The One That Got Away.......
Edited version, published
in "Drag Racer Magazine".
THE ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE STORY OF ROLAND LEONG’S,
KENT FULLER “HAWAIIAN”
by Bill Pitts
with research assistance by Don Prieto and Bob Thompson
Dedicated to the memory of
Dell Doss and "Teddy" Leong
This, the unedited text,
written in January of 2004
Dusk, on Saturday, at the famed “Lion’s”
drag strip in Long Beach, California. Qualifying runs have
concluded, and Eliminations will start at 6:00 p.m. Now, is
a perfect time for practice runs in the “rare
air” at “The Beach”. It’s October
3rd, 1964, and a double “A” fuel dragster is
about to begin an incredible journey that will ultimately
land it on the other side of the world.
Roland Leong, age 20, has been trying to mix up a batch of
nitro for his first ever pass in the brand new Kent Fuller
dragster. Keith Black, in attendance that day, asks for a
percentage of nitromethane to alcohol in the
“teens”. Leong has little or no experience
mixing “pop”, so after a while, a somewhat
embarrassed Leong asks if 47 percent would be o.k. Black
thinks it’s close enough.
The car is now ready for it’s maiden voyage and Leong
is strapped into the beautiful piece by another legend: A
guy named Don Prudhomme. “I remember Roland
couldn’t see over the cowl (so) we put a pillow under
him and it helped some,” recalls Prudhomme.
As is customary, the “fueler” is pushed out
onto the track, facing the starting line. It will be pushed
started to life, then turned behind the starting line and
brought to a halt.
The push start begins.
Soon the dragster moves under it’s own power. Leong
brakes the car for the “turn around” and the
engine accidentally stalls. Now it’s back up the
track for another try at keeping the brand new Keith Black
“Hemi” lit. A push, and she fires again. This
time, Leong makes the turn and proceeds to the line.
As the rail stages, all can see how much this car resembles
the famed Greer, Black, and Prudhomme
“slingshot” that was so dominant through the
early 60’s. Only a scant six more inches of wheelbase
separate it from it’s older sibling. Danny
Ongias(another racing legend) ordered the car through Keith
Black who assembled it. Leong and Ongias wanted to make the
move to nitro, but the two men had a “falling
out”, so Leong took the seat. Tony Nancy upholstery,
an Arnie Roberts body, and a beautiful aqua blue Joe
Anderson paint job, with the word “Hawaiian” in
bamboo lettering, set this car apart from most. Many recall
it as being the finest looking version of the car which
evolved, more than once, during its stay with Leong.
Almost all of Leong’s previous dragster runs had been
in “Dragmaster” gasoline powered rails. A
constant aspect of those “Dragmaster” cars was
the parachute lever release which was always located on the
frame rail to the right or left of the driver. But now, an
unfamiliar “D” ring parachute release lay
somewhere near Leong’s shoulder.
The journey is about to begin.
The motor comes up in pitch and the clutch is released.
Leong recalls bits and pieces of the run that is officially
recorded with an elapsed time of 8.74 seconds, at 191.48
miles per hour. Danny Broussard, now age 70, a long time
friend and crew member of Leong’s, wasn’t
really sure he’d actually made it through “the
traps”. A “Drag Sport Illustrated”
article by Ralph Guldahl Jr., mentioned that “Roland
was advised to take an easy familiarization run in the new
car,” but the temptation must have been too great and
Leong, “got on it, backed out of it, looked real
good---then drifted further and further left just before
the lights till the rail was in the dirt.”
Either way, after passing through (or around) the traps,
Leong reaches for the “D” ring parachute
release and it’s no where to be found. Leong recalls
looking for it momentarily, which only made things worse.
“Everyone’s heart was in their throats, people
shouted: ‘Stay Upright!!!’ Prudhomme shouted,
‘He’s over!!!’ and began to run,”
recalls Guldahl.
Wayne King, better known as the “Peregrine”,
was picking up the chute on his Doss, Clayton, King
dragster (down at the end of the shut down area) when the
“Hawaiian” flew by.
