Page 26 - NM Spring_2021

Paul Gold, Tom Jobe of the legendary “Surfers” fuel dragster team and Ted Brine at the 2014 CHRR, Doubletree Hotel awards
in Bakersfield.
Jobe of the famed “Surfers” fuel
dragster of the 60’s. Goldy was
stunned that Tom would be asking
him questions. Tom sadly passed
away not too long ago and we still
have some photos of he and Goldy
talking that we treasure.
JOE IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT
26
On Saturday night, we made the
last run of the evening but wanted
to be in the 60 car “cacklefest”. As
we towed back to the pits, Steve
Gibbs was organizing the cackle
cars at the end of the track. He
advised that we did not have to
do the cackle show since we had
already done a lot at the event. We
were the only cackle car that could
race down the track, legally. Our
crew decided, “what the heck”, we
had come all this way and might
as well do as much as we could.
Without checking anything, we
topped off the fuel tank with nitro
and towed to the end of the track.
Steve told us to hang near the rear
to let the car cool down a bit. It
took nearly 40 mins to get the other
cars push started and parked on the
historic track. When it was our turn,
one of the track organizers came up
Nitro Madness Magazine
to us and said we could not blower
start the car, it had to be push
started as part of the “show”.
Of course, we had made no push
start arrangements. Steve Gibbs
quickly intervened and told them
to let us go. We fired the engine at
the end of the track and I weaved
the fuel coupe down the return road
and around a couple of cars that
had failed to fire. The huge crowd
was on their feet and applauding as
I made the turn toward the starting
line and headed up the track with
flames dancing from the pipes.
Under direction, I parked next to
the fueler of “TV Tommy” Ivo and
switched off the hemi, still hot from
the earlier run. In the rush, Goldy
was left at the top of the track but
he was able to “hitch” a ride with
Ivo’s crew in an old Caddy – too
funny!! A Garlits’ car followed
SPRING 2021