This story started out while I was reading Just A Car Guy. Steve Buffel posted the story of a rather special "barn find" on E Carting News which led to the story of a cool, 89 year old, barnstorming drag racer named Capt. Jack McClure.
(courtesy Drag Racing Online)
As Steve tells it: "I just learned that that an old friend still has this forgotten relic
sitting in a collapsing barn. The first time I saw the kart was about
25+ years ago. You can imagine the WOW factor it had on me as a
teenager. We couldn’t believe that this twiggy little thing could handle
rocket power and be safe! Well, it turns out that they weren’t. The
rumors I’ve heard is that a few people met their fate while harnessing
the power of Turbonique. Apparently, if you backed out of the throttle,
then got back into it you created a bomb. Copper tubing corrosion and
bad solenoids were also an issue".
Here’s a summary of Steves friend’s story:
“The kart was purchased by a local car dealership and was intended to
be run as advertising. No one at the dealership had the balls to drive
it so I got elected. It was advertised on a radio show for three weeks
prior to a drag race in the summer of 1967. Exact date forgotten, but
may be able to figure it out with time. We had the cart fueled and
ready to go to the line, I had my fire suit on, and a race official
came to me and said “last minute ruling by NHRA that we can’t run
rocket cars due to insurance reasons.” They then announced it to the
crowd. Total BS of course. They padded the crowd wanting to see the
rocket powered go cart and always knew they couldn’t let us run. I
said “It’s fueled up with volatile fuel, can we run after the race?”
They granted that and I made a single run after the crowd left and the
lights were still set up. Only witnesses were the drivers who had
raced that day. That was the only “official” run. I drove it on a
blocked off street a week earlier just to make sure it worked before
we went to the race. So a partial run and a full run, me driving, were
the only times it was “lit up”.”
“The kart was purchased by a local car dealership and was intended to
be run as advertising. No one at the dealership had the balls to drive
it so I got elected. It was advertised on a radio show for three weeks
prior to a drag race in the summer of 1967. Exact date forgotten, but
may be able to figure it out with time. We had the cart fueled and
ready to go to the line, I had my fire suit on, and a race official
came to me and said “last minute ruling by NHRA that we can’t run
rocket cars due to insurance reasons.” They then announced it to the
crowd. Total BS of course. They padded the crowd wanting to see the
rocket powered go cart and always knew they couldn’t let us run. I
said “It’s fueled up with volatile fuel, can we run after the race?”
They granted that and I made a single run after the crowd left and the
lights were still set up. Only witnesses were the drivers who had
raced that day. That was the only “official” run. I drove it on a
blocked off street a week earlier just to make sure it worked before
we went to the race. So a partial run and a full run, me driving, were
the only times it was “lit up”.”
Further investigation on a Turbonique Rocket Kart I came across the website of Capt. Jack. Courtesy to his site for the rest of this story. This guy was to drag racing what Eddie Feigner was to softball. A real showman and character that is still working a hundred or so nights a year at drag strips all over
the country.
If you love crazy old guys that have made a living entertaining people then please do yourself a favor and visit Jack's website. His story is much like the ones of Joey Chitwood, Evil Knievel and Andy Granatelli. The story about his tiny little wife getting all liquored up and tearing up a motel room is priceless. Racing promoters would pay him to put on a show between the regular races and he would ALWAYS beat the local hotshoes. Not unlike the Harlem Globetrotters versus The Washington Generals.
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