“Yep, I was there. Saw the whole show. It looked
really bad. Lots of dust. The car stayed on all four wheels
as it banged up and down. ‘Rolo’ (Leong) took
out a couple of the signs that tell you you’re in
deep shit and running out of space to stop.”
Though Leong manages to get the big “Hemi” shut
off, the car is still flying toward the end of the shut
down area. And as the end of the asphalt arrives, Leong
recalls hitting the sign that read, “The End”.
From there, the earth bound missile slid to a halt through
the dirt, weeds, and rocks, and up on to the railroad
tracks that ran perpendicular to the shut down area, and
Willow Street beyond.
Once stopped, Leong’s first move is to see if
he’s still in one piece. He then leaves the bent
“Hawaiian” to assess the damage and it’s
about this time that track manager, C.J.
“Pappy” Hart arrives on the scene. The now 92
year old Hart recalls that after he saw that Leong was
o.k., he demanded to have his dragster driver’s
license.
“I tore it (the driver’s license) up and told
him he was through, as a driver”, recollects Hart.
“He just didn’t seem to have the
ability”. Prudhomme recalled that, “Roland, his
Mom and Keith (Black) were very scared and shaken by the
experience.” And despite the fact that Leong had
driven his Dragmaster Gas cars to over 180 m.p.h., as his
bent beauty is being carted off to Kent Fuller’s
shop, Black and Leong decide that once the car is repaired,
Don Prudhomme would be taking over as driver.
It would be an easy transition for the “Snake”,
having won over 90 percent of his races in the famed Greer,
Black, and Prudhomme dragster.
“The GBP deal was about over, only I didn’t
know it. When it finally happened, Keith recommended to
Roland that I drive it (the “Hawaiian”). That
was o.k. by me,” recalls Prudhomme.
But now the “broken in” “Hawaiian”
is too damaged to run so the car goes back to it’s
creator, Kent Fuller. (Leong is quick to thank his parents
for their help during his early days in racing. Much
appreciated financial assistance and support for his
“top eliminator” racing came from his parents,
especially his Mom, “Teddy”.)
So, Fuller makes the decision to “front half”
the car. A term used to describe how a chassis is literally
cut in half just ahead of the motor plate and a new front
half is created. Fuller now lengthens the car from its
original 118 inch wheelbase, to a more contemporary 136
inches. In addition, he replaces all the front end
components with “the latest stuff” as he
recalls. The car is then reformed into an absolutely
beautiful piece of drag art. Fresh aqua blue “boat
flake” and lettering with the bamboo motif are added
by Gene Winfield and the magical combination of Prudhomme
and the “Hawaiian” is made. *
Of his first run in the car, Prudhomme recalls it
“being pretty much just like the GBP car, only
FASTER!”
After a couple of weekends at local Southern California
tracks, the “Hawaiian”, with Prudhomme at the
wheel, makes it’s first major appearance at the 1965
“Winternationals” in Pomona, California. One
year earlier, the sport of drag racing made the “big
time” with this event when the race was televised
nationally on “ABC’s ‘Wide World of
Sports’”. And for this year’s televised
“Winters”, most of the big names in the
“top eliminator” class tried to qualify for,
and win, this prestigious event. The cream-of-the-crop
competed, but the trophy went to Leong, Prudhomme, Black,
and the“Hawaiian”. It was Prudhomme’s
very first time competing at an N.H.R.A. event.
“Part of the winnings included a Ford Pickup and a
camper,” recalls Prudhomme. “We decided to go
on the road with our new truck and a guy that lived by me
built us an enclosed trailer. It had wood sides and top and
was VERY heavy.
When we hit the road, we ended up driving from Gas station
to gas station because the truck only had a 15-gallon (gas)
tank. I took forever to get anywhere. When we got to
Chicago, we sold it and bought a Chrysler station
wagon.”
