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Author
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Topic: Cool article/interview
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kid vishus
Gearhead Posts: 4538
From: middle of NC
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 08-27-2002 10:11 AM
   
Here's a good article/interview on Animal Jim. Having met the man in person, and talked with him for a few hours, I can honestly say, he's a very interesting person to hang around with. Full of stories of his past exploits, and full of knowledge of the good old cleveland too.
http://www.competitionplus.com/04_24_2002/animal_jim.html
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Moneymaker
Administrator Posts: 19704
From: Lyons, IL, USA
Registered: May 99
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posted 08-27-2002 10:19 AM
He is a NUT!  ------------------
Alex Denysenko
Co-Administrator and Moderator/ non 65-66 Mustang owner sensitivity co-ordinator NHRA/IHRA/SRA member
NHRA and IHRA SS/LA National Record Holder '00, '01, & '02
Fleet of FoMoCo products including 88 ASC McLaren Mustang #28
Part time secret agent license #0089
Professional Manwhore
The Barry of BarrysGrrl
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kid vishus
Gearhead Posts: 4538
From: middle of NC
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 08-27-2002 11:21 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Moneymaker:
He is a NUT!
Yep! 
But in the context of when I met him, he was a very likable person. Some of those guys that raced back then or still do race, aren't any fun to be around at all.
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Moneymaker
Administrator Posts: 19704
From: Lyons, IL, USA
Registered: May 99
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posted 08-27-2002 11:23 AM
I didn't say that I didn't like him, just that he is a NUT!
We have been pals for years!  ------------------
Alex Denysenko
Co-Administrator and Moderator/ non 65-66 Mustang owner sensitivity co-ordinator NHRA/IHRA/SRA member
NHRA and IHRA SS/LA National Record Holder '00, '01, & '02
Fleet of FoMoCo products including 88 ASC McLaren Mustang #28
Part time secret agent license #0089
Professional Manwhore
The Barry of BarrysGrrl
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kid vishus
Gearhead Posts: 4538
From: middle of NC
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 08-27-2002 11:44 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Moneymaker:
I didn't say that I didn't like him, just that he is a NUT!
We have been pals for years!
I didnt mean for it to come across as if I was implying you didnt like him. That's not what I meant at all. I have tried to talk to some other racers before and they have been "not too friendly", to say the least, and I always wait till they arent busy before I try and talk to them. Still, some of them aren't too receptive of fans or racers of lower ranks.
One of the friendliest guys I have talked to is Doug Mills. The last time I saw him, it had been at least 2 years since we had spoke, and he remembered me. I thought that was really cool. He even came over to our trailer one time looking for parts for his pro mod. Of course we didnt have what he was looking for, but he it was still cool.
[This message has been edited by kid vishus (edited 08-27-2002).]
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Moneymaker
Administrator Posts: 19704
From: Lyons, IL, USA
Registered: May 99
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posted 08-27-2002 08:44 PM
SOme more great and friendly PRO racers Rob are Tommy Lee (a real good bud of ours), Roy Hill (he loves MM and actually aske ME for a n autographed pic)Robert Patrick (another Bud of ours)Tom Hammonds, Reggie Flowers (another MM fan) V. Gaines, Gary Densham, Mike Edwards, Joe Amato and believe it or not Whit Bazemore. All like Fords and Ford racers. Some real a$$holes are Warren Johnson, David Nickens, Steve Schmidt, all of the Jeg boys, Jim Yates, Cruz Pendregon, Larry DIxon, Kenny Bernstien, and Don Prudhome. We see most of these PRO racers week in and week out. Both at the race track and socially at dinner or at manufactures functions. The good ones know us by name and are genuinely very nice and friendly. The a$$holes know us also but treat all of the sportsman racers worse than fans.  ------------------
Alex Denysenko
Co-Administrator and Moderator/ non 65-66 Mustang owner sensitivity co-ordinator NHRA/IHRA/SRA member
NHRA and IHRA SS/LA National Record Holder '00, '01, & '02
Fleet of FoMoCo products including 88 ASC McLaren Mustang #28
Part time secret agent license #0089
Professional Manwhore
The Barry of BarrysGrrl
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kid vishus
Gearhead Posts: 4538
From: middle of NC
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 08-27-2002 09:23 PM
I did meet Whit Bazemore, very breifly at Eddyville last summer. He did seem like a nice guy, but since he has been my faverotie funny car driver since he started racing, I figured I was just being biased on my judgement of him.
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TomP
Gearhead Posts: 4812
From: Delta BC Canada
Registered: Dec 99
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posted 08-27-2002 10:25 PM
Alex... you know Tommy Lee?  Can you get an autographed copy of that video of him and Pamela? hehehe I have met WJ a few times, i didn't find him bad at all. He has a sense of humour. I like meeting many of the old heroes. Gary Beck ,Chris Karamesines , Arnie Beswick , Hubert Platt ,Gas Ronda and Dyno Don amongst others. These guys were pretty brave compared to todays driver (crude machines and safety equipment) and many could have a right to be bitter about being forced out due to spiralling costs, but all i have met seem pretty decent.
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jsracingbbf
Gearhead Posts: 1677
From: Batesville,MS. , U.S.A.
Registered: Mar 2002
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posted 08-28-2002 01:38 AM
Kid, that was a cool article! Ok the only famous race folks I know and they actually know me also is Bill Taylor and Larry Reyes, who drove the kingfish barracuda. Check this web site out. http://lakelandraceway.crosswinds.net/profiles/profiles_bill_taylor.htm ------------------
Jerry Smith
69 Mustang Pro ET Drag
"Only Lil boys wear Bowties"
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Buster
Gearhead Posts: 780
From: Orlando
Registered: May 2002
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posted 08-28-2002 08:13 AM
Yeh, I met Kenny Bernstien once at a Ford deal in Orlando.... Don't care to meet him again.
