Did anyone ever see "Jungle Jim" Liberman race on the East Coast?

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

05-12-2013, 10:51 AM

#21

Commodore

Instructor

Member Since: Apr 2005

Location: East Haddam CT

Posts: 169

Likes: 0

Received 1 Like on 1 Post

Yes. I used to see him back in the mid sixties at NY National during AHRA meets and at English Town for NHRA meets.
Jim had a great sense of humor and absolutely no fear of anything that burned fuel. Neat guy! I even towed his old Vega Funny back to the pits one Sunday with my tow car while we were racing at NY Nat'l (no funny cars for me - I used to run Super Stocks). Jim's recovery vehicle decided it didn't want to start that afternoon so I gave him my tow car to use until he had time to fix his recovery vehicle (I was pitted very close to his spot that day).
Jim always went out of his way to say hi to me every time we ended up at the same track. Nothing unusual there, as he always had time for his fans. We didn't have pre Madonna race drivers back then, but we sure had fun guys that liked to go real fast!.
RB

Reply Like

05-12-2013, 05:48 PM

#22

leadfoot4

Team Owner

Member Since: May 2001

Location: Western NY

Posts: 82,765

Likes: 1,372

Received 1,343 Likes on 1,094 Posts

Quote:

Originally Posted by C409

..... Everyone's eyes were on Pam .....

.....

Reply Like

05-23-2013, 11:07 AM

#23

looseal32

Cruising

Member Since: May 2013

Posts: 10

Likes: 0

Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

I knew both him and Pam, raced against him and built two chassis' for him. Fun guy and a hard racer. Gone way too soon.

Jay Howell

Reply Like

06-16-2013, 08:47 PM

#24

agp45

Instructor

Member Since: Dec 2008

Location: Spartanburg South Carolina

Posts: 182

Likes: 3

Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts

Quote:

Originally Posted by ;5252050

I've done some reading up on this drag racing icon and never knew how immensely popular he was in the 60's and 70's. He literally provided all the entertainment of a traveling circus, whether running his car or talking to his fans. I didn't realize he was originally from Pennsylvania, and drove a Yellow Corvette. Did anyone here know him or meet him personally? Here is a good article that outlines his life pretty well.

http://www.nhra.com/50th/top50/J_Liberman17.html

Yeah I saw him at Spartanburg SC drag way racing match races. He did a huge burn out at a gas station where my brother worked before the race. From what I remember he was definitely a character. I have a program that he signed some where! Thanks for bringing back the memories,
Agp