On most any poll the most famous and recognizable Top Gas dragster of all time is John & Bev Peters twin engine Freight Train Top Gas Dragster. From 1960 (Peters & Frank) to 1970 there were four different "Trains", each nicer and faster than the one before it. When the Top Gas class was dropped by NHRA in 1971 most of the cars were either converted to another class, put up in the rafters or cut up. Peters chose to keep his car basically in tact, without a clue of what he would ever use it for.

Freight Train AA/GD (1963-1971) Owner: John Peters of Santa Monica, CA. This last edition of the car was built in 1967 by Frank Huzar (RCS) and John Peters. Its 200" chassis with a Nye Frank body, and twin 350 blown Chevys up front, was a "load" for anyone who had to face it in competition. The first gas dragster to run 200 (1967) and it also notched wins at Bakersfield (‘69), UDRA Championships (‘67/68), as well as a host of NHRA divisional and national events.

 

Though Bob Muravez was the primary driver of the "Train" for almost a decade, there were others that saw seat time in various versions of the car, which began life as the Quincy Automotive Special in 1959. They included original driver Roy "Goob" Tuller, Billy "The Kid Scott", Sam Davis, Walt Rhoades, Bob Noice and Bill Alexander.

 

 

 

Billy "The Kid" Scott in 1967

 

 

Bob "Floyd Lippencotte Jr." Muravez at Irwindale in 1969

 

 

 

Known for running nothing but small block Chevies and sporting red paint jobs, Peters broke his tradition during the 1970 season when he teamed up with Walt Rhodes to run a national campaign using 392 type Chrysler hemi's with the car painted black.

 

 

Sam Davis at Orange County International Raceway in 1970.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Train sat until 1995 when, at the request of Steve Gibbs, he put the car back together as a feature display for the new NHRA Motorsports Museum. It resided at the Fairplex until Peters witnessed Cacklefest II he decided it was time to bring the car out of the Museum and back onto the track for Cacklefest II in 2001. He freshened up the engines, installed a clutch and driveline and she was ready to rumble.

 

Its "official" Cacklefest debut in 2001 with Bob Muravez in the seat.

 

Push start for Cacklefest II

 

 

 

 

2002 NHRA Winternationals Cacklefest

 

 

 

Muravez Pre-Cacklefest Parade and push start fire-up in 2002

 

 

 

Roy Tuller, Bob Muravez and John Peters

 

NHRR One, Bowling Green, KY 2003

 

Original driver Roy "Goob" Tuller in the car at Bowling Green.

 

 

 

Sam Davis in Cacklefest IV (2003)

 

 

 

"Goob" and "Floyd" prior to the NHRA 50th Anniversary US Nationals Cacklefest.

 

Don Enriquez got the seat at the 2004 Cacklefest.

 

 

 

 

 

At Cacklefest VI Sam Davis was back in the seat.

 

 

 

 

When its not at the CHRR or doing a special event the Freight Train is on display at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum.