A six wheel drift in a forty ton fire engine is a sure fire reason for a underwear change.....and I am sure that Craig will attest to that.
But, Craig will admit that if he is behind the wheel of the pretty little "stang"
in this photo, a four wheel drift can be a "thing of beauty". And Craig, a.k.a. "The Flying Fireman" could put this dirt late model through a workout.
Craig, you see, is a retired Aurora Fire Dept. Engineer. For those who do not know or care what an engineer does, he (or she) is the one who drives the "Big Red Truck" and is responsible for getting the water to the firefighters. Putting the forty ton beast through rush hour traffic while other drivers make there way home at thier own leisure, can be a unnerving task. Sort of like running a fifty lap, thirty five car feature at Colorado National Speedway. Especially when it was one of those nights when George (Butland) let the track dry out or he saturated it to the point where it took till 1:00 am to dry it out. How many of you folks sat through that action? Ohhhhh the dust, caked in your eyes. I would give my left ___ to relive it!
Craig managed to put this car and many other "Sportsman" (as they were known) late models in the winners circle. His racing career was not restricted to dirt, but also to asphalt. He raced the "highbanks" of Lakeside as well. Craig did some traveling too, racing in surrounding states and leaving his mark.
The Mustang Sportsman was a favorite of his. It was fast, but it also won every trophy except the "Best of Show" the year it was entered in the Tri-State Auto Exhibition (Sabres). The tin work inside this car was as exquisite as the exterior. The man responsible for it was Lee Ryder, whose son Chuck was quite the driver himself.
There is one very unique aspect to this car. Story goes: Craig is racing out of town, and captures the feature. After the race, two fans start a conversation with Craig about how they had made a bet as to which manufacturer would take the feature. Well, Craig's mustang had dominated and the Ford enthusiast could not rub enough salt in Mr. Chevrolets wound. After listening to thier story, Craig showed them something that left Mr. Ford fan drop jawed. Craigs pretty little Mustang was powered by a small block Chevy! Shut your mouth!
Today Craig and his family have thier own business. They are experts in early Ford (especially 60's) cars and trucks. They have created some beautiful pieces for some very prominent collectors. If and when you ever get the chance to visit Craig's shop, you will notice from the wall treatments, that racing has not left his blood yet. It got a hold on him....much like me! ~ Superstroke
(Photo by Joe Starr)
