Im 60 years old and i freaking love history lessons like this. I hope that you keep doing this.
@geedubb-q1u Жыл бұрын
Like NASCAR with cars all the same and NHRA Pro levels basically all the same, it’s the lower ranks, of stock, super stock etc. are the real race cars, just like the Willys’s of the day.
@TheNathanBrand Жыл бұрын
My dad is in this video at 3:30 he’s in the back (far left) helping push Ohio George’s car. He passed in 2021 and one thing he always cherished, was his time working for George. My father was a drag racing fanatic until the end. With George’s recent passing, I hope they’re racing together once again up above. RIP Dad & George
@johnhuggins3684 Жыл бұрын
Your Father is hangin with the Greats Again! I'm disabled now, But I built and maintained NHRA cars till I couldn't anymore, Now I lay in bed and build custom Hot Wheels and custom model cars, Just told model buddy its time I build the Malco Gasser kit, No customizing needed, At All! George did awesome work! 😎
@JohnWise-vg3zj11 ай бұрын
Sorry for your loss.
@jimamccracken5783 Жыл бұрын
Brain, I am 75 going on 76 and I clearly remember the early 60s of drag racing. You are so right the Gassers were fantastic the sound was pure thunder and speed wo baby. I did not get into drag racing until at a family reunion I met a long lost Uncle. Bill GRUMPY" Jenkins and I hit it off right quick. I fact I bought a 68 Camaro and he steered me into a good quality frame builder.And theone day I came home from work and was faced with two large wooden crates. The sender was Jenkins Competion. In one box was a complete Chevy Small black. And the other was a Jenkins built 4 speed. When I got the car built a trip or three to the strip revealed 10.5 second times. And the car drove straight as a arrow. The power was smooth . Oh yeah I wish I had that car now just as a collector. I know where the complete car is I offered to buy the car but pricewas 100,000 so nope.
@tresawillis3726 Жыл бұрын
What a lucky duck you are.
@bob-g2h Жыл бұрын
Fun fact no car is worth over a 100k. Max price for any car should be 50k. Sorry but blame auctions for artificially inflating the prices. Why I hate that big ass car auction that's always on TV. They control the prices on all used and new cars
@SKG1941 Жыл бұрын
I’ll be 60 this year. I’ve learned more on KZbin in the last 5 years than everything I learned in school. What a great time to be alive.
@hdvictoryford5329 Жыл бұрын
Talked to OG at a meet 2 years ago. He told me he was a Chevy guy till he saw the Ford Cammer. When he got his hands on the engine it was over. His first year he went 11 of 12. He lost only 1 race, his wheely bar broke. When he went to Indy with the Cammer, he said he was a full second quicker than anyone. He peddled his way to a win, never making a full out run! Stone Woods, Big John and others saw what he had, and all signed a petition to ban his engine. OG told me he had a much better engine at home that was quicker than his current Cammer. And yup, it was another Ford engine.
@danonoveh8114 Жыл бұрын
That goes to show what sore losers ,Stone, Woods ,and cook and the others were to sign a petition to ban that Ford Cammers,it's competition why not build some thing to beat it, instead they were just being a bunch of crybabies😂
@Airsally Жыл бұрын
Happen to Ford alot. And hemi's in some classes too. Nhra must have had stock in gm.
@MikeFL2TX Жыл бұрын
@@AirsallyI think GM has stock on the different sanctions. Use to see similar in local stock car racing too. The far and few Ford powered cars were always being penalized with weight or spoiler changes.
@M21-w1y Жыл бұрын
@@danonoveh8114it’s just easier to pitch a fit and have a sanctioning body ban something than it is to spend time and millions of dollars trying to beat it. I blame the sanctioning body’s for their lack of balls for standing up for fairness!!! They buckle to who ever whines the loudest.
@bartbullock7817 Жыл бұрын
Yeah boys, I'm older than dirt also, I worked at blue max in dallas, We built offshore race engines, Roundy round engines, aries himi s All of my chevy and mo par buddies, Argued with me, I told them that ford had the goodies, They argued it cost more, I told them horsepower cost money. Pretty sure I owned the most h.p.that ever came out of detroit. It was a pontiac big block, Somebody had ordered what was called a stage two cam for it, It was so bumpy, And idled so rough, Pontiac discontinued that cam after the first year. I was turning low 10s, With an automatic, And cheater slicks. factory intake, factory cast iron exhaust, Factory factory factory. I did put high octane fuel in it, I advanced the timing. But that was all I did, The damn thing was a torque monster, I could never get it more than half throttle, Till I was going eighty miles an hour, These are just the facts boys, Find an old pontiac dude, And he will tell you the same story.
