Bruce Larson (1937) is an American retired drag racer from Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.[1] He became nationally known for his match races. He quit funny Car racing in 1972 after a bad fire and raced in the Pro Stock class for 2 years. He then returned to the Funny Car class and match racing until 1987 where he fought his way to the NHRA Funny Car Championship in 1989. He led the points chase from start to finish collecting 6 National Event wins, 5 runner ups and the Car Craft Funny Car Driver of the Year award. That championship car is now one of only 2 drag race cars in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution, the other being Don Garlits' rear engine dragster. He was inducted into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 2006. Larson is remembered for his red, white, and blue USA-1 Chevrolet Camaros.
Larson began drag racing as a 16-year-old at Linden, New Jersey in a chopped fenderless 1932 Ford coupe.[2] Over the next ten years, he consistently won at local tracks using that car and later a 1954 Oldsmobile and a 1932 Chevrolet A/Gas coupe.[2] In 1965, he switched from the coupes to a 1963 Ford Cobra and immediately set records in NHRA's A/Sport and AA/Sport classes.[2] He used the car to win the NHRA Winternationals, Springnationals, and U.S. Nationals.[2] Larson was working at a Chevrolet dealership at the time and he formed a Chevrolet-based Funny Car team with Greg Sutliff, the dealership's owner.[2] They built a fiberglass-bodied 1966 Chevrolet Chevelle and toured the country in match races.[2] Larson had a 7.41-second run in 1968 in his Logghe Camaro which broke the all-time Funny Car elapsed time (e.t.) record.[2] In 1969, he received national recognition when he won the Super Stock Nationals at York, Pennsylvania.[2] He added a "USA-1" license plate to his Chevrolets, painted the dragster car red, white, and blue and added "USA-1" decals to the side.
Larson did not have a major sponsor until he found Datcon/Sentry in 1985.[2] That year he switched from Chevrolet to Oldsmobile and teamed up with world champion Joe Amato.[2] The two shared information. Larson won his first national funny car win at the Cajun Nationals.[2] Larson hired Pennsylvania sprint car racerMaynard Yingst as his crew chief to tune and set up the car and moved Don Milletics to the chief engineer position.[3] Larson started 1989 by winning the Winternationals.[2] He won at Springnationals, Mile-High nationals, Seafair nationals, Fallnationals, and the Winston Finals, plus finished second at five additional events.[2] He led the season points standings from start to finish to claim the 1989 NHRA Funny Car national championship.[2] He was voted Car Craft magazine's Funny Car Driver of the Year.[2]
Larson raced his first Top Fuel car in June 1992. He took over "Big Daddy" Don Garlits' car and won 4 IHRA National events when Garlits retired due to a detached retina.[4] Garlits closed his operation in 1995. Larson helped Garlits work on his dragster during his 2002 comeback.[5]
Awardsedit
He was inducted in numerous Halls of Fame. Don Garlits' International Drag Racing Hall of Fame inducted Larson in 2006.[6][2] Larson was inducted in the East Coast Drag Times Hall of Fame in 2003, and the Eastern Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame in 2004, the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1993, and the Super Stock Magazine Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 1995.[2]
Other awards that he received during his career include: the Al Holbert Memorial Award, the 1989 Car Craft magazine Driver of the year, the 1989 Eastern Motorsport Press Association Driver of the Year, 1980 Jungle Jim Liberman Memorial Award, and the ’89 NHRA Northeast Division N.E.D. of the Year Award.[2]
Referencesedit
^"Funny car champ to visit event for cancer victim". Cumberland County Sentinel. 2007-06-16. Retrieved 2008-09-27.
^ abcdefghijklmnopqr. International Drag Racing Hall of Fame. 2006. Archived from the original on March 14, 2006. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
^. National Dragster. 1992-06-05. Archived from the original on November 5, 2005. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
^Stephens, Bill (2002-03-15). "Superstars highlight Gatornationals". Retrieved 2009-03-14.
^Stephens, Bill (2005-11-30). "Shirley Muldowney leads Drag Hall class". Retrieved 2008-09-27.
