Hey everybody.
I thought I would share a little family history.
My father was a drag racer back in the early days. He grew up in Delaware and raced all over the east coast. He mostly raced corvettes from 57 to 61. In 1961 he won the nationals in Indy in his class. He was racing a 61 Corvette called the Rapid Rabbit.The name comes from our last name which is Hare, and everyone said that he was "quick out of the Hole, like a bunny" The car had a 283 fuel injected motor and was putting out about 315 HP. He used to race against Grumpy Jenkins and even knew Don Garlits. He had tracks pay him to come and match race there so they could bill him as a main attraction. One time the Atco NJ track even had a party to honor him and Don Garlits at the same time.
I have spent the last 25 years searching for his 61 Corvette, hoping maybe someone knew what happened to it. After years of searching I finally have the answers I was looking for. Here is the short and sad story as told to me by the engine builder who rebuilt the motor for the next owner. I found him on a forum a few weeks ago and him and his son are still building engines in PA. He called me and told me everything he knew about the car and it's history.
At the 61 NHRA Nationals in Indy, my dad ran 13.73 at 104.65 mph and took the trophy for his class. In late 62 he sold his corvette to a dealership, because he was expecting his first child, my oldest brother. The car was then purchased by a man named Paul Alberts and brought to an engine builder in PA named Roger Sinistri. Sinistri rebuilt the motor then they took it to Indy for the 63 nationals and were disqualified due to the battery having been relocated to the trunk to make room for the homemade headers installed by my Dad and his mechanic. OOPs.
In 63 it made two record runs at 129.22 MPH to set a national speed record. They then reworked the car again and made it to the 64 nationals Et of 12.73 and won the class.
The car was then sold again to someone else and raced for 2 more seasons. Then it was put away in a garage and destroyed by a fire. The only thing left was the frame and the roll bar.
:cry
This is the sad ending to my dream to some day find and own my dad's 61 corvette. But at least now after all these years of searching, I know what happened to it.
My Dad moved to WI for work in the mid sixties and in 69 made a brief return to drag racing. He bought a brand new 69 Camaro with a 427 Big block and reworked the motor to 600HP and started racing again. He was running mid to high 9's in the quarter mile at about 149 MPH. Shortly into the 69 season he blew the motor on the car and gave the car to his mechanic and crew chief and walked away from racing to raise his family.
Now if I haven't bored everyone too much with my novel. Here are some pics of the car. Cause I know the :rulez.
My dad after winning 61 Nationals
On the starting at 61 Nationals
Not sure where this one was taken.
This is after my dad sold it. Paul Alberts was driving it then.
Thanks for letting me share.
I thought I would share a little family history.
My father was a drag racer back in the early days. He grew up in Delaware and raced all over the east coast. He mostly raced corvettes from 57 to 61. In 1961 he won the nationals in Indy in his class. He was racing a 61 Corvette called the Rapid Rabbit.The name comes from our last name which is Hare, and everyone said that he was "quick out of the Hole, like a bunny" The car had a 283 fuel injected motor and was putting out about 315 HP. He used to race against Grumpy Jenkins and even knew Don Garlits. He had tracks pay him to come and match race there so they could bill him as a main attraction. One time the Atco NJ track even had a party to honor him and Don Garlits at the same time.
I have spent the last 25 years searching for his 61 Corvette, hoping maybe someone knew what happened to it. After years of searching I finally have the answers I was looking for. Here is the short and sad story as told to me by the engine builder who rebuilt the motor for the next owner. I found him on a forum a few weeks ago and him and his son are still building engines in PA. He called me and told me everything he knew about the car and it's history.
At the 61 NHRA Nationals in Indy, my dad ran 13.73 at 104.65 mph and took the trophy for his class. In late 62 he sold his corvette to a dealership, because he was expecting his first child, my oldest brother. The car was then purchased by a man named Paul Alberts and brought to an engine builder in PA named Roger Sinistri. Sinistri rebuilt the motor then they took it to Indy for the 63 nationals and were disqualified due to the battery having been relocated to the trunk to make room for the homemade headers installed by my Dad and his mechanic. OOPs.
In 63 it made two record runs at 129.22 MPH to set a national speed record. They then reworked the car again and made it to the 64 nationals Et of 12.73 and won the class.
The car was then sold again to someone else and raced for 2 more seasons. Then it was put away in a garage and destroyed by a fire. The only thing left was the frame and the roll bar.
:cry
This is the sad ending to my dream to some day find and own my dad's 61 corvette. But at least now after all these years of searching, I know what happened to it.
My Dad moved to WI for work in the mid sixties and in 69 made a brief return to drag racing. He bought a brand new 69 Camaro with a 427 Big block and reworked the motor to 600HP and started racing again. He was running mid to high 9's in the quarter mile at about 149 MPH. Shortly into the 69 season he blew the motor on the car and gave the car to his mechanic and crew chief and walked away from racing to raise his family.
Now if I haven't bored everyone too much with my novel. Here are some pics of the car. Cause I know the :rulez.
My dad after winning 61 Nationals
On the starting at 61 Nationals
Not sure where this one was taken.
This is after my dad sold it. Paul Alberts was driving it then.
Thanks for letting me share.
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