Story from the Past

Pup,

Your story reminds me of the first night I ran Fuel when Clem Johnson and I were a race team in 1957 and it was at the Old Colton Night Drags. The first race I had that night was against the original "Double Trouble" Twin Engine Triumph. We were in the staging lanes waiting to race and the guy that road it was named Tex, he had a slight limp and while waiting our turn I'm sitting on my bike and he walks up to me (I'm already scare because of running fuel) and looks down at me and says "do you go pretty straight" and I stammer back, most of the time. He's still looking down at me and he says "well look out because I'm all over the strip" and walks away. This really startles me and Clem says "that's OK Joe, after the race he will be limbing on both legs". We beat him so bad that I didn't even see him after the race. On the run I went 138 MPH, 10.80 ET.

Triple-Triple

I think anything with two or three motors is going to go fast. My Double was a blast.

Yes, I knew about that Triple and Boris, he ran some amazing times with it. He could ride almost anything and do a good job but it still sounded like a whole bunch of grass cutters.

The Big Three

Jerry,

Yes, I recall all of them especially the one with the three on the front cover. That was a day that I will never for get. Those bikes at the time were called the "Big Three" and the pictures were taken at a Studio in Hollywood California. I remember that I wanted to be the last one to show up but I think Russ and TC had the same Idea, as it was we all got there about the same time. The picture shooting was going along OK until we got to the point of the three together and then there was some discussion on who was going to be in the middle. We all three had our reason for who should be there but it turned out to be Russ because his bike was bigger and it looked lopsided when his was on one side or the other. Of course I had the only real legitimate reason to be in the middle. It was the only USA made bike there. HAAAAAAAAA

Anyway, it turned out to be a great day for me to be included with Russ and TC which were really getting hard to beat at the races. There was six Bike Magazines that I has front cover and that is the only one I have, the others seemed to have got lost in the shuffle.

Two Cycle

Man, I really hated that sound, the first time someone fired one of those things up in the pits everybody started to run, they thought it was Killer Bees.

Lot of the guys started rolling there cars windows up, they thought it was the clean up guy with one of those dirt blowers. HAAAAAAAAAAAA

Proof reading

Fastlane,

Yes, I did that too but don't recall ever getting to proof read a one of them. It might have been because I was hard to get a hold of because of the tour racing, I don't know. Most were close enough that it was OK but there was some I would like to have burned down the store. It's like the news media calling guys that race on the street, Drag Racers, boy do I hate that.

There is a Magazine in Brazil doing a thing about me right now that is suppose to be in the racks this month, I ask to proof read it and still haven't heard from them.

Old Friend

OK, this is Doug Gall, ran a Top Fuel Harley in the old days. Anybody know if he is still around????

No, I was the first on front cover

That's OK Fastlane, it's just me and my pride showing.

Also, anything the media says on there hand held weapon or puts in print is always right even if it's not and if they have there favorites it even more uncontrollable. That's how it was in the old days. Not to mention any names, trying to stay out of trouble, but a guy with the name that rhymed with Book was the worst. I always loved it when the poor guy that won all the marbles in the biggest class running would get little or no mention, not even a picture. In my day, a lot of that went on and there was a reason for it!?

Name this guy

It's not a very clear picture but can any of the old timers remember this guy. He was from Minnesota and can you tell me his name and if he's still around.

Slim is now Tevis

In other words the Slim I knew in the old days at the drags is dead, he made some changes and is now, Tevis, is that right.

Slim is Dead

Are there two Steve's, Slim is alive now? Sure makes me feel better after posting about him in kind of a jest, the hat, the hair.

In all the years I was racing, I never seen Slim without that hat or that hair, he was an intense guy and very loyal to Russ.

Working with kids in the old days

That's a great picture; I always loved working with the kids in my day. Did a lot of stuff with the Boy Scouts, gave safety talks at High Schools, and was even on a Kiddies Show once. Always had fun doing stuff with kids and telling about Drag Racing.

Posting across the Pond

My first Eight Second Bike, Four in Slick and High Gear only.

Crew for Triple Engine Honda

Right on Gordy, that was Slim, RC's number one guy, especially around the Triple Engine Honda Days.

I knew Cook had that bike about that time. Sweet little Triumph. I remember when he showed up at Fontana with those wheelie bars. They continued right down from the down tubes to the rear axle area. He took a hack saw and cut them off after a few runs, they were way to short to be any good.

Puppet, you know how sensitive Jerry is about HAIR, you should take that in consideration more.

