Tee Wheelie
General Jerry Lee
1970-71
Jerry Lee, of Citrus Heights, California, built this wheelstander based around a 1911 Ford Model T lorrie body powered by 430 cu. in. Ford Hemi. In 1971, NHRA took away Lee's license due to driving infractions. 140 mph top speed. Click here to see video footage.
Kamikaze Beetle
Robin Linn
1970-75
Robin Linn, from Bucyrus, Ohio, built and drove this VW Beetle until an accident on August 2, 1975, at U.S. 30 Dragway put him in a wheelchair. His back wheels were high up in the air (it was a back-up wheelstander) at about 110 mph when something happened and he started flipping end over end. He was left a paraplegic. Linn said, "It [the car] was a gimmick." The rear end lift was created by lowering an extra set of wheels hydraulically in the middle of the car. Linn pushed a button in the cockpit to release a massive smoke screen to hide the extra set of wheels from view. This gave spectators the illusion that the car was lifting off the rear and running on its front wheels alone.
Mechanical Ape
Neville Alder
1970-76
Australian drag racer Neville Alder built and drove this '70 VW Kombi wheelstander at strips in his country. It was powered at various times by an injected small block Chevy and a blown 427 Chevy running on alcohol.
Iron Horse
Joe Vanni
ca. 1970-?
Joe Vanni owned and drove a wheelstanding 1970 Ford Maverick.
Dodge Material
Richie Travers
1970-73
"Cool" Richie Travers, of Medford, Massachusetts, drove two Dodge cabover wheelstanders. Click here to see video footage.
Super Hemi Bug
Charlie Holmes
1970
Owned and built by Joe Vanni, this wheelstander was a 1969 VW pickup, powered by a 426 Dodge. It was driven by Charlie Holmes, of Providence, Rhode Island. Click here to see video footage; begins at 1:33 mark and goes to 1:35 on video.
American Flyer
Art Morrison
1970
In early 1970 Art Morrison began driving this 1970 VW pickup for Chuck Poole, the owner. It sported a Chevy rat motor on fuel.
Dodge Fever
Richie Travers
ca. 1970
"Cool" Richie Travers, of Medford, Massachusetts, drove two different Dodge cabover pickup wheelstanders in the 1970s. Click here to see video footage; begins at 1:04 mark and goes to 1:09 on video.
Back-Up Pick-Up
Dick Harding/George Tuers
ca. 1970-72
Sponsored by Galpin Ford, this 1965 Ford Econoline was driven by both Dick Harding, of Reseda, California, and George Tuers. Their trademark driving style was to nonchalantly lean their left elbow out the passenger side window while steering down the track. Click here to see video footage; begins at 1:36 mark and goes to 1:44 on video.
Texas Rare Bear III
Roy Trevino
1971-76
Roy Trevino, of Corpus Christi, Texas, employed a 1970 El Camino after successfully campaigning his Corvair pickup wheelstander for several years. It was powered by a 427 c.i. blown Chevy. 174.62 mph top speed. From 1973-75, Trevino campaigned a Texas Rare Bear IV, a 1974 VW powered by a 427 blown Chevy that he named "Mighty Power Wagon."
Ecstacy
Sylvia Braddick
1971-?
Sylvia Braddick, of West Vancouver, Canada, bought this 1968 Dodge A-100 Hemi wheelstander from Chuck Poole (his dual-engined Chuckwagon 2). She installed two injected Chrysler hemi's in it. Initially she had it just as a show vehicle (called Canadian Lady), but with the intention of getting her wheelstanding license. As late as 1976, she was still trying to get her license, but she finally got it and started campaigning it. She crashed while racing against Wild Bill Shrewsberry at Puyallup, Washington, destroying the truck.
Flying Red Baron
Gary Watson/Dale Emory/Tommy Davis/Carl Magee
1971-77
Gary Watson of Corpus Christi, Texas, built this wheelstanding 1969-70 Mach I Mustang in late 1971. He mostly delegated driving duties to Dale Emory, Tommy Davis, and Carl Magee. In 1974, Magee, from Dallas, bought the car. In 1974, Gary also built a companion wheelstander, also called "Flying Red Baron." It was a '74 Mustang II powered by a blown 392 Chrysler Hemi. Click here to see video footage, begins at 3:04 mark and goes to 3:15 mark on video.
