LEGENDS THE SERIES - THE LEGEND OF THE BLUE MAX

It’s hard to imagine that any race car had a bigger international fan base in the 1970s and early ‘80s than did the legendary Blue Max, a Funny Car that captured the imagination of an entire generation of adrenaline junkies.
When the late Harry Schmidt had a replica of a German military medal for valor emblazoned on the side of his race car, he could not have imagined what would ensue. Although the ‘Max’ was exceedingly popular from the day it first rolled to the starting line at the 1970 Winternationals, it didn’t really hit its stride until Raymond Beadle came on board in 1975, first as partner with Schmidt and later as sole owner and driver.
In this episode of Legends: The Series, Season Three, “Waterbed Fred” Miller, D. Gantt and Dale Emery, the mechanical trio whose talents sent Beadle to three NHRA and three IHRA world championships as well as countless match victories in the U.S., Canada and England, talk about their amazing run, their Hall of Fame driver and the unique team chemistry that made all of their success possible.

[@Enzo-wj6zc]

😢😢Man this is murican history, I loved that Blue max funny car as a kid. im a menber of this site.😁thank u from a big fan.

[@KlipschHead281]

I built a bunch of models of the Blue Max back in the day, on the 4th of July around '76 I added a rocket to the back of one and lit it up to go down the street, it exploded while hauling ass!

[@happydays8171]

@@KlipschHead281 Thanks for sharing that, I've built many a model in that day, and pictured The Blue Max turning into a fireball. Must've been something to see!

[@351wmustanggt]

Raymond Beadle was awesome, very fan friendly. Had the chance in the 80's to talk to him one on one in the pits at the Gators one year. He was just standing at the rear of their trailer by himself chillin' out, he said hi as I was walking past and I stopped and talked to him for while. Great guy.

[@stevantammy6779]

You know, back in those days they would let you go right up to the car where they were working. WAY different years later.

[@sp769]

Too many tools going missing.

[@claytencosten7805]

I knew Raymond and dale emery.dale was the the nicest guy I have ever meet to this day. Him and my grandpa became friends I was at his funeral when I was like 12 he gave me one of his old jackets he got I’m 15 now and it still means so much to me.

[@adechapman.1132]

Without doubt my favourite funny car. They were the proper days of drag racing and seeing the Blue max come to the UK was something special.

[@MikeBrown-ii3pt]

Blue Max, Jungle Jim, Snake, Mongoose, War Bird, even Big Daddy and Cha Cha in top fuel...I could go on. I love all forms of motorsports, from local dirt tracks on up. However, I'm a drag racer at heart, and, I was fortunate enough to be around to see these people run during what I consider the "golden era" of drag racing. I'm also looking forward to tomorrow night (8/10/2019), at Summit Motorsports Park (it'll ALWAYS be Norwalk to me!) for Night Under Fire! I had to laugh a few weeks back when a couple of young guys at work asked if I'd heard about someone going 190 in an electric dragster. I said yeah that was Big Daddy. They said huh? Even though they really are drag racing fans, they had NO idea who Don Garlits was! I spent our lunch break educating them. I ended by by telling them that all Big has to do is look at a drag strip to set a record, and, even though he's in his 80's, he still wants to be faster than everybody else.

[@mikebaker9574]

The Blue Max is iconic and always will be. I've been a fan since 70,they were always a threat wherever they went. Great video!

[@rjeff753]

Love the fact when the roof blew off he Blue Max that the other driver born and raised in Lubbock, Tx came to help Raymond and the Blue Max team! They also went to the same High School!

[@austinv9964]

"I'm thinking positive, the rods thinking negative." One of the most accurate lines I've ever heard!

[@scarter176]

The days of REAL racing

[@edwardfoehring8827]

I remember Raymond B. At us 30 in Indiana. He would come into the stands and bet on cars with the brothers. Watching the money go back and forth awesome fun.

[@happydays8171]

Haha, I was there with you, running my bike.

[@notapplicable3805]

The "card game scene" what a bunch of happy go lucky sweet guys! Life was Good!! was, good.

[@skylershank9309]

I remember quite well when Raymond hit the wall at Bandimere, never let off the gas, and won the race! Helluva driver!

