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I recall a bunch of heavy set guys @ Minnesota Dragways with a dragster called The Fat Fleet. From what I remember, they were really super guys...mild mannered and real competitors. I had heard they were on the way to a racing event in a dually crew cab when somebody came across the median and hit them. I think they were all killed, burned from all the fuel exploding. One guy I worked with named Hugh Monroe was supposed to go with them but couldn't get away and was spared. Anybody know the others?
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I remember Hugh Monroe, he was a really nice guy. When I went to the nats at BIR in '84 he invited me to help in his funny car operation. Hugh let me sit in the car and it was rather larger area and I was far from snug in there. Hugh worked at J&J's speed shop back then with all the other crazys. -
Fat fleet was a AA/DA Dragster (Dave Dewars and Kevin Lehaie) and a BB/FC Funny (Ron Book and Gary Ross) The Funny Car was the Gentle Ben car out of TX with a brand new Dale Armstrong Donovan. Armstrong was the name in Alky motors. The were sponsored by The County Seat clothing stores. Yes I would have gone with them had I not started a new job shortly before the accident. I helped them push it the trailer a new Schifsky 5th Wheel.I followed them from the shop and went home. They got about Burnsville and a DRUNK lady got on 35 on the wrong side and hit them head on. It was calculated that both were travelling over the speed limit. They hit head on. The trailer broke free and climbed over the truck the goose neck going thru the bed mounted fuel tank that held 140 gallons. The truck had both side tanks full too. The trailer had two drums of Alky and 20 gallons of gas about 10 cases of oil 10 gallons of solvent.The crash burned for over two hours. and there was nothing left it melted all the aluminum siding and decking on the trailer floor and part of the girdle on the engine. We baurried empty coffins........This was from Hugh Munro to meComment
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I thought Dave Dewars was part of the Fat Fleet. I can recall him and the other big guys at Minnesota running down the track after the burn out to direct the car back to the starting line.
Wonder why he also wasn't with them the day of the crash?Comment
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I knew Ron Book, Ron got his Top Fuel license in my dads car. He drove my Dads Front engine Top Fuel Dragster from about 1968?( I was 8 years old )up to about 6 months? before he got killed in 71-72?. Ron was a Frito-Lay delivery truck driver and would bring lots of snacks when he came over. Ron and his girl friend were always at our house in Rosemount working on the Dragster. He was also our baby sitter on many occasions. I had some very fun times with Ron Book at the track and at home.Comment
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Quicker Than You...Hugh had thought it was 74 or 75 when things went bad.Comment
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Yes, it could have been 73,74.75. I was very young and am not sure of correct dates. All I remember is he was a really great guy and lots of fun. If Ron would not have died, I am sure I would have been racing in my 20's. Instead of waiting until I was in my 40's.Comment
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5.30's @265mph+.........you are indeed racing!lolComment
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Yes , I did some serious racing. Top Alcohol Dragster U.S. Nationals WIN!!, NHRA Rookie of the year, Top 10 Finish 2002. Yes I had some really great things happen.
I always wished Ron Book was there with me. Well maybe he was there helping me the whole time. I like to think he was. If Ron Book was nobody else's Hero, he was my Hero!!!
John HaleyComment
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It's pretty funny... I was at BIR and heard an engine and blower SCREAMIN. When I looked up, I saw Haley's dragster go by and run in the mid 5s.. I just shook my head and laughed.Comment
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Does anyone have pictures of the Fat Fleet cars?, or Ron's gas dragster?, maybe the fuel car he drove with my dad? I have no pictures, our house burned down in the mid 70's and so did all our pictures.Comment
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I can't find anything on Ron other than this brief post:
