![]() ![]() (Info from files Michael Beach photo courtesy of Curt Swartz) Kalitta’s good fortune returned in 1987 when he started to race more frequently in an Oldsmobile-bodied machine. Scott did run 5.94 at 241.28 in the ‘Stang. Kalitta had some bad luck with the Mustang, including destroying the body in a severe blower explosion. The Ford Mustang was raced infrequently over the next couple of years. Kalitta’s involvement in business began to slow down his drag racing career. The funny car was built to race IHRA events after they axed the Top Fuel class. Kalitta started 1984 in the Top Fueler, running as quick as 5.54 at a Green Valley match race. Scott had raced A/FD and Top Fuel since 1979. In 1984, Scott Kalitta decided to race funny cars. This car was replaced in 1982 with a new Dodge Charger (Omni) funny car. It was the only non-Mopar funny car of Della’s career. Woods earned her license again in this car and got used to driving a fuel funny car. Della and her husband bought the final ‘Fighting Irish’ AA/FC from Dick Rosberg and his partners Novak and McDaniel. Della had raced match bashers and space-framed funny cars into the early seventies with her brother Bernie. This Trans Am funny car represented Della Woods’ return to racing. The car was finally retired after the 1988 season after racing for 12 years. Creasy’s ‘Tyrant Cobra” raced infrequently in the 1980s. ![]() Bolger had raced both dragsters and funny cars the best known was the ‘Golddigger’ Mustang. Gary Bolger began driving for Creasy in the late seventies. Creasy also cut back on his match race schedule. The ‘Tyrant Cobra’ Mustang II was now aging, and its parts were better suited for the 1970s. In the 1980s, it was a different story for Creasy. In the 1970s, the ‘Tyrant’ funny cars of Dale Creasy were some of the toughest floppers in the nation. ![]() He ran 6.25 at 221.65 with the Bundy & Forbes Camaro before retiring. Bundy raced this car very little over the next two years. The car featured a state-of-the-art Odyssey Camaro body by Chris Christopherson. In 1984, John built a new funny car with a new partner named Forbes. This allowed Bundy to get more match race bookings in which he did very well in the Midwest. The pair ran the car under Shaver’s well-known ‘Golddigger’ name. He had also run the Omni in 1982 with Gary Shaver. John Bundy previously had raced his own Omni funny car. This is an extremely rare shot of a seldom-run funny car from the mid-80s. Here is a menagerie of ten Midwestern floppers that raced in the mid-80s, from low buckers to well-financed teams. The Midwest has always been a hotbed of great funny cars. Michael Beach photos courtesy of Curt Swartz ![]()
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