Ed McCulloch

He partnered with Jim Albrich in building another car, and they hired a driver, who they could not afford to pay, so McCulloch took the seat.

[1] He proved his skill by being named #1 on Drag News' Mr. Eliminator list on 13 June 1965, after defeating "Sneaky Pete" Robinson at Woodburn.

[2] Art Whipple had been slated to drive a new Chevrolet Camaro FC, powered by a big-block Chevy; McCulloch, intending only to do trial passes, qualified #1 at Woodburn and won the event.

[2] and made it to Indianapolis, NHRA's biggest race of the year;[1] McCulloch won the FC class, his first national event victory.

[2] McCulloch also attracted sponsorship from model kit maker Revell, piloting the Dodge Demon funny car, Revellution, beginning with the NHRA Supernationals at Ontario that year;[2] other drivers had only ever gotten royalties from Revell kits based on their cars.

[1] During 1972 and 1973, McCulloch attended over 100 race meets; this record was matched only by "Jungle Jim" Liberman and "TV Tommy" Ivo.

[1] The lack of success led McCulloch to take a break in 1979, and act as an occasional hired driver for the Super Shops funny car.

[1] He came back with a win at Indy in 1980, beating Tom Ridings with a holeshot, but an inability to get sponsorship meant he was unable to continue, and he was out for three more years.

[1] Larry Minor, then running a successful Top Fuel dragster team, picked McCulloch to drive a new funny car in 1984, and (with tuning by Bernie Fedderly and Dan Olson) he would put the Miller Beer-sponsored car in at least one national event final round every year until his retirement, scoring twelve wins in 29 races.

[1] Going back to his roots, McCulloch switched to driving a TF/D in 1992, in Minor's McDonald's-sponsored car, and took his sixth U.S. Nationals win, his first in a Top Fuel dragster.

[1] Then 51, appeared at an exhibition event, the Fast Masters Championship, competing in a Jaguar XJ220 at Indianapolis; he faced a number of other drivers, all over age 50, including oval track stars Gary Bettenhausen, Bobby Allison, Fred Lorenzen, Jim McElreath, Troy Ruttman, and Dick Trickle.