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Title: Nhra champion died Post by: sodaworks on February 12, 2006, 07:50:50 pm I just wanted to post a little note about one of my customers that just passed away. Mr. Jack Williams of Bakersfield recently died. He was known throughout the NHRA drag racing community. Jack was the first National Champion of the NHRA back in 1964. He beat out the likes of Don Garlits, Tommy Ivo and Don Produmne to win the Winter Nationals in 1964. The next year Jack retired from racing due to a serious crash that he almost burned to death in. Jack at one time owned Sears Point (Infinity) Raceway, Pheonix Raceway and currently owned the world Famous "Famoso Raceway" in Bakersfield. Famoso is World famous for the March Meets, this is where all the top fuel dragsters and funny cars would go prior to the start of thier season. It currently runs several Nostagic drags a year with attendance numbers above 30.000. People fly in from all over the world. It's pretty awesome to see the top fuel dragsters and funny cars from the 60's and 70's that I watched as a kid being restored to thier original condition and racing side by side. I usually help pit my friends AA/fuel alterd Fiat. Jack was also a pretty serious Pepsi collector. I had sold him a couple of machines to go with his house full of Pepsi Stuff. I'm gonna miss seeing him walk around the raceway with his Hawaiilian shirts, shorts and unlit cigar.
Title: Nhra champion died Post by: coke_and_stuff on February 12, 2006, 08:07:24 pm Sorry to hear about your loss of a friend, collector, and NHRA legend.
Joey Title: Nhra champion died Post by: Creighton on February 12, 2006, 08:52:44 pm Ditto, well said Joey!!
Creighton |