Keith Black Racing Engines

Keith Black started his company by building engines for boat racing in the mid- 1940s. He was a fast learner, setting a world record the second time out on the Salton Sea. "I raced boats for a bit of myself, then someone said, 'Come build an engine for me,' and I built an engine (a flathead) for him. And then somebody else would say, 'Well, gee, that ran good, so build me one,' and someone else would want one, and so on. I got started in my backyard in the engine business. "

In 1959, he opened Keith Black Racing Engines. By 1961, his boat racing exploits included nearly 50 national and international records. As his reputation grew, drag racers began to solicit his expertise. Tommy Greer, a longtime friend, then approached Keith with the idea of running a car together. It took more than a little convincing, but the final result was the famed Greer-Black-Prudhomme Top Fueler. During the 1962 and 1963 seasons, it won over 250 eliminator rounds and lost fewer than 25! Prudhomme was succinct in his assessment of Black's abilities: "It was unbelievable how smart this Keith Black was."

Subject ID: 80729

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Keith Black started his company by building engines for boat racing in the mid- 1940s. He was a fast learner, setting a world record the second time out on the Salton Sea. "I raced boats for a bit of myself, then someone said, 'Come build an engine for me,' and I built an engine (a flathead) for him. And then somebody else would say, 'Well, gee, that ran good, so build me one,' and someone else would want one, and so on. I got started in my backyard in the engine business. "

In 1959, he opened Keith Black Racing Engines. By 1961, his boat racing exploits included nearly 50 national and international records. As his reputation grew, drag racers began to solicit his expertise. Tommy Greer, a longtime friend, then approached Keith with the idea of running a car together. It took more than a little convincing, but the final result was the famed Greer-Black-Prudhomme Top Fueler. During the 1962 and 1963 seasons, it won over 250 eliminator rounds and lost fewer than 25! Prudhomme was succinct in his assessment of Black's abilities: "It was unbelievable how smart this Keith Black was."

Subject ID: 80729

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