Page 8 - Nitro Madness Magazine Fall 2021

track speed record at over 212 MPH. Billy and Mike
won their next 4 events. Billy continued to compete in
Top Fuel all the way up to the mid-1990s. Along the
way he partnered with Jack Ostrander, had Big Jim
Dunn as a crew chief and Al Segrini as his driver.

At this point we roll the time machine forward to
2004. Drag racing is seeing resurgence with nostalgia
events and Billy is contemplating jumping in with
of all things a 33/40 Willys project. With a trip to
the California Hot Rod Reunion and after seeing the
beautiful recreations of the Beebe & Mulligan and
Jade Grenade AA/FDs, Billy’s thoughts went once
again to his beloved Top Fueler that he had in 1967.
Now his search was centered on finding someone to
build the car. One name that constantly came up was
Pat Foster. Pat’s credentials were impeccable as a
driver and fabricator. All you had to do was look at his
Jade Grenade dragster or Tom Mc Ewen’s silver Coors
Corvette F/C and the choice was simple. Pat was
contacted to start the project on August 2, 2006. Over
the next 15 months Pat did the chassis, headers, oil
pan and body panels on the 168” wheelbase dragster.
Billy sent Pat a box of disposable cameras so every
step of the construction could be documented. During
the many phone calls between the two, exhaustive
notes were taken as well. The only body panel Pat
didn’t make was the stunning nose piece. That part
was designed by Frank Huzar and executed by Jim
Hume. The chassis was powder coated by Custom Coat
in Lewiston, Idaho. The finished pieces were shipped
Continued on page 11
8 NITRO MADNESS MAGAZINE | FALL 2021