The famous "HEMI UNDER GLASS"

"HEMI UNDER GLASS"

Wheelstander

The massive Shell/Pennzoil/Quaker State display at the 2019 Specialty Equipment Market Association show in Las Vegas offered attendees a rare opportunity for an up-close look at the 1968 version of the famous “Hemi under Glass” exhibition wheel stander.

The supercharged Hemi powered Plymouth Barracuda was conceived in 1965 and according to legend sketched onto a cocktail napkin by Hot Rod magazine editor Ray Brock for George Hurst. Brock intended it to be a competitive racer, but testing uncovered a problem– the mid-engine placement of the supercharged Hemi engine caused the lightened front end of the car to jump into the air at the hit of the accelerator pedal.

Instead of a competitive race car, Hurst, a master promoter, put the wheel standing car on tour and it became a huge hit with spectators and spawned dozens of imitators.   

The “Hemi Under Glass” has only had three drivers through the years – Bob Shrewsberry, Bob Riggle and the current driver, Mike Mantel. 

Shrewsberry left  the "Hemi Under Glass" and Hurst after one season, and developed his own "LA Dart" wheel stander ( a later version featured the supercharged Hemi engine in the car's trunk) sponsored by LA area Dodge dealers.  Later in the late seventies Shrewsberry toured the "Berry Wagon" a fiberglass 1930 Ford Model delivery truck wheelstander sponsored by the Knott's Berry Farm amusement park.     

The original 1965 "Hemi Under Glass" power train was used for the construction of the 1968 Barracuda body style and the 1965 car no longer exists.  Multiple versions of the  second generation "Hemi Under Glass" toured the country for Hurst through 1970, then the company was sold and Hurst just sponsored the cars until Riggle was injured in a crash in 1975.

 

Bob Riggle reintroduced the "Hemi Under Glass" in 1992 and performed with the car until another crash in 2016, after which Mantel became the designated driver.  The author was assured by Shell officials that the car shown at SEMA 2019 was not the same car crashed on the famous episode of "Jay Leno's Garage." 

Mantel planned to introduce a new  modern "Hellephant" supercharged 1,000 hp and 950 lb-ft of torque Hemi powered LX- class Dodge "Hemi under Glass" Challenger for the 2020 season.  

All photos by the author 

Pennzoil funny car at SEMA

 

 

 

On display under the Pennzoil tent in front of the Las Vegas Convention Center for the 2017 SEMA (Specialty Equipment market Association) show was this Dodge Charge R/T NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) Funny Car. The car owned by Don Schumacher Racing and driven by two-time NHRA champion Matt Hagan placed fifth in the 2017 NHRA Funny Car championship chase.

 

 

Hagan who also owns a pair of eponymous hunting, fishing, apparel, and home décor stores in his native state of Virginia, won four NHRA events in 2017, including the first two events of the season. During the course of the 2017 season Hagan recorded two careers bests. He ran the quickest elapsed time of his career when he covered the 10,000 feet in 3.799 seconds at Lucas Oil Raceway, and the fastest time speed of his career, 338.35 miles per hour, during qualifying for the Menards Heartland Nationals in Topeka Kansas.

All photos by the author