[@hondalimited7509]

The Blue Max was a great name, Beadle a great driver. Walked over to his pits once in California and while talking with him he says, You want to get a picture together? So my friend took a photo and still have it to this day in my drag racing photo album He was a very personable guy

[@beebop9808]

I so loved the Max car! I didn't care if it won the race or not, when they had her all decked out in Blue glory it was so beautiful it was orgasmic!! lol

[@balancepoint71]

My cousin Mark Connell, himself a World Record holding Drag boat racer was a major sponsor on this Legendary car. Rio Airways.

[@happydays8171]

Drag racing then was unbelievable then. The heart pounding thunder, anything could happen. Blowers could go sky high, engines completely grenaded after leaving. Oildowns took forever to clean up, and things are safer now, but the excitement, or risk, danger is what I'm searching for isn't there. Racers don't have the personalities of Raymond, or a Richard Tharp, nowadays.

[@toodabutt70]

As a life long fan of the Blue Max team, I really enjoyed this. I watched this car countless times for match races at my local drag strip in Houma, Louisiana. Many times it was against the Candies and Hughes car. or Gene Snow. The Candies and Hughes home base and work shop was about 5 miles from the track "Southland Drag Strip". I will cherish those memories for all of my life. I have several of those picture/post cards of the Blue Max that Raymond would give out at the races. Some of them were autographed by him. I have them displayed on the wall of my shop as a shrine to the Blue Max. I also have a die cast model of it too ( and a die cast model of the Candies and Hughes "Cajun Cuda") I wish this video were 2 or 3 hours long. Thank you for making this.

[@nsfan1956]

I saw the Blue Max and Candies & Hughes at Southland Dragway in the summers of '68 and '69. My uncle took my little brother and me when our mom would drag us to Thibodaux from Houston. Best memories of those years are from that dragstrip.

[@larryphillips7349]

I also was a fan of drags growing up in Southern Cal my dad and I rarely missed a match race or any other at OCIR through the 70s into the 80s. When the racing was raw and just awesome.

[@rodneyf.9595]

Thank you Mr.Bennett as a kid I watched the Blue max turn it on ! Thank you so much for your videos and commentary on some ,guess that's why I grew up opened a shop and build cars are guys like these again thank you.

[@justinmcglocklin1714]

Great clip he was a good guy heck of a racer and a great friend blue max will never be forgotten I still got the old blue max Hawaiian hat he gave me

[@phantomf4g304]

Great memories of The Blue Max, The Snake & Mongoose, Candies's & Hughes, 240 Gordie, rare west coast appearance by Cha-Cha and Big Daddy at Sacramento Raceway. Back when John Force was a nobody. Summer nights off Excelsior road at my home track that this year celebrates it's 50th anniversary.

[@happydays8171]

Gordie Bonin ... probably always be remembered as 240 Gordie by us oldtimers.

[@henrymarek2315]

The blue max was the best!

[@maxxwick246]

I'll take N.H.R.A over NASCAR any day.

[@beeemm2578]

Especially now. Run the race in stages? Pffftttthahahaha. What a joke.

[@darockofjobralter5046]

That was a fantastic look back at one of the big teams of that era. I use to walk over to the drug store magazine rack and check out the drag racing mags. Probably around the late 60’s or early 70’s. I was looking for photos of the Corvair funny car Seaton’s Super Shaker when I found your documentary. Thanks

[@toocamcivic]

Probably my favorite of the series.

[@dianawise1423]

I watch you guys as a child .my father and I bet Penny's one your races best days ever

[@kevinwjohnson614]

My favorite crew.

[@claytencosten7805]

I knew Raymond and dale emery

[@wkmac2]

Less than 2 years later from this, we would lose both D. and Dale within a month or so of each other. I saw the Blue Max race a lot in IHRA and NHRA through the 70's and into the 1980's and this was just a golden age IMO where Team Blue Max played a very significant role in that era. So many legends, less and less remain, sad to have wasted time in not telling them all how much their efforts meant and remain special. RIP to those that have gone ahead and to those who remain, there are not enought thank you's that could be said to convey the gratitude I hold for each and every one of you. You will always be special.

[@nitrofumes2012]

After the big roll over and coast to a stop, I remember Moroso put out a big ad in National Dragster saying that Raymond Beadle would do ANYTHING to show off his new Moroso oil pan!

[@ziggassedup]

Love the old stories..

[@CoRRemixz]

I love it !!!! hell or high water u turned to made it a good show for the people!!! I have build and raced every thing from street cars to promod and then have build and helped on any thing that go's left from midgets to nascar trucks !!! It has all been crazy fun !!!! I haven't turned a wrench on anything race n sent 2016 said I was done!!!! But I miss it alot now !!!

