This website was set
up in April 2001 to provide some history of the Houndog Drag Racing Team, one of the
most popular and successful UK Drag Racing teams from the 1960's, 1970's and
1980's.
Nobby Hills, founder and owner of the Houndog team, had his own website
detailing the history of the team a few years ago, but unfortunately it disappeared into
cyberspace after a short while. As my interest in computers and
the internet developed, I thought; I've got some memorabilia that may be of
interest to people, so I established this site.
The full history of the team, from the Jag engined cars of the 60's through to the nitro burning, state-of the art show winning, funny cars of the 1980's can be found in the history section; suffice to say that the Houndog team was one of the most recognisable and popular teams of its time, a popularity that has continued through to today.
I was fortunate
enough to get to know the team in the mid 1970's when I joined the
Houndog Supporters Club, a club set up and run by a guy called John Lees. I got
more involved in the club, starting to write newsletters and race reports and
then, a few years later, I was offered the job as a mechanic on the car. My total
inexperience as a mechanic was not seen to be a problem by the team; enthusiasm and
willingness to work hard were of more importance, training was always available.
The support from the wife didn't go amiss either!
After spending a few weekends in the workshop during the Autumn of 1982, a damp
and cold November saw me attend my first meeting as a fully fledged team member.
I recall getting covered in oil from head to foot as my primary job was
"The Diver"…getting under the car to drain the oil and drop the sump
pan after each run. We did something rather terminal to the engine on the
Saturday night, so that was us done for the year. (I am sure it wasn't my
fault!)
1983 saw the Challenger being campaigned for its 3rd year. 1983 also saw it burn to the ground in Sweden. We then built the Corvette funny car (and debuted it at the Fireworks meeting) and raced the Fuel Altered for a meeting or two. Quiet a year, and I don’t think we had many weekends that year that didn't involve us working on the car.
Work commitments, (work that paid the mortgage....) meant that I had to leave the team after the November meeting in 1984. It was the end of a very enjoyable time for myself, one that I look back on with many fond memories.
We had some bad
times; the fire in Sweden, the much loved car "Stardust" burning to
the ground in a race against us, the death of Alan Herridge in a jet car crash
at the meeting we debuted the Corvette and Alan Reitmasters crash that took his
life while racing against us at the Easter meeting in 1984.
Overall however,
there were many more good times, with great people and loads of laughs.
The team continued for a few more years, finally disbanding at the end of the 1980's…however the team are reforming and a new car has been built! Click on this link to get the latest news.
Originally, this
website was hosted by one of those free hosting providers until I was
"politely" requested to move to a purpose built hosting facility as
the traffic and bandwidth was exceeding my allocation at the free site! And who
said there was no interest in nostalgia?
Now, nearly three years later and over 17,000 hits later, the site continues to grow
thanks to the ongoing interest in the team and a constant supply of new material
from many people, to which I thank you all and ask that you keep it coming!
(I try to give credit
and acknowledgement for all the pictures and stories that appear on this site,
but if I have not given you due credit or acknowledgement, firstly I apologise
and secondly, let me know and I can fix the problem.)
Through this site, contact has been made with many old friends and acquaintances
from that by-gone era, together with new friends from more recent times. Many
people are showing a great deal of interest in the new car, some of whom are too
young to have seen the Houndog cars of the past!
If you enjoy the site or have some suggestions and / or any material that you feel will be of interest to others, please Email me or put a polite comment on the Guest Book.
If you want to be added to the mailing list to receive an E-mail whenever the site is updated, or you want to take part in the poll to see which Houndog was the most popular, please go to the Whats New page.
Thanks
Chris
January 2004
|
|
 |
Me, while working on the team in the early to mid 1980's
| In
Memory
In memory of my dear wife Chris. We initially met through our mutual love of drag racing.
Later
she encouraged me and stood by me when I left her alone for long periods
of time and worked on the funny car at weekends and in the evenings. |
 27/7/57 - 15/8/02 |
