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Friday Moment of Zen: A Never Before Published Photo of Jungle Pam Hardy In The Pits At New England Dragway In The Early 1970s


Friday Moment of Zen: A Never Before Published Photo of Jungle Pam Hardy In The Pits At New England Dragway In The Early 1970s

“Jungle Pam” Hardy continues to be a part of the drag racing scene today appearing at shows, nostalgia meets, and other racing events to hang out, be part of the action, and reprise her role as one of the most iconic women in the history of the sport. There are hundreds upon hundreds of photos and old 8MM video on the web featuring Jungle Jim and Jungle Pam but we’re happy to report that this photo is seeing the light of day for the first time right here on BangShift! Mike McCormick who is a BS reader and a veritable neighbor of the BS Eastern World HQ in Massachusetts found this photos that he shot at New England Dragway back in the early 1970s and sent it over to us. Mike said that Jungle Jim and Pam were often pitted by them during their many appearances at NED and the two of them worked at a feverish pace to prepare the car and turn it around between runs. It must have been a rare moment to catch Pam without throngs of fans around. Virtually every photo we see of Jim or Pam during this period includes hordes of people around the car or chatting them up.

Photos like this one capture us because they freeze a moment in time that we’ll never get back to again. From Pam’s smile to her expertly assembled attire, to the guy with the big ‘chops and bigger grin in the background, to the two guys in motorcycle helmets also slobbering in the rear of the frame, there’s a lot to love about this snap.

Jungle Pam ruled back then and she rules now!


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17 thoughts on “Friday Moment of Zen: A Never Before Published Photo of Jungle Pam Hardy In The Pits At New England Dragway In The Early 1970s

  1. cyclone03

    I ‘m not over looking the obvious…..
    look at her hands,that looks like real oil,grease and clutch dust….

  2. toad

    a golden age that will never return. I cant explain how much i would have loved to grow up in that time. What an amazing era it was for drag racing

    1. Butch Greene

      I grew up during that time and it was the best of the best. I saw jungle Pam and jungle a few times and it was awesome. They were a great team. John Force had nothing on jungle and jungle Pam.

  3. Robert M

    Indeed.
    I started hanging around Fremont Drag Strip in ’72. For a decade, I practically lived there. The ’70’s were a strange time generally, but the drag scene was glorious!

    1. Bill Orozco

      Ok Larry, OMG LOL. a lot of years ago, I wont say how many, I was at Ken Cox shop when he was still building F/Cs. He had a new F/C for sale he just finished and the customer changed his mind. He said I could buy it for $14,000. That was a lot of money at the time. He told me it was built for Big Jim !!! It was a roller, even had the Lenco. Thats going back in time. LOL

  4. Jerzy Goon

    Pam is an absolute doll…. Eventhough i grew up in the 80’s and i only have the secondhand stories about her and Jim she is still super nice everytime I meet her. It was great to see Pam at the CHRR this year. She gave me a wristband that says “Drag racing is far out” I took it home and wrapped it around my “Jungle Jim” diecast which will be making the trip back to NJ with me in the spring so I can take it to Jims gravesite. I will also be having a grooms cake in the shape of Jim’s car at my wedding in April. Love you Pam youre the best

  5. Higgy

    Hey, is that Lee Vartanian to the left of the mirror? I’m sorry I did not get to see either Jungle Jim or Pam.

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