[@cschoen100]

No matter if it was the Schmidt only car, or the mid 70s Mustang with Beadle/Schmidt, or the yellow/blue '78 Arrow, or the '80 Omni and into the 80s Trans Ams...those Blue Max cars were the most beautiful funny car paint schemes ever. Gorgeous! First class operation all the way! Would've loved to been around Beadle when he hooked up with Tim Richmond. Bet those were some good times!

[@donrutter6765]

I liked Jungles paint the best.

[@sergeantmasson3669]

@@donrutter6765 One of his long nose Vega cars was originally ours and we sold to him in 1974. That car is now at Don Garlits drag racing museum in Ocala FL.

[@TheStevelargent]

I would ride my bike down to Reeder Road with a friend, David Graves, to watch them work on the Blue Max. Circa 1973? maybe?

[@jamiesmith143]

Great show, brings back good memories!!!

[@charlesmitchuson1790]

OnE of the best teams ever in drag racing !!!!!!

[@roastbeef441]

Love this nostalgia stuff! Great behind the scenes!

[@Hopeless_and_Forlorn]

Funny about that Blue Max name. One day In 1966 I stopped by Harry Schmidt's house to see what Harry and Mike Burkhart were doing to their Chevy II funny. After lunch Harry wanted to see a movie, so he and his wife Carol, Mike and I went up the street to the Inwood Theater and watched The Blue Max. Harry came out raving about how great the movie was. I think he made a connection between fighter pilots and drag racers. I moved away from Dallas not long after that, but when I heard that a new funny called the Blue Max was the car to beat, I thought, well, that's Harry.

[@mothertree]

wow...thanks a lot for sharing that with us

[@mcfritter]

Hopelessand Forlorn that's awesome. One of those tid bits of history that most people would ever know. Thank you for sharing that story

[@Kibra45]

Hopelessand Forlorn thanks that was a great story

[@Kibra45]

Great story

[@georgeadams8230]

One of the best racing videos ever.

[@relifsa]

This sure brought back a ton of memories. As a kid my mother worked in the office for Raymond @ Blue Max in Dallas. I would run around the shop and try to help! lol seeing these guys sure hit home how lucky I was. Oh and the stories I would hear lol they had fun!

[@Gottworace]

Personality was great in those day's.

[@tootall5559]

yep this was my fave funny car back in the day. Back when the cars had names, not just sponsors.

[@johnmarksmith1120]

The halter tops sound like something John Force would do, except he’d also “Give away matching yoga pants”

[@flyinsossers]

He is my second or third cousin. Only got to meet him one time. He gave my brother, sister and I hats and T shirts with the Blue Max on it. I wore that shirt every day until my Mom made me take it off. Was hoping to see him at family reunion in Spur Texas back in the 80’s, but he was racing at the time if I remember correctly. Saw his car at Don Garlits museum in Florida a few years ago.

[@williamfreeman6327]

Awesome

[@RayTuttle-of5qd]

When was the last time you’ve seen funny cars doing dry hops that was pretty cool

[@scarter176]

Y’all were the Best

[@imtheonevanhalen1557]

THE coolest funny car idea would be a BLACK MAX so as to not infringe on the original, but pay homeage to Beadle.... THAT would be something else in the days TF cars and Funny Cars run tenths apart.....@1000'.....Raymond would be proud!!!

[@OldIronRC]

Great series, very enjoyable. Keep 'em coming.

[@spencergorringe9448]

Great video ! I am from Brighton , England an have been a Drag Racing fan since my early youth in the mid '70's . In this video , at 17:10 + where the roof " blew off " ( stop giggling at the back ! ) I remember a quote not in this video... where Kenny Bernstein said :- " Gonna' be a nice pretty car blue 'n' red ! " . Must have been 77 or 78 ?? Things like that stay with you for ever ! Thanks for the memories .

[@spencergorringe9448]

OK .. Competiion plus page says it was the Winternationals @ Pomona in 1981 ! ( Glad I checked first then ! )

[@spencergorringe9448]

competitionplus.com/featured-stories/9314-blue-max-%E2%80%93-red-roof-the-great-roof-swap-of-1981 The " Full Story" here !

