(cont'd) Famous Photogs Show Their Stuff at Indy & Famoso

The Winning Photos: Famoso

WINNER - This is no burnout, Kiddies! Tom West's first time on any starting line rewarded the 17-year-old aspiring photographer with this B&W image of Willie Borsch. (Just as Willie passed the camera, the Winged Express took a hard left turn and crashed into Irwindale's guardrail.) West, the defending champion of the Leslie Lovett Memorial Photo Contest, becomes the first repeat winner of the Famoso competition.

SEMIFINALIST - Bill Turney caught Buddy Sampson's 1960 clutch explosion at Deer Valley Dragway near Phoenix. Full crop of photo reveals shrapnel (arrow) above the Chrysler Wedge, plus out front of the front axle and out both sides of the chassis! Because tuner Larry Steinegger (behind roll bar) was big enough to prevent his Dragmaster car from creeping, he'd set the clutch to engage as his driver staged and revved the engine — giving Sampson a starting-line advantage. The unhurt Sampson, Steinegger and sponsor Otis Garnand (behind engine) were almost as lucky as Turney, who just happened to move his trigger finger at the moment the clutch disintegrated.

RUNNERUP - Bob McClurg credits hunger for this unplanned view of Tony Nancy's wheelstand, which opened the final qualifying session for the 1970 NHRA Springnationals in Dallas. McClurg was off buying a hot dog when he heard the first pair of fuelers fire. Unable to run all the way back to the photographers' area in time for a front shot, Bob set his food on the ground and focused for a rear-launch photo. Tony obliged by standing it up.

QUARTERFINALISTS - Jere Alhadeff and Ron Lahr tied for respective photos of Jim Miles' 1965 engine explosion. Jere got the first shot, full of fire; Lahr snapped the second, which shows the crank on the ground and Jere's head! Lahr's negs burned up in a 1972 fire; this print was found by NHRA's Greg Sharp. Hung side by side in matching frames, these incredible shots were reunited for the first time in three decades. Somewhere, Les Lovett was loving it!

The Winning Photos: Indy

SEMIFINALIST - Detroit tinsmith Al Bergler seems surprised to see photographer Bob Snayko in the shutdown area. We like everything about this photo, including the early Hemi; the Competition Coupe body; the huge parachute; the firesuit; and especially the standup driving style.

RUNNERUP - One of the earliest shots of Tommy Ivo's four-engine car (note the short-lived "Wildcat" designation on its cowl) reminded us that this four-wheel-drive gasser was built to run Top Eliminator during NHRA's Fuel Ban — only to be banned, itself, by NHRA as soon as it appeared. The driver of the push car appears to be unknown car-painter Don Prudhomme, who crewed for Ivo and also made some test runs in this car. Jim Kelly shot the photo in 1961.

More Photos from Famoso Part 1