NHRA Winternationals 1965

[Music] our next series of races will be the competition for top gas eliminator the cars used in these competitions are specially built for the quarter-mile acceleration they're the dragsters but they're using pump gasoline and it's amazing what they can do with these finely tuned machines accelerating up to speeds almost 200 miles an hour and going through the quarter mile distance in slightly over eight seconds should be a tremendously competitive event and I see that they're about to get underway with the first race and lined up on the line it's Pete Robinson in number 47 for the 1962 top eliminator from Atlanta Georgia and Harrell AMEX from Westminster California in number seventy-three Robinson on the far side that's Pete right there a terrific competitor and he came on with a vixen [Music] there's no spare wheel race to the finish line gonna be very close and the winner is of Westminster California with a speed of 180 4.42 miles per hour sometimes these drivers look a little like men from outer space and here is Bob Keith from San Jose California to tell us why first place where fire engines blow up we don't get first it's made of an abscess this material and it's there's several different companies that make them and they've sure helped save a lot of people's lives you have some other articles also Bob yes sir we have a gobble these are more or less an aircraft type toggle they've got a shatterproof lens and paints a flying object then we also have a master which is made out of the same material as the fire suit with the exception of the inside which are made out of leather so we are as we stay in drag racing the skid lid or drain bucket and this is a lot of people's lives also is lined inside to keep the heat will keep the fire so this is why they are lined in the inside how warm is it inside all this gets pretty warm when the fun comes on like it is today and when the competition is tough I know you want to get back to that race you're competing in the competition for top gas Eliminator Dale are you thank you very much no it's not ringo starr it's Jerry Caudill of Chicago Illinois driving dragster number 110 a rather unusual helmet I think you'll have to agree honey on and the goggles and they're away and those off is making the lead quickly [Music] and a sizeable win by George volkoff's in a Chrysler powered machine with the speed of 180 1.80 miles per hour this is the first round of top gas eliminator the final division and we'll be moving into the semifinals but now we have one more race left in this round it'll be Jimmy next of Oklahoma City Oklahoma versus Ron Colson of Oregon Illinois number eight is Jimmy Knicks there go away but Coulson follows you notice the timing lights and it would indicate a foul pole since also dick automatically will be the winner Knicks backed off the minute he realized that Coulson had fouled Coulson speed was 166 but he is the loser and so Knicks will go into the semi-finals and we'll have the semifinals for top gas eliminator coming up in just a moment from Pomona California ladies and gentlemen there is a new bill before Congress now that could provide the best answer to health care for people over 65 who need help it is called the her long Curtis elder care bill a voluntary health protection program financed and implemented through federal state funds elder care could offer better care than Medicare here's why both would cover hospital and nursing home charges but elder care would provide for physician services Medicare would not elder care would provide for surgical care Medicare would not elder care would provide for drugs in hospital and at home Medicare would not and elder care would cost taxpayers less it would not use your tax dollars to provide benefits for the wealthy it would help only those who need help and it would not require a new payroll tax write your Congressman now urge him to support elder care for further information contact the American Medical Association Chicago ready now for the semi-finals of the top gas Eliminator competition number eight is Jimmy nicks from Oklahoma City Oklahoma number 43 George Volkoff from Encino California noted on the grinder leapt into the air and he was getting tremendous traction on the rear wheel man he's leading but Jimmy nicks is going to be the winner bolt off speed 180 1.44 miles per hour but he got off the line too quickly now the other semifinal event Gordon Collett from Portsmouth Ohio racing against Carroll Amex from Westminster California led in number 13 a mixin number 73 study is concentration as he watches the lights and they're away it looks like Colette is having trouble but Amex is drawing on to the finish line and the winner is peril a mix with a speed of 180 4.04 miles per hour it appears to be quite a thrill to drive one of these high-powered racing machines let's take a look at how it looks from the dragsters point of view our special cameras been about axle you'll notice how much he moved his hands he has very slow steering so he will not over correct moving toward the finish line and he pops his parachute for braking action all dragsters are equipped with parachute now we get another view over the drivers shoulder notice the white line down the drag strip he tries to keep it on that white line and he uses that for steering he doesn't have much time and he is at the finish line and starts to slow down braking is very important and he must do it very delicately where he throw his machine out of control [Music] now we're ready for the finals of the top gas eliminator topic competition is Jimmy Knicks and Harrell a mate's that's the machine of Jimmy Knicks from Oklahoma City Oklahoma Terrell a makes a makes is a number 73 from Westminster California and they're away they used a flag start the lights didn't work that was a bit of a surprise to them but Nixon moving out a Meeks closing the gap but he's gonna be the winner is Jimmy neck within the last time the baton 5,500 seconds of speed of 179 point to eight miles per hour actually