Byron Nelson

1954: I began driving at 13. learned to “speed shift” on 39 Ford truck. Involved in first car crash. Got a case of beer from the truck driver if we kept our mouths shut about the accident. Learned to squeal the tires. Began learning auto mechanics, welding, and machine shop. Broke first automatic trans in dad’s 53 chev.

1955: Dad got a new 55 Chevy Three Speed. Broke first transmission “speed shifting”. Learned to lie like a rug about car damage.

1956: Dad got a 55 Ford with 56 312 in it. Fast car. Tires wore out in 10,000 miles, exploded first generator…racing. Broke first Ford trans… racing. First car that would go 110mph.

1957: Dad got new Merc sedan. First car that would burry the speedometer at 120. First car that was spun out on pavement. Great date car as it had a huge back seat.!!

1958: Met up with Bill Bissonett and his 39 Ford with 55 Olds motor and 3 speed. Helped him get it running real good. Got special instructions on how to break both the rear end and trans at the same time on a busy street.

1959: 53 Ford w55 Olds motor, 4 2bls, Engle cam and kit , first 3 angle valve job, high compression heads, OD with 4.10 gears, my first modified ignition (home made dual points and custom curve) spectacular streetracer, terror of Duluth Minn., first classic Calif. Street race. Won, beat a car that had come up from Minnapolis to race us. Went to first race at Minn. Dragways

1960: ’54 Olds ran stock won a bunch, lost only to John Ore same kind of car.

1962: 57 Chevy 265 3 speed, won a lot, lost a couple , held track record for 2 years.

1964: 57 Chevy 283 Hp F.I. 4 speed, very rare combination, ran damn fast 105-106 right on the national record, won a lot, beat Ford factory team for regional race. Beginning of partnership with Bill Bissonett (Bissonett-Nelson) held several area track records .

1965: Built super light junior fuel dragster (flexible flyer). I built everything, front wire wheels, front axel and spindles, chassis, narrowed rear end, disc brakes, rebuilt aluminum clutch can, first SBC crate motor, ( FI 327) Enderle injection, trick fuel pump, made my own fuel tank, Vertex magneto. Sold everything just before racing season. Car ran 7.80’s direct drive on 90% with the new owner. 1050 pounds wet. This car is rumored to still be around. It has changed hands many times and many mod's to it.

1966: Put 283 F.I. motor in dragster. Won enough to pay for the whole operation the first year. The first dragster in the area to “speed shift” near clutch-less shifting.

1967: Added Jim Swedberg to team and add Hilborn F.I. and upped to 302 cu in. won a lot, lost a few.

1968: Sold dragster bought another longer one. Added 396 BBC, Crower Injector roller cam direct drive. Lost a lot, won none, spent a lot, severely tested friendship, got first gray hair, broke motor at least 6 times during the year. We finally borrowed Ky Michaelson’s blown BBC. 1^st run the clutch exploded in the lights and cut the car in half destroying it. Took the back of the motor with it. Added Ky Michaelson to the partnership. The beginning of the Minnesota Frantic 4. This year was a total disaster. Sold everything that wasn’t broken. Gave that away. Jim left to run his own car. Still friends however

1969: Michaelson bought a new car ( the Orange car in the pix) I built a 392 Chrysler hemi. Bill drove with me filling in. Joined the Midwest all stars dragster circuit. Arrived in Denver for first race with $15 in our pocket between us. We had to win 2 rounds to get home…. we did much to dismay of some heavy hitters. Won a bunch more , lost a few, near the end of the season we had a crash on the highway and destroyed the car and trailer in a fire.

1970: Another new car, new stroker 392, new blower, new cam , new mag, more new stuff. Spent a lot, This was the “black car” Bob Meyer chassis 200in, very long for gas car in it’s day. Very controversial Flexible flyer car. Went to Denver again and won some more , won some, lost some, made money, lots of work, burned a bushel of pistons, the first pistons with holes in them that I welded up, the first double all nighter's. The first of the area twins came out this year. Lost every time to them when they had both motors going. Beat them when they didn’t.