The rest of the first part of 1965 saw the
“Hawaiian” competing all over, with a good
showing, but no win, at the “Smoker’s
Meet” in Bakersfield California. “Big
Daddy” Don Garlits was unstoppable at this event and
crushed the most impressive gathering of dragsters the
world had ever seen. But, nipping at his heels was a
skinny, soft spoken acquaintance of Roland Leong’s
who was destined to take the wheel of the
“Hawaiian”, later in the year. Mike Snively,
driving the “Old Master” Don Long dragster of
Ed Pink, was runner up to Garlits through Saturday’s
64 car field and Sunday’s 32 car field. A performance
only eclipsed by “Big Daddy” himself.
The month of April is highlighted by a win at
“Lions” on Saturday night and then at
“Pomona” on Sunday. Then one week later, a
classic “Snake” vs. “Mongoose” two
out three at “Lions” with Tom “The
Mongoose” McEwen taking the win. Then the
“Hawaiian” team heads east and garners a
“job well done” from “National
Dragster”, a racing periodical, for touring the
eastern portion of the United States, exposing many to the
beauty and performance of this West Coast dragster.
Prudhomme reflects on the incredibly low maintenance work
done by this Keith Black prepped “top
eliminator” team: “I remember the car was
pretty all right, but I was (really) impressed by how fast
it was and how trouble free it was. We NEVER broke anything
on the road!
We booked several match races with (T.V. Tommy) Ivo and
others and we did good---never broke anything and we ONLY
CHANGED OIL. Never even moved the mag!”
Then, with Keith Black scheduled to join them, Leong and
Prudhomme take the “Winternationals” Champion
to Indianapolis, Indiana for the “Nationals”,
another equally prestigious event on the NHRA circuit.
Prudhomme recalls the preparatory instructions given by
Black: “We went to Indy and we were told to put the
spare engine in and Keith came to town and tuned it
up.”
No car competing in “top eliminator” had ever
won the “Winternationals” and
“Nationals” in the same year. But the
“Hawaiian” once again fought through the
impressive field of national contenders and took home the
“top eliminator” trophy. This fact was proudly
scripted on the cowl of the “Hawaiian”, now a
truly standout performer.
The national publicity that followed, moved the car and
it’s team into the racing spotlight. And soon,
someone ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD would be watching as
the “Hawaiian” continued its fabulous winning
streak.
After the ‘65 “Nationals”, Prudhomme
recalled another great win: “We went and stayed with
Chris Karamesines in Chicago and we raced at Union Grove
and we won, beating Garlits in the final.” “I
was beginning to really like this deal!”
It’s late in the 1965 racing season when Prudhomme
decides to strike out on his own. High on the successes of
the past few years, and furnished with a brand new
“Woody” car, Dave Zeuchel “Hemi”,
and B. & M. Torque Master transmission, Prudhomme parts
company with the “Hawaiian” team.
“At this point I was feeling pretty good and I was
SURE it was all because of my driving,” chuckled
Prudhomme. And when the Spars (of B & M Torqmaster)
offered me the B & M car that (Ken) Safford was
driving, if I would take it on tour, I jumped at the
chance.” “I thought it (was just going to
continue.) (Dave) Zeuschel builds the engine, I run the
car--It should be easy. Boy was I wrong!”
So, Leong must now find another driver for his year old
champion, Mike Snively is contacted, and another magical
combination is formed.
The competition gains ground over the winter months. The
‘65/’66 year end transition sees big changes
made by other teams to find a winning edge. The most
obvious change is in wheelbase. Over 150 inches of
wheelbase seems to be a leading edge move by teams to
maintain control of their mounts as horsepower, tires, and
clutch design, continue to evolve. Lighter frames, with
hardly any body work at all, leave the
“Hawaiian” looking too pretty to pull off
another “Big Win”. But when it came to the
“Hawaiian”, beauty was only skin deep.
Performance was to the bone!
Once again, it’s time for the ‘66
“Winternationals” In Pomona, California and
with a mere two weekends of seat time for Snively, the team
heads for the Pomona Fair Grounds. And, with cool
consistency the “diamond in the rough” scores
it’s second consecutive “Winternationals”
win. Another big one for the now 21 year old owner, Roland
Leong, and his team of champions.