@gteefxr3094 Жыл бұрын
To me that era of the gas-class cars was the most bad ass. Those Mustangs (Ohio George, Mallicoat Bros, Mike Mitchell's Corvette, Opels etc). Some of the meanest drag cars built. Thanks Mr. Lohnes for the memories, I'm going to search for a Malco Mustang model kit now. Let's keep our thoughts on Steve Magnante's recovery.
@MarvinHartmann45211 ай бұрын
Yeah that man should be a car enthousiasts national treasure. He's a living encyclopedia.
@jerryw4471 Жыл бұрын
The best years were the 50’s and 60’s. I went to the Sumer Nationals in Indianapolis in the 1960’s. The biggest thrill I got at the Nationals was when the Freight Train made a pass down the track. What a beautiful sound. When you see that for the first time it is hard to believe your eyes! Thanks for the video Brian. It brings back memories!
@michaelhalsall5684 Жыл бұрын
By the 'Freight Train' I assume you are talking about the twin engine AA/ Gas Dragster. the AA/GD class was deleted and replaced by the Top Alcohol Dragster (TAD) class. Today's drag cars rarely have names and are updated and repainted each season. The drivers rather the car is the focus nowadays
@thatfordguy2268 Жыл бұрын
I remember building the AMT plastic model of the Malco Mustang back in the day 😎👍
@danquinnell3502 Жыл бұрын
Ha ha… I think I still have one in the box.
@johnherrmann6879 Жыл бұрын
My brothers and i all had those models too ! Loved those days....want them back
@danquinnell3502 Жыл бұрын
As it turns out I actually have the Gas Ronda model. I did build the Malco Gasser back in the day. I think it included two wheelbases even.
@bryanmcleod93462 ай бұрын
The first model car I built, back in 1966, was the Ohio George '33 Willy's. My mom worked in an orthodontist office, and she would bring me the older issues of Hot Rod magazines. (how I wish I'd of saved 'em!) She knew I had a passion, bc we had met TV Tommy Ivo (he had a see through car trailer back in '65), and Kris Karamansini, when they were headed to the Gatornationals. The pictures brought drag racing into my room, where I was supposed to be doing my elementary school homework...lol Street cars now run Way faster than anything on the drag strip back then, but that doesn't diminish how Exicting it was, way back then! Thanks for the memories!!
@Mike583 Жыл бұрын
I'm 70 now,i had the great pleasure of watching George in his red Boss 429 win at the US NATIONALS. I'm very sorry to hear of his passing. Time marches on,& another drag racing hero of mine has left us. RIP sir,you were one of the best of the best.❤
@chevelle300post Жыл бұрын
One of the coolest people I've ever had the chance to meet was George! Got to sit with him at the hot rod reunion in Columbus for an hour or so while it rained and just listen to stories about the racing the willys. Rank it right up there with being able to sit in Bill Jenkins office and do the same about L79 novas for a bit, and get a tour of the shop. Thanks B!
@marcanglin7127 Жыл бұрын
That Willys with the chopped-top and the big cammer was my favorite car of the day !!! Being a young lad nearing the age of 10, I witnessed the transition to the Mustang. But that Willys has always been near and dear to my heart !!!
@tomp1612 Жыл бұрын
For sure. I got to sit across from him at dinner at the FE Race in Beaver Springs and will cherish that forever. A great innovator and a great man.
@marcanglin7127 Жыл бұрын
@@tomp1612 Wow !!!
@WRSwansonPhotography Жыл бұрын
First a big thanks to KZbin for recommending this video and leading me to Brian's channel. Second, thanks Brian for telling George's story, as I feel he's often overlooked in favor of the California based Gas teams. As a kid who began his addiction to cars and drag racing in the mid-1960's, my admiration for Montgomery was fueled the magazines of the era, and by the model kits of the Malco Gasser Willys by AMT, and both the 1967 and 1969 Malco Mustangs by MPC. Third, the legacy of Montgomery and his contemporaries is reflected in today's interest in Gas class race cars, with several vintage builds resurrected and racing again, and also participation by folks who were born a decade or more after the category ceased to exist.
