Pat Minick

Pat Minick (born 1937 or 1938–January 19, 2017)[1] was an American drag racer.

History

Minick got his start in the 1950s, driving Chrysler products; he first partnered with John Farkonas (who was seven years Minick's senior) in the 1960s.[2] Minick first drove Farkonas' 1956 Chrysler 300, and in 1962, they raced in Super Stock with remarkable success, taking wins in 31 of 33 events.[3] They attracted sponsorship from "Mr. Norm" Kraus' car dealership, Grand Spaulding Dodge, in 1964, naming their new car Hustler.[4] They followed this with an altered-wheelbase blown nitro-burning 1965 Plymouth.[5] The team got clutch work done at Chicago's E&R Automotive, where hemi-running fellow Super Stock racer Austin Coil was also a customer.[6] Needing a good tuner, while Coil needed money to keep racing, the trio joined forces in winter 1966.[7]

In 1967, they decided to move from Super Stock to Funny Car (not yet an official NHRA class), building the first Chi-Town Hustler (a name conceived by Minick in 1966, but never attached to their Super Stock car), a tube-chassis 1967 Barracuda, "in the garage of Farkonas’ mother".[8]

Minick would only remain at the wheel of Chi-Town Hustler until 1971, putting a stylistic stamp on the car that remained in fan memory even after he quit the team.[9] When Minick quit, he was replaced by Clare Sanders.[10]

Coil credits Minick with being the best of his era at controlling an automatic transmission car.[11]

Minick also served as the team's business manager, arranging race bookings.[12] After he stopped driving Chi-Town Hustler Minick also stopped attending distant races.[13]

Private life

Minick had a son, Wayne, who is also a racer, who took over Chi-Town Hustler after Hawley and Coil left the team.[14]

References
  1. Burgess, Phil. "Pat Minick, original Chi-Town Hustler driver, passes away". NHRA.com.
  2. Burgess, Phil. National Dragster Editor. "Remembering Pat Minick and the legend of the Chi-Town Hustler", written 20 January 2017, at NHRA.com (retrieved 22 September 2018)
  3. Burgess, Phil. National Dragster Editor. "Remembering Pat Minick and the legend of the Chi-Town Hustler", written 20 January 2017, at NHRA.com (retrieved 22 September 2018)
  4. Burgess, Phil. National Dragster Editor. "Remembering Pat Minick and the legend of the Chi-Town Hustler", written 20 January 2017, at NHRA.com (retrieved 22 September 2018)
  5. Burgess, Phil. National Dragster Editor. "Remembering Pat Minick and the legend of the Chi-Town Hustler", written 20 January 2017, at NHRA.com (retrieved 22 September 2018)
  6. Burgess, Phil. National Dragster Editor. "Remembering Pat Minick and the legend of the Chi-Town Hustler", written 20 January 2017, at NHRA.com (retrieved 22 September 2018)
  7. Burgess, Phil. National Dragster Editor. "Remembering Pat Minick and the legend of the Chi-Town Hustler", written 20 January 2017, at NHRA.com (retrieved 22 September 2018)
  8. Burgess, Phil. National Dragster Editor. "Remembering Pat Minick and the legend of the Chi-Town Hustler", written 20 January 2017, at NHRA.com (retrieved 22 September 2018)
  9. Burgess, Phil. National Dragster Editor. "Remembering Pat Minick and the legend of the Chi-Town Hustler", written 20 January 2017, & "How Frank Hawley came to drive the Chi-Town Hustler", written 27 January 2017, at NHRA.com (retrieved 22 September 2018)
  10. Burgess, Phil. National Dragster Editor. "Remembering Pat Minick and the legend of the Chi-Town Hustler", written 20 January 2017, at NHRA.com (retrieved 22 September 2018)
  11. Burgess, Phil, National Dragster editor. "How Frank Hawley came to drive the Chi-Town Hustler", written 27 January 2017, at NHRA.com (retrieved 20 September 2018)
  12. Burgess, Phil. National Dragster Editor. "Remembering Pat Minick and the legend of the Chi-Town Hustler", written 20 January 2017, at NHRA.com (retrieved 22 September 2018)
  13. Burgess, Phil. National Dragster Editor. "Remembering Pat Minick and the legend of the Chi-Town Hustler", written 20 January 2017, at NHRA.com (retrieved 22 September 2018)
  14. Burgess, Phil. National Dragster Editor. "Remembering Pat Minick and the legend of the Chi-Town Hustler", written 20 January 2017, at NHRA.com (retrieved 22 September 2018)
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