For what it's worth . . .
I have, for a long time, believed that funerals (and similar things, like "memorial services")
are for the LIVING (i.e., relatives of the deceased).
I wish that Boris Murray's family will find a small bit of comfort in this message (for what it's
worth). And I apologize if I say anything inappropriate. I have a lot of respect for Boris.
I have been following motorcycle drag racing for a long time, starting about 1970 (when I was 20
years old). I read in the motorcycle magazines about Boris Murray, Sonny Routt, Leo Payne, Larry
Welch, Clem Johnson, and others, and have seen some of these racers at various drag strips in
southern California.
After having seen Boris racing at one or more southern California drag strips (Irwindale? Lions?), and
after having taken some welding classes at Cal Poly (San Luis Obispo), and learning that Boris had built
some frames for other motorcycle drag racers, I wanted to work for him as a weldor. So I drove to his
house (I think it was in La Verne, CA) and met him. He was very nice. He was working in his 2-car garage
when I arrived. I walked in and started to talk to him. Part of the bodywork for his land speed bike
(built by Denis Manning, I think), in which he had gone 270 mph (based on what I read) was in his garage,
along with Boris's top fuel dragbike. He remarked to me that some of the bikes being built are pretty crude
(according to his standards -- he said that it "tears him apart" how other people "cut corners" (my words,
not his) in the design and construction of their bikes. And he (using something like a Sharpy felt pen)
showed me how he fabricates part of his dragbike frame to make it strong and "continuous". I was quite
impressed, and very thankful that he was so generous with his time, and willing to explain this to me.
Since then, I saw him at Ontario Motor Speedway at a drag meet. By this time, his bike had what appeared
to be a 6" slick on the back (the first I had seen on a dragbike), with a large sprocket and (as I remember,) a
2-speed (funnycar?) transmission. I don't remember whether he won that meet. Later, I saw him with a
3-engined dragbike at Fremont Drag Strip, in the San Francisco bay area. If what I read about that was
correct, this bike set a new Top Gas record in its first outing. I was quite impressed! It had 3 Kawasaki
750 2-stroke engines, and was extremely complex. I remember seeing lots of expansion chambers and lots
of control cables!
From what I have read since then, Boris has built at least one Top Fuel Dragster since then (I don't remember
the details about how many engines it had), and I think that one of these was ridden by his son. I think it's
great (in the context of drag racing) when a guy follows in his dad's footsteps!
I read on Joe Smith's website that Boris had a pacemaker. I always wished the best for him, and was a little
surprised to learn about his battle with cancer. I hate that with a passion!!!
All my best wishes to his family.
