Creighton Hunter
Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2006 2:33 pm
From the NHRA site:
Hot rodding pioneer Creighton Hunter dies: Creighton Hunter, who received the 2004 California Hot Rod Reunion Golden Age award, given to those who raced purely for the love of the sport and competition, died Aug. 26. He was 86.
Hunter was one of hot rodding’s foremost pioneers following World War II, and he worked with Frank Stillwell and the late C.J. “Pappy” Hart to establish the historic Santa Ana Drags quarter-mile strip on one of the abandoned taxi strips at Orange County [now John Wayne Int’l] Airport.
Hunter remained an active campaigner with his ’24-T Ford roadster, which ran 151 mph at the El Mirage dry lake and 128 mph at Santa Ana. It was also the first car to carry the now iconic Mooneyes logo. Hunter already had the roadster’s 00 numbers painted on the car, and after Dean Moon gave him a few dollars for sponsorship, pupils were added to the numbers to create the “moon eyes,” which caught fans’ imagination.
After retiring from competition, Hunter remained an active hot rodder and was often seen driving his flathead-powered ’33 highboy roadster in his hometown of Santa Ana, Calif.
Hot rodding pioneer Creighton Hunter dies: Creighton Hunter, who received the 2004 California Hot Rod Reunion Golden Age award, given to those who raced purely for the love of the sport and competition, died Aug. 26. He was 86.
Hunter was one of hot rodding’s foremost pioneers following World War II, and he worked with Frank Stillwell and the late C.J. “Pappy” Hart to establish the historic Santa Ana Drags quarter-mile strip on one of the abandoned taxi strips at Orange County [now John Wayne Int’l] Airport.
Hunter remained an active campaigner with his ’24-T Ford roadster, which ran 151 mph at the El Mirage dry lake and 128 mph at Santa Ana. It was also the first car to carry the now iconic Mooneyes logo. Hunter already had the roadster’s 00 numbers painted on the car, and after Dean Moon gave him a few dollars for sponsorship, pupils were added to the numbers to create the “moon eyes,” which caught fans’ imagination.
After retiring from competition, Hunter remained an active hot rodder and was often seen driving his flathead-powered ’33 highboy roadster in his hometown of Santa Ana, Calif.