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Question of the Day: Given the Chance, What Historic Race Car Would You Drive?

Jun 08, 2012BangShift Question Of The Day??32

Question of the Day: Given the Chance, What Historic Race Car Would You Drive?

When writing about Cotton Owens’ passing yesterday, I of course thought of his cool “Cotton Picker” match bash wagon right off the bat. It got me to thinking about what single race car I would drive from the annals of history, given the chance. I was thinking about one of the GT40s that won LeMans, maybe an Allard J2, Buddy Baker’s 200mph Daytona record car, Craig Breedlove’s Spirit of America, and about half a million others, but one kept creeping back into my mind and it is my favorite drag car of all time. That car is the Secret Weapon Jeep funny car of Ed Lenarth.

I don’t know why or for what reason, but I just think that this is about the neatest thing ever built. It ran like stink and eventually led the NHRA to ban Jeep funny cars. It looks cool as hell, was fast as blazes, and about as predictable as Gary Busey on a bad day. Strapping into this thing in an old school aluminized fire suit, breather mask, and open face helmet with goggles would be hard to top.

I realize that I’m probably the only dude in the world with this as my top pick as an all time historic race car ride, but I’m OK with that. Everyone out there in reader-land has to have had this fantasy once or two hundred times when drooling over cars at a show, a museum, or reunion event like we’ll be live broadcasting next weekend. I want to hear your pick!

Question of the Day: Given the chance, what historic race car would you drive?

 

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The 2012 GOJO Giveaway is ON! We Have Two Winners and A New Poll!

32 thoughts on “Question of the Day: Given the Chance, What Historic Race Car Would You Drive?”

  1. Jeff Langell

    Definetely Big Oly Bronco….I’m not even really an off-road kinda guy but that truck just screams to be hammered on!!

  2. tigeraid

    So many choices, but I’d have to go with Bobby Allison’s 1972 Coca-Cola Monte Carlo.

  5. gary

    This is a no brainer for me too. Speed Sport Special of Red Greth…(Boyd probably wouldn’t give up the ‘Express without a fight!)

  6. starterguy

    The Panella Trucking Anglia, stirring that 4 speed with the blown big block in that little car would be insane!

  10. Walt Reynolds

    I would love to drive Bill Jenkins 66 Chevy Nova ( Grumpy’s Toy ) Stock Eliminator car.

  11. Lee

    The ThrustSSC – 763 MPH . . . create your own sonic boom! All the rest of the race cars are whimps!! LOL

  16. ka67_72

    Do all the evolutions of Swamp Rat count as one car? Also the Porsche 917/30.

    Kevin

  17. Joe

    Speeking of Jeep funnt cars, don”t forget the C&O hydryo Jeep. So many to choose from, The Motion Performance King Cobra .427 set up for drag racing. Got real close to the 9″s in the early ’60’s. With modern tires I can only imagine. By the way the new issue has an excellent on the Cobra.

  20. jeff sykes

    Brian ,I’ll second you on the Secret Weapon. Ed Lenarth could make a 392 sing at the top end. I saw it more than once at Lions. The yellow Jeep after the Weapon was just as Badd, Jeff

  21. Scott Liggett

    I’d have to say Petty’s ’72 Charger. Big, heavy, hemi powered, driver’s seat resembles a torture device, open face helmet, and chewing on a wet towel to stay cool.

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