[Closed] Marlowe Modificaton Nationals

Marlowe Modificaton Nationals

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Months ago, there was a suggestion there should be an all new drag racing meet. There was a guy named Marlowe that was modifying diecast cars into drag racing machines from the '60s. The cars, were not produced by any diecast maker. They were existing diecast cars and then converted into wild drag racing machines. Wouldn't it be cool if those cars held a drag race? And so, the rumor mill began to swirl and circulate that some of Marlowe's modified drag racing funny cars should meet up at the same event.

No one quite knows the source of the first talk of such a meet. The hushed conversations that were whispered in the pits at the end of tailgates at different drag racing venues just seemed to be just talk; unsubstantiated rumors, if you will. However, as the rumors grew perhaps all of the quiet talk moved a few racers to say "Why not? We oughta do this!" And so, as these things tend to evolve, phone calls were made, negotiations completed, deals were cut and a date was set! It would be held in the mythical month of Marty, 1966 at historic Lion's Drag Strip in Long Beach, California. The race was ON! It was to be the inaugural drag racing funny car meet called the Marlowe's Modified Nationals (MMN)!

Entry to the event was based on a single criterion. Your car had to be a Marlowe diecast modification! There was only one little problem. Marlowe has modified only a few diecast cars, and only seven are drag racing vehicles. So, it was decided to allow a ringer. More on that later.

Drivers asked what performance modifications to their cars would be allowed. The MMN would be a "Run Watcha Brung" event! Match race rules apply!
Run watcha brung!

OK, got it but there were questions.

? Does that mean we can "tip the can?" Affirmative!
? Hydrazine rocket fuel? Affirmative!
? Rosin? Affirmative!
? Can we run any tire pressures? Affirmative!

It's a "Run Watcha Brung" event! Best car wins all the marbles! The "marbles" will be the famous and much sought after, the much desired "No Prize!" OK, then! It's ON!!!

Butch Leal brought his '65 AWB injected Plymouth Belvedere. Mr. Norm, showed with Gary Dyer at the helm, his blown '65 AWB Dodge Coronet, Dyno Don Nicholson with his injected flip top Mercury Comet, Gas Ronda in his '66 longnose injected Mustang atop his '65 fantasy transporter hauler, Bill Flynn with the injected AWB Yankee Peddler Dodge Coronet, and Maynard Rupp with his Chrysler HEMI powered Chevelle Malibu Chevoom. Big John Mazmanian showed up too with his Chrysler HEMI Willys gasser that he tuned for a nitromethane load in his Moon tank. It would be interesting to see how the Willys gasser would perform with nitromethane fuel coursing through its veins.

However, there was still the problem of only seven cars and an unequal paring. It was decided to allow the ringer to be Arnie "The Farmer" Beswick with his '66 Pontiac GTO funny car. (It's missing the engine cover so in a sense, it qualifies as a "Marlowe Modification) Lot's of other cars wanted to attend but they failed to meet the criterion of being a Marlowe modification. So, these eight cars would be paired against each other. It was gonna be one helluva show!

Mr. Norm had been running in the 8.70's at over 160 MPH throughout the East. The West coast drivers didn't believe the times and thought Mr. Norm was "Cooking the Chrondeck clocks." The drivers told Norm Kraus if he wanted to run 8's at Lion's Drag Strip to be sure to bring those East Coast clocks with him!

Dyno Don was running some pretty impressive times himself too. The lightweight Logghe chassis flip top Comet ran great and 8.50's were common at over 160 MPH! An interesting addition of the Mazmanian Willys would prove to be very exciting. How would a gasser running on Nitro stack up against the other tough competition? Time would tell. But first, qualification runs!

Butch Leal, 9.58 @ 151 MPH
Mr. Norm, 8.72 @ 162 MPH (Answering the so-called "East Coast clocks" critics)
Dyno Don 8.61 @ 161 MPH
Gas Ronda 8.81 @ 159 MPH
Bill Flynn 9.16 @ 157 MPH
Maynard Rupp 8.83 @ 167 MPH
Mazmanian 8.90 @ 158 MPH
Beswick, 8.79 @ 165 MPH

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Tomorrow, Round 1 of the MMN!