FUNNY CARS FOREVER!

Words and photos by Ian Tocher

There was no shortage of racers and fans recalling the glory days July 27-28, as the Inaugural Boninfante Performance Clutch Parts Funny Car Reunion brought a little drag racing history back to life at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park. More than 30 floppers in various stages of restoration or replication -- many of them well-known northeastern campaigners -- made the trek to Englishtown, with 16 of them making laps in two sessions on Sunday afternoon.

Leroy Blackmann, from Absecon, NJ, went a best of 8.03 at 168.41 mph in his Blue Moon Racing Monza.

Among the notable racers in attendance were former Funny Car pilots Bruce Larson, R.C. Sherman, Joe Jacono, jet car driver "Slammin' Sammy" Miller, and former NHRA Director of Competition Steve Gibbs. Top Fuel legend Don Garlits was there, too, but "Big Daddy" was concentrating on getting his mono-strut winged Swamp Rat 34 ready for a Wednesday night date against Shirley Muldowney. (Muldowney wound up winning both rounds.)

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The track announced attendance of more than 8,500 spectators at the reunion and confirmed to promoters Steve Bell and "Berserko Bob" Doerrer that it would host the reunion again next year.

"We couldn't be happier with how it turned out," Bell said. "There were a few problems, especially with the parking of the teams on Saturday, but overall we think it turned out really well. The racers seemed happy and the fans turned out and seemed happy, so we really couldn't ask for more."

DRO DRY HOP WINNER

Drag Racing Online presented a $250 check to Edison, NJ's Willie Johnson (left) for doing the best dry hop (by far!) at the Funny Car Reunion. Johnson, with crew chief Todd Bechtoldt, also ran a career-best 8.72 at 148.36 mph in the second round.

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