This is a cool piece of video, twelve minutes to be exact, featuring a big event at Irwindale Raceway back in 1971. There are awesome fuel floppers, fuel altereds and slingshot Top Fuel dragsters that were inching toward competitive extinction as Garlits would make the “million dollar junk pile” out of them with the introduction of his all conquering rear engined Swamp Rat that year.
This video is totally great because it features not only cool action on the race track, but also a ton of great footage from the pits. It is pretty rare to see video of these guys servicing cars between runs in the 1960s and there is lots of that here. Heck, in one little segment, the guys are running the valves in a blown, nitro burning, Hemi!
This is a the best way possible to kill twelve minutes on a Friday!
Thanks for the tip Dawn!
Press play below to watch this historic drag footage!
Gawd, I miss dry hops!
Does anyone know anything about or have other pics of the Thunder Chicken T-Bird briefly shown in this video?
As a 9 year old,I could have actually been at this event.Dad would take me to a lot of races back then.
But you should remember it then. Vintage drag racing is not something that is forgotten.
Oh, my gosh! I was there! What sweet memories….