I saw Ted's post about Wild Willie Borsch and looked over Willie's drag racing history posted on the NHRA web-site. So I though I would share some more drag racing history about Melvin Heath from Oklahoma and his “Top Eliminator” national championship in 1956 (now Top-Fuel).

Before Top-Fuel dragster, the class was “Top-Eliminator, or Top-Dragster” and the first year for this NHRA class was 1955. Melvin Heath (who I know personally) built his dragster on his watermelon farm near Rush Springs Oklahoma, then won the NHRA divisionals and went on the win the 1956 national championships. Melvin is in his 70s now and I keep asking him when he is going to get back into Top-Fuel? He just smiles and tells me, “that class is for the big boys now-days.”

Check-out the following NHRA links about Melvin.

WD

http://www.nhra.com/museum/features/feature23.html

http://www.nhra.com/50th/years.html?year=1956

http://www.motorsportsetc.com/champs/nhra.htm