Tommy “TC” Lemons died yesterday in Ocala, Florida. Lemons was the long time sidekick of Don Garlits and one of the men responsible for sorting out the rear engine Top Fuel Dragster along with Crew Chiefing the greatest drag racer who has ever lived for more than 40 years (with a couple small breaks thrown in for good measure). Lemons was a hilarious guy and could tell stories like no one else we have ever met. His passing came suddenly, a heart attack that struck him as he was relaxing in his favorite chair took him to the big strip in the sky.
Lemons was probably the perfect foil for Garlits who has always been a firey and intense man. Cool and quick as a whip he provided a great steadying force and analytical mind to the Garlits operation. Garlits has long credited Lemons and Connie Swingle for finally finding the last piece of the rear engine dragster puzzle, the steering ratio speed. After slowing down the steering ratio, the car was finally able to be controlled at speed and Swamp Rat XIV became the most dominant force the sport had ever seen to that point. One of Lemons’ best quotes came when being interviewed about the rear engine car before it made the big debut for Hot Rod Magazine. He said to Ralph Guldahl, “Wait ’till them Californians see what the ‘Okies’ built.” See they did. The car revolutionized the sport.
Another quote from Lemons that really summed up his wit and sense of humor is the epic, “I didnt want my mother to know I was drag racing for 20 years, so I told her I was in prison.” Truly hilarious stuff.
We appear to be reaching a point of critical mass with respect to the legends and pioneers of the sport of drag racing passing away. Within the span of a week both Jim Lytle and TC Lemons have passed and within the last 12 months, there have been a lot of men and women leaving us. Even just 10 years ago one could proudly state that drag racing history was still a “living” history because the greats, for the most part, we here to tell their own stories. As time has marched on, that statement rings more and more hollow.
Hopefully the longest lasting contribution to the sport of drag racing that TC Lemons has his name on is that all important museum in Ocala where he and Don have worked for years to make it the premier place to see the history and highlights of drag racing. He was heavily involved in the restorations of many of the museum cars and like his work wrenching for Garlits, it is top shelf stuff.
The loss of TC Lemons is a big one for fans that love the history of drag racing. Thankfully, his exploits on the track and his work to preserve the history of the sport off the track mean that his name will never be lost in the annals of straight line competition.
Farewell Top Cat…you will be missed by many.
Here’s Don Garlits’ reporting of TC’s passing.
I’m so sad to report that Thomas C. Lemons, AKA “TC”, “Top Cat” and beloved “Tommy”, passed this morning around 11 AM January 11th, 2012. This marked the passing of one of the sport’s great as this man was there and did it all! The work that he performed on the development of the Rear Engine Dragster cannot be overstated! Tom Lemons, Connie Swingle and myself did the work and each one of us deserve equal credit. I first met TC in 1968, when he showed up at Seffner with Swingle returning from Bixby OK from the Christmas holidays. Soon after, he was my Crew Chief and remained so for many years. For all practical purposes he has been here since that date with exceptions of a few “vacations” now and then over the span of 4 decades. TC was also very instrumental in the start-up of the Drag Racing Museum in Seffner Florida, as many of the older restorations are TC’s work and he spent years helping build the exhibits that we all enjoy today. He spent the last 5 years here on the Museum grounds, living in the “Cabin”, fighting Cancer and winning. However the radiation treatments had got to his heart and it was a massive heart attack that got him in the end. Just yesterday we toured Ocala, saving all the world’s economic and social problems! TC and I are just a little right of Attila the Hun! Today we were to travel to Stuart Florida for a TV Show we were doing tomorrow with Master’s Entertainment. We were to leave at 2 PM and I called over to the Cabin around 1:45 to see if he was ready, no answer, I called again, still no answer! I sensed something was wrong as TC is so punctual! I went to the Cabin, knocked on the door, still no answer, I knew then to expect the worst and there he was, dead in his favorite easy chair! TC is in a better place now as he was suffering tremendously during the last couple of months. TC is survived by his older Sister Wanda Kannady, who lives in MO. He had never been married, nor did he have any Children. God speed, TC Rest in Pease!
Mold Breaker!!
One more great quote…. “Harlow, the are two people in this world I hate and you’re both of them”
What a wicked sense of humor.
I had never met TC but was fortunate enough to tour Garlits drag racing museum over the Christmas holiday. That place is drag racing hallowed ground. Truly phenomenal. It is sad to hear that another Great pioneer of the sport is gone.
What a shame. TC was one of the true characters of the sport. I was hoping to talk to him again someday. I have a couple of TC stories of my own!
Godspeed, TC…
TC and I
I arrived at the hotel near the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing in Ocala Florida. Mickey Bryant came in a few hours later. Mickey and I were to meet up with Garlits and Tom TC Lemons for the next few days to talk about the history of the Swamp Rat 14 Rear Engine Dragster for our book ‘Don Garlits R.E.D.’