@RandysFiftySevenChevy Жыл бұрын
I met George at the NHRA Museum in Pomona in the 90s. I was able to set down with him and listen to his stories about his racing days. I grew up around diggers but always loved the Gassers, so much that I'm finishing up on mine right now. A blown 57 Chevy gasser.
@johnniemiera3528 Жыл бұрын
Hope your gasser is a blast to drive when you get it done
@UNITED2009100 Жыл бұрын
My oldest brother had a 56 Ford back in the early 60's. He came across a Latham Blower which he planted on his 312 Ford engine. Wanting to drag race with it, he was told that he would run C Gas Supercharged, but would have to have a roll bar in his car. being a welder and metal fabricator, he installed a removable roll bar and was allowed to run CG/S at Indianapolis Raceway Park. He never had any competition in his class and brought home a trophy every weekend. I think he ran in the low 14's. Yet another classic story of kids following their dreams and spending what we called CUBIC MONEY.
@fourfortyroadrunner6701 Жыл бұрын
75 years old. My first trip to a dragstrip was Deer Park, WA, N. of Spokane. Shortly after, 6 years in the Navy. BOY a LOT happened in those 6 years!! USN, 68-74, ETR-2, I maintained GCA RADAR and TACAN at then NAS MIramr, 70-74. Part time job at the auto hobby shop.
@TnTman-dx5qb Жыл бұрын
I hope to some races at the casino in airwayhights hope the get it going for race fans thanks for your service ny pops was in the navy also at the same time as you he was in the gulf of Tonkin on uss Mason thanks I miss him have a lot of respect for people who severed at that time
@SteveMagnante10 ай бұрын
Another great history piece. AMT tooled the Ohio George Mustang AND Willys gassers as 1/25 scale plastic model kits. The Willys was even molded in robins egg blue! Mouth watering stuff for kids of any age! -Steve Magnante
@johnhart125 Жыл бұрын
Grew up with these cars, we raced what we built. George's Malco mustang was state of the art.and a beautiful piece of work a d was super fast! There were a lot of cars in this class that were phenomenal!
@digsstuff Жыл бұрын
George told me the exact same thing you said at the 2004 Gasser Reunion at Thompson, Ohio. That man was a wealth of knowledge.
@randyrobey5643 Жыл бұрын
I didn't know what happened to the Gasser class. I never got to see any Gassers run at our local strip.They were apparently dying off before I got old enough to be interested in Drag Racing in the late 1960s. This is an interesting story. Drag racing history is always fun. Thank you for this video.
@barrycuda3769 Жыл бұрын
Two of my most cherished old magazine's are ,1967 and 1968 Popular Hot Rodding Engine annuals , the 1967 edition has an advertisement for Crane Cams on the back page , with a photo of Ohio George Montgomery 's Malco gasser.
@roberthill2219 Жыл бұрын
I got to communicate with Ohio George a bit when Robert Hill's Drag Racing Page was still a thing on FascistBook... still as sharp as ever and a true legend of drag racing... It was an honor...
@johnzuck6163 Жыл бұрын
Thank you! It’s very good of you to shine some light on this evolution confusion.👍
@fathersonracing11 ай бұрын
My family and I are Road Racers, but I was born in the 50s and you couldn't NOT be a fan of Drag Racing during this time. Thanks you VERY much for a well researched, well presented and VERY entertaining history of the Gassers and Drag Racing in general around that period!
@extramile15011 ай бұрын
always informative and well researched...this one a history lesson in just 12:55.
@Bbbbad724 Жыл бұрын
Thanks Brian I have been arguing about this with people for 40 years. I hope that you can keep on doing this. I love Super Stock, it was a neat era. The 427 Mustangs and Hemi Barracudas.
@chrisgoblin4857 Жыл бұрын
Just found your channel and I love the style. I'm a fan of motorsport in general so learning the histories of the different disciplines is always a good time. Keep it up mate.
@robertlloyd7167 Жыл бұрын
Cool video, Brian! I love learning stuff. I really miss the earlier days of drag racing, when innovation and creativity meant something.
@oldsman496 Жыл бұрын
Another brilliant vid from Mr. Lohnes. Thankyou Brian.