Amex was going faster at the finish but he was too far behind now let's talk to the winner Jimmy that was a wonderful run congratulations surprised you know when the light didn't work the malfunction and then they had to fly and it was a surprise did you get off to a good start I think so I think we got off to a good start it's a pretty close race all the way where you concerned at any time down the lane wow I was really worried from you know the Lord Joe now you've had some pretty good times in previous Nationals but you've had some hard luck that's right I had low EC here at this same race last turn and low EC at Indianapolis that's a summer Nationals and what happened that you didn't win well I found started up there got a red light and I broke the motor here last year well you didn't break anything this year but records for yourself and the hearts of the other competitors congratulations to you thank you lot Tony Jimmy next the top gas eliminator I'm sure it's quite a bit warmer here in Pomona than it is an aspen and as a matter of fact the competition is getting very hot right now back at simona california for the winter nationals we have the next event coming up the run off for competition Eliminator now a competition car has been built specifically for the acceleration through the quarter-mile built especially for drag racing but the thing that differentiates the competition cars from the dry is the fact that they started with some existing car now they've made a lot of alterations made a lot of changes and they have built rails and they look very much like tractors but at least the start was an existing car and they can get up to fantastic speed so it's the run off for a competition Eliminator and they're about to get underway once again in this classification is on a handicap system that's Pete chatting juror number 96 from Vineland New Jersey in a 48 Buick powered car kay Cecil and number 302 from Rosemead California driving a 23 Model T powered by a GMC engine this should be an interesting race that's sisal he took a 23 Model T body put they're away you notice the difference because of the handicapping it's gonna be a close race halfway down and all the way to the finishing and feet shouting here's the winner for the speed of 117 points 0 3 miles per hour so he'll move into the semifinals in the runoff for competition Eliminator now here is last year's world champion in this class Charlie Smith Smith hails from Oklahoma City he's got a 23 Model T powered by a 64 Chevrolet and notice he wears the face mask and he is all concentration as he's ready to go watching his rpm indication he'll be running against Danny Brown of Denver Colorado and they're away Smith fish tail just a little bit as they got away Bobby he gets it under control in these leading [Music] with a speed of 140 7.05 miles per hour now we have Roy Spradling Spradling hails from California and Frank Smith Charlie's brother from Oklahoma City is in this competition with a consequent agreement when Frank we started with the 23 4 and put a 64 Chevrolet engine in it Frank Smith Burton traveling in it well out in front and he is the winner with a speed of 150 four point six three miles per hour he'll move into the semi finals along with Chico Brittini who drew a pie ninety-five waiting for their opportunity to fake the timers the starting line a very important team in the competition eliminator class the team of Davis and Ingram Wes Ingram on my far right who is the crew chief and Joe Davis the driver San Jose California and they have a very interesting car in this competition and what how do you feel about your chances Joe real good tell us about the car now it's the night it's a 1937 Fiat but it's been changed in the original conception in Italy West what are the major things you've done to it well the body's completely changed the wheelbase moved up the engine is set back 25% of the wheelbase and of course much more horsepower now I'm speaking of horsepower the car appears to be all engines what kind of an engine do you have in there and how much work harder to produce in the 1964 Chevrolet 327 to start with its stroked out to 364 as a GMC 671 supercharger with hilburn injectors when you say stroked out you mean you've just enlarged the engine you made it you made a bigger engine now I noticed that the wheels are very small in front why is this well they allow a certain size wheel and we stay within what the rules allow the smaller wheel [Music] reading that's in but the large wheel on the back it just makes it look on actually well wait one thing less wait for small wheel the big thing is that it looks much smaller because of the back wheel being so big I guess you might say this car has been built for acceleration and how fast will it accelerated when our best is 149 25 which was last week and our best DT is 978 looks like you've got a real going combination here good luck to you thank you now into the semifinals for competition eliminator each a tanker from final engine sheriffy against king cobra skini failed to contra califor after guiding every gun saw they're both in the back Heidegger had a slightly the better of it on the start because of the handicap different question whether Brittini can make up the ground he's coming on and he jumped outta here at the finish line his speed was 146 point five seven miles per hour now we have a special duel in the other semifinal match the two brothers Charlie and Frank Smith that's Charlie Smith last year's World Champion and competition Eliminator and here's his brother Frank his brother Frank is driving a car that is in the competition classification a competition and Charlie Smith has an a alder that's fire 24 [Music] and Frank fouled off the start he was so eager to beat his brother that he fouled his leading one he will be the loser and Charlie Smith will go in here's spencie one hundred forty four point six nine miles per hour and Charlie Smith will go in against Chico proscenium the finals and that will be coming up in just a moment from Pomona California