Massachusetts-based funny car racing legend Al Segrini knew how to win with flare. In 1984 he won the NHRA Winternationals in explosive flaming fashion and then he came back and did the same damned thing in 1985. In ’84 he was in his own car. In 1985 he was driving for the great Joe Pisano. In this video you’ll watch Al Segrini win the 1985 NHRA Winternationals and see his awesome top end interview complete with thick Boston accent.
Al’s story of racing his way to the top ranks of the sport is a good one. He was the guy who ran the original Brute cologne sponsored car back in the day after running a series of machines on the east coast with his brother and other locals. His presence still looms large in the New England drag racing scene as well as across the country. When he comes to the races he can often be found chatting it up with the likes of other funny car heroes from years past. Heck, he races one of those guys in this final round. Dale Pulde was in the other lane setting up the ultimate east coast vs west coast match to close the weekend.
As you will see, Segrini gets a great start, starts to put some real estate on Pulde and then right when he gets to the finish line the clutch explodes throwing fire and sparks off like some sort of demonic speeding firework. When Segrini tells Steve Evans that he knew there was something wrong in the “bellhousin'” it gives you an indication of the guts these guys had. He knew he was staging a wounded animal and he rode that thing as hard as it would go and as far as it would go…which was about 1317 ft.
Somehow Brian doesn’t have the Boston accent that Al Segrini has. One of the drag racing web sites has an excellent biography on Segrini, especially how the Brut sponsorship worked.