*“When Snively jumped in the ‘Hawaiian’
and continued to win and I struggled with the
‘Torkmaster’ car I just knew it was the
stupidest thing I ever did and the biggest mistake of my
life, reflected Prudhomme. But it all worked out. I learned
the hard way and was forced to learn how to do the
mechanical part of the racing. I developed an all-new
respect for Keith after that deal.”
And so the stage was set for the improbable: A second
consecutive win at “Indy” for the
“Hawaiian”. But first the team travels to
Bakersfield and the “U.S. Fuel and Gas
Championships”, formerly known as the “March
Meet”. Once again the field is incredibly large with
elapsed times dropping into the 7.40’s and below. The
Surfers would carry the weekend, and rightly so. Their 7.34
during Saturday’s eliminations only served to
reinforce the need to lighten up. Body work was a waste of
(elapsed) time and money. The low budget Surfers and others
proved that. But despite it all, the beautiful
“Hawaiian” had qualified 4th amongst
Saturday’s huge 64 car field.
It’s now May of 1966. The summer tour will kick off
in Amarillo, Texas, for the “Hawaiian”, the
“Surfers”, and “T.V.” Tommy Ivo. A
“Texas verses California” race that the
“Hawaiian” doesn’t make. The team is
towing to the race in the dead of night, through Amboy,
California, when disaster strikes. A fellow drag racer is
pulling his ‘57 Chevy stock car with a ‘57
Chevy, and attempts to pass Snively, who is driving
Leong’s 1965 Dodge station wagon. The pass is
attempted on a bridge in the middle of the desert. After
the crash the driver of the ‘57 explained that he was
looking at the word “Hawaiian” on the side of
the enclosed trailer, when his race car hit the side of the
bridge. This caused Snively to swerve and all were caught
up in a wreck.
When Leong woke up from a dead sleep, his world was upside
down. The Dodge station wagon had flipped and despite being
full of all kinds of miscellaneous stuff, Snively, Leong,
and Danny Broussard (riding “Shotgun”), as well
as those in the other car, emerged mostly unhurt. But,
where was the “Hawaiian”? When the tow car
flipped, the enclosed trailer broke loose and headed out
into the darkness. After a short search, everyone gave up
trying to find it until day break. And, with the desert sun
rise came the reality that the trailer had stayed up right,
but had bounced through the desert for quite a distance,
finally stopping at least a quarter of a mile out from the
crash site. The spare Chrysler Hemi, and other equipment,
sitting beside the “champion”, showed no mercy
and the dragster was once again in need of magic from
it’s builder, Kent Fuller.
So a fateful decision is made: The car will be
reincarnated, yet again. Some must have called it folly to
hope for anything more from the “old”
competitor. Surely it’s “BIG WIN” days
were over. But, Fuller pushes the front end out once again
to a very respectable 155 inches.
Now, the rebuilt frame and it’s battered body head
for Tom Hanna’s body shop in Chula Vista, California.
Hanna reforms Leong’s pride yet again to give the
piece an even longer, leaner look. A Cerney/Kelly paint job
and bamboo lettering complete the incredibly beautiful
image that returned to the track once more.
The aging “champion” then made its way to
“Indy”. Meanwhile, Kent Fuller, who had flown
out from Southern California for the race, assumed the roll
of push car driver for none other than, Danny Ongias, who
was running short of crew members that weekend.
One of Fuller’s most satisfying moments as a dragster
builder came at this “Nationals”. Ongias was
driving the “Honda of Wilmington” full bodied
Fuller dragster, a car Fuller believes was probably his
finest piece. How grand it must have been for Fuller to
push start Ongias in his “finest piece” only to
watch him race his other aging champion, the
“Hawaiian” in the final race of the day for
“top eliminator”. The two beautiful full bodied
rails had “trailered” their competition. And
then, what Fuller and the rest of the crowd observed was
one of the very first “smokeless” top fuel
finals in history. And who was first to the finish line?