Posting from across the Pond

Paso, my friend from the other side of the Motorcycle Dray Racing Fast World. Good to see you make a visit to Mr. Powe's Thread, hope there are many to come

Sorry Fastlane, No that's not Gordon, this is s a another tall and lanky guy.

The Triumph was build by Jim Cook, a guy that got out of racing way to soon. He was the original rider of the Boris Twin Triumph, back in the day when that bike had a Harley trans and clutch on it. This Triumph was probably the first built with a dual back bone (top) in it and it might be the first bike with wheelie bars, not sure.

A bike from the past

Jim Cook's Fuel Triumph with wheelie bars, 1967 or 68 I think, Gordon Kateley should remember what year.

Remember this guy

Any body remember who this is, what's his name and what famous Top Fuel Bike was he the Main Pit Crew Guy.

Other Talents

Just wanted every one to know, especially Puppet. I had other talents, I wasn't always a Motorcycle Drag Racer. You can tell how long ago that was by the picture.

I would have post a Bike Picture with this but couldn't find one that old to fit.

Indy, big MPH

Indy 1974, the only other time the bike went over 180 was at the Ontario Supernations 1975.

OUCH, OUCH

Good Golly Ivy, Forest, no one says that word anymore. Sales Manager in the old days at Laidlaw's Harley, he retired and move to Kansas years ago from the old store.

Every time there was a scene in "Along came Bronson" that required some trick riding they thru in a Sprint, they were plenty around to keep replacing the broken ones, they were all waiting parked on a hill so they could get them started.

I have to admit I use to ride one home from the shop once in awhile...Do you still have that Sprint?

OUCH

Yeal, the Sprint days. Harley's answer to something but no one knew what it was when that mess showed up on the Show Room Floor.

Two Old Guys

Thanks Jerry, really cool that you are thinking of guys like Pup and me, but picking on us has got to stop, we could report you to the AHDRA or the NHRA and maybe throw in the IHRA for the Harassment of the OCDRA (Older Celebrity Drag Racer Association).

I understand the fine is really severe. Six months of riding a Harley Sprint with no seat and you can’t park in on a hill.

You should have looked at some Limey Bikes

Sorry if I lit your wick, didn't know there was a first real eight second twin, never heard or read about it. I had to use American help; it was the only country I knew of that sold any race parts back then. My crew was my wife and I couldn't ask her to lift both ends, that would have been ungentlemanly of me and I hated getting cut off back then.

I remember in the early 70's there was some fuel bikes that showed up from your area at Indy, none even qualified, sorry.

Top Fuel Bikes are Bigger today

Hi ya Pup,
Yes, the Fuel Bikes back then were a lot smaller. When I went to Vegas to watch them for the first time in 30 years I couldn't believe how big they were. My First Eight Second Bike weighted 305 dry with the engine and Trans as far back as you could get and have tire clearance but that was with a stock Harley Trans with nothing in it but High Gear. Over the years I never weight it but it did get heavier because of the different Trans, clutch, rear wheel and tire, etc.

The Double weighted 580 when I first built it but gained weight in the two years I raced it. Back then weight was so important that ever nut and bolt I could replace was alloy. There was a big Hardware (warehouse) in Los Angeles where they had everything like that you could buy at 40 cents a pound, it’s also where I always bought my Fuel Shut off valves, they were all Army and Navy Surplus and really cheap. The place was so big that the first time I went to buy something I was there all afternoon and never seen it all.

My Single was so light I could put the front end in the back of my Pickup myself, needed help to lift the rest in. Yes, they were small and light back then, what a ride.

Bikes that won 1971 Indy

Indy 1971, Winner and Runner up, Top Fuel. Both bikes owned by Joe Smith. Joe Smith Winner on King Rat and Jim Cook Runner up on Rat Too.

My Dad is 60, just passed his license test

Bronze Star,

I envy your Dad, give him a big congrat from Old Joe Smith!!

Is that three brake master cylinders on your Double

Yags,

They were all three brakes Mike. The one on the left handlebar went to the rear wheel, used to load the clutch and also if I felt the tire get loose off the line I could put a little load on the rear wheel and eliminate smoking the tire. Also using it to load the clutch it gave me the feel as using a clutch to launch with, good for mental timing.

That's one heck of a Starter

Puppet,

About the starter is on this page of one of my blogs.

http://joe-smith-drag-racer-true-bench-racin.blogspot.com/

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 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. 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.