@oaktadopbok665 Жыл бұрын
I was 12 years old when the Malco Mustang came out. I ate those gassers up in the pages of Hot Rod and Car Craft magazines.
@booitsnick Жыл бұрын
My dad made me a 10ft by 15ft poster of that picture of the winged express when I was 6. It still hangs in my living room to this day. The greatest car and driver to ever grace drag racing.
@dongarnier5890 Жыл бұрын
I remember going to drag races as a kid in the late 60's and early 70's. Unfortunately my family moved way far away from any track. Even finding magazines that would tell me about what was going on was impossible(we moved into the sticks). I eventually lost interest, as young kids are apt to do. Thanks for filling in the gaps, it is very interesting stuff!
@joeleonard9965 Жыл бұрын
I can't believe his speed shop is still around! Checking it out tomorrow!
@bmpMMR Жыл бұрын
Keep making these! Finally some history I don’t feel like I should be watching with someone who was alive when it occurred
@Dan-ez6dr Жыл бұрын
Yep good report Brian. Technological advancement has brought on the changes in classes and rules. We were in awe of the gassers and altereds in the 60s. Now we're in awe of Pro Stock and Pro Mod. The A/FX cars became altered wheelbase match race cars and now TF Funny Car. I'm so glad I've been around to see it all happen.
@caribman10 Жыл бұрын
George also progressively altered the Willys body...he trimmed the bottom a few times AND chopped the top, I think twice. And this was an excellent documentary, built on facts, though I still think the Gassers could have continued as a class...given the chance.
@dandahermitseals5582 Жыл бұрын
I miss those days. I was totally consumed in it Building Super stock and gassers. Great historical video. Well done. I'm 80 yrs old now and just live in my memories of the era. Lucky to have been there. Dandahermit
@vehdynam Жыл бұрын
That was very well done ! Many thanks for that; although I , like many others , still love Gassers.
@markwatkins5416 Жыл бұрын
I was lucky enough to have been at an OCIR weekly 8 car top fuel-AA/GS show in 1968. The socal AA/GS cars were beautiful and the drivers were first class showmen.
@user-ThomReec8587 Жыл бұрын
I ran a 57 Chevy Gasser till '75 , Yeh it was at Local Tracks in Central Florida. Had a 301 SBC in 71-2 then a 327 in 72-3 & a 427 in 73-5 The induction was always a Dual Holleys & a Tunnel-Ram. I even drove it on the street (my Hi School car 70-2) till 73.
@68motovator6 Жыл бұрын
Was lucky to meet George, through Jay Brown, at PRI, and what a wonderful man he was. So nice, and knowledgeable. Great Video Brian!
@Sleeperdude Жыл бұрын
Didn’t even realize you had a KZbin channel. This is awesome
@Airsally Жыл бұрын
Great vid. I went to high school and Skip Hess' daughter and one of the Kohler Bros. Son's went to my school. They were alway trash talking each other. And since i only lived a couple of miles from Irwindale race way saw a lot of west coast gassers and funny cars. Great memories.
@michaelmiller94837 ай бұрын
Absolutely incredible just how many gas and nitro cars there were JUST in the greater So.Cal.area!!
@danehawes7262 Жыл бұрын
Back in 2019, I was in Beaver, Utah fueling up and the Malco Gasser hauler was in the lot as well. I took a deep dive into Ohio George, but this video shed a lot more light on the subject for me.
@garagepunkfan Жыл бұрын
Very well done! I thought I knew quite a bit of Ohio George's history; you not only enlightened me with a fair amount of new information, but presented it in a coherent, concise, even handed, and contextual manner.
@brianlohnes3079 Жыл бұрын
Thank you!!!
@rayferguson8889 Жыл бұрын
Great history lesson!! I still love this era of drag racing.
@tresawillis3726 Жыл бұрын
Local drag strips still host pre 68 old school style gassers, and there are lots of really cool videos of these straight axle heroes.
@JonnyHolms Жыл бұрын
Wow, this was excellent, so many pictures 📸 📷 🖼 that i have never seen before, please 🙏 keep making more videos 📹 about car 🚗 racing like this...
@GoingBracketRacing Жыл бұрын
Love these history lessons! Keep up the great work @Brian Lohnes!
