This is terrible news.
I thought the car looked familiar and it is indeed the "Ike Iaconio dragster" from 1958. It appeared on the cover of Hot Rod in 1959. I remember when I first saw it and it was a thing of beauty. It was powered by a 320" GMC with a 12-port head. Not only have we lost a great man, but also perhaps an iconic vehicle.
https://www.motortrend.com/features/...dragster-1958/