Page 64 - NM Spring_2021
P. 64
Dana’s 1948 Fiat funny car, “The Boogieman”
and raced it in B/Gas with some grown up and the Camco business
success, but in 1979 he put away his was on solid footing. Dana decided
helmet to focus on building his new to get back to drag racing. In the
business and spending time with his late 1990’s Hard’s home track
growing family. switched over to IHRA sanctioning
and he began racing a Corvette
Hard opened the doors of funny car in their Competition
Custom Automotive Machine in Eliminator class. Dana remembers He enlisted a talented young
Weymouth, Mass. in 1976. To its those years as some of the best in driver, Jon Wall. Wall had
hundreds (maybe thousands) his career. When the IHRA ended experience behind the wheel of
of customers it is best known as the Competition Eliminator classes his own alcohol funny car called
Camco Racing Engines. They build Dana started planning for the next “Quickie Too.” Dana says, “Jon
much more than just engines for chapter of his drag racing story. started working here part-time
racing. Antiques, muscle cars, about 12 years ago. I had him in
marine engines, modified and stock He built a Ford Wedge-powered the Boogieman for a few passes at
rebuilds as well as engines for all funny car running alcohol and Lebanon Valley a few years ago. I
types of competitive motorsports mounted a Fiat body. By this time, just showed him some basic stuff.
have been delivered for more than Dana started to think that he simply He’s been a good driver from day
45 years, all from the same location didn’t need the stress of building one. I can get in the car and go
on East St. in Weymouth. the cars, being the crew chief and down the track, but it’s not my
having to drive them too. Maybe he thing... and it’s not what I ever
At the end of the 1990s, Dana would enjoy it more as a car owner wanted to do anyway.”
found himself longing to return to and engine builder? The fact was
quarter-mile competition. In the that the engines had always been Running an alcohol funny car
ensuing 20 years, the kids had is hard on equipment. That fact
what interested him the most.
Continued on page 67
64 Nitro Madness Magazine SPRING 2021
