The
Harris & Saenger B/Street Roadster set a new NHRA National
Record its first time out at Poctello, Idaho in June of 1966.
The team reset the record many times over the next few years,
the 128.89 mph speed record stood until August of 1968.
Jack Harris in the first
"Bad Hombre" - a Jr. Fuel Dragster in 1967.
A young Jack Harris poses
with "Bad Hombre II" in 1969.
Jack Harris - 1969
In 1969 the team campaigned this
Mark Williams chassis that ran in the NHRA Super Eliminator class
as an A/Fueler. At a points race in Mission, BC JACK set a new
NHRA class record at 7.42 et. (old record was held by Gene Adams
Chrysler hemi at 7.46 et).
In 1970 Harris and a few of his
friends built and campaigned another Mark Williams car fitted
with a pair of injected small block Chevy engines on fuel. The
car ran for two seasons and actually did fairly well but with
the advent of rear engine dragsters the car became obsolete and
was parked.
Those were the days (even with
two engines) when a drum of nitro would last about four times
longer. Billy (The Kid) should be standing behind Jack and Brett
would be in the '68 Olds Vista Cruiser push car with his mother.
Jack still has the Olds so when this car is fully restored (work
in progress) the package will be complete.
Harris' love of the color red
carries through to his current Nitro Thunder paint scheme. However,
the uniforms have changed drastically... a good thing.
Harris' first rear engine dragster
ride was in the Garlits chassis car of Larson-Robertson-Bennett
dubbed "Undertaker". Here is his first top fuel win.
6.40 et 224 mph.
Jack stages the "Harris
& Larson" Top Fuel car at Sacramento Raceway in 1974.
Harris' last
Top Fuel effort started in 1977 when he drove for Don Mattison's
"Mountain Raider". Jack won the Utah State Championship
that year with a 6.06 et @ 244 mph. The team campaigned the car
for two successful seasons but due to financial and business
commitments called it quits in 1979.
The next 8 shots are
from the Mountain Raider scrapbook.
Fast forward to 2002 - back in
Utah (Fort Harris) the team poses with two Harris race cars with
a 30 year age difference. In the foreground is "Bad Hombre
II" and as a pet project Harris is in the process of restoring
the car to its original trim and plans to take part in the now
legendary "Cacklefest" at the NHRA California Hot Rod
Reunion in October. It will be the only dual engine fuel car
in the mix.
