By Phil R. Elliott
This time, I saved the best story for last.
You see, Top Fuel Wormhole is a compilation of tales-of-the-dragstrip a la Cole Coonce, originally written for a variety of places, including Super Stock & Drag Illustrated, Nitronic Research, Bikini, and several other places – even from his previous book, Infinity Over Zero, which I enjoyed immensely and reviewed earlier here on Draglist. https://www.draglist.com/stories/SOD-May-2003/SOD-051303.htm
I have read others’ critiques of Cole’s writing style, even about his blog entries. Many don’t “get” his rather exploded view on topics that seem to some as normal activities – like nitromethane-fueled dragracing. I disagree.
In this world where the word “awesome” is used to describe the taste of orange juice, or in response from a waitperson when I’m ordering a meal, Coonce’s adjective-heavy descriptions about dragsters and funny cars might be the only ones that properly outline this version of mechanical mayhem.
I blame others for this. Many use matter-of-fact newsy styles to report dragstrip happenings so immense to be similar to an A-bomb test or the launch of the space shuttle. It is awesome indeed, and should be described thusly, especially when too much fuel volume is overly compressed and lit at the wrong time. There is a reason that nitro is listed as a Class A explosive…
With that in mind, the fact that “Gonzo Journalism” did not die with Hunter Thompson and that it is alive and well in the big bang-style dragrace prose of Cole Coonce is immense. Reading and understanding his work seems somewhat like conquering a Saturday New York Times crossword puzzle. It gives you the feeling of accomplishment by expanding your vocabulary and your knowledge base. So we human types need to look up a word or two, big deal.
Anyway, I was able to hold off my read of Cole’s expose’ about the Surfers until last, after the crazy stories about riding cross-country with crazy man Neil Bisciglia, and heading to SoCal races with friends whose brains were obviously still in training.
Discussions during some of these rides take on a rather eclectic, late ‘50s beatnik coffee shop tone, actually closer to a mix of philosophy and quantum physics than what might normally occur in most garages or living rooms.
The Surfers story first saw the light of day on the pages of SS&DI, and I consumed it years ago. It was and still is the best revelation about the three penniless surf bums who came, saw and conquered Top Fuel in such a dominating fashion that fifty years later, their accomplishments are still categorized among the mythical.
In fact some younger skeptics have even suggested that what Skinner-Jobe-Sorokin did was so impossible they genuinely feel the whole thing was made up – The Surfers is a concocted comedic drama akin to following some elusive yellow brick road. Could not have happened.
Cole’s version brings reality to these wunderkind who totally knocked the fireproof socks off their competition for two seasons, then shrugged and walked away. Now that is the definition of awesome.
There are many other short and long stories to this compilation. Most are worthy of thorough diagnosis not just a brief skim. There are early memories from San Fernando and Lions, anecdotal memories of “Jocko,” “Big Daddy,” “Wild Willie” and Champion Speed Shop/Sammy Hale. There are in-depth interviews with Shirley and Mendy, Tony Pedregon and John Force. Nearly my favorite of these is a life synopsis of “Wild Bill” Alexander, with plenty of reality snippets about his initial disillusion about driving Top Fuel dragsters.
If you didn’t know already, you’ll discover what real down-in-the-trenches racers actually do and eat on those marathon cross-country pulls to previously unknown strips of asphalt. I’m not speaking of bucks-up, heavily sponsored Pros with mapped out itineraries and plush destination motels at the end of their days. Instead, these are the guys like you and I, barely getting there with our patched up, rusted out tow-trucks, sleeping on floors and sharing towels when available, and eating mayonnaise and white bread sandwiches until we get there. Yes, it is still being done that way.
I did a bit of a search, and copies of the 256-page illustrated Top Fuel Wormhole (Parts 1 and 2) are available in a variety of places; start with Amazon or http://www.ghostracksusa.com
For the price of a couple Happy Meals, It is well worth your search and your involvement in a few hours of time. Buy some for your friends and help them increase their vocabulary as well.
