Walt Arfons lights final afterburner

[velocity]

The man who was first to adapt jet engines to race cars and parachutes to stop them dies at 96 on June 4th.

read the local report:
http://www.ohio.com/news/local/land-speed-record-breaker-walt-arfons-dead-at-96-1.403765

Walt was a major force of motorsports who operated so far under the radar most forgot he was ever there. I was honored to know him, call him "sir" and be recognized and respected for my unwavering thirst for jet-powered vehicles. He gave me time, over and over again without any hint of selfishness.  What I came away with was a solid, unshakeable technical knowledge base that has served me well for decades.

He could, like his half-brother Art, build things in his head and then craft them into existence at the shop on Pickle Road.
Walt made jets work when the manufacturers refused to give him the manuals.

And because he shirked the limelight most of you reading this will have little idea of who we have lost.

LandSpeed Louise

[PorkPie]

Walt was like his half brother Art a real character....if he got something in his mind he worked it out....with the result of also some strange racers like the steamrocket car....

it was great to know both personally.

But maybe you can correct my archive.

Wasn't the Russia who was first to built a jet powered record car in the 50's...the GAZ and did Walt not used parachutes before 1960 and Mickey Thompson in 1959 on the Challenger at the salt....

If you got other dates, they would be appreciate, thanks in advance.

[woz]

theoretical conversation for linked photo....

"OK Bobby, when I signal hit the blue button and launch, when you reach the one mile mark hit the red button and hold on tight"

http://www.macsmotorcitygarage.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Walt-Arfons.jpg

A racing legend whose accomplishments will hopefully never be forgotten.

 

[GH]

Walt brought the Green Mamba jet dragster to our new local tracks opening in the summer of 1963. They set a couple of junk cars on the track and the jet backed up to them and started blasting away at the old cars. Well, the windows started to explode out of the junk cars and along with the jet noise and the flying junk in the air the people in the stands started jumping off the bleachers. Me and a good friend was standing at the pit gate and when all this started happening we looked at each other and turned and started running the other way. I later heard that the driver lost both legs in Greenvalley Texas, I can't remember his name at the present time.
 

[Rcktscientist]

Driver was Doug Rose. Ran jet in the rain sans afterburner to get appearance money, spun out into single guardrail. Doug continued to run the Mamba for many years.

Walt was an icon of the early days of US LSR and Drag Racing and will be missed.

Walt's son, Craig was killed in a Water speed record attempt. I was at Detroit Dragway circa 1981 when Craig somehow survived a spectacular crash in his innovative jet car that became the standard design for the modern jet Funny Car. Very innovative family, I'll post the story sometime.

RIP Walt, Art, Craig

[Vinsky]

"He is survived by his wife of 76 years,"     Now that's a racer's dream come true and probably another great story.

[streamliner]

Amazing machines arose from such humble beginnings.  Headed to the Akron airport for some test runs, photo by Alex Tremulis...

[Graham in Aus]

That picture, right there.......    WOW! 

RIP Walt...

[floydjer]

RIP Walt

[Gary Perkinson]

RIP, Walt...one of the great men who have helped make this such a wonderful sport...

[velocity]

Walt was like his half brother Art a real character....if he got something in his mind he worked it out....with the result of also some strange racers like the steamrocket car....

it was great to know both personally.

But maybe you can correct my archive.

Wasn't the Russia who was first to built a jet powered record car in the 50's...the GAZ and did Walt not used parachutes before 1960 and Mickey Thompson in 1959 on the Challenger at the salt....

If you got other dates, they would be appreciate, thanks in advance.

There are several newspaper articles that report Walt Arfons using parachutes in the 1950's, I would have to dig them out, but I am sure grandson Mark Stiff could provide specifics. Mickey Thompson, while a remarkable innovator and racer, WAS NOT first to use parachutes.

As for the Russian jet, I seem to recall an article in Speed Record News, but I also recall not much of the article could be fact-checked or verified. Nevertheless, we can say with documented certainty that Walt Arfons built and drove the first jet powered car in North America, perhaps the western hemisphere, if not the world.

[Stan Back]

"Nevertheless, we can say with documented certainty that Walt Arfons built and drove the first jet powered car in North America"

. . . only if you don't count L.A. car dealer Bob Yeakle who did it in 1947.

[Stan Back]

An automotive historian can probably give you the details.

[interested bystander]

Stan, that guys  name is ALMOST the same as the car dealer who owned Yeakel Chrysler Plymouth on Lakewood Blvd back in the day. The guy Lou Baney worked for.

Small world!

[Stan Back]

Ah, duh, that's who I was referring to.  I'll learn to speel someday.  A real racer in his own right.