The Amazing Lefty Mudersbach

By Mark Hendon

One of the greatest pure drivers in the history of our sport was one Lefty Mudersbach. This dragster pilot was just unreal in his ability to out-drive faster cars. In my opinion his greatest car was the Chet Herbert owned twin Chevy gas dragster. This car on many occasions would beat the Top Fuel cars. Most times it was done with superb lights and getting his car to hook up. In 1961 he pulled a first that will never be done again. At the Fuel & Gas Championships at the famous Famoso Drag Strip in Bakersfield Ca., he won Top Fuel on gas! This "unblown" dragster beat Jack Ewell in the final. Left ran a super 8.50 at around 180mph!! He beat a field of 75 plus cars.

Lefty was very tough to beat; he would give the nitro burners just fits in the toughest region of Top Fuel racing, So-Cal. He was especially tough at the "greatest drag strip of all time," Lions Drag Strip.

In that fine DVD made by Don Gillespie of Lions there is segment that had live TV by a local station. It shows Lefty Mudersbach and Jack Chrisman getting pushed started, then a great turn around sequence, both cars cackling and sounding so sweet. They come to the line together whacking the throttle; the starter goes over to each car to make sure they are ready. The starter goes to the line with both cars bringing the Rs up and in gorgeous and typical Lions magic off they go, priceless. Lefty Mudersbach was really a stout dragster driver.

The last person I saw who was like Lefty was one of my all time favorites who we lost at Indy in 1996, the late great Blaine Johnson.

I salute the great lefty Mudersbach, a drag racing legend of the 60s.

Mark Hendon