Welcome to the Jungle…
In the sixties, drag racing was mostly “show” with some “go.” There were a lot of cars competing on the drag circuit up and down the East Coast. Some of them were a little more colorful than others. One of the most colorful duo on the funny car circuit was James “Jungle Jim” Liberman and of course “Jungle Pam” Hardy. They were the Best show in drag racing. Not only was Jim a showman, his cars were hard to beat.
He was always competitive. On several occasions, some cars I worked on or built ran against him. He was considered the guy to beat.
Jim and Pam would put on a show, the burnouts, Pam backing him up to the starting line. She was and still is the greatest “Back up girl” in drag racing.
I remember in the early seventies, Jungle Jim and Frank Federici put on one of the greatest shows at York Pennsylvania Raceway. It was a night to remember! Flames were shooting out of the zoomie headers, 300’ burnouts! Pam backing up Jim in the tire tracks with her cutoff jeans and tight t-shirts. Of course, Frank had two back up girls with short shorts and halter tops. Jim and Frank would back in and out of the pre-stage to syce each other out! The start was something out of a futuristic movie. Flames shooting out of the headers, smoke off the tires, zig zagging down the quarter mile, Frank won once, then Jim won twice. What a show! Jim is ranked 17th among the top 50 drivers in NHRA. He died in a tragic traffic accident on September 9, 1977 in Pennsylvania. Hitting a bus head on in his Corvette.
Pam Hardy is still around talking about drag racing.
If you want more information Google “Jungle Jim” or “Jungle Pam.”
They were the legends of drag racing in the sixties and seventies.
R.I.P. Jim
Keep them Rolling!
Bill
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