I wandered over to the Museum grounds to see the famous names on the bricks of the ‘Walk of Fame’. Just a short walk from the Museum and the Hall of Fame Monument were two houses; the bigger one was the Garlits family compound, and a smaller house next to it. A pick-up truck drove in and TC step out and entered the smaller house.
That was the first time I saw Tom TC Lemons in 40 years. The first time I saw him, or noticed him, was at Lions Drag Strip March 8th 1970. He stood behind the Swamp Rat 13 just before it took off into the greatest turning point in drag racing history. I was at the fence line in the Garlits lane staging area when it happened.
The next morning Mickey and I walked to the Museum souvenir shop. There sitting in a chair was TC. He got up and introduced himself and shook my hand. We have been friends ever since.
For about 4 hours TC walked through the Museum of Drag Racing telling his stories. My digital recorder captured every word, joke and story. TC stopped at the Urn with Connie Swingle’s ashes. He said he missed that son-of-a-bitch Swingle, wishes he was here. He got choked up, turned his face away, and went on with the tour. His tour was so good that we wanted him to do it again and again. Little did we know he talked right through his lunch until Don Garlits called us in for the first interview.
Tom TC Lemons walked the firing line every weekend and fought many battles and many people, even with his best friend Don Garlits. But now he is the most beloved figure by all that knew him and fought with him. He was lovable and tough, funny and sad, a walking historian of the drag racing life.
When Mickey and I were done with the interviews, TC put his hand on Mickey’s shoulder and said, “Thank you for writing this little story, I am glad someone is telling the story, I mean it’s a neat little deal.”
After our interviews, TC took me through the Museum of Classic Cars. He was totally informed as to each car and its history. He stopped and asked about me and my family. He said, “Todd, I just wanted to know who my new friend was, thanks.”
Tommy told us many stories, some we made into cartoons in our book ‘Don Garlits R.E.D., however some stories were “off the record, ya see.” TC loved the ones in the book. Many phone calls over the next few years confirmed to me how proud he was that his story was told. He wanted this so much.
One story that we thought should be out front was about Tom McEwen. TC told us when he first had Cancer, Tom McEwen called TC every week and said, “So how ya doing buddy? What you doing? Tell me all about it.” TC said, “Ya see, Tom is my friend, he called me every week and cheered me up. Nobody else did that.”
A cartoon in our book told of the friendship between Tom and Tom, “There hasn’t been any one person nicer to me in drag racing than Tom McEwen. When I was a little bit younger out there 40 years ago, working hard and trying to do good, everyone was climbing over me to get to the old man. The sports writers, big shots, big name drivers would leave tracks on me to get to Garlits. But Tom would always stop to talk to me. I never forgot that. And when I got this cancer he would call me every week asking me ‘How ya doing, what’s going on, tell me all about it.’ He’s my friend.”
One of his favorite stories was also about McEwen. He knew McEwen could take a joke. TC story went like this, “After Garlits first big victory (3rd race) with the new Rear Engine Dragster Swamp Rat #14 at Pomona Winter Nationals 1971, Tom McEwen was the first to order the new Rear Engine Frame from Garlits Chassis. It was delivered with an odd spring and knob behind the seat. TC had marked on it ‘More or Less’ with a knob to tighten it.
TC was in the shop working when the phone rings, a call from McEwen. TC answers “Dragster shop.” McEwen asks sharply, “What the hell does it do?” TC answers innocently “Oooh, it does nothing…just messing with ya.” All this time McEwen was sitting there turning the knob trying to figure out what ‘More or Less’ does.” A Tom TC Lemons story.
When I talked to him on the phone, he was friendly and upbeat. Sometimes he complained about the pain and trouble and ‘those doctors’, but he always was glad to hear from me. He would ask, “When ya coming back?”
When TC and I were alone and relaxing back in 2009 at the museum race shop, he said this to me, “Ya know Todd, I’d be in bad shape if it wasn’t for the Old Man. He takes care of everything. I don’t have to worry about nothing. He can be a tough son-of-a–bitch… but he’s soft with me. Wasn’t always that way, but he is my friend and I don’t have many friends like him.”
In the time that I knew Tom Lemons I found him always looking for one of his funny stories to tell. But also I found him to be worried that he might be forgotten after he was gone. Close to the end of his life he got the recognition he hoped for; inducted into the NHRA Hall of Fame, two books about him and the development of the Swamp Rat 14 and his favorite stories put into cartoons.
Of the five decades in drag racing he was forged into a deeply hated little man by most everyone. After he retired he told me, “I don’t want to hate them, that was Drag Racing. I forgive them, I just want to know that it all meant something, ya know, my time at the track with the Old man.”
Tom Lemons loved the Old Man and the Museum and always took time with the visitors answering all questions and giving tours. Tommy was well taken care of by his best friend Don Garlits. He lived in a very nice home, Don and Pat would take him to the hospital all the time. He even got a retirement check from Garlits. Don made sure that Tom had all that he wanted and needed. Don Garlits should get all the credit for making TC’s last years happy and comfortable ones. What more would a true friend do?
By Todd Hutcheson
January 11, 2012