Jack Chrisman

Jack Chrisman (May 5, 1928 — August 17, 1989) was an American drag racer. He was a drag racing pioneer and 1961 champion. He was influential in the formation of the Funny Car class, as he introduced the first blown injected nitro-burning Funny Car. The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) ranked Chrisman 23rd on their Top 50 drivers in 2001.  Chrisman began drag racing in 1953 when he raced a 1929 Model A. He switched to a Chrysler car, continuing to race at Southern California such as Lions, Pomona, San Fernando, Santa Ana, and Saugus. He purchased the Purple Car from Ed Lusinski, and used the car to win drag races at many of these tracks. He started racing Top Fuel for Pat Akins. Masters & Richter flew Chrisman to the Bay area to race in their Top Fuel dragster.  In 1959 he started racing in Chuck Jones Sidewinder dragster. The car had its motor mounded sideways. It was shorter than the 100-inch common at that time. The car consistently recorded 9.0 second elapsed times (e.t.) at 160 miles per hour. Chrisman was working for the NHRA in late 1963 or early 1964 when Ford's Fran Hernandez gave a Mercury Comet to Chrisman. After Chrisman did not race it, Hernandez asked, "What's going to get you to race that car?" Chrisman responded he wanted a blower to be installed in the car. Chrisman went to a dealer, picked up the racecar, and brought it to Bill Stroppe's shop. The pair and their crew assembled the car. The car was debuted at the 1964 U.S. Nationals with Chrisman doing a burnout to half track. Chrisman toured the eastern half of the United States with the car though the end of the 1965 season. In 1966, he added a flip-up fiberglass body on the car, following a trend started by Don Nicholson and Eddie Schartman. Chrisman won his first race, at the Hot Rod Magazine Championships at Riverside Race, in the Exhibition Stock category. It is generally considered to be the first funny car to exceed 180 mph. The car ran the quarter mile in 8.72 seconds at 184 mph, beating Jungle Jim Liberman in the finals. On July 10, 1966 he set a class record at 188 miles per hour, only to have the engine blow up two weeks later at the Super Stock Magazine Nationals. The car burned to the ground. Chrisman came back with another Comet to race the rest of the 1966 season through 1970. Chrisman did not race in 1971. He built a "sidewinder" Mustang funny car for 1972, but never raced it. He sold it to Ray Maheu.

Subject ID: 11693

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Jack Chrisman (May 5, 1928 — August 17, 1989) was an American drag racer. He was a drag racing pioneer and 1961 champion. He was influential in the formation of the Funny Car class, as he introduced the first blown injected nitro-burning Funny Car. The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) ranked Chrisman 23rd on their Top 50 drivers in 2001.  Chrisman began drag racing in 1953 when he raced a 1929 Model A. He switched to a Chrysler car, continuing to race at Southern California such as Lions, Pomona, San Fernando, Santa Ana, and Saugus. He purchased the Purple Car from Ed Lusinski, and used the car to win drag races at many of these tracks. He started racing Top Fuel for Pat Akins. Masters & Richter flew Chrisman to the Bay area to race in their Top Fuel dragster.  In 1959 he started racing in Chuck Jones Sidewinder dragster. The car had its motor mounded sideways. It was shorter than the 100-inch common at that time. The car consistently recorded 9.0 second elapsed times (e.t.) at 160 miles per hour. Chrisman was working for the NHRA in late 1963 or early 1964 when Ford's Fran Hernandez gave a Mercury Comet to Chrisman. After Chrisman did not race it, Hernandez asked, "What's going to get you to race that car?" Chrisman responded he wanted a blower to be installed in the car. Chrisman went to a dealer, picked up the racecar, and brought it to Bill Stroppe's shop. The pair and their crew assembled the car. The car was debuted at the 1964 U.S. Nationals with Chrisman doing a burnout to half track. Chrisman toured the eastern half of the United States with the car though the end of the 1965 season. In 1966, he added a flip-up fiberglass body on the car, following a trend started by Don Nicholson and Eddie Schartman. Chrisman won his first race, at the Hot Rod Magazine Championships at Riverside Race, in the Exhibition Stock category. It is generally considered to be the first funny car to exceed 180 mph. The car ran the quarter mile in 8.72 seconds at 184 mph, beating Jungle Jim Liberman in the finals. On July 10, 1966 he set a class record at 188 miles per hour, only to have the engine blow up two weeks later at the Super Stock Magazine Nationals. The car burned to the ground. Chrisman came back with another Comet to race the rest of the 1966 season through 1970. Chrisman did not race in 1971. He built a "sidewinder" Mustang funny car for 1972, but never raced it. He sold it to Ray Maheu.

Subject ID: 11693

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