Arizona Drag Racing Hall of FameTucson Dragway Hot Rod Reunion was held on May 18th at Southwestern International Raceway this year. It was a very special event for the JET FX team as the Arizona Drag Racing Hall of Fame was inducting Al Eierdam.
Our patriarch and mentor, Al Eierdam passed away on January 9, 2012 and we were honored to be there to represent him for this honor.
Although the Invader and Avenger were in the Midwest for the season, JET FX was able to bring out a jet vehicle for display. Slowly over the last few years, we have been slowly restoring Jim Deist’s jet dragster. Known by a few names, “the Deist mobile” or as Jim like to call it “the Black Mamba” this is a Westinghouse J-34 powered dragster built old school where the driver sits forward of the front wheels in a pod. This car is very similar to Al Eierdam’s first jet dragster the Emergency 1.
While displaying this car, JET FX also displayed a current jet funny car that they had been overhauling for Oscar Trevino from Mexico. His “El Loco” jet funny car is powered by a Pratt & Whitney J-60 engine as is capable of 5 second runs in the quarter mile.
Other vehicles were displayed, an original Allison powered “Green Monster”, the Speed Sport car, nostalgia dragsters and more entertained the crowd with runs down the track and a cackle fest throughout the day.
The ceremony was a nice event out on the track side, with a beautiful plaque presented to Sandy and the boys.
