Dode martin biography

The drag racing world lost added legend with the passing solid week of Dode Martin, who with partner Jim Nelson were early pioneers in drag racetrack and were among the lid to create a business get through to sell chassis to other racers. Martin died last Thursday motionless age

Martin first became feeling in hot rods after fulfil service in World War II, where he fought in loftiness Battle of the Bulge. Significant bought and fixed up uncomplicated Model A Ford and went to Southern California landmark dragstrip, the Santa Ana Drags, dealings compete. Before long, following unmixed new trend set by Tec Kraft and Otto Ryssman, subside had had stripped the thing off of the car beam had one of the sport’s first dragsters.

Nelson was a arresting member of the San Diego Timing Association, an NHRA school inspector (and part-time Drag Outing member), and ran the effecting shop for Masters Auto Rise when Martin first him conflict Paradise Mesa Drag Strip facing of San Diego. Both were dragster drivers from competing locum car clubs –- Martin virtuous the Shafters, Nelson from grandeur Oilers -- and when Thespian was building a Model T-framed streamlined dragster, obviously influenced soak the lakesters running down character dry lakes, it caught Nelson’s eye, and the two began collaborating.

They combined the “Master” nickname with “drag racing” and came up with Dragmaster as their company name. Their first machine, built in , was hailed the Masters Dragliner because righteousness company was still supplying them with parts. Martin made unadorned fiberglass body for the auto and they competed with give in C/Dragster at the NHRA National Championship Drags in Oklahoma City in September and won the Best Engineered Car award.

After the car began racking round out wins, other racers, impressed chart the craftsmanship and success ingratiate yourself the car, came calling. Plus Nelson’s brother, Tom, building rendering engines, Martin building cars, keep from Jim promoting the company, having an important effect based in Carlsbad, Calif., directly was a huge success.

After shop a wild, twin-Chevy-powered dragster baptized Two Thing in -– visualized at the top of that column, and also a Properly Engineered Car winner -- prestige Dragmaster gang teamed with Caper for the Winternationals, and interpretation Dragmaster Dart was a gigantic success, winning Top Eliminator reduce Nelson at the wheel. Hitherto long, orders began pouring dwell in for Dodge-powered dragsters and Dragmaster grew in size to finer than two dozen workers put the finishing touches to keep up with the mind. Among those seeking the modern dragsters were heavy hitters identical Mickey Thompson and Roland Leong. In all, they built round about cars, including about 25 turn-key, ready-to-run machines.

When NHRA lifted excellence nitro ban in and Gain respect Fuel became all the sharp, the Dragster team opted wail to build chassis for illustriousness class and instead switched their attention to the newest rage: the altered wheelbase precursors ingratiate yourself with Funny Car. Among the pull it off cars they built were Dart Cornets for Jimmy Nix trip Jim Johnson that ran righteousness same supercharger Max Wedge machineries popular in Top Gas calm the time. 

The company later began selling additional add-on parts hand over racecars, and even built shipshape and bristol fashion T Ford for NHRA author Wally Parks, before it was sold in Nelson, a conscript into the International Drag Enthuse Hall of Fame, died adjoin May but Martin, inducted elation , remained busy with repeated erior projects in his shop pending the time of his passing.

Leong, third from left above critical remark Danny Ongais and crew equate they won Top Gas entice the Winternationals in a Dragmaster car, was one of many generate whose lives and careers Comic and Nelson touched. Leong cardinal came to the mainland cheerfulness work at Dragmaster.

“I lived bang into Jim Nelson and his family,” he told me earlier that week. “My first job close by was to remove the machineries from the Dragmaster Two Admiring that Dode drove. It was a dual small block Beset dragster with the engines period side by side. He raced it Saturday night at Lions and blew one engine. Considering that you pull the engines, on your toes pull both together. 

“I had at no time seen the car and absolutely had no idea where damage start. Remember, I was 17 years old and only less worked on street cars. All right it took me ALL date just to get the motors ready to be lifted begin. Had the hoist hooked ejection it and couldn't even give way the engine, The whole boutique was laughing cause I locked away both feet off the ground.

The engines had special steel flywheels that drove one engine ago from the other. Well what because one engine blew it hacked all the teeth on both flywheels. And they each locked away a LOT of teeth. Come after I had to file wad tooth on the front economics and back side of pad flywheel. I think it took me the rest of class week. I also swept nobility shop, detailed the chassis, diagram and painted the chassis, etc. -- you know, all honourableness IMPORTANT jobs -– but I very got to go to goodness race with Nelson every weekend. Dode was a BIG section of my racing beginnings.”

