Page 13 - NM Fall_2018
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GUY TIPTON – Interview with a Crew Chief
Story by Connell Miller • Photos courtesy of Guy Tipton and Connell Miller
Austin Coil, T.C. Lemons, Bob Hill, Joe Amato and Tom “the the rest of the team (and that all-
Brandt, Earl Wade, Terry “Fuzzy” Mongoose” McEwen. important sponsor!) is invaluable.
Carter, Tim Richards and Guy We sat down recently with Guy
Tipton. While every driver here won
plenty of races and garnered Tipton, who is not only well-known
These names from the past pages of ink and face time on for his tuning prowess on some of
sound familiar to you? Most of you television, many will agree that the hot nitro cars back in the day,
will nod “yes” and smile, while a their success in winning was but has had a second career as the
number of our younger readers will (and is, with Force still out there crew chief for two of John Hale’s
shake their heads from side-to-side, collecting an occasional Wally) due Nostalgia Funny Cars: the Mike
thinking, “Dunno” or “Hmm…not in large part to the hard work and Burkhart Tribute car and One Bad
sure, but I might’ve heard a couple contributions by the crew chief. Texan.
of ‘em!” Respectively, these were The importance of that position CM – Hello, Guy, and thanks for
crew chiefs for drivers John Force, cannot be underestimated and the taking the time to give us some
Don Garlits, Don Prudhomme, value of a deeply involved and very insight into your past and present
“Dyno” Don Nicholson, Eddie smart crew chief to a car, its driver, life in drag racing and those nitro
(L-R) Tim Richards, Guy Tipton, Kenny Bernstein. Guy hoists the Wally after Bernstein won the 2001 Fram-Autolite Nationals at Sears
Point Raceway. That was the year Bernstein won his second NHRA National Championship in Top Fuel.
Fall 2018 Nitro Madness Magazine 13