WESTERN BUNNS – Dover Drag Strip

This topic has 14 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated October 27, 2012 at 5:52 pm by dino.

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August 13, 2009 at 1:47 am #9716
fastlane
I TALKED TO SMOKEY ABOUT THIS GUY LAST SATURDAY AT THE MARCUS CRUISE TOLD HIM HE WAS MENTIONED IN THE NHRA INSIDER ABOUT BEING ONE OF THE FEW EAST COAST BLACK RACERS IN THE EARLY YEARS OF RACING FUNNY CARS IN THE EARLY TO LATE 70S AS A MALCOM DURHAM PROTEGE WHO WAS FROM DANBURY CT . HIS CAR WAS CALLED THE SOUL TWISTER . SAID IN THE INSIDER ARTICLE HE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH IN 78 BROKE BOTH LEGS AND THEN RETIRED FROM DRAG RACING HAS SOME NICE BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOS OF BOTH OF THERE FUNNY CARS . SMOKEY SAID HE TOOK HIM FOR A RIDE IN HIS 55 CHEVY BACK IN THE DAY BANGED SOME GEARS WITH HIM IN THE CAR AND FROM THEN HE WAS HOOKED . ATTA BOY SMOKE . 😆 BOY DOES THIS SOUNDS FAMILIAR TO ME AND MANY OTHERS IN HERE 😮 FASTLANE.
August 13, 2009 at 1:59 am #18742
dino
Keymaster
WE remember Wes! Photos of His Funny in the ODF Galleries..Had A shop In Danbury where he kept it. Ran a lot down south…Greensboro Area., had family there..Piedmont, Farmington…all over the Carolinas in Match Races.Would show at Dover when in the Area to Test ‘n’ tune.
August 13, 2009 at 2:03 am #18743
fastlane
O.K. GUYS HERES THE PHOTOS CHECK UM OUT . THE SOUL BROTHERS IN ACTION . 😎 NOW THATS COOL HUH ! FASTLANE.

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August 13, 2009 at 2:07 am #18744
dino
Keymaster
heres that quote for Wes’s photo, by former Division 1 Photographer Fred von Sholly. courtesy NHRA.com:
“Western Bunns was another Durham protégé. He fielded a line of Soul Twister entries out of Danbury, Conn., beginning with this Chevy-powered Nova in 1971. The Nova was followed by a Vega that he ran for several seasons before a 1978 accident in North Carolina left him with a pair of broken legs and ended his career.” ….So …Where Is He now…Any leads ?
August 13, 2009 at 3:17 am #18748
smokey-dragct
Participant
SAD TO SAY WES BUNNS PASSED AWAY IN THE EARLY NINETIES FROM CANCER
SMOKEY
August 13, 2009 at 12:19 pm #18749
dino
Keymaster
Here’s one of the few shots of Wes At Dover (ODF Galleries score again)…another funny in the background…Wes would be a “Back-Up’ in case of breakage by a “booked ” match race..either tracks decision or his own. Looks like ’70-’71

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August 16, 2009 at 2:08 pm #18789
vindicator
Participant
😀 😀 😀 HEY…WES (TERN) BUNNS…WAS ONE “GOOD” GUY…HE & AL HOFFMAN USED TO REGULARLY COME OVER TO THE “SHOP” TO BUY/BORROW 10 GALLONS NITRO/ALCOHOL IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THEIR FUNNY CAR “ADVENTURES”…USED TO SEE WES TOO…”ON THE ROAD” DOWN SOUTH PRETTY OFTEN…COMING/GOING FROM THE WEEKEND SHOWS…A NEAT GUY… JUST LIVIN’ THE “DREAM”…REMEMBER HIS SHOP…BELIEVE ON CORNER WEST STREET IN DANBURY…FOR SOME YEARS…ALWAYS HAD SMILE…AND A “GOOD” WORD ‘BOUT EVERYBODY 😀 😀 😀 DRAKE…
October 17, 2012 at 2:09 pm #36076
dino
Keymaster
Wes Bunns Son just signed on, so I put all our info at this one topic…on his Dad’s Funny Car

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October 25, 2012 at 1:14 pm #36144
dino
Keymaster
Very few photos of this car…don’t know why? Maybe he son found his scrap book.Found this online …sure looks like a quick reletter of another car…can ya guess which one? kinda looks like Braskett & Burgin…but might be wrong year.

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October 25, 2012 at 1:26 pm #36145
dino
Keymaster
found this too…caption said “Former Malcom Durham Chevy II”

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October 25, 2012 at 1:55 pm #36146
dino
Keymaster
Digging More I found These shots that someone sent Dennis Doubleday Of his Crash at Kinston

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October 26, 2012 at 11:51 am #36159
dino
Keymaster
didn’t look at the crash shots that closely..afterwards see how Gruesome it was …the bottom shot with him coming loose from his seat is quite the shot.
October 27, 2012 at 2:44 pm #36168
super-sport-pete
he was very lucky to survive that crash with what little safety equipment required back then. no fire,but unfortunately something like that makes a lot of racers hang up the helmet for good. no guard rails at this track? maybe better off. just look at john force has today. progress.
October 27, 2012 at 3:40 pm #36170
vindicator
Participant
😀 😀 😀 Hey Guys…for sure safety equipment has come a long…long…way…but…Western became a friend…and we…his source of weekly fuel (credit!!! 😆 😆 😆 )…but… “era” safety equipment was…almost ok…if the driver chose to use it 😆 😆 😆 …been on my lid…and blowed up…on fire…at least a few times ‘eh 😆 😆 😆 …there were on-board fire systems…multi layer suits…good other “fire wear”…fire resistent VHT under/body coating…covered chutes…harnesses,etc….not suggesting anywhere close to today…but if you were “lax” racing down south reguarly…never/ever (even today!) any “tech” stuff/ check…you could very easily get “hurt” or worse…Wes “fell prey” to this…old poorly mounted hardware…empty fire bottles…U…get the idea…:D 😀 😀 indeed he was lucky (and he was a very special “dude”…”heart/courage” of a lion…yet as compassionate to others as any man ever was! 😀 😀 😀 )…way lucky…that day…the crash @ Kinston, North Carolina…pretty much ended his Funny Car “career”…again…real genuine good guy…didn’t have much “quality” help (people…”friends”…truly looking out for him)…for sure a very lucky “dude”…in this crash… 😀 😀 😀 Drake…p.s there is no way to compare current days of John Force…”akin”…to “mastering” music ala Chuck Berry’s ’50’s-early ’60’s sound (s)…on Sun/Decca record label…vs. “today” 😆 😆 :lol:…the car/chassis/bodies/restraints/tires/clutches…as well have made “monster”…advances…to be “expected”…40 or so years later… 😆 😆 😆 it’s America ‘eh…used to be…this great country…led the world in all “areas” of innovation…still…the greatest spot to be/live on world planet…bar none though!!! 😀 😀 😀
October 27, 2012 at 5:52 pm #36174
dino
Keymaster
Wes’s son is now registered on the Forum…Will be contacting him for some info…WES was for sure a great guy with a great smile…had to give him credit for pursuing his ‘dream” ….running with his peers in the good ole South every week…Some tough schedule and expenses for a Independant Racer & Businessman…Had a huge following in the South ….
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