarded Dupont’s paint of the year. In 2007 Don Hill lost his life to a stroke and in 2009 Mike Hill lost his 4-year battle with cancer. In 2012 Butch Hill willed the Studebaker to his children Cameron and Caitlin Hill to once again keep it in the family. Today Butch Hill is still racing the car in the Nostalgia Drag Racing League (NDRL). And the car is considered the World’s quickest all steel 1953 Studebaker. The car weighs 3,200 pounds and is still running a 392 Hemi. Although it does not run a steel block anymore, the aluminum Donovan motor from the 60s puts out 1,100 hp and 1,092-foot pounds of torque. Sitting on top of that Donovan is a 671 blower with a 4 port Hilborn injection running on alcohol. The car is still running a 727-torque flight, Ford 9” rear end with 4.10 gears and believe it or not, it is still running the same latter bars that were built in 1963.  No electronics other than a trans button. Even though this car looks like it is a fiberglass car going 250 mph setting still. This car is truly old school in its body and power plant. The body is original Studebaker steel even down to the door hinges and steel chrome bumpers. .

NITRO CHAOS RETURNS TO ILLINOIS

May 6, 2024
By this point of the 2024 season, you can rest assured a heated points battle will be underway and it will all conclude with a return for the CHAOS brand to Midstate Dragway, formally Central Illinois Dragway, in Havana, Illinois for the Nitro Chaos Championship Finals, September 20-21st. CID was one of the original host tracks for Funny Car Chaos dating back to 2018 and after recent ownership and management changes, is very excited to welcome the CHAOS back to Havana to crown the 2024 Nitro Chaos Champion! This will be the largest gathering of nitro burning drag racing machines in track history, we assure you that.

Back-up vs Pin-up

April 1, 2024
By Dan Ricks
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