@pagecrow795 Жыл бұрын
man, that was great. We got a guy out here in KC town building gassers. Buddy rolled out a 66 Mustang coupe, nose-up gasser. It looks great. noisy cammed small block Ford.
@paulegan1296 Жыл бұрын
The original Willys Malco Gasser is sitting in the Henry Ford museum in Dearborn Michigan.
@IRONHORSE427RACING Жыл бұрын
It's funny how things come and go....but then come back again. There is a giant and fast growing old style Gasser movement all round the country thanks to a few dedicated racers who have kept it alive. The Southern Gasser Association, Southeast Gassers, Midwest Gasser Assoc. Rocky Mountain Gassers, etc...Not so much yet on the West Coast but no doubt it won't be long. There is quickly becoming way more interest in Nostalgia and Gasser racing than the once popular ET Bracket Racing....which in lots of people's opinions nearly killed the sport of Drag Racing...Drag Racing used to be a everyday Joe's sport...you could build a car in your own garage at home and go be competitive....the ET Bracket thing was supposed to do that but now it's become an elite sport as well where Bob down the street with a home built hot rod can't be competitive....well there is a dedicated group of old school racers like the Gasser FOLKS who are changing this and I for one am very glad.
@funone8716 Жыл бұрын
What a great story, gave me goosebumps
@joedobbins8704 күн бұрын
Saw the Mustang at Shuffletown in the 60’s, awesome!
@joen5332 Жыл бұрын
Thanks Brian that was great it also brought back many memories from years past
@Nichole-440HP Жыл бұрын
loved the gassers , the stone woods and cook '41 willys was one of my favorites .
@Adam-nv9zo Жыл бұрын
Great video. I love the history lessons you offer in your content. Keep up the great work 👏 👏 👏
@robertgore8911 Жыл бұрын
I saw the malco gasser willys run at sunshine speedway in largo/st, pete florida back in the 60's as a young track rat.What a bad ass machine it was.If memory serves me it had a beautiful metal flake paint job on it not seen in this video.After the run we all stood around it with our jaws hanging down like we were looking at a flying saucer .Also saw the stone,woods and cook willys run there as well.great memories.👏👍🧙♂️
@MikeFL2TX Жыл бұрын
Awesome!!!!! I was there for several years straight once I started driving. Every Wed for test and tune, Friday for eliminations. Then Thursday for roundy round practice and Saturday for racing. But this was early ‘00’s.
@williamdundon9770 Жыл бұрын
Thanks for the story Brian I love the look of that car and others like it. How about a drag and drive version that would be cool. I know that’s a stretch.
@JohnW1711stock Жыл бұрын
I met George at a nostalgia race about 10 years ago, nice guy. I built models of both his cars. He had the first successful turbocharged drag car.
@irishoxley99411 ай бұрын
I grew up in the 60s ,and frequented most So. Cal , dragstrips .. my favorite was Gas Ronda and The Ritchie bros teams both rivals , And both drove gassers .. gas Ronda with a ford fairlaind gt body and Ritchie bros with an Anglia or English ford .. Ed Ritchie was killed instantly at irwindale ..when his ford hit the guard rail head on 200 yds from the lights .... Sad day
@jclaybaugh2 Жыл бұрын
Loving these videos. Please keep ‘em coming
@johnhuggins3684 Жыл бұрын
65 years old, I grew up at Lyons dragstrip, Spent my 20's street racing SoCal and chasing fast women, Great cars, Great times!
@jamesschoonover506811 ай бұрын
Thanks..great story.. I appreciate how you lay it out chocked full of information.
@SilentT_K Жыл бұрын
awesome video sir, learned a whole lot from this. thank you
@dankok8991 Жыл бұрын
Interesting content, great voice and narration. I love your channel.
@brianlohnes3079 Жыл бұрын
Thank you!!!
@richardturk7162 Жыл бұрын
Saw most of those cars shown in this video. It was a wild time.I'll bet I have some pics of George's cars stuffed in a box somewhere.
@scottrightnour4057 Жыл бұрын
Your drag racing history videos are fantastic. do u like buddy Ingersolls turbo buick pro stock car? that would make a neat video.
@brianlohnes3079 Жыл бұрын
Big misconception about that car. It was a comp eliminator car that IHRA allowed to run one pro stock race. Nhra never “banned” it from pro stock but it never fit tue rules, either. Awesome car and story that is on my list!
