Sunday, October 1, 2000

Rare loss for Fort Worth racer

By Mark Wilson
Reporter-News Staff Writer

After 45 years in drag racing, Fort Worth’s Ancel Horton finally ran into something that has him stumped.

Horton is a member of the Texas Drag Racing Hall of Fame who virtually has a trailer full of records and titles. But his loss to Mark Smith of Odessa Saturday in the Abilene Shootout was his first since he began driving his current jet dragster, which is named the “Mississippi Mad Man.’’

“That was the first round I’ve ever been beat in that car in three years,’’ said Horton, who put together a record string of 14 consecutive races topping 300 miles per hour starting in April, 1998 through May of that year. “I’ve got the track record here and almost every track I’ve ever run at.’’

But Saturday the long winning streak for the 58-year-old native of Hamilton came to an end on the eighth-mile track at the Abilene Regional Airport.

“I had problems here and I don’t know what they are. I admit to being puzzled on how to tune for this fuel,’’ said Horton, who serves as his own mechanic and gets plenty of help in all areas from his wife, Peggie.

“She’s my biggest helper and supporter,’’ Horton said. “She hasn’t had a single day off this year.’’

Horton thinks that the problems stemmed from a change in his fuel source. He had been using kerosene for his engine — a Pratt and Whitney J60 — but tried using regular jet fuel Saturday. Horton had difficulties tuning the engine properly with the jet fuel.

Horton’s elapsed time record for the eighth-mile track used at the Abilene Shootout is 3.62 seconds.

“I ran six-tenths of a second off. That’s tons in drag racing,’’ said Horton, whose car is owned by Greg King of Olive Branch, Miss. “This is my fourth year to compete here. I won every year and lowered the record every year. But it’s not looking good for this year. We might get it worked out.’’

The racing at the Shootout will continue today, with the first races starting at 8:30 a.m. Horton will likely have a so-called “grudge match’’ race today against former Abilene resident Jay Farnsworth, who competes in the Super Pro Class.

Horton believes that he has probably had more runs topping 300 miles per hour than any other person.

“That’s probably true,’’ said Horton, whose personal records in the quarter-mile are 312.57 mph and an elapsed time of 5.002. “At least more consecutive over 300 than anybody else. I’m the old man of the sport. I’ve driven more jet dragsters than anybody. I still enjoy it as much as I ever did. I’m getting to where I can’t work as fast as I did.’’

Horton is still extremely quick off the line.

“My reaction times are still the best in the country, I guess,’’ he said. “A perfect reaction time is .400 of a second, and I can still put a .409 on people. I’m quick in my old age. I’m just jittery.’’

Horton owned a Mobil service station most of his life, but recently sold it. He claims that his blood pressure went down after he got out of that business. But he doesn’t seem to let drag racing get to him in that way.

“You can say it’s scary, but really it’s being respectful of the speed and being careful,’’ said Horton, who has competed in Australia, Canada, Mexico and the Carribean Islands as well as all over the United States.

Horton said that there have been 10 major jet car drag racing accidents already this year, but noted that six of the drivers were uninjured. “It’s been atrocious,’’ Horton said.

Sadly, one who didn’t survive was Horton’s dear friend, Bill Gnegy, who was one of the Shootout competitors last year.

“I have crashed a jet car, yes, but it has been many years ago (1989),’’ Horton said. “Usually when you crash a jet car, it’s parachute failure — inability to stop.’’

Horton said that the jet cars are driven purely by the force of the exhaust, rather than having a shaft delivering power to the wheels.

“The wheels are just along for the ride,’’ he said.

The driver’s body is also just along for the ride, with tremendously strong G-forces exerted during the race.

“My car will run the first 60 feet in less than nine-tenths of a second,’’ Horton said. “That compares to 4.5 to 5 Gs. It’s a tremendous pull. It keeps the back of my neck burning all the time.’’

It’s full throttle all the way, and Horton says drivers just “hold on and scream.’’

He also noted that drivers must never let their head turn sideways as they race, or they won’t be able to face forward again until the car slows down.

Horton said that during a race, steering a jet dragster is actually easier than steering other types of cars. But it’s still an intense experience.

“Seriously, I don’t blink, breathe or swallow,’’ Horton said. “It’s just concentration on seeing the finish line. The only time I crashed a jet car was because I completely missed the finish line. I didn’t see it.’’

The trickiest part is when the engine is shut down at the finish line when Horton gets what he calls simply, “that uncomfortable feeling,’’ just as he releases his duel 8-foot parachutes and starts braking.

“When you cut the engine off, that’s the part that worries me the most,’’ Horton said. “At the finish line, you’re usually going in excess of 475 feet per second.’’

Horton is so safety conscious these days that he has been called “Mr. Safety’’ at times. He said that safety in jet dragsters involves every aspect of the car and the driver’s equipment, including the suit.

“I just really try to be safe — as safe as you can be going that fast,’’ he said.

Contact assistant sports editor Mark Wilson at 676-6775 or wilsonm@abinews.com. We are on the Web at http://sports.texnews.com.