Mike Snively and the “Hawaiian”. For a race car
builder, it can’t get any better than that.... or can
it?
Months later, the team pushes into 1967 and sets sail for
Bakersfield. The “March Meet”, though not what
it used to be, brings enough fuel dragsters to fill a 32
car field of keen competition. The Fuller
“Hawaiian” qualifies in the 13th position. The
only Fuller built chassis in the field is now flanked by a
younger stepsister, a new Don Long car, called the
“Hawaiian 2”, which qualified 24th. This no
frills dragster, with Mike Sorokin driving, will move Leong
away from Fuller and on to further race car orders from Don
Long.
But the lone Fuller beauty has one more big win up her
sleeve and skillfully negotiates the field of up-to-date
competitors to, once again, take home the trophy.
It’s sometime after this final big win that Leong
receives a phone call from “an Italian guy” as
he recalls. The Italian guy wants to buy the Fuller
“Hawaiian”, AND HE’S CALLING FROM ITALY!
Leong thought it strange that someone so far away would
want his old work horse, but the man said he wanted to take
the car on a “show car circuit”, so Leong
thought it would be a good idea to fix the car up first. A
blower belt had been thrown at an earlier event and the
body was in need of repair. But the Italian guy said,
“No!” He wanted it just the way it was the last
day it was run.
Though the negotiated price was minus a motor, Leong
outfitted the car with one of his spare “Chrysler
Marine” 392’s. A Joe Hunt magneto, Enderle
injector, and capped port injection, took the place of the
truly hot set up, but the car was still runnable. Shipping
the car was no big deal for Leong. He’d done it with
other cars, from the mainland to Hawaii and back. So, off
went the “Hawaiian” to Italy. Then, in 1969,
Leong received a letter stating the car had been donated to
an automotive museum in Italy.
And there she sits to this day.....
Epilogue...
Roland Leong continued to compete in top fuel and then, in
the late 60’s, moved to Funny Car where his
“Hawaiian’s” would continue their winning
ways for the next 30 plus years. He last worked with Jim
Epler’s funny car team in 2001, and is currently
seeking financial backing for another run at the Funny Car
or Top Fuel Championships. Despite his tremendous history
Leong has never won an NHRA Championship. No time like the
present!
Kent Fuller whose dragsters and other automotive creations
are highly prized in today’s vintage car market, is
currently seeking sponsorship for the completion of his
latest creation: A “salt flat car” that is
destined for the record books.
And the Fuller “Hawaiian”, Roland Leong’s
old champion, has been moved over the years from upper
floor (no photos) status, to ground floor (photos allowed)
status in the great Museo Dell’ Automobile in Turin,
Italy. Looked upon, as more of a curiosity piece than a
respected champion, it sits at the entrance of the first
floor left wing. It’s only recognizable written
accolade: “1965 American Dragster”.
It is my hope that the Fuller “Hawaiian” can be
brought back to the United States and will once again
parade before the thousands of American automotive racing
fans who would flock to see this true champion pass before
them, pushed by a blue 1965 Dodge Station Wagon. And
walking to either side of the old “Champ” would
be it’s original driver and owner: Don Prudhomme and
Roland Leong.
Is that too much to ask?
Well, apparently it is.
Over the holidays (2003), a concerted effort, by Bruce
Meyer and the Petersen Automotive Museum, to bring the
“Hawaiian” home, came up short. According to
the Turin Museum’s director, “The articles of
our company (which is a Private Association) do not allow
any selling or exchanging items of our collection,
particularly when they are the result of an accepted
donation.”
The “Hawaiian” was donated to the Turin museum
by the Fiat Motor Corporation in 1969.
So, for the foreseeable future, if you want to see the
“Hawaiian” in person, you’ll have to
travel to Turin, Italy.
And in part two of our story about the
“Hawaiian”, I’ll take you there on a one
day whirlwind train ride from Zurich, Switzerland to Turin,
Italy and back. So, go to the next story and hang on to
your hats!!