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Legends of the Quarter-Mile |
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Presented by The Drag Racing Heritage Foundation |
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Jim Murphy |
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In the early 1990s, simultaneous with the growth of NHRA/ IHRA drag racing, an association called The Goodguys was promoting their VRA (Vintage Racing Association) style of drag racing, the so-called nostalgia drag racing. What started out as reunions soon spawned a circuit of races based on the old style front-engined dragsters of the 1960s and early 1970s. A lot of the racers from that time built period-correct dragsters updated to meet contemporary safety specifications. There were a lot of guys from Northern California doing this kind of racing, and one of them was Jim Herbert. His driver, Ted Taylor had given up the seat due to health considerations, and Jim was having a hard time finding a suitable replacement. He kept calling me and eventually weakened my resolve enough to get me out to the track to at least see what it was all about. I ended up driving the last three events for him in 1996 and had a blast. So, into the closet went the clubs and out came the helmet. The series wasn’t that ambitious, and that allowed me enough time to satisfy both business and motor sport commitments. And, we were having success on the track. We won the VRA championship in both 1997 and 1998. Then, ten days before the 1999 March Meet a tragic event occurred that totally devastated the team. Jim suffered an aneurysm of the main aorta and died almost immediately. We were all in shock and didn’t know what to do next. Knowing Jim would have wanted us to race, and with some urging from Sherry, Jim’s widow, we somehow managed to get it together and make the race. Yet, we were miserable and stumbled around barely making the show. Sunday morning the team assembled and we made a pact that WW2 Racing would go out and perform like a defending two-time champion. We ran low e.t. of every round and ended up winning our third straight March Meet.
Jim’s memorial service in Roseville.
1999
was the only year we ran the black-brown-red-and white scheme on the car. My face straining with the pain of Jim’s death; Bakersfield March Meet 1999.
A win for WW2 Racing when Jim Herbert was still at the helm.
When I finally replaced this dragster with a new Sterling car, I adorned it in OSH colors and used it as a show car for personal appearances at OSH’s retail outlets. Today? It’s in the hands of some capable Aussies
Wearing the OSH colors; Sonoma 2001.
This
happens when one puts his dragster on a diet (1790 lbs. with driver); same
run as above; different view. I eventually bought Jim’s operation from Sherry and continued to compete as WW2 Racing. Unlike the three previous years, we struggled and could not find a consistent combination. This is when I called my old friend, Tim Beebe, to see if he had the time and interest to be a crew chief again. I knew it was a long shot because Tim lives in Porterville and home for WW2 Racing is Santa Rosa. I was really pleased when he accepted the offer because it allowed me to concentrate more on driving and less on tuning. The best way to characterize 2001 and even 2002 would be to say that we were competitive but not real consistent. We changed a lot of stuff searching for the right combination, including moving the supercharger back. All that hard work came to fruition in 2003. We began the year with a win at Bakersfield (March Meet) followed by an impressive showing at the “Igniter Open” at Boise. We had regained our form and were running 5.8s at many events despite some mid-year turmoil with the fuel lines (valve was opening when it was supposed to be closing). Midway through the year we finally laid our old tried-and-true Donovan to rest and put a Rodeck billet block between the rails. Coupled with a new set of Alan Johnson heads, we ended the year in fine style. At the VRA finals in November, we won the race, set a new e.t. record (5.71), and sewed up another championship. This was also the year we became the first nostalgia front-motored fuel dragster to run 250 mph; a huge milestone.
Early 2001: the 400 cid Donovan, Mastodon heads, and Littlefield blower set back 5”.
In 2001 and 2002 I switched to the old-style mask and goggles.
When
the engine was happy, the fat lady could really sing as evidenced by the
times shown above. If you look closely, you’ll spy Jack Williams taking in
the action. Sadly, Jack passed away in February of 2006.
