Gary Densham, a stalwart on the NHRA Funny Car trail, has, after several years of struggling hunting for cash to run the NHRA tour, taken to racing his nostalgia Camaro Funny Car. He’s sending his whole operation to Australia to run a series of match races and the first of which will feature him lining up next to the son of an opponent he faced “down under” more than 30 years ago. We have to thank our pal Darr Hawthorne for the tip on this cool info!
Densham was touring Oz with a young John Force back in 1976. It was on this trip that Densham and Force forged a bond that Force would later claim saved his life. If you can imagine it, John Force was a broke truck driver from California who had a Funny Car that didn’t run for shit that he could barely fight down the track. Densham saw that Force was on the fast track to a fatal wreck and took the guy under his wing during the trip and gave him enough help to make a few bucks and get on track to become the greatest Funny Car racer of all time. Force later repaid the favor by having Densham pilot his third team Funny Car for several years on the NHRA tour. Now it is Densham returning to make laps in front of crowds who still, decades later, hold his name near and dear to Australian drag racing history.
Here’s the news release from Willowbank Raceway, where the event will be taking place:
Round one of the International New Year Series at Willowbank Raceway on January 2 will feature something special for the drag racing community as a whole, and in particular, those who knew recently-passed racer Roly Leahy.
In a nod to the 1976 match race that saw Leahy line up against American Funny Car star Gary Denhsam in Adelaide, Roly’s son Peter will take to the drag strip at Willowbank against the Bellflower, California, native in his nostalgia front-engined dragster.
Densham will take to the startline aboard his Nostalgia Nitro Funny Car, ensuring the fans will enjoy a peek of where the state of the art racers that will compete in the USA vs AUS Nitro Funny Car Challenge at the event started while also giving a nod to the popular racer who was well known for his startline burnout ‘peace’ salutes.
“In 1976, Densham and John Force were in Australia and before the final of this particular race in Adelaide Force broke his car, and dad was asked to step up and race Densham for the fans,” said Peter Leahy.
“For me it is just an honour to have the opportunity to recreate that race now that Dad has passed away, and I can’t believe it is going to happen.
“I can’t explain it…I’m not sleeping right, I am anxious, excited, nervous, it is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I just can’t wait for it to happen.
“It means a lot to his family and friends as well – I know that a lot of people are flying in from interstate to see this, and that makes it that much more important – drag racing is in our blood and I imagine it is going to be a pretty emotional time.”
Following the January event, Peter and his brother Greg will be taking their father’s car to California to race in the 2010 reunion – with Roly’s ashes to be along for the ride.
Also taking to the track for round one will be local Top Alcohol racers Steve Reed (of Brendale) and Stephen Ham (of New Beith) who will face off over three Alcohol Funny Car Match Races over January 2.
Racing their Group One Top Alcohol Funny Cars, the pair will provide another extra something for the fans at the first round of the New Year Series, and are expected to complete ‘five second’ runs at 250 plus miles per hour.
The Densham v Leahy match races are scheduled to take place alongside the USA vs AUS Nitro Funny Car Challenge and the Alcohol Funny Car match races at 6.00pm, 8.00pm and 10.00pm on Saturday January 2, 2010.
Also taking to the track will be a massive support category featuring Supercharged Outlaws, Dragsters, Hot Sedans and Motorbikes.