@dcstrng1 Жыл бұрын
Saw that clip of Mr. Norm -- remember watching him run back a couple times in the 60s... The gassers were spectacular, live was simpler (and I was a lot younger... :)
@ross2812 Жыл бұрын
Excellent presentation. Substantial work exerted to produce this.
@John-g5n3k5 ай бұрын
I have an anecdote about George and that car. I grew up in Dayton. My friend Danny had a 67 Mustang GT, and the stock 390 was a boat anchor. We were 17 or 18 at the time, and I talked Danny into building a motor for the car and making it a hotrod. There was an older fellow named Joe Klepaz who worked at Brockman's Speed Shop in Dayton and moonlighted out of his garage. He set up rear ends, transmissions, etc., did some work for us and was nice to we two dorky kids, letting us hang out and ask millions of questions. Joe was friends with George and in later years worked in his shop. One day Joe told us George's blue Malco Mustang was for sale. (Rolling Chassis) Our idea was to buy it and make it a street racer, so we went to George's shop. George was not known to be a jovial guy. The first thing he told us was to not touch anything, but we said Joe had sent us, so he let us look around. When we finally got to the point of telling George why we were there, he stared at us with a blank expression as we explained how we were going to make the car streetable. I laid on the best of my 17-year-old technical expertise, thinking he would surely see our logic and love the idea of a rolling billboard driving the streets of Dayton and blowing everyone's doors off. When I finished making my case, he said nothing for a few moments, then proceeded to tell us in very precise technical terms why that was the dumbest idea ever. We left with our tails between our legs, totally deflated. When we saw Joe again, apparently George had called him and said of our visit, "You sent those kids out here, very funny." I don't know if George ever had the intention of selling the car, but Joe roared with laughter at having pranked George and the two of us.
@stealinghubcaps Жыл бұрын
I love this! thank you! And Dork-O-Motive podcast! keep up the great work!
@SomeGuyInSandy Жыл бұрын
Funny cars are great, but nothing looks as fast standing still as a well done gasser.
@kayeninetwo3585 Жыл бұрын
A fantastic education on the evolution of drag racing during its hey dey, the 1960's! Thanks for the very well done video!
@Merylstreep1949 Жыл бұрын
Amazing video on 2 cars that were long running model kits as well. Please do more like this !!!! So cool
@donstevenson2660 Жыл бұрын
One thing that is encouraging is the Ohio and New York area vintage gasser revival circuits. Very popular and really quick.
@nickmurphyisawesome Жыл бұрын
Stellar content. I've seen you on Instagram. But I think the longer format really helps accentuate the story telling.
@Biokemist-o3k9 ай бұрын
Just found your channel. I raced a V-8 vega in the 90's at Maple grove wheile I was in High school. Super cool video my friend. I am starting a KZbin channel as it gets warmer to finish assembling a small machine shop to support the restoration and building of pre War race cars..Hope to see you guys then...
@NBSV1 Жыл бұрын
The fact that they changed the rules so quickly to allow full tube frames shows how the cars were changing anyway and where the class was going. If it had really been some crazy rule bending car then they would have changed the rules to outlaw it. Although, I’ve always been more fond of the fuel altered cars. About as rowdy and noisy as you can get.
@trlprk Жыл бұрын
You are an excellent storyteller sir. Subbed
@brianlohnes3079 Жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@ejgrant5191 Жыл бұрын
My cousin helped the Mallicot Brothers in Northern California. They were long associated with Chrysler Racing into the 1980's and helped with the tech on the GLHS Dodge Omni's SMART DUDES!
@allareasindex7984 Жыл бұрын
Keep doing these! I love it.
@J1W5M7 Жыл бұрын
My dad watched Ohio George race back in the day at Detroit and Milan drag way. He use to race several cars in stock class including his 67 GTX 440. He Has George's die cast Willys and blue Mustang in his 200+ die cast car collection. He said Ohio George's shifts were some of the fastest he'd ever seen.
@joefergerson5243 Жыл бұрын
Excellent video!
