Thread: first 200 mph racer?

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HWORRELL

Here's the deal about St. Louis. I was born there in '43. My parents had an apartment on Cabanne just north of Forest Park. I wonder what that neighborhood is like today . . .

When my father enlisted in the Navy, my mother and I moved back to Virden, IL to live with my grandparents until after the war. I grew up in Virden, and lived there until I left for college. My grandmother's sister lived in East St. Louis, and we visited quite often.

I grew up with a 50's and 60's hot rod crowd, and my father owned a Dividend Bonded service station, and later a Texaco station in Virden. We went to the drags in Alton quite often.

I've only been in Virginia for two years.

Chevy 37,

Byrd's digger wasn't the first dragster to top 200. It was the first dragster with carbs to top 200, and that was in 1987.

I found this on the web.

Kent Chatagnier was the first person, in the world, to receive a 200 mph time slip. He ran the 'Kent's Speed Shop' fueler out of Port Arthur, Texas, with a supercharged, fuel burning Pontiac motor. Competing at Houston on June 19 1960, Kent made four runs between 197.36 and 201.78 mph. As the speed was backed up, as called for by the Drag News Standard 1320 rules, that were regarded as the bible in those days, it was recognised as the official A/FD speed record for some months. There was no AA/FD at the time. In 1961 Drag News wiped all the records clean and instituted new rules for setting records. Kent was killed in a light plane crash in Houston on May 12, 2000. He was 67 years old.

Note that it's after Karmesines' run.

Karamasines had the first 200+.
Chatagnier had the first backed-up 200+.
Garlits had the first NHRA certified record 200+.