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Bob “Bones” Balogh was one of the top drivers, engine and car builders of the ‘60’s “Gasser Wars” era of drag racing. He first gained fame by winning BM/SP class honors in the J&J Muffler Corvette at the ’62 NHRA Nationals in Indianapolis. During this time he was building engines out of his own shop in Inglewood, CA and working as a dyno engineer at Iskenderian Racing Cams in Gardena, CA.
In ’63, he drove “Big John” Mazmanian’s BM/SP ’61 Corvette and then drove and built engines for Mazmanian’s ’41 Willys A/GS which became the first stock-bodied car to break into the 9’s. He split with Mazmanian in mid-’64 and eventually teamed with Gary Dubach to field Dubach’s ’33 Willys with a blown 364” Chevy. Joe Pisano of Venolia piston fame joined the team and brought with him 454” Hemi Chrysler power. With the Chrysler, the car turned a best time of 9.38 @ 155mph. The car’s name “ChiZler II” and the unique air scoop and injection came from Chris Karamesines’s dragster that was the first rail to break through the 200 mph barrier.
(11/20/2005)
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