This is a story, not unlike hundreds of others that played out across the country in the 1960's. Get a few guys who love drag racing together, they pool their resources, call in some favors and build a dragster. Most of us never thought about documenting one of these adventures but Glenn Cupit did. This page is basically the story of the Cupit-Cunningham-Cupit Chevy powered AA/FD that had more than its share success racing throughout the South in 1965. Glenn went on to be involved in numerous other forms of motorsports and boat racing. He currently lives in the Baton Rouge area and is a member of the Standard 1320 Group.

Terry Cunningham, who would team up with the Cupit Bros. had his own A/FD in 1964. The car had a fine "pedigree" as it was Lefty Mudersbach's last twin pictured below in 1962.

Terry Cunningham and the late "Q-Ball" Wales in the Wales & Candies fueler at Laplace Dragway in 1964. Like the Logghe-Steffy-Marsh "Giant Killer" the better running lightweight injected fuel Chevy's could hold their own with the blown fuel hemis. If the hemi won it was usually on the other end.

In 1964 Wayne Smythe started construction of the CCC car in his garage in Westwego, LA. Here are some shots of the car as he completed it.

The car done (less paint and chrome), with its Arty Ross fiberglass body, in front of Wayne Smythe's house before its trip to Glenn's garage for the engine.

With the body out for paint, Glenn and brother Robbie got the engine installed and all the linkage etc. placed.

One of the cars the CCC team ran into a lot was the Carroll Bros. & Oxman entry.

Changing the oil at Hattiesburg in 1965. Glenn Cupit, Wayne Smythe and Forrest Ball.

From Pel-State Drag Strip (Opelousas) newsletter, "Tire Marks" - 1965 Division 4 Points Meet win.

Forrest Ball, Glenn & Robbie Cupit get Cunningham suited up and "installed".

Cunningham playing catch up to "Junkyard" Pete Mattei at Opelousas Dragway.

Four guys who all raced together in the 50's. Glenn Cupit, "Chevrolet" Pete Mattei, Bob McGuire and Boogie Scott at a reunion in 2004.

There are two Pete Mattei's - cousins. "Junkyard" Pete owned a wrecking yard. "Chevrolet" Pete worked with Glenn at Chevrolet Motor Division and was an instructor at General Motors Training Center in New Orleans. "Chevrolet" Pete won B/SR at the 1958 NHRA Nationals. Boogie Scott was a 1st year inductee in the NHRA Div 4 Hall of Fame around 1980. Boogie has had only one means of livelihood for the past 50 years - he is a race car fabricator supreme. He has never worked for anyone.

Boogie has built many nationally known chassis, but few knew he built them. Here is his scratch-built street rod roadster (that was on the cover a year or so ago of a Street Rodder how-to magazine).
And his scratch built (including body) Bonneville M/R he built everything except the motor (Paul Vanderlee of Biloxi built it) and drove it! He went 238 in 2005. Boogie is 69. He now lives in Covington, LA. During the time we had the C&C fueler, Boogie and Glenn lived about a mile apart in Jefferson, LA. Boogie worked on just about all the New Orleans cars, including Q-Ball, Albert Waits, and most of the car.

"Q-Ball" Wales in the Wales & Candies fueler on 6-20-65 at Opelousas Dragway. He was killed in this car two weeks later due to a chute failure at Monroe, LA. Terry Cunningham ran Q-Ball the run before he was killed at Monroe. Terry red-lighted, putting Q-Ball in the final. The CC car had better times that night, with 7.7's to Q's 7.9's. To this day they say that if Terry had not red-lighted, they would probably have won the event and Wales would not have been in the final and would still be alive.

This is a memo from the Monroe track manager in response to Wales' accident. The track never did convert to 1000'.

"TV" Tommy Ivo and his trusty sidekick John "Tarzan" Austin made some stops in Lousiana during their 1966 tour.

Fast forward 40 years to 2005 at Don Prieto's annual 4th of July bash in Torrance, CA. Glenn Cupit, Lee Schelin, TV Tommy Ivo and Don Prieto who attended the same high school in New Orleans as Glenn 50 years ago.

Glenn had this jacket monogrammed for Don's party. It is a close replica of the kind of jackets they wore in the late 50's and early '60's.

Terry Cunnigham passed away in Jan, 2005. We were BEST friends for 49 years! I loved Terry as much as a straight guy can love another straight guy! <grin> I really miss him. This is a photo of Terry after a 166 MPH lap at Talladega, in 2002.
Commentary by Glenn Cupit