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Click on any image to get the bigger picture |
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On Sunday the 28th of May 1972 drag racing history was made at Santa Pod Raceway. Dennis Priddle was strapped into the third incarnation of the John Woolfe Racing-sponsored Top Fuel Dragster and edged the car carefully into stage. Moments later the car blasted off the line and the timing clocks stopped a mere 6.995 seconds later. Dennis' place in history was assured as he became the first man to record a six second run anywhere in the world outside the USA. The car was promptly named Mr. Six and the names of Priddle, Riswick, Stanford and Gane were immortalised in the annals of UK drag racing. Fast forward forty years and Dennis decided that a small celebration of this event was called for. It was particularly apposite as Mr. Six had been located in Germany by Simon Groves (the pit reporter for Eurodragster.com), re-patriated to the UK, and was undergoing restoration in Dennis' workshop. Photo-journalist and commentator Keith Lee had taken an iconic picture of the car and team back in 1972 and Dennis wished to re-create that image as far as possible with the surviving team members.
I was fortunate enough to be invited by Dennis to attend this exclusive and historic get-together. Dennis has given his permission for this event to be recorded and commemorated on this page. The pictures were taken by me, Alan Currans, except where noted otherwise. |
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Meet the co-star of the show - Mr. Six itself. The body work is ready to receive the paint and matching the colour is going to be easier than you might imagine because Tony Gane still has a pot of it in his garage! |
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On the right Dennis Priddle poses with his old steed.
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Dave Riswick on the left chatting with Tony Gane (centre) and Simon Groves with his back to the camera. Dennis is making himself busy with the barbeque which must have been very hot work as it was swelteringly hot. |
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From left to right : Tony Gane, |
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The way we were! |
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Terry Axe, Dennis Priddle and Tony Gane. |
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The shot that Dennis wanted showing the surviving team members, from left to right : Chris Powell, Terry Axe, Tony Gane, Dennis Priddle and Dave Riswick. |
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Dave Riswick made up some folders of photographs for the team members as a memento of the occasion and very good they were too. He also had everyone present sign a page which was then included in the folder.
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Dave also supplied some bubbly and very good that was as well! |
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As above (except that Dennis has moved) but there are two new faces in the group. Standing in the background immediately behind the roll cage is Steve Green who transported Mr. Six all the way back from Germany to Somerset; on the extreme right is Simon Groves without whom the car would not have been there at all. |
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Mr. Six was designed and built in the West Country and here is a shot of Dennis holding his original drawing of the chassis. I have done a bit of technical drawing in my time so I examined the drawing with particular interest. I can tell you that Dennis was a very accomplished draughtsman. |
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Tony Gane cutting the cake. |
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As you might imagine with such a gathering of petrol heads there were some interesting cars. The beautiful blue 'Vette belongs to Chris Powell and Brian Savage owns the '32 Ford roadster with a 383 small block. |
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The remaining pictures were taken by Dave Riswick. |
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The old firm - Dennis Priddle |
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Dennis thanks Keith Lee for all his help. |
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Keith Lee prepares |
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Yours truly looking like a rabbit |
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The scene of the 40th anniversary bash - Dennis' workshop in Yeovil. |
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Rick Krejci and Dennis' dog Truffle. |
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My thanks to Dennis Priddle, Dave Riswick and Phil Pead |
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All material on this site is copyright |
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