Post by dragnews on May 22, 2011 15:48:29 GMT -5
Lewis & Collin's / Jim Ragland's, Dragster
In this edition of Ardmore Dragway history, we will look back on the history of race car that can be credited for building lasting friendships, and generating a stream of loyal Texas racers to Ardmore Dragway.
Before we get started let me thank thank Mark Collins,
Gary Hinkle, and Kieth Bentley for helping with suppling photo's and history on the car.
Back in 1973 the Lewis and Collins Sundowner was the state of art in dragster racing, you could compare it to a high end TNT Super Comp car today. In fact there is a connection, Joe Monden supplier of TNT chassis was the crew chief on the car. The dragster has had almost a cult following such as the Double Ugly Pontiac. Maybe there was something Mystical about race cars from the 70'sbased out of Gainesville Texas? The car was originally constructed by Bennie Osborn of Sand Springs Oklahoma.
While doing a story on the two time Top Fuel World Champion. National Dragster editor Phill Burgess added some insight on the cars delivery to Texas, based on a conversation he had with Mark Collins.
(Bennie was testing his first rear-engined Top Fueler he built over the winter at Dallas International Motor Speedway," recalled Mark. "He simultaneously built the front-engined C/Dragster for my partner Ralph Lewis, which I drove. In fact, he delivered the chassis on this trip, strapping it on the top of his enclosed trailer for the trip from Oklahoma to Texas.) <Mark Collins.
The car competed at the Winter nationals, and held the C/D national record with Mark at the Wheel. The original power plant was an injected 302 Ford and a clutch-flight transmission.In 1974 the team switched to a dual carberated Jack Roush engine. The body was built by Dennis Tarkington with paint and lettering appliedby Zero Wasson of Dallas. For all you veteran racers of Ardmore Dragway here is a fun piece Mark shaired with me.
(We always had fun at Springer, as we called it then. Johnny Laird never would let us pay any admission fee because we were the fastest car and he wanted a good show for the fans. As I recall, I was the track record holder for a long time and kids would ask for my autograph…that never happened at other tracks though. Your email reminded me that I said I would send you some photos of “our” dragster as it appeared when I was driving it. I think our speeds were in the 160’s and it was sometimes pretty hairy getting shut down on the short track. I had to time my chute release so that it was at or near full blossom as I crossed the finish line, then hard on the brakes. Even then, I usually ended up in the weeds. Luckily, the pasture stayed fairly level.)
In 1977 the Team decided to part ways and Ralph ventured into Pro/Comp racing with Joe Monden at the wheel of the Foolish Pleasure Alcohol dragster. That Winter my dad purchased the car and soon began it's next chapter in Ardmore history. The Ford power plant and Clutch-flight transmission was removed and sold to the Bentley and Chaney team in Gainesville. Soon a Big Block Chevrolet and power glide transmission was installed.
Then the traditional Ragland black was applied to the body panels. We debut the car in L.A. Place spring of 78
but dad was plegged with wheel stand problems, so back home it came and was refitted with a pair of wheelie bars from the M&M top gas car from Tulsa. The car would be a standered on Saturday and Sunday for years to come at Green Valley and Ardmore Dragway. It won the Cowpasture Nationals twice and was the points track champion in 1979. Today semi retired it still makes a one year appearance at the Ardmore Hot Rod Reunion,
were you can hear many passer buyers say. Hey I remember that car!
Here is a photo of the car as Bennie droped it off at the Lewis & Collins race shop.Only thing not supplied in the purchace were the rear tires.
Mark Collins and Ralph Lewis.
Phinished photo of the candy gold car from Texas.
Here we see Dad and I around 1979 at Ardmore. Note his lucky red house shoes he drove in. I don't think the were SFI approved?
Finally Dad, 240 Gordie Bonin, Race, and I at last years Hot Rod Reunion raedy for first round of Nostalgia comp.
In this edition of Ardmore Dragway history, we will look back on the history of race car that can be credited for building lasting friendships, and generating a stream of loyal Texas racers to Ardmore Dragway.
Before we get started let me thank thank Mark Collins,
Gary Hinkle, and Kieth Bentley for helping with suppling photo's and history on the car.
Back in 1973 the Lewis and Collins Sundowner was the state of art in dragster racing, you could compare it to a high end TNT Super Comp car today. In fact there is a connection, Joe Monden supplier of TNT chassis was the crew chief on the car. The dragster has had almost a cult following such as the Double Ugly Pontiac. Maybe there was something Mystical about race cars from the 70'sbased out of Gainesville Texas? The car was originally constructed by Bennie Osborn of Sand Springs Oklahoma.
While doing a story on the two time Top Fuel World Champion. National Dragster editor Phill Burgess added some insight on the cars delivery to Texas, based on a conversation he had with Mark Collins.
(Bennie was testing his first rear-engined Top Fueler he built over the winter at Dallas International Motor Speedway," recalled Mark. "He simultaneously built the front-engined C/Dragster for my partner Ralph Lewis, which I drove. In fact, he delivered the chassis on this trip, strapping it on the top of his enclosed trailer for the trip from Oklahoma to Texas.) <Mark Collins.
The car competed at the Winter nationals, and held the C/D national record with Mark at the Wheel. The original power plant was an injected 302 Ford and a clutch-flight transmission.In 1974 the team switched to a dual carberated Jack Roush engine. The body was built by Dennis Tarkington with paint and lettering appliedby Zero Wasson of Dallas. For all you veteran racers of Ardmore Dragway here is a fun piece Mark shaired with me.
(We always had fun at Springer, as we called it then. Johnny Laird never would let us pay any admission fee because we were the fastest car and he wanted a good show for the fans. As I recall, I was the track record holder for a long time and kids would ask for my autograph…that never happened at other tracks though. Your email reminded me that I said I would send you some photos of “our” dragster as it appeared when I was driving it. I think our speeds were in the 160’s and it was sometimes pretty hairy getting shut down on the short track. I had to time my chute release so that it was at or near full blossom as I crossed the finish line, then hard on the brakes. Even then, I usually ended up in the weeds. Luckily, the pasture stayed fairly level.)
In 1977 the Team decided to part ways and Ralph ventured into Pro/Comp racing with Joe Monden at the wheel of the Foolish Pleasure Alcohol dragster. That Winter my dad purchased the car and soon began it's next chapter in Ardmore history. The Ford power plant and Clutch-flight transmission was removed and sold to the Bentley and Chaney team in Gainesville. Soon a Big Block Chevrolet and power glide transmission was installed.
Then the traditional Ragland black was applied to the body panels. We debut the car in L.A. Place spring of 78
but dad was plegged with wheel stand problems, so back home it came and was refitted with a pair of wheelie bars from the M&M top gas car from Tulsa. The car would be a standered on Saturday and Sunday for years to come at Green Valley and Ardmore Dragway. It won the Cowpasture Nationals twice and was the points track champion in 1979. Today semi retired it still makes a one year appearance at the Ardmore Hot Rod Reunion,
were you can hear many passer buyers say. Hey I remember that car!
Here is a photo of the car as Bennie droped it off at the Lewis & Collins race shop.Only thing not supplied in the purchace were the rear tires.
Mark Collins and Ralph Lewis.
Phinished photo of the candy gold car from Texas.
Here we see Dad and I around 1979 at Ardmore. Note his lucky red house shoes he drove in. I don't think the were SFI approved?
Finally Dad, 240 Gordie Bonin, Race, and I at last years Hot Rod Reunion raedy for first round of Nostalgia comp.