Collector Car Corner: Atco Dragway Funny Car memories
Sent 7/13/15 for use at will
By Greg Zyla
Cutline: Ronnie Sox showed up at Atco with his all-new 1966 Plymouth Barracuda, running a similar engine as Cecil Yother’s winning MOPAR. The only funny cars on site that night to feature “flip top” bodies were the Mercury Comets, but they weren’t the first ever full fiberglass funny cars. Read this week’s column to find out who built the first ever all fiberglass funny car. (Photo courtesy of former Lions Drag Strip)
Extra PHOTO if desired, below
Cutline: The first ever all fiberglass funny car award goes to Bruce Larson, Dauphin, Pa. former Funny Car World Champ and his 1996 Chevelle. It is shown here as it sits in the Don Garlits Museum in Ocala, Florida. (Photo complements Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing).
Q: Hi Greg! I came across your article on “Rare Comet Cyclone GT” recently and noticed that you had seen Dyno Don Nicholson at Atco Dragway in Berlin, New Jersey, in the summer of 1966.
I was there also, and remember Dyno Don being there with his all fiberglass flip top Funny Car and Jack Chrisman, too as part of an eight car show. I was wondering who won the event, as I remember other years but the 1966 event is driving me crazy as to who won it all. Do you remember?
What I remember about that night in 1966 was Atco being totally packed, as I was in the sixth-grade and had to beg my family and friends to go. I knew then it was a special era. I hope someday columnists / writers like you would do a compilation of these 1960's - early '70's events that didn't make it into the magazine columns of Car Craft, Hot Rod, or the area newspapers.
Also, my sister owned one of those 1966 Mercury Comet Cyclone GT's with a 390, single four barrel, 4-speed, and fiberglass hood. Thanks for the article. Tom Wagner, email from New Jersey.
A: Tom, thanks much for your letter and comments. Of all the funny car races I’ve ever attended, I will never forget that night at Atco Dragway. It was on a Wednesday night in August of 1966 and as you explain, it was packed. Matter of fact, it was so packed that after the first round, the fans literally broke down some of the fences and had to be pushed back before round two started. Luckily, my brother Mike was a newspaper photographer and he and I had starting line access.
In the final round, it was Ronnie Sox in his new Gate City Motor Company 1966 Barracuda with a 426 injected Hemi against Cecil Yother in his topless Melrose Missile ‘65 Plymouth Satellite, also running an injected nitro fed 426 Hemi. Yother won, with Sox receiving the runner-up laurels.
The others there that night that I am sure of included Houston Platt in his Chevy II; Darrell Droke in his red mustang and the only one running a blower; Dyno Don in his ’66 Comet flip top; Eddie Schartman in his sibling flip top Comet; Hubert Platt in his Mustang and also Al Joniec in his injected “Batcar” Mustang.
Although I’m not exactly positive Chrisman was there, if you say Jack Chrisman was there, I’m buying it. I was leaning to the “Limefire” all-green Barracuda, as I saw it run at Atco many times with driver Clare Sanders. If readers out there remember the eight cars, or better yet even have photos, please let us know. (My brother’s photos have long since disappeared).
Here’s some trivia I learned weekend when I attended the York US 30 2015 Drag Racing Legends Reunion show. I asked former NHRA World Funny Car Champion Bruce Larson about that field at Atco, and although he didn’t recall all the cars because he was racing elsewhere, he told me that although Nicholson, Chrisman and Schartman received all the publicity for being the first all fiberglass body funny cars, it was actually his 1966 USA-1 Chevelle that was the very first full fiberglass body funny car although not a flip top design. Larson explained he still had the doors working to access the driver seat, but the Comets got all the press because the body flipped up.
So, when it comes to flip top fiberglass funny cars, the Comets were first. When it comes to all fiberglass funny cars, Bruce Larson receives the nod.
As for your sister’s 1966 Comet Cyclone GT, if she had it today she would be sitting on some serious money as the Comets from back then are rarer than ever and very difficult to find in nice condition.
Thanks for the memories, and hopefully someone will remember that eighth car at Atco that night in 1966...when nitro funny cars kicked off the biggest and wildest craze drag racing had ever experienced.
