'Dandy' Dick Landy

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Dick Landy, nicknamed "Dandy Dick", was an American drag racer.

"Dandy" Dick Landy was a master showman and a major pioneer in Super Stock, Funny Car, and Pro Stock; who was known for his innovative race cars, wild wheelstands, and his trademark cigars. His nickname "Dandy" came from his neat appearance in pressed white pants and jacket and long unlit cigar clenched between his teeth. Landy was among the drivers who popularized late-model Super Stock cars in the 1960s, campaigned the first Funny Cars in the middle of that decade, and helped establish the popularity of Pro Stock when the category was created in 1970. Landy made a name for himself and his factory sponsor by combining the legendary Hemi with an altered wheelbase to create the first "Funny Car". The combination of horsepower and traction led to the banning of his vehicles by the NHRA; relegated to the exhibition circuit, Landy then introduced nitromethane, mechanical fuel injection, and supercharging to the equation and established the foundation for the highest tiers of modern drag racing. Landy later returned to the world of officially-sanctioned racing to participate in the formative days of the Super Stock and Pro Stock classes, and remained involved with Chrysler for the remainder of his long career.

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Dick Landy, nicknamed "Dandy Dick", was an American drag racer.

"Dandy" Dick Landy was a master showman and a major pioneer in Super Stock, Funny Car, and Pro Stock; who was known for his innovative race cars, wild wheelstands, and his trademark cigars. His nickname "Dandy" came from his neat appearance in pressed white pants and jacket and long unlit cigar clenched between his teeth. Landy was among the drivers who popularized late-model Super Stock cars in the 1960s, campaigned the first Funny Cars in the middle of that decade, and helped establish the popularity of Pro Stock when the category was created in 1970. Landy made a name for himself and his factory sponsor by combining the legendary Hemi with an altered wheelbase to create the first "Funny Car". The combination of horsepower and traction led to the banning of his vehicles by the NHRA; relegated to the exhibition circuit, Landy then introduced nitromethane, mechanical fuel injection, and supercharging to the equation and established the foundation for the highest tiers of modern drag racing. Landy later returned to the world of officially-sanctioned racing to participate in the formative days of the Super Stock and Pro Stock classes, and remained involved with Chrysler for the remainder of his long career.

In 1965, Landy's Dodge Coronet A/Factory Experimental (A/FX) entry, bought from Jack Chrisman, was one of the first to compete in what would later become the Funny Car class. Landy won the Street class at the Winternats in 1968, following with a win in Modified (Altered) there in 1969. At the 1970 Winternationals, he beat Herb McCandless' Plymouth Duster, when McCandless redlighted. Landy would reach a final round only once more, at the 1972 NHRA Summernationals at Englishtown, New Jersey; he would lose to Grumpy Jenkins.

Landy died on January 11, 2007 at the age of 69

Subject ID: 11694

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Subject ID: 11694