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No, its not Jim Whelen either. Jim had fair hair and light coloured eyebrows. Come on somebody must know!
Jaytee, you mean this one!
The ‘Michigan Twist’ was owned and driven by Diane Baldwin; a crew hand for Russell Cook’s A/Comp Bike. Personally I don’t remember this car running at the ‘92 Cannonball, but I guess it did as I wrote the original 'European Dragster' news item stating that the car had been fitted with a blown and injected 392 iron block and that the chassis saw earlier life as a Fuel Altered. The body, by all accounts, was the first of the Santa Pod imported Hoover cars from 1982, and the asking price was £5500. Did it sell! Well you’d have to ask Rod that one.
The ‘Michigan Twist’ was owned and driven by Diane Baldwin; a crew hand for Russell Cook’s A/Comp Bike. Personally I don’t remember this car running at the ‘92 Cannonball, but I guess it did as I wrote the original 'European Dragster' news item stating that the car had been fitted with a blown and injected 392 iron block and that the chassis saw earlier life as a Fuel Altered. The body, by all accounts, was the first of the Santa Pod imported Hoover cars from 1982, and the asking price was £5500. Did it sell! Well you’d have to ask Rod that one.
Well, the above seems to narrow down where the ‘82 Corvette body originally came from. The first of the Hoover cars.
The second to make its way across this side of the pond was the Champion Auto Stores ‘Vette already pictured on this thread. Then it must have been the ‘Wynns Purple Power’ car, then Jim Whelan’s, and after that the body must have changed hands landing on Clive Micheal’s chassis as the ’California Kid’ before turning into Diane Baldwin‘s ‘Michigan Twist’.
The second to make its way across this side of the pond was the Champion Auto Stores ‘Vette already pictured on this thread. Then it must have been the ‘Wynns Purple Power’ car, then Jim Whelan’s, and after that the body must have changed hands landing on Clive Micheal’s chassis as the ’California Kid’ before turning into Diane Baldwin‘s ‘Michigan Twist’.
As far as I can determine Clive ran the car at three Avon Park Raceway meets in 1990; The BDRA Inaugural Drag Race 21st/22nd April, BDRA Whitsun Nationals 26th/27th/28th May, BDRA Summer Nationals 28th/29th June and the World Finals meet at Santa Pod September 21st/22nd.
Although these were programmed entries, the only time I can find for Clive was a 6.06s set at the inaugural Avon Park in April against Charlie Draper. However, one item which has come to light is a programmed appearance by Diane Baldwin with the ’Michigan Twist’ at the BDRA Nationals in September the same year 1990 at Avon Park. Can’t have done much good as there’s no mention in the reports anywhere.
Although these were programmed entries, the only time I can find for Clive was a 6.06s set at the inaugural Avon Park in April against Charlie Draper. However, one item which has come to light is a programmed appearance by Diane Baldwin with the ’Michigan Twist’ at the BDRA Nationals in September the same year 1990 at Avon Park. Can’t have done much good as there’s no mention in the reports anywhere.
Just when I thought that we’ll never find the answer to this question [It Ain’t John Force So Who Is It?], and up pops a couple of photos from the vaults explaining it all. Photos, which I have to say, I took at the 1989 World Finals at Santa Pod.
The very nature of the photo’s surroundings was telling us that our un-named racer drove a Funny Car! WRONG, as the photo below explains. In fact it’s a Top Fuel driver of Swedish origin by the name of Connie Andersson.
At the time Connie was driving one of Dennis Priddle’s mid eighties cars where he qualified number four in the Top Fuel Cannonball style shootout running a best of 5.77/254. Also appearing at that event was Al Segrini, Liv Berstad, Pelle Lindelow and Tony Bryntesson driving the ex Dennis Forcelle 'CVN' dragster. The winner was Pelle Lindelow in the 'Dynapac' dragster.
So the mystery is concluded, I hope! From all the posts placed on this thread we’ve all had some fun with this one especially with some of the forgotten Corvette bodied cars of our time. If anyone has better quality photos than these below please post them here....
The very nature of the photo’s surroundings was telling us that our un-named racer drove a Funny Car! WRONG, as the photo below explains. In fact it’s a Top Fuel driver of Swedish origin by the name of Connie Andersson.
At the time Connie was driving one of Dennis Priddle’s mid eighties cars where he qualified number four in the Top Fuel Cannonball style shootout running a best of 5.77/254. Also appearing at that event was Al Segrini, Liv Berstad, Pelle Lindelow and Tony Bryntesson driving the ex Dennis Forcelle 'CVN' dragster. The winner was Pelle Lindelow in the 'Dynapac' dragster.
So the mystery is concluded, I hope! From all the posts placed on this thread we’ve all had some fun with this one especially with some of the forgotten Corvette bodied cars of our time. If anyone has better quality photos than these below please post them here....