Canadian Cuda
Doug Murray
1971
Doug Murray, of Nanaimo, British Columbia, mounted a blown 426 Hemi, running on alcohol, in the backseat of this 1970 Barracuda. At the time, it was the only wheelstander in Canada.
Moon-Shot
Mick Petrovsky
1971-75
Mick Petrovsky, from Australia, made exhibition runs for five years at strips in his native country driving this wheelstanding '71 Holden Monaro. Bob Skoglund was the owner-crew chief.
Bob Perry's Vette
Jack Ehrmantraut/Randy Lyznicki
1972-76
After experiencing five crashes driving his wheelstanders, Bob Perry retired from driving. He built a '70 Corvette wheelstander dubbed "Bob Perry's Vette" powered by a blown 454 c.i. Chevy plopped into the trunk. Ehrmantraut drove it until 1973, when Perry used a '72 Corvette body and turned over the driving duties to Randy Lyznicki.
Half Breed
Gene Gossett
1972-79
Gene Gossett, of Spokane, campaigned this wheelstanding 1960 Ford Econoline pickup for a number of years. It was powered by a blown Chrysler Hemi.
Hell on Wheels
Bob Perry
1972-81
Bob Perry, of Tucson, Arizona, built this wheelstanding fiberglass replica of an M-60 Sherman Tank. It was powered by a blown Chevy engine. In 1973, he engaged Jack Ehrmantraut to drive the tank. Randy "Chicago Kid" Lyznicki and Randy Igram also were drivers. Top speed was 140 mph. Click here to see video footage.
Click here to see more video footage, (1) begins at 5:41 mark and goes to 5:49 mark, and (2) begins on 6:31 mark and goes to 6:38 mark on video.
Tijuana Toad
Jerry McBee
ca. 1973-79
Gerald McBee, of Walla Walla, Washington, drove a 1972 Vega panel wagon wheelstander.
Ichi-Ban
Hal Anderson
1973
Hal Anderson, of Independence, Oregon, drove a 1965 Ford Econoline pickup wheelstander. 122 mph top speed.
El Trike
John Middlebrook
ca. 1972-75
"Mad John" Middlebrook, of Dayton, Ohio, drove a fuel-injected 472 c.i. Cadillac-engined three-wheeled motorcycle wheelstander. It was reportedly capable of speeds nearing 130 mph in the quarter-mile.
Power Wagon
Roy Trevino
1973-75
Roy Trevino, of Corpus Christi, Texas, built and drove a 1974 VW squareback wheelstander.
Last Stage West/Jolly Rancher Candyland Stage
Tommy Maras/Ed Jones
1974-2010
Tommy Maras, of Ashland, Ohio, built and drove this wheelstanding fiberglass replica of an 1820 Wells Fargo stage coach, until selling it to Ed "The Outlaw" Jones in about 1977. Jones campaigned the popular wheelstander for several decades. Click here to see video footage.
Bad Bossa Nova
Richard Schroeder
ca. 1975-76
Richard Schroeder fielded a 1969 Nova wheelstander. Click here to see video footage.
Dodge Rebellion
John Ludwick
1975
John Ludwick, of Evanston, Illinois, drove this 1964 Dodge A-100 pickup. It was powered by a fuel-injected 392 c.i. Chrysler hemi. Click here to see video footage; (1) begins at 0:22 mark and goes to 0:28 mark, and (2) begins at 5:36 mark and goes to 5:40 mark on the video.
Hell's Fire
Bob Perry
1975-77
With the success of his Hell on Wheels tank, Bob Perry built a second wheelstanding Patton-era replica Howitzer tank. Bob Perry, Randy Lyznicki, and Jack Ehrmantraut drove it. While racing down the track, the driver would fire blank howitzer shells. Click here to see video footage; begins at 2:58 mark and goes to 3:06 mark on video.
Maxi-Taxi
Roy Trevino
1975-86
Roy Trevino, of Corpus Christi, Texas, campaigned this wheelstanding taxi for more than a decade. Click here to see video footage; (1) begins at 0:01 mark and goes to 0:17 mark, and (2) begins at 0:29 mark and goes to 0:57 mark on the video.
Mexican Jump'n Bean
Pete Huerta/Donny Huerta
ca. 1975-83
Pete Huerta, of Hobbs, New Mexico, garnered the AHRA wheelstanding world titles from 1980-82, driving his 1962 Corvair pickup. He was killed in a plane crash in 1983. After his death, his son, Donny Huerta, drove it briefly. Click here to see video footage of the "Jump'n Bean" wheelstander.
