Wheels Of Time Racing Veteran Who Began In ‘52 Now Tracks Son-In-Law

Chris Karamesines has spent decades paying attention to seconds.

He’s a dean of the drag race, a 45-year veteran of flooring cars down a quarter-mile stretch of asphalt as fast as he can.

On Sunday, he was at the 35th annual American Hot Rod Association World Finals at the Spokane Raceway Park, near Airway Heights.

Though he wasn’t behind the wheel of the red top fuel dragster that bears his name this weekend, Karamesines wasn’t a disinterested spectator either.

The fella at the controls of the dragster, a vehicle that looks like a knife on wheels, was Karamesines’ son-in-law, Bobby Baldwin. “I still drive occasionally, but he gets worried about me,” Karamesines said, jokingly motioning to Baldwin.

In 1952, Karamesines started racing in a street roadster. Chicago was his home, Eisenhower was president, and Hawaii wouldn’t be a state for another seven years. “I was just always interested in cars,” he said. “Every kid dreams about speed. Everything I could race, I did.”

As tracks opened around the United States, Karamesines followed, won races and set records. In 1960, his car was the first to break 200 mph at a track in Alton, Ill.

In newspaper accounts he has been called “The Greek” or the “Golden Greek” for his racing prowess.

He’s vague about his age. He’s older than 60 and not yet 70. Even his son-in-law doesn’t seem to know.

In the early days of racing, things were simpler, cheaper, Karamesines said.

Racers built their own cars and only needed one mechanic to help.

Now, crews of six to eight fuss over the specially manufactured vehicles, which can cost around $75,000.

Standing in the shade of a trailer, Karamesines watched as data - fuel pressure, rpms and other information collected during a race - was downloaded from a computer on-board the dragster and printed on a small machine at his feet.

If the years have brought higher costs and high technology, they’ve also brought Karamesines more family. His daughter, Paula, married Baldwin, a man Karamesines used to race against.

The couple has a 4-year-old daughter, Krista, who helps out by “not being too bored” and keeping her hearing protectors on during the noisy races, her dad said. The whole family travels the racing circuit.

For a dean of drag racing like Karamesines, the little girl lets him add one more line - and one of the most important - to his list of accomplishments: grandfather.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo