Parachutes on Dragsters

[Roger U]

I went to the Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona last weekend and saw several old (1;1) front engined dragsters. I noticed they all had parachutes mounted on them. When I used to go to Lions Drag Strip, a long time ago (late 1950s to the early 60s), they were not using parachutes.

Just wondering, what year were parachutes first used on dragsters?

I imagine they all have them now as a requirement for the nostalgic races they run at these days.

[ra7c7er]

1958 - Abe Carson used one on the Hartman and Carson Dragster. Jim Deist designed it and fitted it to the car.

Parachutes started being used on cars going back to the mid 30's as a way to slow runaway diesel trucks.

[Brutalform]

When ever a new rule comes into play on the drag strip, sadly, some one either died, or was seriously injured, to have the rule made. The NHRA rulebook requires any car capable of 150 mph, needs a chute. Not sure of the E.T though, as its been a few years since I raced.

[Foxer]

I'm no expert by any means on this, but I was researching a early 60's dragster build and it seemed parachutes were just starting to be used in the very early '60.

[ra7c7er]

parachutes were starting to catch on by the early mid 60's but were not widely used until the late 60's early 70's.

[krazyglu]

At the Famoso '59 march meet art chrisman and jim diest had just begun testing 'chutes. I actually opted to leave the chute off of my amt fed build because I feel in the late to mid '50's they were not used in nhra. I would say when these dragster's are restored or recreated and they go on tour to different drag strips/shows they are required to have a chute to even be pushed out on the track and fired up ,but I may be wrong.

[6bblbird]

Some say that it was cartoonist Tom Medley that inspired the use of parachutes on drag cars via a cartoon that he penned in the mid 1950s. His work was often seen in Hot Rod magazine and Car Toons.

This is from The Ultimate Hot Rod Dictionary:A-Bombs to Zoomies by Jeff Breitenstein

"The first use of a parachute in a hot rodding application came in 1958 when racer Abe Carson contracted chute engineer Jim Deist to adapt a chute to the flathead powered Hartman and Carson dragster. By 1960, big name drivers like Tommy Ivo and Art Chrisman were strong chute proponents, furthering the systems popularity. During the mid 1960s, dual parachute systems were introduced, providing still greater slowing potential. Today, drag chutes are typically mandated on vehicles capable of speeds exceeding 150 miles per hour in the quarter-mile."

The Deist website claims that Jim Deist designed and installed the first drag racing chute in 1959 but gives no other details.

WF

Edited February 6, 2011 by 6bblbird

[Mark Brown]

When ever a new rule comes into play on the drag strip, sadly, some one either died, or was seriously injured, to have the rule made. The NHRA rulebook requires any car capable of 150 mph, needs a chute. Not sure of the E.T though, as its been a few years since I raced.

There's no ET requirement - it's still 150 mph.

[whale392]

Dads rail has one...it was built in 1964 by Logghe Chassis using a Chassis Research roll cage/cockpit.