BangShift.com Artwork Arfons

The one factor I really like greater than classic drag racing video is classic drag racing video from my house monitor of New England Dragway. I’ve to thank Lawrence Smith for tipping me off to this unbelievable footage from 1969 at New England Dragway. Why is it unbelievable? So far, it’s the solely video I can discover that exhibits Artwork Arfons in his well-known “Inexperienced Monster” jet automotive taking over one other Arfons creation referred to as “The Dud”. Fred Hardacre was driving the automotive in 1969 and sadly it might not be for for much longer as a result of he was killed driving one other jet powered creation in 1970.

“The Dud” was distinctive for its time in the truth that it truly seemed like a dragster with its lengthy tapered entrance finish. In some ways it predicted the way forward for what the machines would find yourself wanting like. It was additionally one of many early adopters of he J-34 energy plant which made nice energy, was heaps smaller than the large J-79 and had much less of a propensity to destroy tracks, timing towers, home windows, and no matter else had the misfortune of being in the way in which because it left the beginning line.

Moreover, the motive force was not using immediately up entrance like was the usual with most different jet vehicles of the time (Google picture search a photograph of the Inexperienced Mamba to grasp what we imply by this). There’s footage of each vehicles operating one another and a number of laps by “The Dud”. Together with the uncommon jet automotive stuff, there are many conventional vehicles as properly. Altereds, door vehicles, you identify it. A number of the scenes play in sluggish movement which makes the vehicles appear to be they’re operating via molasses, however it’s simply the pace of the tape.

New England Dragway has modified rather a lot through the years, so it is rather cool to see this footage which might have been shot within the monitor’s fifth 12 months of operation. Within the video, it’s possible you’ll assume that the “guardrail” seems like plumbers pipe. That’s as a result of it’s. The blokes that constructed the place nonetheless recount tales about screwing all of it collectively. It was principally there for beauty causes, however it was there for a very good very long time. New England Dragway turns 52-years previous in 2018 and can have fun in nice fashion with an NHRA Mello Yello Collection race this weekend and a bunch of different occasions. The place continues to be rocking, and that guidelines.

PRESS PLAY BELOW TO SEE SOME AWESOME (SILENT) ARFONS JET CAR VIDEO FROM 1969!