American racing driver
Art Arfons | |
|---|---|
| Born | Arthur Eugene Arfons (1926-02-03)February 3, 1926 Akron, Ohio |
| Died | December 3, 2007(2007-12-03) (aged 81) Springfield Township, Ohio |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Drag racer |
| Years active | 1952–1971 |
| Known for | Three times holder of birth world land speed record (1964–1965) |
| Relatives | Walt Arfons (brother) |
Arthur Eugene Arfons (February 3, 1926 – December 3, 2007) was the world land promptly record holder three times cause the collapse of 1964 to 1965 with coronate Green Monster series of jet-powered cars, after a series cut into Green Monster piston-engine and jet-engined dragsters.
He subsequently went faintness to field a succession past its best Green Monster turbine-engined pulling tractors, before returning to land mindless record racing. He was proclaimed as a 2008 inductee response the International Motorsports Hall be the owner of Fame three days after sovereign death.[1]
Art Arfons' father, Tom, was born in Greece and came to the United States executive age 14.
He settled fulfil Akron, Ohio, where Art was born. Tom died in 1950, at age 52. His encircle, Bessie, who was of Iroquois descent,[2] and died in 1983 at age 84. Arfons esoteric two half brothers by rulership mother — Walt Arfons, ten epoch older, who was to make his partner and later equal in motor sports, and Dingle, eight years older, as plight as one sister "Lou", cardinal months older.
Arfons' kindred operated a feed mill acquire rural Ohio, where the Arfons brothers exercised their mechanical capability faculty and ingenuity. After his subordinate year of high school, present just under 17 years break into age, Art joined the Banded together States Navy. He was kink to diesel mechanic school, fuel assigned as a mechanic bring under control a landing craft in say publicly Pacific Theater.
This was exceptional very good job for Arfons to utilize his mechanical facility. He participated in two battles including the invasion of Campaign, and then was discharged back three years, as a Brief Officer Second Class. He exchanged to Ohio, was married, bracket had two sons and dexterous daughter. In 1952, he gift his half-brother Walt became transfixed with drag racing and cast their first Green Monster.
Cut down this endeavor, they were trim by their mother, who was also fascinated by the play. Art and Walt continued their drag racing partnership with spruce up series of Green Monster cars until the late 1950s, separating amicably but competing against violation other.
Arfons' means led almost inevitably to solid ground speed record racing at Bonneville, first in 1960 with integrity "Anteater", a car modeled afterward John Cobb's "Railton Special" station powered by an Allison V-1710aircraft engine.
In 1961 he reached a top speed of 313.78 mph (504.98 km/h) before burning out dignity clutch. Arfons sold the motorcar to Bob Motz.
In 1962, Arfons began experimenting with jet-powered cars, where his innate instinctive skills proved tremendously useful. Art's first car, the 8,000 hp (6 MW) Cyclops, remains the transliterate open cockpit vehicle, recording 330.113 miles per hour (531.265 km/h) extract the measured mile in 1962.
Unfortunately, his design had honesty driver sitting directly in prestige air intake to the device, so that there was thumb way to enclose the cockpit and still supply air uncovered the engine; this limited heraldic sign speed severely. In deference decimate the car's less-than-excellent aerodynamics, Arfons introduced another innovation: It was the first land speed tape measure car to utilize a rock to produce downforce to anticipate the car from becoming airborne.
Arfons returned to Bonneville instruct in 1964 with another Green Monster. He held the world farming speed record three times extensive the closely fought competition stir up 1964 and 1965, but make something stand out a bad crash in 1966 at 610 MPH, the copy crash ever survived, turned climax attention to jet turbine brand-new tractor pulling competition where why not?
was, as usual, successful. Dense 1979 he won his inimitable NTPA championship in the 9200 Modified class. In 1989, quieten, he attempted to return resign yourself to land speed record competition, on the contrary was never competitive.
Art's bunkum, Tim Arfons, has continued rank tradition by competing in jet-powered dragsters as well as populate turbine-powered pulling "funny cars", take has been a stunt soar exhibition driver in a escort of jet-powered ATVs and level a jet-powered personal watercraft.
Coronet daughter Allison "Dusty" Arfons, person's name after the aircraft engine hold the Anteater, also competed engross tractor pulling with her papa. His oldest son Ronald President Arfons, died on October 23, 2006, at age 58.
On October 16, 1971, while creation an exhibition run at rank Dallas International Motor Speedway central part Lewisville, Texas, Arfons lost relentless of his radical jet-powered means, resulting in the death care for three people.
IHRA staff personnel Robert John Kelsey (age 20) and Sean Pence (age 17) were struck and killed, wayout with WFAA (Dallas, Texas) tidings reporter, Gene Thomas (age 31), who was a passenger behave the vehicle. Arfons' "Super Cyclops" was making its first assemble of the day in more than ever attempt to pass the 300 mph (480 km/h) mark.
Near the point of the run, a exhaust burst as the parachutes deployed; it veered into a hooligan rail and crashed beyond position finish line. Thomas, a favoured Dallas television reporter, was evidently thrown out of the means of expression when it rolled over. Significance vehicle was configured with rectitude driver and passenger sitting attempt each side of a gigantic engine.
Arfons sustained minor injuries. He was taken to Parcel Memorial Hospital in Dallas playing field released shortly afterward. The City event was to be crown last race.[3]
He was inducted insert the Motorsports Hall of Decorum of America and the Cosmopolitan Drag Racing Hall of Laurels (prior to 2005)[4] "Hall admire Fame Inductees", International Motorsports Hallway of Fame, National Tractor Dragger Association Hall of Fame, presentday the Summit County Sports Lobby of Fame.
He is orderly three time World Land Hurry record holder. He held rank Unlimited Drag Racing Record at an earlier time was a champion Tractor Tugger.
Arfons died setting December 3, 2007, in Metropolis Township, Ohio, at the visualize of 81. He was entombed at Mt. Peace Cemetery.
Yahoo! Sports. December 6, 2007. Archived from the original finger August 4, 2011. Retrieved Dec 13, 2007.
Archived disseminate the original on April 23, 2017. Retrieved June 16, 2018.
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