Watching this on Christmas Day 2023 and shaking my head: Paula Murphy and Don Schumacher both passed away last week, just one day apart. R.I.P. legends.
Sad news re Paula and Don "the Shu". Met them both at Santa Pod in 1973...Just watched the video of The International meet at The Pod, 1973...I can recall a fair bit of that day...Thank you for letting me know about Paula and Don...:(:(
I was there when the Transcontinental funny car crashed. Hard to believe it was 50 years ago. The reason for the speed issues was the lights at the Pod used a much shorter speed trap than the strips in the USA. Ed Shaver's rear engine funny car eventually acquired a Reliant Scimitar body and I remember it laying two long black lines through the newly re-painted 'piano key' markings at Blackbushe in the early 80s. I also remember a great quote from one of the US servicemen who were regulars back then. When asked how he liked being in England, the reply was, 'a darn sight better than being in Vietnam.'
At 2:13 On the left is my dearly missed father, John Ledster, then running his mustang 289 called mr 10% (the rate of vat at the time) he later ran the mustang in pro stock with a flame paint job and changed the cars name to BIG JOHN. later in the 80's he became the race director at santa pod for 8 years ,and we were allowed to spread his ashes over the startline in the spectator lane as a fimily tribute to his love of drag racing.
That starlight was the old funny car that was stolen from the sheds at santapod.Any news on that?. Used to like doing a few hrs in the cow shed.loved Dennis priddle.
Wow, loved watching that. I was there in 1973.
Watching this on Christmas Day 2023 and shaking my head: Paula Murphy and Don Schumacher both passed away last week, just one day apart. R.I.P. legends.
Sad news re Paula and Don "the Shu". Met them both at Santa Pod in 1973...Just watched the video of The International meet at The Pod, 1973...I can recall a fair bit of that day...Thank you for letting me know about Paula and Don...:(:(
What a little Gem! thanks Nick this was a real flash back
I was there when the Transcontinental funny car crashed. Hard to believe it was 50 years ago. The reason for the speed issues was the lights at the Pod used a much shorter speed trap than the strips in the USA. Ed Shaver's rear engine funny car eventually acquired a Reliant Scimitar body and I remember it laying two long black lines through the newly re-painted 'piano key' markings at Blackbushe in the early 80s.
I also remember a great quote from one of the US servicemen who were regulars back then. When asked how he liked being in England, the reply was, 'a darn sight better than being in Vietnam.'
At 2:13
On the left is my dearly missed father, John Ledster, then running his mustang 289 called mr 10% (the rate of vat at the time) he later ran the mustang in pro stock with a flame paint job and changed the cars name to BIG JOHN.
later in the 80's he became the race director at santa pod for 8 years ,and we were allowed to spread his ashes over the startline in the spectator lane as a fimily tribute to his love of drag racing.
Fantastic! Thank you for these great vintage Drag racing videos.
Enjoyed the show Thank you and God Bless us all
The music at the end rocks.
Brilliant piece of history. Well done nick!
Crazy how Stu Bradbury used to grab hold of cars in stage when the drivers had no idea what he was doing.
Brilliant about the time I was going in the 70's😮 Alot as changed from those days especially FIRE burnouts
In the Nancy v. Pratt "discussion", is that Roy Phelps in the background wearing orange/ brown overalls and remaining completely calm.?😀
Yes that's Roy... 🙂
Yes. He once gave me a lift me back to London in his Caddy, we hit the ton on the M1.😁
😎
Time Machine!
That starlight was the old funny car that was stolen from the sheds at santapod.Any news on that?.
Used to like doing a few hrs in the cow shed.loved Dennis priddle.