Several years ago, the National Football League mandated to their professional teams that each franchise had to, on one weekend, wear the same jerseys and uniforms from an era in their past history. Several teams adopted the helmet emblems, jerseys and colors of their teams dating back to the 1930s through the 1970s. Let’s suppose for a moment that same edict was passed down to the Funny Car teams in NHRA POWERade drag racing tour.
CompetitionPlus.com joined forces with up-and-coming graphic designer Greg Russell to create a few fantasy scenarios.
Several years ago, the National Football League mandated to their professional teams that each franchise had to, on one weekend, wear the same jerseys and uniforms from an era in their past history. Several teams adopted the helmet emblems, jerseys and colors of their teams dating back to the 1930s through the 1970s. Let’s suppose for a moment that same edict was passed down to the Funny Car teams in NHRA POWERade drag racing tour.
CompetitionPlus.com joined forces with up-and-coming graphic designer Greg Russell to create a few fantasy scenarios. Don’t get angry if we left off your favorite drivers and/or classic, a Part 2 is already in the works.
#1 – JOHN FORCE, CHI-TOWN HUSTLER
The name emblazoned on the rear quarter-panel says it all – Force and Coil. When Austin Coil left the Chi-Town Hustler in the mid-1980s to join a former television pitchman in his bid to become a Funny Car legend, he did so at the risk of the Chi-Town Hustler image. We can see it now, Indianapolis, NHRA U.S. Nationals, and the Chi-Town Hustler – with John Force and Austin Coil.
# 2 – GARY SCELZI, WAR EAGLE
When we talked to our longtime friend Dale Pulde regarding this project, we asked who he wanted to represent the car that quickly evolved into a Seventies Funny Car iconic figure. The immediate response was Gary Scelzi and we have to agree. The War Eagle floppers as we remember were always Pontiacs, except for the 1985 Buick Sommerset Regal. Where can we buy the t-shirt?
#3 – RON CAPPS, REVELLUTION
Hello … Don Schumacher … you reading this? Just a simple conversation with Ron Capps will quickly show his admiration for tuner/crew chief Ed McCulloch. McCulloch had some pretty neat cars in his domination of the Funny car class, but if we were to pinpoint the most defining car of McCulloch’s car – it had to be the Revellution Mopar.
#4 – ROBERT HIGHT, L.A. HOOKER
There’s nothing like keeping the tribute within the family. If Force wasn’t such an incredible fit for the Chi-Town Hustler, we would have gladly put him behind the wheel of the L.A. Hooker to honor his uncle Gene Beaver. Not to let the opportunity pass, Force can simply put son-in-law Robert Hight behind the wheel.
#5 – TONY SCHUMACHER, U.S. ARMY
Tony Schumacher has said the roundy-round experience recently was nothing more than scratching an itch to go in circles. Remember a few seasons back when he flirted with the idea of running a Funny Car. Hey, if you’re going to run under the Army banner and you’re going to drive a Funny Car, this one makes perfect sense to us.
#6 – TOMMY JOHNSON, JR.
Before there was the Budweiser King, Kenny Bernstein fielded a highly competitive Plymouth Arrow representing his Chelsea Street Pubs. Bernstein has retired from driving and appointed Tommy Johnson, Jr., to fill the opening. How awesome would it be to see another Chelsea King Mopar thundering down the quarter-mile?
#7 – DEL WORSHAM, BLUE MAX
Del Worsham brought out a Raymond Beadle tribute car in 2005 and received rave reviews from the racing community. Is there really any driver that is more fitting of Raymond Beadle’s tribute? Because Worsham ran the mid-1970s version, we dipped earlier in the decade and brought out the Harry Schmidt and Raymond Beadle power blue version.
#8 – JACK BECKMAN, STARDUST
How can you do a throwback and not have Stardust? We would have used the Wonder Wagon, but we got beat on that one. The same way with the yellow version, got beat on that one. The red Stardust was ripe for the picking and he jumped right on it. Jack Beckman fills this bill and should be perfect.
#9 – JERRY TOLIVER, BLACK MAGIC
Jim Beattie’s Black Magic entry was simply awesome in its day. When you think of the drivers that fielded this classic ride, you reel off names like Al Segrini, D.A. Santucci and R.C. Sherman. Add another one to that colorful list – Mr. Rockstar himself – Jerry Toliver. So let’s see … under the DSR umbrella … War Eagle, Army, Revellution, Stardust and now Black Magic.
#10 – JON ASHER, BRAND-X
We’re still begging Jon Asher to write the article – a tribute to his 35th anniversary of his famous series, I Drove a Funny Car on Fire. Asher is seriously considering it, too. How appropriate for the Throwback Weekend that Asher makes a special appearance behind the wheel of Cecil Lankford’s Brand-X Mustang.
