Weird cars could almost be seen as the rule rather than the exception in the early 1950s. On October 23, C.L. Davis just missed setting a record in the Post-War Overhead Valve class at the Orange County Airport Drags at Santa Ana with a '51 Hudson club coupe that featured a Hudson under the hood, where it should be, and another in the back seat. Davis somehow propelled that package to a 104.16-mph charge…In the D Roadster final (the fastest Santa Ana class), Ollie Morris' "Smokin' White Owl" rear-engine Chevy dragster/roadster beat Joaquin Arnett and the "Bean Bandits'" roadster.

35 Years Ago…

On Oct. 3, Paul "the Kid" Sutherland established the best reported Top Fuel speed in history when he pushed the Brissette & Yeats Top Fueler to an unheard of 219.51-mph at San Fernando Raceway in Southern California…One week later at Rockford Dragway in Illinois, Charlie Smith whipped Bud Roche and Don Mattison's "Guzler" dragster to an even more unheard of 225.00-mph speed…Both times had their detractors as the NHRA Top Fuel speed mark at the time was a mere 208.32-mph established by the late Jimmy Nix.

25 Years Ago…

By October, IHRA had determined their World Champions. Don Garlits (Top Fuel), Raymond Beadle (Funny Car), and "Dyno Don" Nicholson (Pro Stock) were the pro kingpins…The 1975 season would mark the last one where IHRA crowned its own association champs. In 1976, the champs were referred to as IHRA Winston eliminator champs. Association champs weren't crowned again until 1987 when Winston went solely with NHRA…The greatest Top Fuel run in history was made on Oct. 11 when Garlits ran a 5.63/250.69 at the NHRA Supernationals. The 5.63 was not surpassed until 1981.

15 Years Ago…

Joe Lepone Jr. won his only NHRA national event when he wheeled his Bill Jenkins-tuned Pro Stock Camaro to the title at the NHRA Winston World Finals…Another first time NHRA national event winner emerged in Alcohol Dragster at the Finals and that was former two-time NHRA Top Fuel champ Gary Scelzi who beat Canadian Kirk Lawrence in the final…Other firsts in October included the running of the inaugural NHRA Fallnationals at Firebird Raceway in Chandler, Arizona, now known as the Checker/Schuck's/Kragen Nationals and hosted in February.

5 Years Ago…

Warren Johnson set both ends of the Texas Motorplex Pro Stock record during the Chief Nationals when he ran the track's first six-second run, while qualifying No. 1 at 6.998. He later improved on his record with a 6.988/198.23 in eliminations …Warren didn't win Pro Stock at the Motorplex. Instead his son Kurt beat first-time finalist Robert Patrick Jr. for the event honors…Scott Kalitta (Top Fuel) and Chuck Etchells (Funny Car) were the remaining professional winners.

5 Minutes Ago…

Remember when… Former V.P Danny Quayle said, "I honestly believe that this president (George Bush Sr.) will lead us out of the (economic) recovery."

Well, how about these from George Jr.?

"This case has had full analyzation and has been looked at a lot."

or "Until I'm president, it's going to be hard for me to verify that I'll think I'll be more effective."

or "If you're asking me as the president, would I understand reality, I do."

(We'll gore Albert next month if he is elected president.)

Oh, what's this have to do with drag racing? The Bushes are from Texas, home of the Texas Motorplex and Houston Raceway Park.

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