What is "Bennie"?
Discussion
Hello, recently re-discovered my copy of 'Don Garlits, top secrets of how to build record breaking Chryslers. 1960'. Something cought my eye that i had not seen/understood before. In the section '19.Tuning tips', it lists fuel mixes for unblown and blown motors; Nitro, Alky and "Bennie".
What is "Bennie"?
Yours, protemporum
What is "Bennie"?
Yours, protemporum
It is a german track announcer and spelled without the "e" at the end.
It is amazing that Big Daddy and many other pioneers of the Sport survived,
seeing what kind of chemicals they were handling.
Amongst others, Hydrazine and Propylene Oxide were used in "tipping the can",
one veteran Harley Rider named Clyde Rawlings told me that they had to empty the fuel tank after the run
straight in the shutdown area and into some big sponges, because the mixtures were so unstable
that a drop on the ground might have exploded.
It is amazing that Big Daddy and many other pioneers of the Sport survived,
seeing what kind of chemicals they were handling.
Amongst others, Hydrazine and Propylene Oxide were used in "tipping the can",
one veteran Harley Rider named Clyde Rawlings told me that they had to empty the fuel tank after the run
straight in the shutdown area and into some big sponges, because the mixtures were so unstable
that a drop on the ground might have exploded.
Benni said:
It is amazing that Big Daddy and many other pioneers of the Sport survived,
seeing what kind of chemicals they were handling.
Amongst others, Hydrazine and Propylene Oxide were used in "tipping the can",
one veteran Harley Rider named Clyde Rawlings told me that they had to empty the fuel tank after the run
straight in the shutdown area and into some big sponges, because the mixtures were so unstable
that a drop on the ground might have exploded.
Yeh my thoughts exactly, the word pioneers and greats gets used too much these days, but if you look back at what's these guys were doing, and probably didn't know the answers to a lot of things until they went quick or crashed/blew up trying they are all incredible in my eyes. seeing what kind of chemicals they were handling.
Amongst others, Hydrazine and Propylene Oxide were used in "tipping the can",
one veteran Harley Rider named Clyde Rawlings told me that they had to empty the fuel tank after the run
straight in the shutdown area and into some big sponges, because the mixtures were so unstable
that a drop on the ground might have exploded.
Talking of which does anyone know of any good books that look back at those days in drag racing history. I've got crazy horses which is brilliant, I wouldn't mind an American side to history.
"High Performance -- The Culture and Technology of Drag Racing 1950-1990" by Robert C. Post. (Now extended, I believe, to 2000.)
The author is/was a curator at the Smithsonian Institution and the book is the most comprehensive, detailed and complete account of US drag racing. A must-read.
The author is/was a curator at the Smithsonian Institution and the book is the most comprehensive, detailed and complete account of US drag racing. A must-read.
This is a fantastic book, Big Daddy re-collecting his early years (writen in the 70s) read it a couple times and always interesting. I managed to bag a copy off ebay for a fiver last year 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/King-Dragsters-Story-Daddy...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/King-Dragsters-Story-Daddy...
Another recommendation for "High Performance". I loved it but then again I am a geek for this sort of stuff and the history of the Arfons Green monsters was quite enlightening.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/High-Performance-Culture-T...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/High-Performance-Culture-T...
Edited by dantournay on Tuesday 12th November 16:41
I thoroughly recommend Match Race Madness by Grady Bryant (his TAFC was the one somersaulting in the sand trap in one of the Decade of Thrills videos. If you can forgive the grammar and spelling, it's a great read about the early days of AFX match racing...
He also made a cowboy movie (The Legend of Booger Red) starring Ron Capps, Tommy Johnson Jr, the late Shelly Howard (how I know Grady) and Tate Branch !!! Book and movie can be ordered from Grady direct in Fort Worth.
He also made a cowboy movie (The Legend of Booger Red) starring Ron Capps, Tommy Johnson Jr, the late Shelly Howard (how I know Grady) and Tate Branch !!! Book and movie can be ordered from Grady direct in Fort Worth.
From NHRA.com
Funny Car drivers Tommy Johnson Jr. and Ron Capps have just returned from a memorable week in Amarillo, Texas, where the Snake Racing duo roughed it on the wild west movie set of The Legend of Booger Red, a full-length feature film written by former Top Alcohol Funny Car driver Grady Bryant.
Perfectly cast in their roles, Johnson and Capps portrayed a couple of bad guys who tried their best to make life miserable for Booger Red, who is played by Bryant. Although they've never acted before, Johnson and Capps were naturals for their parts and quickly became enamored with the Hollywood scene. If all goes according to plan, fans will be able to see their six-shooters in action by next summer.
The small cast of the movie is filled entirely by current and former NHRA drag racers. Aside from Johnson, Capps, and Bryant, Top Alcohol Funny Car ace Tate Branch and Top Alcohol Dragster pilot Shelly Howard have starring roles. Jimmy Eubank, who once drove for the legendary Bill Hielsher, also plays a part.
"I raced with Grady a long time ago when I was driving a Top Alcohol Funny Car," Johnson said. "He quit racing and started writing books and we sort of lost touch. Well, a couple years back he called and said he was turning one of his books into a screenplay and he asked if I wanted to be in the movie. I was like, 'Sure, sounds fun.'
"That was pretty much the extent of it and to be honest I had forgotten about it until a few months ago when an airplane ticket to Amarillo showed up in the mailbox at home. I thought, 'Well, I guess the plans for this movie have come together.' So I called Ron and he said he was ready to get down there and see what this was all about."
Funny Car drivers Tommy Johnson Jr. and Ron Capps have just returned from a memorable week in Amarillo, Texas, where the Snake Racing duo roughed it on the wild west movie set of The Legend of Booger Red, a full-length feature film written by former Top Alcohol Funny Car driver Grady Bryant.
Perfectly cast in their roles, Johnson and Capps portrayed a couple of bad guys who tried their best to make life miserable for Booger Red, who is played by Bryant. Although they've never acted before, Johnson and Capps were naturals for their parts and quickly became enamored with the Hollywood scene. If all goes according to plan, fans will be able to see their six-shooters in action by next summer.
The small cast of the movie is filled entirely by current and former NHRA drag racers. Aside from Johnson, Capps, and Bryant, Top Alcohol Funny Car ace Tate Branch and Top Alcohol Dragster pilot Shelly Howard have starring roles. Jimmy Eubank, who once drove for the legendary Bill Hielsher, also plays a part.
"I raced with Grady a long time ago when I was driving a Top Alcohol Funny Car," Johnson said. "He quit racing and started writing books and we sort of lost touch. Well, a couple years back he called and said he was turning one of his books into a screenplay and he asked if I wanted to be in the movie. I was like, 'Sure, sounds fun.'
"That was pretty much the extent of it and to be honest I had forgotten about it until a few months ago when an airplane ticket to Amarillo showed up in the mailbox at home. I thought, 'Well, I guess the plans for this movie have come together.' So I called Ron and he said he was ready to get down there and see what this was all about."
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