Page 8 - NM Fall_2020
P. 8
preventing long distance travel and only lived for seven years. Because Pacers built show quality enclosed
therefore they were under the radar nitro was not always available, the trailer. By the end of that year the
of most national magazines. But pacers made it available. In the Pacers were running 7.93 at 199
when they did close up shop and summer of 1964, Pacers Auto, Inc. mph with the Tazmanian Devil. On
run with the best, the Pacers did it became the east coast distributor July 17th. 1966 at York Dragway in
in grand fashion. The first national for nitromethane and also sold York, Penn, the Pacers did a very
record came June 16, 1963 with alcohol. George and Charlie did rare double up – winning top fuel
the AA/A MPH record of 154.90 this because at that time they had with the Beast from the East and
along with best appearing car and limited racing opportunities in the Super eliminator with the retiring
crew at the NHRA Nationals in northeast. Track owners weren’t Tasmanian Devil. And so as did
Indianapolis. In 1964 they got the paying the Altereds, but the rise many others, the Pacers went Fuel
AA/Altered class ET and MPH of AA/fuel dragsters was quite a dragster match racing and followed
record of 9.56 @ 161.87 mph. different story. For a short time the Division #1 fuel circuit.
Later that season at Cecil County running on fuel the Devil did quite By the end of 1969 racing was
Dragway in Maryland they ran 8.81 well keeping up with the long halted for George Snizek and
at a speed of 166.35 on 50% fuel. cars, but the writing was on the
wall. In 1965, sitting in the pits Charlie Dodge. With a busy
The Pacers won 150 races and alongside the Tasmanian devil performance shop, gas station,
set track records at nine different altered, appeared their “Beast wholesale parts division and a dune
drag strips. The Tasmanian devil from the East” AA/FD as well as a Continued on page 11
8 Nitro Madness Magazine FALL 2020