I
particularly like this shot because it clearly shows the tremendous amount
of force that can affect one of these dragsters: note the distortion to the
front wing, canards, and tires. Through it all, my Stirling car absorbs it
and sends me down the track as if I were on a string. When Sears, who owned OSH, was bought by K-Mart, our contract with the home improvement purveyor came to an end. We had carried the OSH colors for four years (2001-2004) and it had been a great ride. Now, I would have to do it mostly on my own dime. The 2005 season started off on a high note. After qualifying #2 at 5.91-248, we made it to the semis before slipping up and losing to eventual winner Howard Haight. At Sonoma, the teams only had one chance to qualify, so we elected for a safe 6.14 to insure we made the show (there were 20 cars). I was paired with Sean (Bellemeur) in the first round and the kid took me out on a hole shot. The Seattle event was difficult for a lot of reasons other than just mechanical problems. While at the track I got a call that my daughter was ill and in the hospital (she was traveling in Mexico). This was just too unsettling news to overcome, and thinking more about Dayna’s health than my success at the track, I uncharacteristically red lighted away a 5.97 to Terry Cox’s 5.98 (it was a double break-out) in the quarters.
The debut of WW2 Racing in its green tuxedo; March Meet 2005. It had been a trying year, but when the finals rolled around in November, WW2 Racing was back on track. We qualified low at 5.85-254.59, and in a good old drag race, saw my buddy and long time competitor, Bill Dunlap, eke out a close one at 6.02 to 6.05. Yes, 2005 wasn’t what we had hoped it would be, but we gathered a tremendous amount of data from the experience and Tim and the whole crew is raring to go in 2006.
In the War Room of WW2 Racing; a New Year’s Interview NGs: Where did you come up with the concept of WW2 Racing? Jim: WW2 Racing was originally WW TWO Racing, a name penned by two Sacramento racers, Steve Wiles and Ron Welty. It stood for “Wiles and Wilty and two dummies”. Steve and Ron ran an injected car, but when Jim Herbert and Ted Taylor (the two dummies) joined in, they dropped a blown nitro motor between the rails. Let me say that Jim (Herbert) had a great sense of humor and was very unpretentious about such things. When I bought the operation after Jim’s death, I freshened up the concept somewhat with the World War II image. I thought it apropos considering that we race nostalgia top fuel dragsters rather than the contemporary REDs.
Headquarters for WW2 Racing; I spend a lot of time in my shop prepping the dragster for the upcoming races. The guys usually come over one night a week and many Saturdays to work on the race car. NGs: There seems to be more parity now in top fuel than in years past. Just look at 2005; I don’t think any of the teams could have predicted those final standings? What’s up for 2006? Jim: Well, I believe we’ll be a contender. The gremlins that plagued us last year have been eradicated and we’re anxiously waiting for the March Meet. It should be a great year for the Goodguys and fans, alike. There are a number of teams that can win the championship. Last year’s winner, Rick White, makes a ton of horsepower; Brad Thompson, the CHRR winner, is definitely a threat. Of course, you can’t count out Harris or Dunlap; they have been there many times and don’t rattle when the pressure is on. Then, Cox-Rodeck is getting close, and once they get their arms around it, could be lethal. NGs: I don’t want to put you on the spot, but how about a VRA report card? Jim: Right now, it’s a good program. It’s not just about top fuel dragsters because when the gasser and nostalgia eliminator cars run, fans stay in the stands and watch. The show only is going to get better with the addition of nostalgia funny car. NGs: How about the comment that this series, especially top fuel, is getting too expensive? Jim: Nitro racing has always been expensive, and maybe it’s not the class for everyone. But, it’s the cheapest nitro racing around and a great alternative to the NHRA Powerade series where in the absence of corporate sponsorship, it simply can’t be done. Heck, it was expensive back in the 1970s when I was match racing. One of the reasons we formed the All American Fuel Dragsters group was to show Goodguys that we were serious about the sport and willing to put on a professional show for the fans. In return, they stepped up to the plate and more than doubled the purses. NGs: Will the lesser funded teams be able to compete or will they have to drop down a class, especially in light of the increasing popularity of billet blocks and billet heads? Jim: Let me say that the billet block has been a money saver for us. Yes, the initial cost is a bit more, but the Rodeck handles the stress better, and is much easier to service. Don’t get me wrong; the Donovan is a great block, but it was designed over 30 years ago. The Rodeck, being stronger, is safer; the cylinders stay true and the mains don’t walk around. A lot of teams still use the Donovan, like Harris and McGee, so that’s a pretty good endorsement for it.
December 31, 2005, but the Rodeck won’t be celebrating New Year’s tonight; “OK then, how about some nitro with my egg nog”.
