Raymond Beadle

Raymond Beadle (December 16, 1943 – October 20, 2014) was an American drag racer and auto racing team owner.

Almost immediately after joining Harry Schmidt's Blue Max team, Beadle rivaled "Jungle Jim" Liberman in popularity and Don Prudhomme in on-track success.

Beadle never claimed to be a tuner, and Schmidt was not interested in driving, promoting, or worrying about the day-to-day business of racing.

He had the Blue Max name copyrighted, lined up sponsors and race dates, and immediately demanded four times what Schmidt had commanded in appearance fees, and got it.

The 1977 car, also a Ford Mustang II,[citation needed] was Beadle's alone, sponsored by English Leather and Napa Regal Ride.

[citation needed] Beadle won the NHRA championship in 1979 with two wins in five finals against Tom Hoover, Gary Burgin, Billy Meyer, a young John Force, and Jim Dunn.

The Blue Max, now a Plymouth Horizon, reached the final round four times in 1981 and again won NHRA's most prestigious event, the U.S. Nationals.

Driving a Ford EXP in 1982, Beadle went after a fourth straight championship, but slipped to fifth in the points standings by year's end.

[citation needed] Beadle got back in the seat in 1987 and reached the final round of two races late that year.

Tyler Reddick noted that during the Old Milwaukee throwback car announcement, crediting Ryan Beadle for negotiating the deal.