Top 10 Reasons Top Fuel Racing In the "Golden Era" Was Way Cooler Than It Is Now

By Jerry Gross

10) Cars and drivers had neat names, re: "The Mangler" (my favorite), "The Chizler," "The Guzler," "Brief Encounter," "The Vagabond," "Wheeler Dealer," "Magicar," "Longshot," etc., etc. Names like "Snake," "Zookeeper," "The Greek," "TV Tom," "The Mongoose," "The King," "The Ridge Route Terrors," "Stormin' Norman," "Jeep," and on and on.

9) 64 car fields! Not an everyday happening, but so many more cars and more places to race. Especially So-Cal - three to four days a week, and at night, too. Very cool!

8) Smokin' the hides all the way... extremely cool!

7) Variety and innovation. The trick of the week, experimentation, and new ideas were rampant.

6) Three guys with jobs could field a fuel car and be competitive. Some did it with less!

5) Wheelies! A lot more common then, amplifying the already exciting and ferocious action.

4) Dozens of stars, personalities, and characters, any one of whom could step up and win a given event. Real folk, doing what they loved.

3) No big corporate influence... 'nuff said.

2) No stinking 90% rule! Throw in the can, label, and lid!

1) It wasn't easy, but it was FUN!

They say you can never go back, but we can reminisce all we want and enjoy those memories over and over. That's why the 1320 Group exists and I love it!

Jerry Gross
AKA G-Man
jerdeb@stargate.net