good times call for good taste and that means Winston when you change to Winston you change for good for that good taste that comes from Winston's filter blender backhoes specially selected for the best taste in filter smoking change to Winston and change for good with a good taste of America's largest selling filter cigarette by far Winston tasted like it should change to Winston and change for good cuz Winston tastes good like a cigarette should the final four competition Eliminator between Charlie Smith and Charlie Smith got off to a bad start Chico Fraschini is out in front Charlie Smith is gaining but I don't believe he's gonna have enough time one hundred forty five point six three miles per hour in an elapsed time of nine point six seven his wife is hilarious over that victory a tremendous upset as last year's World Champion Charlie Smith has been defeated there's his boy and his dog and they're all happy so the winner is Chico preceeding many of you have asked for more information about the ABC Wide World of Sports book here's Bob reader to tell you all about it hello I'm Robert reader 1964 was a great Olympic year in sports I traveled over a hundred thousand miles making drawings and photographs on ABC's Wide World of Sports in the Winter Olympics in January to the AFL championship game in December I know the thousands of viewers who have written in for copies of these pictures will be happy to know they're all in our big new book that's ready now it's called ABC Wide World of Sports over 250 pages close to 400 photographs and drawings featuring Innsbruck and the Summer Olympic Trials and the best of ABC's Wide World of Sports shows beautifully reproduced an ideal for study by young athletes along with a text by our staff of experts for your copy send $2.00 check or money order which includes handling and mailing to sports programs incorporated Bo box 17 Griffin 1 New York fake checks on money orders payable to sports programs incorporated and they dress again vo box 17 Brooklyn one New York this offer not available in Canada and please allow 3 weeks for delivery and join us in a weeks to come for more excitement on ABC's Wide World of Sports we're not going to watch one of the most interesting classes of all and drag racing the Top Fuel Eliminator class this is the special dragster the one that is built and built specifically to accelerate over the quarter mile distance cars developing horsepower of more than 1200 and the cars that can exceed 200 miles an hour at the the quarter-mile they literally exploded the starting line and zipped through that quarter-mile in eight seconds or left it should be very exciting and I see that the first race is about to get underway this race matches Jim Warren of Bakersfield California against Don Prudhomme of Granada Hills California and that is Warren Radames driving the Hawaiian car owned by a family in Hawaii nealy off now they must not leave that line before the green light has placed they get a five-second warning in the new one the green light and Warren has Powell Jim Warren his mom [Music] we'll automatically mean the winner worn his leading but he is disqualified in the winner is Don Prudhomme with a speed of 175 point seven eight miles per hour here's Big Daddy Don Garlits the most famous man name in drag racing one time top eliminator has probably one more drag races than any man alive bill Alexander will be his opponent garlotte hails from Tampa Florida Wild Bill Alexander will be racing against him they're lined up and ready to go and garland says follow a tremendous upset here at Pomona California has not darling 206 miles an hour a preliminary run has fouled and Bill Alexander is the winner Alexander is taking his time knowing that he has the victory and Don Garlits has been eliminated well that is a tremendous surprise the next race is a rather interesting one Connie colita one of the all-time great dragsters and number 24 racing against art Malone who is a veteran of the Indianapolis Speedway the loan gained his experience drag racing then carried that experience onto the Speedway where he was able to qualify for the Indianapolis 500-mile race and this should be a good race Connie colita Mount Clemens Michigan and art Malone of Lutz Florida alone on the far side to lead it on the near side that's the law when they got off together good start heading for the finish line pilatus later and Connie believed in the winner speed of 190 point two six miles per hour just barely barely edging out art below and soul Connie colita will move into the third round next rate was Danny and Gaius and Rick Stewart and and on Gaius fouled so Rick Stewart is the winner and will move ahead the big moment is arriving for Connie Kalitta from Mount Clemens Michigan one of the nation's top drag racers and a man who has achieved a speed of better than 200 miles an hour here in practice Connie I see this is your car the Bounty Hunter let's talk about it explain some of the more important features what about these big wheels why do you use such big wheels on the rear the reason for this is Chuck is to put as many square inches of rubber area on the surface at one time to accommodate the horsepower of the engine to get as much traction as possible what is the size the tread of this tire the face of that tire is a full 11 inches wide that's a lot a lot of tire now what about the engine this engine is a new overhead cam Ford ins and developed by Ford Motor Car Company and police to me to run experimentation test on it when you put a supercharger on an engine like this which is sitting on top and run nitromethane it's pretty hard on things and it really shows the stresses and strains real quick now we've taken the cover off the right side so they can see the inner workings what are we looking at there you're looking at the camshaft and a rocker arm assembly for the belt ring very complex engine how much horsepower will it produce it's pretty hard but I would say it's making over 1500 or car really easy Wow now I'm struck by the very small