<TABLE style="BORDER-BOTTOM: white 1px solid; BORDER-LEFT: white 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: white 1px solid; BORDER-RIGHT: white 1px solid" id=39154 border=0 cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=5 width="100%" bgColor=#d2d2d2><TBODY><TR bgColor=#ededed><TD class=textdisplay bgColor=#ffffff vAlign=top rowSpan=12 align=center>39154 EDIT
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</TD><TD class=textdisplay bgColor=#acacac rowSpan=3 width="10%" align=center>No Photo (Edit this to add one!) </TD><TD class=textdisplay bgColor=#acacac vAlign=top width="45%">Ron Book (M) from Minnesota USA (Comp Nr/Finish: )</TD><TD class=textdisplay bgColor=#acacac vAlign=top width="45%">1975 - Category: ALKYDRAG, Type: DN, Class: AA/DA, Div: 5</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#c8c8c8><TD class=textdisplay vAlign=top>"Fat Fleet" Owned by Ron Book from Minnesota USA </TD><TD class=textdisplay vAlign=top>Crew Chief: Ron Book</TD></TR><TR bgColor=#dcdcdc><TD class=textdisplay colSpan=3>Dragster by an Unknown chassis builder | Powered by a Supercharged Alcohol with 3 speed manual transmission </TD></TR><TR bgColor=#ededed><TD class=textdisplay colSpan=3><TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD class=textdisplay>1/4 Mile ET:</TD><TD class=textdisplay>Unknown at Unknown </TD><TD class=textdisplay>1/4 Mile MPH:</TD><TD class=textdisplay>Unknown at Unknown</TD></TR><TR><TD class=textdisplay>1000 FT ET:</TD><TD class=textdisplay>Unknown at Unknown</TD><TD class=textdisplay>1000 FT MPH:</TD><TD class=textdisplay>Unknown at Unknown</TD></TR><TR><TD class=textdisplay>1/8 Mile ET:</TD><TD class=textdisplay>Unknown at Unknown</TD><TD class=textdisplay>1/8 Mile MPH:</TD><TD class=textdisplay>Unknown at Unknown</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><!-- TOPFUEL 1973 Records: 1/4 MILE: 5.780 ET, 247.25 MPH | 1000 FT. 0.000 ET, 000.00 MPH | 1/8 MILE: 4.432 ET, 190.00 MPHTOPFUEL 1973 Average: 1/4 MILE: 6.456 ET, 222.08 MPH | 1000 FT. 0.000 ET, 000.00 MPH | 1/8 MILE: 4.889 ET, 166.34 MPHEntry's 1973 Performance, All Time (percentage of average) and By Year (0 to 100 rating for the year):1/4 Mile: ET 0.98167529 X AVG; MPH 1.01310736 X AVG | Rating: ET 58.80, MPH 55.781000 FT.: ET 0.00000000 x AVG; MPH 0.00000000 X AVG | Rating: ET 00.00, MPH 00.001/8 Mile: ET 0.94559210 x AVG; MPH 1.02200310 X AVG | Rating: ET 74.00, MPH 64.00--><TR bgColor=#dcdcdc><TD class=textdisplay colSpan=3>Entry's 1975 Performance Ratings (0 to 100) based on comparison to average ET/MPH: </TD></TR><TR bgColor=#dcdcdc><TD class=textdisplay colSpan=3><TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD class=textdisplay>1/4 Mile Rating: ET 00.00, MPH 00.00 </TD><TD class=textdisplay>Entry is 0.00000 times average ET and 0.00000 times average MPH</TD></TR><TR><TD class=textdisplay>1000 FT Rating: ET 00.00, MPH 00.00</TD><TD class=textdisplay>Entry is 0.00000 times average ET and 0.00000 times average MPH</TD></TR><TR><TD class=textdisplay>1/8 Mile Rating: ET 00.00, MPH 00.00</TD><TD class=textdisplay>Entry is 0.00000 times average ET and 0.00000 times average MPH</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!--table width="100%"> <tr> <td class="textdisplay" width="78">1/4 Mile:</td> <td class="textdisplay" width="20%">ET 0.00000 x AVG; MPH 0.00000 x AVG</td> <td class="textdisplay">Rating: ET 00.00, MPH 00.00</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="textdisplay">1000 FT:</td> <td class="textdisplay">ET 0.00000 x AVG; MPH 0.00000 x AVG</td> <td class="textdisplay">Rating: ET 00.00, MPH 00.00</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="textdisplay">1/8 Mile:</td> <td class="textdisplay">ET 0.00000 x AVG; MPH 0.00000 x AVG</td> <td class="textdisplay">Rating: ET 00.00, MPH 00.00</td> </tr> </table--></TD></TR><TR bgColor=#ededed><TD class=textdisplay colSpan=3><TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD class=textdisplay align=right>1975 Records: </TD><TD class=textdisplay>1/4 Mile: 6.645 ET, 214.79 MPH </TD><TD class=textdisplay>1000 Ft. 0.000 ET, 0.00 MPH </TD><TD class=textdisplay>1/8 Mile: 0.000 ET, 0.00 MPH </TD></TR><TR><TD class=textdisplay align=right>1975 Average: </TD><TD class=textdisplay>1/4 Mile: 7.190 ET, 195.00 MPH</TD><TD class=textdisplay>1000 Ft. 0.000 ET, 0.00 MPH</TD><TD class=textdisplay>1/8 Mile: 0.000 ET, 0.00 MPH</TD></TR><TR><TD class=textdisplay align=right>1975 Minimum: </TD><TD class=textdisplay>1/4 Mile: 7.690 ET, 182.32 MPH</TD><TD class=textdisplay>1000 Ft. 0.000 ET, 0.00 MPH</TD><TD class=textdisplay>1/8 Mile: 0.000 ET, 0.00 MPH</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Comment
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