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Moneymaker
Administrator Posts: 19704
From: Lyons, IL, USA
Registered: May 99
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posted 08-28-2002 09:25 AM
Oh yeah, and DOn Garlits will be your friend for life as long as you buy somehting from him. ------------------
Alex Denysenko
Co-Administrator and Moderator/ non 65-66 Mustang owner sensitivity co-ordinator NHRA/IHRA/SRA member
NHRA and IHRA SS/LA National Record Holder '00, '01, & '02
Fleet of FoMoCo products including 88 ASC McLaren Mustang #28
Part time secret agent license #0089
Professional Manwhore
The Barry of BarrysGrrl
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Dad Vishus
Gearhead Posts: 540
From: Moscow, Iowa, USA
Registered: Dec 2001
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posted 08-28-2002 12:47 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Moneymaker:
Oh yeah, and DOn Garlits will be your friend for life as long as you buy somehting from him.
My experience with "Big" has gone both ways. He was one of my biggest heroes when I was younger and the first time I met him at Cordova several years ago, I bought a shirt and said something like I had been a big fan for a long time and he didn't respond. A couple of years later, we ran Sunday of the World Series and his tow rig was sitting there all day. I kindof kept an eye out for his return and when he did show up, I rode my bike by a couple of times. The last time I rode by, he hollered at me and asked if I could help him put some stuff on a rack in the trailer. I also helped him move Swamp Rat 1 to the front of the trailer so he could get the 56 BelAire he was driving in the trailer. After that was done, I hung around and talked to him about some old racecars from the mid 60s and one that Pete Robinson ran at Cordova in particular. I probably talked to him for half an hour at least. I was thrilled beyond belief. The next time he was at Cordova, he was sitting at his trailer selling stuff, and a racer I know tried to strike up a conversation with him and he just sat there and wouldn't say a word to him or anybody. Very strange. I guess it depends on his mood or something whether he talks or not. I still think of him as a hero regardless. We wouldn't have our sport if it hadn't been for him, his popularity at one time, and his innovations. Read his autobiography sometime. The things he went through over the years are incredible. His museum in Ocala is also a must see. Kid mentioned Doug Mills. Now there is a genuinely nice guy and probably the most unlikely looking drag racer you'll ever see. I see him maybe once every 2 years and he remembers me every time also. Arnie Beswick is another really nice guy, in my opinion. He takes time to talk to just about everyone.
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jsracingbbf
Gearhead Posts: 1677
From: Batesville,MS. , U.S.A.
Registered: Mar 2002
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posted 08-28-2002 01:57 PM
Bill Taylor, Larry Reyes have always been nice to me, and everybody for that matter. If it wasn't for guys like Bill Taylor there wouldn't have been tracks to race at. Bill Taylor, Larry Reyes, Dyno Don & the rest of the A/FX er's of that era really helped the sport. I admire Mr Taylor probably more than anyone I've ever met in drag racing. Including Garlits, Jungle Jim L., dyno Don, Bill Kuhlman, S Muldowney, Bob Glidden and well thats about it. That old track at Lakeland has many memories. I was too young to race there, but I watched often. I got hooked on drag racing at that track. Anyone here ever race there? You can't help but smilw when you go through those old pictures of the place. ------------------
Jerry Smith
69 Mustang Pro ET Drag
"Only Lil boys wear Bowties"
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kid vishus
Gearhead Posts: 4538
From: middle of NC
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 08-28-2002 02:41 PM
Jerry, if they run any IHRA divisional stuff in your area, and you go, if there is a multi hued t-bird there with the name "BossMan" on the door, that is Doug Mills. He currently lives in Florida, but I know he travels to alot of the southern IHRA races running top sportsman. Introduce yourself to him, he is a very nice man that is also full of info. He also used to run clevelands, and that was how I started talking to him. I asked him some cleveland related questions.
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kid vishus
Gearhead Posts: 4538
From: middle of NC
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 08-28-2002 08:34 PM
I almost forgot, I havel also met Tommy Johnson Jr. Since he lives (lived?) less than half an hour from Eddyville, he showed up a couple of times after he had lost his top fuel digger ride, and was trying to sell die cast collectibles. He seemed like a nice guy also.
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Buster
Gearhead Posts: 780
From: Orlando
Registered: May 2002
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posted 08-28-2002 08:39 PM
If its Lakeland Florida your talking about I have raced there.....Most of the racecars have beer holders installed and the track officials don't care either. It's 1/8 mile now and about 1/4 mile long, with a 4 foot dirt hill at the end... better have good brakes, lol.
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jsracingbbf
Gearhead Posts: 1677
From: Batesville,MS. , U.S.A.
Registered: Mar 2002
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posted 08-28-2002 08:52 PM
Buster,
Lakeland WAS a track in Memphis years ago. It was one of the spots like Pomona, Indy and Maple Grove.
http://lakelandraceway.crosswinds.net/index.htm
Jerry
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Moneymaker
Administrator Posts: 19704
From: Lyons, IL, USA
Registered: May 99
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posted 08-28-2002 09:08 PM
I got very drunk with Tommy Johnson Sr. one time in Dallas. ------------------
Alex Denysenko
Co-Administrator and Moderator/ non 65-66 Mustang owner sensitivity co-ordinator NHRA/IHRA/SRA member
NHRA and IHRA SS/LA National Record Holder '00, '01, & '02
Fleet of FoMoCo products including 88 ASC McLaren Mustang #28
Part time secret agent license #0089
Professional Manwhore
The Barry of BarrysGrrl
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