1971: Same car, more stuff. Began thinking of adding another motor, I built the second motor, ran all over, won some ,lost some, burned pistons nearly every run, got so we could change pistons in 20 minutes, ran very hard all year. Not competitive with the twins. Went to Indy burned up all the new motor pistons, borrowed a bigger motor, burned a couple on it. I had to leave team as I couldn’t afford the rising costs.

1972: Got together with Tom Fischer and 30 Below fuel funny car. Ran local races and match races. Burned a lot of nitro a few parts, exploded the first blower, ran my first 6 sec run, won a few lost a few. Hired my own crew. Tom Fraizer and Ed Raba ( super stock guys I knew)

1973: Ran 30Below again. Ran faster and quicker, more races, worse tracks, traveled more , made money, had first fire and toasted some paint, had second fire and toasted some skin, won a few lost a few. Learned a lot. Also ran the first race on alcohol with spare motor. Lost but had fun and learned a lot more. Tom Fischer wanted to sell the car at the end of the year so gave it back and teamed up with 'Fraze and Eddy to run on alcohol.

1974: Went to alcohol with Tom Frazier and Bill Schifsky’s old Pinto. Ran a stock stroke 426 and 2 speed Lenco. Ran match races mostly, won a lot lost a few. Learned a lot about running alcohol. Quite successful year. Lot ’s of fun. Raced all over.

1975: 'Fraze bought a new Monza body. Super light about 100 pounds ready to run. One of the lightest bodies around. It allowed us to only be about 100 pounds heavier than the guys with aluminum motors. New 3spd Lenco . We ran the stock stroke motor the first couple weeks then went to the big stroker and 8-71. Ran real well. We worked on the tune up pretty hard gradually getting it right. First alcohol car in the area to run port lines. Got hooked up with the Chicago UDRA FC circuit and ran almost every week with them. Won a lot, lost a few. Ran with the best of them. Began a run of making every round for 2 years. Made money.

1976: Same car, better motor, new top of the line cam, one of the first to run 60% over on the blower, 3 disc Crower Glide, broke first Dana rear end in practice run. This year was much harder as far as working on the car as we ran every weekend somewhere and only twice at home. Ran faster and quicker and had better results with the clutch. Made money

1977: Same car lower compression traveled a lot won a few, lost a few. More cars running aluminum motors and light weight bodies, more cars running 10-71, 12-71 blowers. Tom decides to run match races with the nitro guys to make more money , mistake, built a lower compression motor and ran a known nitro tune up only with the alcohol roller cam. The car ran very well and very easy. 6.60 not bad for the time. Beat Tom Ivo. Next round had a blower explosion and that was it. I told Tom that this wasn’t fun anymore and I didn’t want to do this any more and he couldn’t afford it. He said you’re right and sold everything the next week.

This was the end of my racing. In the middle of this I worked at Bill Schifsky’s and Doc Halliday’s hot rod shops and worked on their race cars. I didn’t travel much with them in the later years as I was busy with my own racers. I was out of racing altogether until I ran into Dale Ward. He soft soaped me into going out to Music City “just to watch”. Then called me frantically one day and asked me to see if I could help get the roadster running. Helped get it running and went to some races with him. Had a lot of fun. It was particularly fun to see him win his first round in his first race.

The last picture above is me and my latest ride. 41 Willys Pro Street . The body and basic frame are from Antique and Collectable in NY It has a 350 SBC built by my son. 440 hp on the dyno 350 Turbo, 9 in Ford rear end (narrowed by me), 4 link rear suspension (by me) Mustang type front end Tube A arms Must rack and pinion, 11 in disc front and 11 inch drums rear. Power windows, GM tilt steering, 2002 Cavalier seats, Hoosier Pro Street 31 x 16.5 x 15 rear tires on Center line Convo Pro wheels, Fronts are Goodrich T/A 215/60/15 on Convo pro wheels. The car weighs 2500 pounds

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