wheels in front why do you use that small wheel the reason for this is Chuck we don't need weight up there so we make a small light tire we need less wind resistance therefore we use a small tire also and three it's less rolling resistance what would you say this car is worth I've got about ten thousand dollars here Chuck and that's not counting the engine no it's not well good luck to you Connie I know that you're anxious to get out there and beat some of the top drag races in the country I'll be there trying here's Don Prudhomme who has gone a buy in the third round but they make him run anyway the life of one of these engines is only about six or seven races and so it would be a definite advantage if he was able to skip one round when they making run he'll probably just start off very quickly and then cut the engine out to save it so he's moving up he's the cinch to win he has no opponent but they make him make a pretty good effort because he would not be using avenges it he did he got away pretty well there and now probably will shut off yes he is shutting off to save that engine so his speed will be very very slow but he'll go into the semi-finals and he will beat Rick Stewart in the semi final the other semifinal has bill Alexander against Connie Kalitta here it is Connie Kalitta just talked to in this $10,000 dragster that is capable of producing 1500 horsepower racing against Wild Bill Alexander Alexander on the far side moving them into position another waiting for those lights to start eating the goal and call it a foul if the second big favorite that has been eliminated through the follow procedure he jumped the lights another word well out in front because he fouled on the start so bill Alexander will go in to the finals against the winner of the match between Don Prudhomme and Rick Stewart here it is Rick Stewart moving up to the line his goggles you notice they have been wiping the tires they put a fluid on those tires to make them soft so they'll get better traction also to clean the loose impediments off the tire Don Prudhomme is ready on the far side [Music] release they're breaking they're away in a cloud of smoke and I began another foul Rick Stewart has fouled again and so Don Prudhomme is the winner at a speed of 204 point 0 8 miles per hour and we'll move into the finals against Wild Bill Alexander for mr. top Fuel Eliminator and that should be a tremendous race and we'll have it coming up in just a moment from Pomona California when you think of the many things that can happen to you and your house it staggers the imagination not only the damage from violent forces but also hazards seen and unseen like liability lawsuits and theft any of these disasters might ruin a family financially it's happened in the past it's happening today it'll happen tomorrow there should be a way to protect yourself and there is this Allstate homeowner's policy to protect you against loss from many hazards it gives you fire insurance on the house on most of its contents comprehensive personal liability protection and theft insurance the cost is not high in 9 out of 10 cases this package of protection costs as little as 10 dollars more a year than just ordinary fire insurance see an Allstate agent you're in good hands with Allstate here's the big race of the day for Top Fuel Eliminator the finals between Don Prudhomme and number 63 nearest us from Granada Hills California against Wild Bill of Los Angeles California on the far side this is the race fans are waiting for the lights have started when it flashes green they'll go and they push that off to a good start notice how they're burning rubber getting away from that starting line it's a very very close race Don Prudhomme apparently pulling invention but he placed across the winner Don Prudhomme of Granada Hills California top Fuel Eliminator with a speed of 200 1.34 miles per hour his crew is going wild they did not expect the wind today they were upset Victor as honey Kalitta and Don Garlits went out by the foul route but Don Prudhomme came on with a tremendous run of 200 1.34 miles per hour now Don is getting out of this car we're going to move down and get a few words with the biggest man in drag racing right now Don Prudhomme Don I presume this is a dream come true oh boy it's great experience my life how long have you been drag great the drag race now about six years and this is your first Nationals victory that's right that's right this is the first one how did you feel you got off in that final run well I was a little bit worried for a while there about the halfway point because I saw his front wheels but all of a sudden that thing just took over and passed him did you have any trouble with the finish well we we need blue a little bit of oil but besides that there was no trouble the car stopped flying and everything was okay on the car when did that occur at the finish or just now that that occurred right coming into the finish lights we're going right around 199 at the time in that half when I come through then we went through the light and I just didn't want to take my foot out at that time wait across the finish line I imagine you breathe a sigh of relief when that finish line I should say John congratulations thank you and good luck in future race thank you very much it's so very happy Don Prudhomme takes them the big trophy from the winter Nationals in 1965 from Pomona California and it's been a great day of drag racing for all the 80,000 spectators and the more than 500 drivers and the mechanics and crew chiefs have many great races and we certainly hope that you have enjoyed them this afternoon there were a number of upsets Big Daddy garlotte's who had been the pre-race favorite fouled out and as the consequence we have a brand new winner one that has never won the national championship and that's about the story from the winter nationals in

Channel: Nick Pettitt

Views: 118,241

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Id: YxLg3yoMVCo

Length: 27min 20sec (1640 seconds)

Published: Sun Mar 15 2020