NGs: Having raced out of the Midwest as well as the West Coast, obviously you have had to endure the good, the bad, and the ugly. Tell us about some of those drag strips? Jim: Once we were down in Arkansas at a small track for a match race. The fans, though not troublesome, were a little wild and rambunctious. I did my burn-out and suddenly this fan jumped out of the stands and started backing me up. Clarence, my only crew member, was dumbfounded and basically just walked away. This fellow had no idea what he was doing and backed me up into the water box. Of course, I immediately smoked the tires and lost the final round; that was just the way it was back then. There were a lot of tracks that were way too short, narrow, or just plain did not have sufficient shut down area to stop a nitro car if the driver had trouble. I was at New York National Speedway on Long Island and the chutes failed to deploy. Mind you, I had just set a track speed record with a 228 mph pass with the funny car, and the end of the strip was coming up real fast. I got on the brakes hard, probably too hard, and really started bouncing. I needed to get off the brake handle for a moment to calm the car down, but when you see the forest rapidly approaching, instinct dictated otherwise. I went through the sand trap into some trees, and bounced so high, it did a somersault and came back down on its wheels. Dazed, but basically OK, I kind of wandered away from the scene of the accident. Now, get this; I was racing Fred Goeske and he was the first person to get to the wreckage. He’s huffing and puffing and stopped to rest on a slick. Here comes the ambulance, and thinking Fred was the driver, hauled him away, leaving me to walk out. For the tracks I like? Indy is a great track; smooth, long, with very good visual references for the driver. Bakersfield has been very good to us, but you have to know when to get on the chutes because the run-off isn’t that substantial. My home track, Infineon Raceway, is a state-of-the art drag strip. Because of the hill, it is a very safe track, so much so, that one can actually stop a nostalgia top fuel dragster without pulling the chutes. But, to get the real flavor of nostalgia top fuel racing, then the track to race at is, unequivocally, Sacramento Raceway. I love the place; it is such a throw back to the days when front-motored top fuel cars dominated the drag racing landscape. NGs: When it comes down to the final race of the day, who is the guy you would rather not see in the other lane. Jim: Harris is the toughest guy out there for me. Jack is not going to get rattled no matter what the race or situation. Sean Bellemeur is a great leaver and I have not had much success against him. Then, of course, Bill (Dunlap) because of the many great duels with him over the years.
Homework for top fuel dragster drivers.
Interior decorator’s concept for a race shop; posters of the Bakersfield March Meet, PDA,”Last Drag Race”, Fremont, Lions, Sacramento, OCIR.
Jim’s view looking out from his office; “There’s a spacer under the injector hat in order to have a better view down the track”.
NGs: Any last thoughts or advice? Jim: Don’t give up on your dream. When I first got into racing, guys were passionate about it. Today, I just get the sense that not as many of the younger generation have the same enthusiasm and zeal for the sport. And, something I learned a long time ago which has been very helpful in all my professional pursuits is that your word is everything. When you give your word to somebody that is no different from any other binding contract. Finally, and without a doubt, I would never have been able to achieve what I have in this life without Judy, my wife of 43 years. She has, and will continue to be, the most influential person in my life. I have been so lucky, so fortunate; I have a blessed life.
I Moments after winning the 1999 March Meet; I should have been hysterically happy, but I just couldn’t shake the hurt I felt when I realized Herbert would not be part of this celebration. POST SCRIPT
2006
March Meet: though the event was cancelled, WW2 Racing was the #1 qualifier
after Friday’s session and the only car in the 5s (5.94-238.72) on a very
cantankerous track.
On
Sunday, and in the only round contested, Jim cleared the skies with a
5.91-241.41 victory over Rick Williamson and Bill Schwartz Racing. He was in
good position to notch a 5th March Meet win and tie Don Garlits,
but the Goodguys had to postpone the event due to unsafe conditions with the
track surface. Not to worry; the remaining eight top fuel dragsters will
race for points during qualifying at the Pomona venue using pairings from
the Bakersfield ladder.
“On behalf of the entire WW2 Racing Team, I want to thank all the fans for their loyal support. So, please stop by and say hi; we’ll see you at the drags”.
Jim
DRHF & Nitrogeezers.com want to say a very special "Thank You" to Jim Murphy for taking time out of his very busy schedule to work with Steven on this article and to Steve for making it happen George Crittenden
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