Vintage photo flathead V8 drag race

[Seth Swoboda]

This photo was taken sometime in the mid 1960's at a local drag strip, the Nashville, Illinois Dragway. The strip was an NHRA sanctioned 1/8 mile track. A local historian is researching the strip and putting together a book about the Nashville Dragway.

I thought you fellas would enjoy this photo. The quality is not the best as it is a copy, my apologies. I'll just leave this here for you to enjoy.

[biggieou]

Awesome picture!

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[JWL]

I know that car. I was the crew chief for the owner/driver, Stan Lomelino when that car was almost unstoppable on the 1/8 mile tracks. We traveled all over the U.S. and had mucho fun. Stan built 6 dragsters during his career and this car was next to last of that group.

Sad to say Stan departed this earth a few weeks ago but I am certain he is looking down with a smile.

JWL

[Seth Swoboda]

Originally Posted by JWL

I know that car. I was the crew chief for the owner/driver, Stan Lomelino when that car was almost unstoppable on the 1/8 mile tracks. We traveled all over the U.S. and had mucho fun. Stan built 6 dragsters during his career and this car was next to last of that group.

Sad to say Stan departed this earth a few weeks ago but I am certain he is looking down with a smile.

JWL

JWL, would it be alright if I pass your name along to the guy putting together the history of this dragway?

Were you ever at the track in Nashville, Illinois with this car?

[Charlie ny]

Seth,
Could the front end weight block be a salt lick ?
We occasionally have heads up class NOT time slip 1/8 mile drags near us, like the old days. I'm
pretty sure that flathead dragster was never pedaled to fit an ET. I'd buy Stan's
book.
Charlie ny

[51 MERC-CT]

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Originally Posted by Charlie ny

Seth,
Could the front end weight block be a salt lick ?

Looks like a white plastic fuel can.

[Seth Swoboda]

Originally Posted by Charlie ny

Seth,
Could the front end weight block be a salt lick ?
We occasionally have heads up class NOT time slip 1/8 mile drags near us, like the old days. I'm
pretty sure that flathead dragster was never pedaled to fit an ET. I'd buy Stan's
book.
Charlie ny

Good question Charlie. I believe JWL could answer this question as he stated he was the crew chief on this very same car.

[Seth Swoboda]

Upon further investigation I believe this photo could have also been taken at the Whitehall, Illinois drag strip. I'm going to check with the man putting this book together, he lives down the road from me. I live across the highway from the Nashville Dragway. It no longer is in operation but the lanes are still there in the field.

[alanwoodieman]

Now that is what you call " down in the weeds"

[V8COOPMAN]

I had posted the pic below of that car a month ago when JWL told of his friend Stan's passing. Below is an insane story of one night's thrashing on the car with swapping engines just to finish the program. I've cut and pasted that review just below! That was hard-core racin' in them days! DD
__________________________________________________ ________

Stan Lomelino was a regular competitor at Tri-State Dragway during the ‘60s. He had all sorts of machines, but when the competition got serious, Stan relied on his duel in-line flat head car. One night, Stan requested additional time for the second round to replace one of the dragster’s motors. No problem!
The race continued, and Stan finished runner-up to Ken Chenoweth’s blown Pontiac A/FD. As everyone was wrapping up, there stood Stan wanting to talk to me. “Mr. Baker”, (he always called me that), “would it be possible for you to leave the lights on for a while? I have to change engines to get home,” (Virden, Ill.).
"Sure Stan, what happened?"
You guessed it! The Lomelino crew had taken the motor out of their ’48 Ford tow car and used it two rounds in Top Fuel. Now, to get home, they needed time to replace it!

[Charlie ny]

Now that was when a smoke was a smoke and groovin was groovin. Looks like Stan
used what he had......a 59ab in the front and an 8ba in the back.
That weight sure looks like the salt lick I got last month at Tractor Supply

[Seth Swoboda]

Originally Posted by Charlie ny

Now that was when a smoke was a smoke and groovin was groovin. Looks like Stan
used what he had......a 59ab in the front and an 8ba in the back.
That weight sure looks like the salt lick I got last month at Tractor Supply

Charlie are you going to Chantilly? I hope JWL gives us more information on this car.

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by Charlie ny

That weight sure looks like the salt lick I got last month at Tractor Supply

Maybe, but it also looks like one of those flush-fitting aviation fuel caps sitting on top. DD

[texas webb]

now that is seat of the pants racing.Thanks for more of the history.

[texas webb]

That is seat of the pants racing.Thanks for more history.

[JWL]

The "weight" Charlie sees is actually the fuel tank which was made from 2 aluminum hyd. tanks from aircraft. The end of each was sawed off and the two main sections welded together. We had to pay special attention to flushing and cleaning at the end of each day(night) of racing.

The rear engine was made to the 8BA design to get the magneto spacing required for crank to crankshaft connection with a double #60 roller chain via a sprocket on the front of one crank and the rear of the other.

[Graeme / New Zealand]

Originally Posted by Charlie ny

Now that was when a smoke was a smoke and groovin was groovin. Looks like Stan
used what he had......a 59ab in the front and an 8ba in the back.
That weight sure looks like the salt lick I got last month at Tractor Supply

Ahhhh John "Cougar" Mellancamp, love his music.... laid back "small town America"

GB

[jhexide]

thats amazing, pull engine out of your tow car ,race it in your dragster ,then put it back in your tow car ,and go home..thats just awsome..!!!!!

[37 Cab]

Not so uncommon back then to rob parts to race with. We used to tow to the track and pull the 4 speed out of the tow car and race all night with it then swap it back. Back then we just made do with what we had. This was late 60s.