The combatants?
 Don
Garlits - Even back then the Top Fuel
king. In the recent past, he'd won Indy, Bakersfield,
the Winternationals and various AHRA titles,
and quite simply was the top guy. The only thing
that would seem to work against him at this
race was that 1966 was the year of his long,
front-motored "red" car. Of all his "Swamp Rats,"
this was the least successful. He lost in the
first rounds at the both AHRA and NHRA Winternationals
and was shelled early at Bakersfield. He did
win the 1966 AHRA National Championships at
Gary, Indiana, so he was hardly out of it.
Chris Karamesines
- Easily, the sport's wildest driver, "The Greek"
was also on a bit of a role coming into this
race. Two weeks prior to the Cecil County show,
"The Greek" captured the AHRA Top Fuel World
Championship at Green Valley Race City in Smithfield,
Texas.
"T.V." Tommy Ivo
- The sport's first touring pro, the one-man
Top Fuel show had numerous honors to his credits.
The first Top Fuel 7-second time on the West
coast, a shared sport's best speed in mid-1966
at 216.34 mph, aayyaaandd, a runner-up in
Top Fuel at the 1965 U.S. Nationals.
Don Prudhomme
- Somewhat like Garlits; his flashy silver B&M
Torkmaster was the first and likely the worst
of his touring Top Fuelers. Again, though, he
may have been shut out of the Hot Rod Association's
winner's circles in 1966. He also scored two
and three-day sweeps at that seasons UDRA Nationals/"Olympics"
at Union Grove, Wisc., and the UDRA Nationals
at Gary.
 The
Ramchargers - The sport's most famous
club/team had made a gigantic impact with their
Funny Cars and were starting to tear up in Top
Fuel. Driver Don Westerdale set Top Speed at
218.98-mph three weeks earlier at the U.S. Nationals.
K&G Speed Shop/Ron
Rivero - In the writer's opinion, this
Pennsylvania-based car and its California-raised
driver were the best runners in the Northeast
having won over a half dozen titles. They were
a truly competitive team and could be viewed
as the local guys upholding neighborhood honor.
Connie Kalitta
- Ford SOHC-power and years of experience made
the Michigander a tough customer. In fact, if
you erased Don Cook's (first 220-mph lap, 223.32)
turned in April of '66, Kalitta's 221.12 in
May at Capitol Raceway was the sport's second
best speed and the first 220 ever turned on
the East Coast.
and finally ...
Jimmy Nix -
The smiling Oklahoman was a 1965 NHRA Winternationals
Top Gas champion and had recently won Top Fuel
at the 1966 NHRA Springnationals held then at
Bristol International Dragway.
A formidable show to say the least. Virtually
all areas of the country were represented, and
represented by the very best the region had
to offer. Stressing back at home in North Hollywood,
Calif., I really wanted to see this, although
I'll admit it was more for historic reasons.
After all, I was fortunate to attend that year's
NHRA and UDRA Winternationals, and the Bakersfield
show, along with the St. Finbar school Easter
Carnival, so I was squared away in the action
department.
I won't hammer you with eliminations, although,
I'll tell you who won. In the final, the sport's
two most popular drivers, Garlits and "the Greek"
collided with "Big Daddy" needing a low E.T.
7.37, 211.76 to trim Karamesines' 7.46, 209.78.
Who set Top Speed? How about the local guys
at K&G Speed Shop with a 220.58 mph.
As history developed, the race would last three
more times before it was discontinued ... and
as in last month's historical remembrance, where
was I? Didn't have a job; didn't have plane
fare. I was getting my teeth capped, my hair
cut and penile enlargements.
Tahh, dahhh
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