Thread: Another Drag Racing Oddity

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Attention: Senior Geezer Curmudgeon

Okay, Uncle Bob, What can you tell us about this one?

Jim

I understand that the car had a transversely mounted flathead in it, and that it got under way by being jacked up off the strip a little bit. The wheels were spun up, then the jack was released.

In those days guys weren't afraid, as they now say, to do some "thinking outside the box".

Some real ingenuity there. Check out that independent front suspension!

Jim

Yeah Jim,
That's the Cheesehead Spl, based out of Pewaukee, Wisc. Their shop was on Parmesan Ave S. It was operated by a grate racing team that was a cut above the other teams. One unfortunate situation was that nobody wanted to be near them in the pits. The advantage was it was easier for them to keep their secrets. One thing that faked out competitors was a thin coating of mold on the body. It drove competitors batty trying to duplicate it. To lighten the car they drilled holes in the frame. They were ticked off when a few years later Pontiac stole their nick name of the "Swiss cheese car". They actually had 8 cars, this being but one from the whole wheel.

Whey to go Bob!

Ah ....... Uncle Bob?

I have heard it said that "If Bob Parmenter said it, then you can make book on it!"

That, friends, has now proven to be rubbish.

His snide response to a legitimate question from one of his greatest admirers would seem to indicate that he has "gone around the bend", and any future future postings submitted by this once congenial and gentlemanly fellow probably should not be considered reliable information.


Jim
Elder Geezer

Originally Posted by Big Tracks

Ah ....... Uncle Bob?

I have heard it said that "If Bob Parmenter said it, then you can make book on it!"

....would seem to indicate that he has "gone around the bend".....

Jim
Elder Geezer

As the elder statesman here I'm surprised that you're so easily fooled!! And as for having "gone around the bend" I'll just tell you..............it was a short trip..............again.

As a matter of fat some of the utter responses are pretty cheesy!

The famous driver in '61 had to operate under a psuedonym because his mother didn't want him racing, his real name was Earl C. Festoon, but drove under the name Cow Teet. He was pretty Sneaky that way.

^^^


At any rate I'm trying to say the "whey" crack is really funny!

So, Uncle Bob is a bookie???? Wondered where he got all the big $$$$ !!!!!!

Quiz:

What famous driver used a jackstart system to win Top Eliminator at the '61 Nationals? (...after which it was outlawed.)

Bob, that was funny. Really Gouda stuff..........that'l put a Feta in your cap for sure.


Don

actually that looks like the "slice o pie" mooneyes sponsored dragster

The kid wins the kewpie doll!! http://www.nitrogeezers.com/dean_moon.htm Look 2/3 down the page.

It's 7:09 pm here in the midwest. I nearly blew the whole day without learnin' anything. Thanks for the save Bob..........

Okay class, let's settle down; I thought you'd be paying attention HRP............here's your gold star.

In 1961, a virtual unknown came out of nowhere to sweep the biggest race of the year, the NHRA U.S. Nationals, earning him the nickname 'Sneaky Pete'. A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Lew Russell Robinson was born in 1934. He received formal training in mechanical engineering from Georgia Tech, and translated his engineering expertise into many technical innovations and wins. Although his first major win was at the 1961 Nationals, he had already raced for many years in a Buick-powered Ford gasser.

Pete's engineering approach to drag racing often put him at the head of the pack. His fanaticism for light weight is well known. Pete manufactured magnesium blowers, Chevy center sections, steering gear housings, and his own scattershields and light weight front dragster wheels. He used true airfoils on the front of his car when many competitors were using a flat plate for down force. He experimented with a jack starting setup to drop his already spinning tires down onto the pavement for better stability and less clutch wear.

Another interesting experiment that Pete tried was the so-called vacuum cleaner. This device, invented by an aircraft engineer named Richard Boyles, pulled air from underneath the car using the supercharger, sucking the car down to the pavement for increased traction. He later tried an air management system placed beneath the engine. Again, this was a device to form a low pressure area beneath the car, sucking it down for increased traction, much like the air tunnels under recent road racing cars. Pete also apparently invented the remote starter, now mandated for use in all professional fuel categories. Pete was always trying something.

A few of Robinson's major wins include:

1961 NHRA Nationals Top Eliminator
1962 World Series Top Eliminator
1964 Bakersfield Number One eliminator bracket. 1964 NHRA nationals AA/D class winner.
1965 Bakersfield Top Gas Eliminator
1965 NHRA Springnationals AA/D class winner. 1966 NHRA World Finals Top Fuel Eliminator and Low E.T. 7.19. This win gave Pete the NHRA World Championship.
1970 NHRA Summernationals Top Fuel Eliminator. 1970 AHRA Grand American, Bristol, Tennessee, Top Fuel Eliminator.
Pete served as Technical editor of Drag Racing magazine for many years in the mid-60s. He also tried his hand at drag strip ownership and promotion, becoming a partner in the dragstrip located in Cumming, Ga and joining Atlanta Speed Shop's Julius Hughes to promote the first Atlanta $10,000 Drag Race in 1964.

Pete lost his life in a racing accident at the 1971 NHRA Winternationals. He was inducted into the NHRA Southeast Division Hall of Fame in its first year (1983) and the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame in its second year (1992). Clearly Pete was a competitor respected by his peers. He was arguably Georgia's most famous drag racer.

© 2003 Marvin T. Smith

I noticed the capitalization on "Sneaky". A coincidence?.....I think not!

It was indeed Sneaky Pete Robinson, in a red Dragmaster chassis with a blown gas SBC. He would lift the rear tires off the track, then spin them up to about 100MPH, and drop it on the green! The tires acted as flywheels, and stored energy, giving this system an advantage. (Remember they smoked 'em all the way back then......which gives me an idea for another thread. :-)

NHRA did not think this created a safe situation, and "jack starts" became illegal.

One of the many advantages to being an "old fart", is that I got to see it! :-)