Drag-Racing Veteran Runs His New Funny Car At Srp

Most people celebrate anniversaries with silver, gold, diamonds or trips to exotic locations.

Larry Van Unen bought a new funny car to celebrate his 40th anniversary in drag racing.

After a few years running alcohol dragsters, the former award-winning dragster and funny-car driver returns to campaigning a funny car at the AHRA World Finals, which run today through Sunday at Spokane Raceway Park.

Over the winter, Van Unen sold the dragster he and his driver, Spokane’s Brett Hordemann, raced here last year. Van Unen delivered the old car to its buyer in Pittsburgh and, on his return trip, Van Unen swung down to Fort Worth, Texas, and closed the deal on a funny car he’d been eyeing.

While Van Unen has had considerable time at the wheel of the sometimes squirrely funny cars, his driver hasn’t.

Hordemann has never driven a funny car, but approaches the new assignment as a routine matter.

“It’s going to be fun … I hope,” Hordemann said with trepidation. “You just have to pay attention.”

Hordemann came up through the ranks driving more stable dragsters with longer wheelbases. About the only time he’s driven a full-bodied car was a run in a friend’s 8-second door-slammer.

“The funny car moves around a lot more, especially in the top end,” Van Unen said. “(Compared to a dragster) You also have limited vision.”

Van Unen retired and moved to Priest River a few years ago. He funds his passion for drag racing out of his own pocket, his long reputation as a straight shooter, plus help from Exide, Valvoline and Lenco Transmissions.

Van Unen’s experience in drag racing dates to 1957, and he made a name for himself in the mid-1960s. He was named “Outstanding Junior Fuel Driver” in 1966 and 1967.

Junior Fuel is a long-forgotten class where cars ran injected motors on nitro-methane. It’s similar to the relationship now shared by top fuel and top alcohol cars.

Leadfooted commissioner

Spokane County Commissioner Phil Harris was a guest at Thursday’s luncheon and told of his days as a drag racer in Laredo, Texas. Harris, a member of the Laredo Road Rodders club, used to drive an A-Altered Coup and once set a speed record of 132 mph.

Starting line moves

Because the 23-year-old asphalt at SRP is showing signs of age, the starting line has been moved 26 feet down the track from where it was last year.

Notes

Former funny car driver Trip Shumake returns to Spokane for the first time in more than 20 years. He’s here to work as a crew member and watch girlfriend Paula Martin drive her funny car. Shumake drove at the first race ever held at SRP - the AHRA Spring Nationals - in May of 1974.

“We got here a day early,” Shumake recalled. “I said ‘we’re going to race here?”’ as he watched crews finish paving the track.