Legendary NHRA automotive proprietor and crew chief, Roland Leong handed away Dec. 29. He was 79.
Born and raised on the Island of Oahu, Leong took to quick vehicles when scorching rod tradition made its solution to the Hawaiian Islands within the late 50s. He spent loads of time hanging round a neighborhood pace store which served to throw gasoline onto an already rising flame. “I bear in mind taking my mom’s 1959 Oldsmobile out at evening, promising her that I wouldn’t race, however I didn’t hold my promise fairly often,” Leong famous within the Sept/Oct problem of Classic Motorsport.
Leong turned a profitable gasoline dragster racer in Hawaii however knew the actual motion was in California. His mom lined up a job for him at Jim Nelson and Dode Martin’s Dragmaster Firm in Carlsbad, Calif. and Leong headed east within the early ’60s.
Whereas at Dragmasters, Leong minimize his tooth doing all of the work that will serve him nicely all through his profession. All the pieces from rebuilding engines and chassis portray to sweeping the flooring and toilet obligation. He additionally started to see simply what it took to run a profitable race workforce.
Fellow Hawaiian racer Danny Ongais additionally made the mainland transfer with Leong and labored Dragmasters together with racing their vehicles. The Hawaiian duo labored collectively in 1964 successful the Prime Gasoline class on the NHRA Winternationals in Pomona.
Leong had ambitions of being a Prime Gasoline driver however infamously crashed at greater than 191 mph at Lions dragstrip in Lengthy Seaside throughout his first run in a nitro automotive. His mentor, Keith Black, was frightened by the occasion and advised Leong crew chief the Greer/Black/Prudhomme automotive he had been operating. “I agreed and I employed the “Snake” on the spot,” Leong recalled.
Recognizing the hardcore racer inside one different, Don Prudhomme and Leong rapidly turned a workforce to be reckoned with. Successful races up and down California, and famously claiming the 1965 Winternationals and U.S. Nationals.
Although, the flame burned somewhat rapidly and the duo parted methods 1966 with Prudhomme going out on his personal and Leong persevering with on his path to a legendary automotive proprietor and tuner.
“He was my buddy, my brother,” stated Prudhomme to Phil Burgess, NHRA. “There’s in all probability nobody on this sport that I used to be nearer to than Ro. I’m so sorry to see him go, however at the least he’s now not struggling. I’m going to overlook him.”
Leong continued to have success with Winternationals and U.S. Nationals victories in 1966 (pushed by Mike Snively) and in 1969 switched to Humorous Automobiles noting the rise in reputation and the bigger canvas for sponsorship alternatives.
Leong’s vibrant Humorous Automobiles, emblazoned with the “Hawaiian” title turned as ubiquitous as “Snake” or “Mongoose” inside the scene and later the complementary sponsorships of Kings Hawaiian Bread and Hawaiian Punch resulting in iconic liveries inside the sport.
Leong retired from competitors within the early ’90s however might be discovered at NHRA reunion occasions operating classic Humorous Automobiles for personal house owners.