January 01, 1970
bruce, larson, racing, driver, persons, similar, name, bruce, larson, disambiguation, bruce, larson, 1937, american, retired, drag, racer, from, camp, hill, pennsylvania, became, nationally, known, match, races, quit, funny, racing, 1972, after, fire, raced, s. For persons of a similar name see Bruce Larson disambiguation Bruce Larson 1937 is an American retired drag racer from Camp Hill Pennsylvania 1 He became nationally known for his match races He quit funny Car racing in 1972 after a bad fire and raced in the Pro Stock class for 2 years He then returned to the Funny Car class and match racing until 1987 where he fought his way to the NHRA Funny Car Championship in 1989 He led the points chase from start to finish collecting 6 National Event wins 5 runner ups and the Car Craft Funny Car Driver of the Year award That championship car is now one of only 2 drag race cars in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution the other being Don Garlits rear engine dragster He was inducted into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 2006 Larson is remembered for his red white and blue USA 1 Chevrolet Camaros 1960s Cobra dragsterRacing career editLarson began drag racing as a 16 year old at Linden New Jersey in a chopped fenderless 1932 Ford coupe 2 Over the next ten years he consistently won at local tracks using that car and later a 1954 Oldsmobile and a 1932 Chevrolet A Gas coupe 2 In 1965 he switched from the coupes to a 1963 Ford Cobra and immediately set records in NHRA s A Sport and AA Sport classes 2 He used the car to win the NHRA Winternationals Springnationals and U S Nationals 2 Larson was working at a Chevrolet dealership at the time and he formed a Chevrolet based Funny Car team with Greg Sutliff the dealership s owner 2 They built a fiberglass bodied 1966 Chevrolet Chevelle and toured the country in match races 2 Larson had a 7 41 second run in 1968 in his Logghe Camaro which broke the all time Funny Car elapsed time e t record 2 In 1969 he received national recognition when he won the Super Stock Nationals at York Pennsylvania 2 He added a USA 1 license plate to his Chevrolets painted the dragster car red white and blue and added USA 1 decals to the side Larson did not have a major sponsor until he found Datcon Sentry in 1985 2 That year he switched from Chevrolet to Oldsmobile and teamed up with world champion Joe Amato 2 The two shared information Larson won his first national funny car win at the Cajun Nationals 2 Larson hired Pennsylvania sprint car racer Maynard Yingst as his crew chief to tune and set up the car and moved Don Milletics to the chief engineer position 3 Larson started 1989 by winning the Winternationals 2 He won at Springnationals Mile High nationals Seafair nationals Fallnationals and the Winston Finals plus finished second at five additional events 2 He led the season points standings from start to finish to claim the 1989 NHRA Funny Car national championship 2 He was voted Car Craft magazine s Funny Car Driver of the Year 2 Larson raced his first Top Fuel car in June 1992 He took over Big Daddy Don Garlits car and won 4 IHRA National events when Garlits retired due to a detached retina 4 Garlits closed his operation in 1995 Larson helped Garlits work on his dragster during his 2002 comeback 5 Awards editHe was inducted in numerous Halls of Fame Don Garlits International Drag Racing Hall of Fame inducted Larson in 2006 6 2 Larson was inducted in the East Coast Drag Times Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Eastern Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame in 2004 the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Super Stock Magazine Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 1995 2 Other awards that he received during his career include the Al Holbert Memorial Award the 1989 Car Craft magazine Driver of the year the 1989 Eastern Motorsport Press Association Driver of the Year 1980 Jungle Jim Liberman Memorial Award and the 89 NHRA Northeast Division N E D of the Year Award 2 References edit Funny car champ to visit event for cancer victim Cumberland County Sentinel 2007 06 16 Retrieved 2008 09 27 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Bruce Larson International Drag Racing Hall of Fame 2006 Archived from the original on March 14 2006 Retrieved 2008 08 22 Maynard Yingst Motorsports Memorial 2007 Retrieved 2008 08 21 Detached retina forces Garlits to retire National Dragster 1992 06 05 Archived from the original on November 5 2005 Retrieved 2008 09 25 Stephens Bill 2002 03 15 Superstars highlight Gatornationals Retrieved 2009 03 14 Stephens Bill 2005 11 30 Shirley Muldowney leads Drag Hall class Retrieved 2008 09 27 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bruce Larson racing driver amp oldid 1176679949, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