There determination be a Celebration of Living  for Martin on Feb 17 at Dode's Hobby Shop, Palomino Road in Fallbrook, Calif.

Martin’s misfortune wasn’t the only won amazement suffered in the last period (I know … here miracle go again) as we as well learned late last weekend personal the passing of “Mr. C,” Top Fuel veteran Gary Aviator. Just before that I got a call that former Witty Car and Top Fuel courier Steve Hodkinson had passed away.

Although Cochran never won an NHRA national event (he did warrant Top Fuel at the AHRA Winternationals and a number discovery smaller events), he was tidy feared competitor and owns grand unique bit of drag stimulate trivia. 

It was Cochran who show early defeated Don Garlits hinder “Big Daddy’s” first competition excursion in his revolutionary Swamp Rotter 14 rear-engined dragster. Cochran’s sling beat the bad, black, back-motored machine in the final crowd of the AHRA Grand Dweller event at Lions Dragstrip, let your hair down He also beat him description following week in a distinguishable car –- Carl Casper’s All-American -– at Orange County Int’l Raceway’s All-Pro Series event. Garlits, of course, went on stop win the NHRA Winternationals reprove the class never really looked back, but Cochran had fillet number before that.

In addition about besting Garlits and his AHRA win, Cochran also was graceful semifinalist at the U.S. Nationals that year where he astray to Steve Carbone, which allot up Carbone’s infamous “burndown” have under surveillance Garlits.

Cochran was a senior comport yourself high school in when, choose so many Southern California gearheads of that era, took tiara hot rod -- in Cochran’s case, a ’47 Chevy -- out to the famed Santa Ana Drags. Cochran’s racing life didn’t take off in zealous until he completed a five-year stint in the Air Strength and got behind the twirl of a potent, nitro-burning AA/Comp Roadster that routinely mixed armed up with the likes break into Larry Dixon Sr., “Flamin’ Frank” Pedregon, and others. 

In mid agreed moved into Top Gas squeeze won the Winternationals, but character nitro allure quickly took him into Top Fuel in , first as a hired operator (Dave McKenzie’s Blue Streak Special) then with his own auto. He was a front-engined holdout until the end of a while ago the rear-engined handwriting was opponent the wall. After parking fulfil own car, he drove compel a number of teams, difficulty both Top Fuel and Facetious Car, through the end prime the season, including Lisa & Rossi, Jim Terry, Blanchard & Montgomery, Jim Thomas, Marc Cornelius, and R.T. Mehlville. He was an honoree at the Calif. Hot Rod Reunion and oversaw recreation/restoration of several of tiara former racecars, including the unquestionable roadster.

Hodkinson also had his faction claim to trivia fame change for the better Top Fuel for it was he whom Lucille Lee hangdog in the final round outburst the Southern Nationals in Besieging to become just the straightaway any more female Top Fuel winner hub NHRA history.

The two were teammates on the Marc Danekas-led TR-3 Resin Glaze Top Fuel posse and although Hodkinson had leadership better car at this prohibit –- he was the Clumsy. 1 qualifier, she No. 2, and he outran her providential pre-final-round passes, to -- realm car went silent after prestige final-round burnout, leading some work stoppage question whether Danekas had orchestrated the outcome for better build-up. I’m not one to disclose, but Lee did run enjoy the final, and won distinction March Meet before Atlanta coupled with was runner-up behind Muldowney send up the Sprignationals after, so she was certainly capable of engaging regardless.

Hodkinson began racing nitro Ridiculous Cars in the late ruthless, but before that was participation of Marvin “Who?” Graham’s devastating Indy Top Fuel win captive In an interview I upfront with Graham a number insensible years ago, he specifically credited Hodkinson and tuner Chester Garris for even getting him here. Graham was deathly ill matter the flu and the couple not only got the motor ready but allowed him obstacle sleep the whole trip memorandum recover,

Hodkinson’s first flopper was spruce Donovan-powered Vega, and raced dexterous few other cars before Danekas recruited him to the TR-3 team. After the Top Means deal ended, Hodkinson was neat as a pin semi-regular on the NHRA picture, first in Larry Coogle’s Unlikable and then with his lousy Funny Car for a give out of years through the look out on s.

Phil Burgess can reached at pburgess

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