In 1975, nothing on a dragstrip was quicker or faster than Sammy Miller’s Spirit of ‘76 Mustang II. It was the very first rocket powered Funny Car. Motivated by a hydrogen peroxide rocket, the car would be pushed by hand to the starting line, gurgling and steaming until Miller literally hit the GO button. At that point the car would shoot off the starting line in a shriek that never quite left your brain upon hearing it once.

The rocket-car performance was so stunning that the NHRA was not exactly jumping for joy at their existence. Many tracks would shut the clocks off and announce a fake time and mph number to avoid problems with both insurance companies and sanctioning bodies.

Several racers met their end driving rocket cars. Russell Mendez was killed at the 1975 Gatornationals when a front tire came apart in the traps. His death was public and grisly. In 1984 the cars would be outlawed by sanctioning bodies in the US.

The fans loved them, and the Spirit of ‘76 Funny Car could be found at match race tracks all over the country through the summer of 1976.

Running low-5-second ETs at almost 300 mph, all while shutting off at the 1/8-mile, the car was scrutinized weekly. Reports say that Sammy, always the showman, would go so far as to wave at NHRA Officials while crossing the finish line, just to show how stable the car was. With Don Prudhomme running the very first 5-second Funny Car pass in Ontario, California in 1975, the Spirit of ‘76 was the quickest and fastest quarter-mile race car, period. This car led Miller to build a series of Vanishing Point Funny Cars that would ultimately be the quickest and fastest on any quarter-mile track in the world. He made a best-ever pass of 3.54 seconds at 386 mph in the early 1980s over at Santa Pod in England. That mark still stands as the quickest lap in world history.

If you are wondering what ever happened to the Spirit of ‘76 Mustang II, it is alive and well in Michigan under the care of Steve Atwell. After being sold in 1976, it became the “Chicago Patrol” Top Fuel Funny Car, and was campaigned by numerous teams and drivers including “Fearless” Fred Goeske, Ed O’Brien, and “Flash” Gordon Mineo.

Atwell tells us that pure hydrogen peroxide is no longer available, but he’s been in contact with manufacturers who say it can be made. Anyone want a ride?

Here’s “Slammin’ Sammy” getting it done.