| In
1973 two funny cars came to Santa Pod from the USA.
One of the cars was the STP funny of Paula Murphy, the other was Stardust driven by Don Schumacher. Now one was to realise the impact these two cars would have on the British drag racing scene. In the next two pages I will try to follow the history of the car that thrilled and caught the imagination of me And many otherss. Stardust 1973-2000 |
||
| 1
Don Schumacher (left) and Paula Murphy arrive at
Santa Pod July 1973 for a series of match races. Don runs 202mph while Paula sets the funny car et Record at 7.13 ripping the oil pan out of the car on the infamous bump in the shutdown area. |
||
| Both
cars looking great in the Santa Pod Pits 1973.
This was the car that Don won the 1970 US Nationals with. |
||
| Don
dumps the laundry after his first
Run.(left) And finishes the meeting with a Flame burnout. Santa Pod buys the cars at the end Of this meeting. |
||
| 1974.
(below left)
Allan Herridge is given the ride and first time out blows the roof of the car after running out of fuel. Later in the year Stardust runs the first 6 second run in funny car in the UK (6.87) |
||
| 1975.
(above
right)
Stardust in all its full glory in the pits at the Santa Pod 'Winternationals' This was to be the last time Allan drove the car but had already set the recordAt 6.66@213mph earlier in the year. |
||
| 1976.
Stardust is up for sale in the February edition of the UK's drag racing publication 'drag racing news' for 12.000 The 'Stones' drag racing team purchase the car and run the car with a Chevy engine. |
||
| December
1976.
Two pictures of the car in the hands of the 'Stones' at The Santa Pod 'Winternationals'. The team had
already won the Easter meet with a 8.36/160
The Stones ran the car until the end of the 1978 season. |
||