[@kaopua1972]

Had the centerfold where his zombies are lighting up the room back in the 80s

[@raymondflowers2167]

Had to be in the 90's sometime, when I went to the Dallas race every year. I was getting Shirley Muldowney's autograph, and a quick chat, when Raymond walked up to her, they shared a kiss, quick chat, and he started to take off. She asked me who to make the autograph out to, and I told her my name, and she didn't quite hear it, and I said Raymond, like his, pointing to Beadle. And she said I didn't think anyone would recognize him. Raymond looked really old that day. Hard to recognize him. I want to say it was the time when 4 or 5 female TF drivers were trying to qualify at that race, May have been something like Shirley, Shelly Anderson, Cristen Powell, Lori Johns, etc.

[@johnwilburn]

Don Prudhomme's look at 12:08 said it all.

[@happydays8171]

Don hated losing, would not give an interview if he lost. The only losing interview he gave was 2 weeks after Tom McQewen lost his son to leukemia, and Prudhomme hazed the tires at Indy in the finals to McQewen and they cried under the cover of the funny car shell.

[@jameshale1556]

love drag racing bring back NHRA 2 The Motor City Detroit Michigan

[@artmchugh5644]

James Hale sibley at Dix !!!! Been there😄

[@69Applekrate]

nicely done. thank you

[@qibble455]

"Come hell or high water you press on"

[@jkammes902]

exelant!!!

[@TheStevelargent]

Does anyone have the video from the Longhorn Nationals at the Dallas International Speedway circa around 74-75? Blue Max won the funny car. Blue Max was in the left lane. There was a bad spot in the track on the left side.

[@Louis-qi1gz]

Watching those guys , the yung ones did all kinds of different things , but the old dude was installing the Pistons 🤔 what does that tell you

[@onazram1]

great guys! would have been nice if you identified them..

[@spencergorringe9448]

@ 23 seconds ..... D Gannt , " Waterbed " Fred Miller & Dale Emory . . . :)

[@spencergorringe9448]

Sorry , Dale EmEry !

[@jasonwarren7111]

what is the songs name just after the halter top part at 14.10 .p.s. great video Lol hot chocolate-everyone's a winner

[@samgarofalo2461]

Jason Warren kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y4Spd4WXfrqcqbs

[@AAFC733]

Thanks for these documentaries and Comp Plus. D. Gantt worked for Borsch and Fred Goeske? Definitely 2 legends but a segment with Gantt would be just as informative and historical. How about Gary Beck? Jerry Ruth? 70s-80s SIR regular Jim Dunn? [Not only 64 FCs in the Dunn/Velasco Satellite but '77 and '79 Fallnationals runner-up.] This was the beginnings of the true comeback of Jim Dunn leading to the '81 Finals Victory that I was lucky enough to see at OCIR. Paul Smith would be a good choice. The great Leonard Hughes. Just some suggestions, and thanks again for the series.

[@CompetitionPlusTV]

Joe Moore - Beck is coming up in season 4 - just pulled the footage yesterday

[@CompetitionPlusTV]

Joe Moore - we’ve also shot Jim Dunn, who is also in Season 4

[@AAFC733]

Fascinating series you have, and a moderated, civil, Comp plus website.

[@cmphighpower]

When they were playing cards who was the big guy withe the beard? Poncho Rendon?

[@troyottosen8722]

Hate to say it but met the snake. And he was a cold guy!simplle!

[@sergeantmasson3669]

I met/talked with Don Prudhomme several times and raced against him a couple of times. I greatly disagree with your opinion of him.

[@scarter176]

Talk about the Rolex watch debachle

[@sergeantmasson3669]

At one time, the Blue Max Mustang FC ran a Ford 427 SOHC engine.

[@CompetitionPlusTV]

Not that we didn't do it 22 seconds into the video

[@chrislore2681]

Anybody got change for a thousand LOL

[@sergeantmasson3669]

Those went away in 1969 and were greatly rare before then.

[@chrislore2681]

@@sergeantmasson3669 ......really??????....I thaught it was a joke lol

[@sergeantmasson3669]

@@chrislore2681 Joke, or not, $1000 bill was discontinued by the US Treasury back in the 60's.

[@chrislore2681]

@@sergeantmasson3669 ......I believe you......thaught it was prudhommme busting chops

[@Fitch93]

Was that Jack Roush in that card game?

[@GrocMax]

Tharp.

[@davidroberts2404]

R.i.p Dale Emory

[@jeffd3660]

Great episode .... too bad they didn't master the volume so the sound stays at one volume instead of up down up down up down 🤔🙄