(Photo: Dean Smith/Automobile Magazine) – When Roland Leong fell in love with drag racing as a kid in Hawaii, he could have never known that the sport would provide him a life and a living for more than half a century. The son of successful and highly educated parents, he splintered off from them when he decided to make his life in the sport and by all indications the guy made the right call. A car owner, tuner, and consultant spanning the early, formative, and mature years of the sport, he is still at it today but in a capacity where he can pick and choose his work.
Elana Scherr recently traveled with Leong to England where a team had hired him to get their nostalgia nitro burning funny car operation sorted out and ready for competition. This is an account of that trip and it is one of the most fun and interesting drag racing pieces we have read in years. Touching on the history of the sport in Hawaii, the mainland USA, and England, tying it all together with Leong’s life, and explaining who the man is while painting vivid pictures of the scene in the UK is what Elana does here and it’s great.
A perfect Sunday read for any drag racing fan!
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Great article, I’ve met Roland Leong when he is here to tune the Troxel Dodge Challenger nostalgia funny car, he is truly a legend and a class act.
I sat behind Roland at a CHRR at Bakersfield a few years ago. He was hanging out with a few friends and holding court. He definitely had a lot to say. I swear he never stopped talking the hour or so he sat there.
I raced with Roland back in the day, we were sponsored by Mack’s Automotive Chemicals he taught me a lot !