@bobnone5406 Жыл бұрын
That car was one of the best AA/GS cars ever made
@MrSuzuki1187 Жыл бұрын
This is SPOT ON!! And as a 16 year old drag racing fanatic since 1963, I personally witnessed George Montgomery destroy the Gasser Class in about 1966 with his late model Mustang. I was attending a gasser meet at the old Alton Dragway in Alton, Illinois where The Greek supposedly ran the first 200 mph pass. On the day of the gasser meet, all of the top names were there racing their traditional cars that we had all come to love. Then, Montgomery pulled up to the starting line and ran times and speeds the traditional gassers could not match due to the superior aerodynamics of his Mustang as opposed to, say, Stone, Woods, and Cooke's 1941 Willys. Even as a teenager, I knew this was all wrong and that Montgomery had just destroyed a part of drag racing we all loved. And who would want to watch what was essentially an nitro funny car running on pump gas and posting times in the 9s and speeds of 150 mph? What a travesty. I will forever hold Montgomery in low esteem, and what he did that day with is late model Mustang canceled all of his previous glory in his traditional gasser so the he personally could win races.
@larrymagee8758 Жыл бұрын
We all know racing is about going faster. The old Willys, etc., just couldn't cut it any more. They were a evolutionary dead end, just like Neanderthals, and were bound to be replaced eventually.
@johnnienitro6812 Жыл бұрын
Wishing here that you might change your mind on George. Somebody was going to do it first. He took advantage of the rules or maybe lack of rules of the day. That's what drag racers do......lol.
@MrSuzuki1187 Жыл бұрын
Would you feel the same way if some guy showed up in the Top Fuel eliminations with a rocket motor instead of a Hemi? Top Fuel racing would be dead forever, just like the gasser class. Same thing as what Georged did. @@larrymagee8758
@just4thetruckofit4 ай бұрын
I helped and learned building the new in the crate Locker rear ends..I worked for Jack Hohl who had done it for years.He was also of course a old freind of his and racer and great mechanic. George was a great guy…this was in the late 60s into 7os.
@Beastiedoggie Жыл бұрын
Yup saw it at US 30 Drag Strip several times
@johnhart125 Жыл бұрын
Seen this car many times, remember this Era so well, great video, gassers were fast exciting cars. Were many😂
@davecavender8227 Жыл бұрын
Great walk down memorie lane
@dockey6942 Жыл бұрын
Good stuff I watch all that racing you just talk about I work for Ford 21 year that 427 over head cammer.was the big talk of racing
@dennispoledna2438 Жыл бұрын
Nice strategic thinking in dealing with the Hemis. They were astonishing engines all right but, a 440 Wedge in the same body style would outpull a Hemi up to 100 MPH, at that speed the Hemi's better breathing took over.
@scottweatherman3266 Жыл бұрын
I watched the AA/G tour in Lexington My in 1970. The gassers were having trouble with bookings due to the emergence of AA/FC
@stuarthightower418 Жыл бұрын
My dad and a buddy built and raced a '56 Chevy at the '56 U S Nationals winning D/Gas.
@monkeybarmonkeyman Жыл бұрын
Ohio George, what a man! What a career!! Excellent video friend, thanks so much... Funny fact for me was I made sure to make my little H.O. Willys slot car an Ohio George car 🙂
@DarrenShaw-ev5tb Жыл бұрын
Brian - Thanx for what you do !
@KatManx20069 ай бұрын
the original "GAS" classes were limited to pre 1940 coupes with upholstery, lights, and wipers. In the early 60s, the rules changed to allow later year cars providing they had 2 doors. In 66-67 I ran an H/G 53 Chevy at E-town and Atco with a straight axle and a jimmy 6 called "Top Cat".
@triix5 Жыл бұрын
My grandpa had a 55’ bel air with a big block Chevy in it back in the day and held multiple track records for years in Nebraska he gave me all his old trophies when I was younger so cool to me
@chrisarcher4098 Жыл бұрын
So glad you made a channel! ❤🤘
@jsmith034086 Жыл бұрын
This was GREAT!! New subscriber.
@brianlohnes3079 Жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@ronniecramer1252Ай бұрын
Even though I grew up, [ born in1952] being a chevy guy, I loved all of the muscle/drag cars of that era. I always thought the Malco Mustang was one of the most beautiful. in 1969 I got to see it run at the old Eldora dragstrip near Fairmont WVa. He made three single passes that day.One of those days burned into my drag racing memories. I also saw Grumpy Jenkins and Ronnie Sox match race there, but thats a story for another time.,