NHRA Bands Hydrazine

TwoFaced,

Yes, Hydrazine is bad stuff. NHRA in the old days put the Yellow dye or what ever it was in Nitro to detect Hydrazine; they didn't want anybody to run it after some bad "Bangs". I remember Leo Payne had one gallon buried in the back of the shop at S&S Cycle, don’t know what ever happened to it.

The first contact I had with PO was from the guy that introduced the stuff to the Drag Racing Motorcycle World, Richie Richards. He had a pint can of it when we were in my garage/shop and he took the lid and filled it with PO and poured it on the garage floor, stepped about five foot away and dropped a lit match on the floor and it lit that PO. I right away started learning about mixing the stuff with Nitro. I found I didn’t need a lot to help the Alkie become a good igniter.

Here’s something of interest. I was at Union Grove on a Match Race with the local big shot fuel bike guy and I needed some Nitro. I went down the Top Fuel Car line asking to buy some and came to Big Daddy Don’s pit area, and he said he would give me what ever I need for the race. Then he asks me what color do you want? He had pure Nitro in Red, Blue, Green and the original yellow. This was during the Hydrazine band time. I took the yellow and never ask about the colors and still don’t know.

Visit from my Aussie Friend, Baz

When Baz came to visit me he brought his friend John Noonan who supplied this photo to me. Does anyone know who it is?

Show or Entertainment

I can understand how you feel about the show part. I always felt there was two parts to entertainment. If I accept a Match Race from my Booking Company it was usually against a car, usually an impossible win, I consider those as being Shows. If it was a Match Race against a another Motorcycle it was usually a Challenge by someone that thought they could or might win, thats what I consider as Entertainment. I loved doing both and I was very good at both. When I was racing with no bar, if I needed to carry the wheel for a little more excitement I could, therefore enter the Show.

I just wish I could still do it, Entertainment or Show, I loved them both.

Columbus and National Trails Raceway

When I was in Columbus to Exhibition at National Trails Raceway I sometimes put my Drag Bike on display at the local Harley Dealer. This is Columbus Harley Davidson and the bike is sit up inside, they wanted my truck sitting right where it is.

At the time it was owned by two very Young Owners, I was surprised that there was no one working there that was over 25. There special room (as they called it) had a bar, juke box, carpet, pillows on the floor and very dim lighting. On the wall was that large Black Light Poster of my Eight Second run that Harley did.

Always had a great time there.

Bowling Green

Every year at the big Bowling Green Bike Meet I would drive over into Indiana and hit five TV Stations to advertise the up coming race. This is one of the two that was done live.

Lost Cause

Hey Pup,
I'm still for something, but I don't know what it is anymore!