Back Up Pick-up
Ken Nelson
1976-79
Ken Nelson, from Greenwich, Ohio, campaigned this 1963 Ford Econoline van powered by a blown 427 Chevy.
Young American
Mark "Mad Man Marko" Hildonen
1977-81
Mark Hildonen, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, billed himself as Mad Man Marko. His first Young American funny car wheelstander used a 1977 Monza body. Chuck Brignolo helped build the car. He crashed this car in Napierville, Canada, in 1979 and built a second wheelstanding Young American with a 1980 Monza body. Click here to see video footage; (1) begins at 0:01 mark and goes to 0:06 mark, and (2) begins at 0:58 mark and goes to 1:00 mark, and (3) begins at 1:03 mark and goes to 1:23 mark, and (4) begins at 2:04 mark and goes to 2:58 mark, and (5) begins at 6:11 mark and goes to 6:21 mark, and (6) begins at 6:31 mark and goes to 6:38 mark of the video.
Detroit Duster
Ernie Petit
1977-83
Ernie Petit drove this 1978 Plymouth Duster for a couple of years.
High 'n Mighty
Chuck Swift
1977-87
Chuck Swift, of Seattle, built a wheelstander using a 1970 Dodge Challenger.
Smokey Red
Richard Driesbach/Joe Douthit
1977-83
Richard Driesbach was the first to own and drive this 1968 Nova wheelstander. Joe Douthit, from San Diego, drove it in 1982-83. Click here to see Smokey Red running at OCIR in 1980.
Semi Hemi
Bob Perry/Rob Butler
1977-?
Bob Perry, of Tucson, Arizona, built and drove this 1971 Cuda wheelstander powered by a blown 426 Chrysler Hemi. Rob Butler later bought and drove it. Click here to see video footage of Butler driving the old Cuda, including very funny segment when his pit crew member walked out of his shoe on the sticky track.
Smokey
Tommy Maras/Joe Antonelli
1976-78
Tommy Maras, of Ashland, Ohio, was generally paired in match wheelstanding races with Jack Ehrmantraut's "Bandit." He used a 1976 Plymouth Duster body, powered by a 427 Chevy motor. His state trooper replica was equipped with flashing lights, siren, and whip antenna.
Bandit
Jack Ehrmantraut
1978-79
Jack Ehrmantraut, of Tucson, began campaigning a '78 Pontiac Trans Am powered by a blown Chevy running alcohol. Promoters liked to pair the "Bandit" with Tommy Maras's "Smokey."
Berry Wagon
Bill Shrewsberry
1978-81
Bill Shrewsberry got sponsorship for his 1928 Ford Model A panel delivery truck from Knott's Berry Farm. Click here to see video footage.
See more video footage, begins at 4:37 mark and goes to 4:56 mark of video.
Galaxy II
Bob Perry
1979
Bob Perry, of Tucson, built and drove numerous wheelstanders. Inspired by the popularity of Star Wars, Perry built this space ship (Galaxy II) and another companion space ship wheelstander called "Death Ship."
Death Ship
Bob Perry
1979
Bob Perry, of Tucson, built and drove numerous wheelstanders. Inspired by the popularity of Star Wars, Perry built this companion to his "Galaxy II" space ship wheelstander called "Death Ship."
Super Bug
Mark "Mad Man Marko" Hildonen
1979-82
Mark Hildonen considered this a back-up wheelstanding car to his "Young American." Sometimes he campaigned both cars together for a side-by-side show. When he did so, he had James "Smokehouse" Curtis drive the VW. Click here to see video footage; (1) begins at 3:12 mark and goes to 3:22 mark, and (2) begins at 5:24 mark and goes to 5:33 mark of video.
Magnum Illusion
Rick Mehl
1979
"Rocket" Rick Mehl drove a '79 Dodge Magnum wheelstander powered by a blown Dodge motor on alcohol. The car was reportedly owned and built by Bill Golden.
Little Defiant
Gerald McBee
1979-84
Jerry McBee, of Hermiston, Oregon, campaigned this 1966 Econoline wheelstander along with his big White "Defiance" freightliner wheelstander.
Hemi Under Glass
Jack Ehrmantraut
ca. 1979-84
Jack Ehrmantraut, of Tucson, Arizona, campaigned a 1979 Firebird.