Eldon Ediger from Colorado Springs, CO. raced this early Corvair powered Funco at the Pikes Peaks Hill Climb.
A different kind of off-road racing for sure, several funco's have left there mark on the Peak. Most ran the same type of suspension packages as true offroad racing. Biggest change would have been the tire selection. Big and littles worked best. Back then most drivers used their cars in normal off=road events during the rest of the year.
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I played in sprint buggys at a bit at Ascot in the early 70s. The Grizzly chassis wasnt much to talk about, Newman-Dreager cars on the other hand were way to cool.
The Grizzly did not have the spot light that much until the Mears Gang started running them. Both Roger and Rick drove them on tracks in California before each of them moved on to other racing adventures.
I have worked with both Doug Dreager and Paul Newman on the history of their race cars. We have found several that have survived. Always looking for additional pictures and info on the N/D cars and drivers.
One still races hill climbs with the CHCA in Colorado. Not much of the Newman-Dreager has been left untouched,but you can still see the spirit and soul of the original race car. Trevor Stewart raced it at Temple Canyon Hill Climb this past May. It is the same car that Gary Lee Kanawyer won Pikes Peak with in 1981.
Several drivers went from Grizzly race cars to Newman-Dreager cars on the tracks in California and also at the Pikes Peak Hill Climb
The Newman-Dreager was also sold under the name of Kit Car or TT Kit Car. The red car racing on the track was a DDS VW motor with a blower, driven by Doug Dreager.
Anyone else got pictures of other Newman-Dreager race cars?
The last picture is of three Ascot Champions who also raced on Pikes Peak
[QUOTE=colorado_aircooled;1427272]Several drivers went from Grizzly race cars to Newman-Dreager cars on the tracks in California and also at the Pikes Peak Hill Climb
The Newman-Dreager was also sold under the name of Kit Car or TT Kit Car. The red car racing on the track was a DDS VW motor with a blower, driven by Doug Dreager.
Anyone else got pictures of other Newman-Dreager race cars?
Pretty cool cars for a sailboat builder, huh? I haven't seen Dreager for a couple decades, but I used to see him at his shop after he stopped doing cars and was building amusement park rides. Buddy of mine raced sailboats and knew him from that. Very accomplished guy. Too bad the county he worked out of was anti-offroad cars!
Both of them are still into building things that work better and go faster. Doug is working on a streamliner for the Salt Flats. ( crazy top speeds). Paul has a shop that builds chassis for 55-57 Chevy's and Street Rods that are top shelf and makes those cars handle like Corvettes.
For those on RDC, that have heard about Riverside, but had never seen the place, here is a photo from the Grandstands, at the top of turn 6, at Riverside Racway. The jeep, is the class 3 entry of Kevin O'Connel, a fellow Tucsonan. the date is either 82 or 83. They won class 3 that day. AND, that jeep, with the SAME PAINT, ran in last years NORRA event !
First pic is 1979 score riverside in the Chuchua CJ-7. Next is 1976 Mint 400,I was 17, senior in high school.They combined class 3 & 4 for a total of 52 4x4 entries,we were 8th 4x4,3 rd. class 3.I vividly remember Ray Russell winning,and meeting him at the award's.We became friend's.One weekend I went by his shop while visiting a friend and Ray say's get in the truck we're going to my house because the riverside race is on t.v and I want to see if they show the roll over in the Jeep celebrity race.That man put together the most well built super sanitary car's there ever was,and he could drive.That's been one of the coolest thing's about off-road racing,you become friend's with everyone you meet.
I remember that David. Don was upset because he thought I should be chasing for him Instead of Ray because I rebuilt his Jeep. He got 2nd. Dang Don You couldn't finish races before.
C P R__Cummunication-Preparation-Respect=Baja Wins.
here's a shot of the 2 seat blazer that ended up down under. a guy named jim hunter had purchased it from Old Man Emu. it was shipped back here and raced the 86 1000 with randy salmont. we had to run it in class 2 where it was very much out classed at that time. after the race it sat at nelson's shop in hemet for briefly until it was sold to don adams. i've got more shots of it from that event but they are on film.
jim came back the next year with a right hand drive 87 falcon "ute" that we raced in class 6 and won. it had the blazers spare trans in it. i've posted pictures of that unique truck in the class 6 thread at one time.
Wrong Blazer. I picked up Don's Blazer from Scoop myself at the horse track.Prepped it for 2 years with Malcolm and Don alternating driving. Won the class 2 championship. For as I know he still owns it. He doesnt get rid of anything. I would love to prep it again to run Norra. Probably not going to happen.
C P R__Cummunication-Preparation-Respect=Baja Wins.
Originally Posted by Bryan Racing
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